[SOLVED] how to test a Ralink MT7601U wireless USB device

nyloc · 02-11-2017, 06:06 AM

I want to move my printer and use it via wi-fi so I bought a Realtek 802.11n USB wifi device.

I run iwconfig wlan0 essid mytest1 channel auto
as recommened by docs.slackware.com/slackbook:wifi

but when I run wicd or get my tablet to look for wifi neither of them can find the usb device.

What do I need to do to test the USB device?

michaelk · 02-11-2017, 10:32 AM

Your post is a bit confusing.

What is the make/model of your printer?
What is your current network configuration and do you have a wireless router?

A typical home network has a wireless router where all wireless device connect. All communication between wireless devices goes through the router first.

If you do not have a wireless router you can configure a computer's wireless adapter as an access point called managed mode if it has that capability or as ad-hoc which is a peer to peer mode. In order to get your tablet or printer to see the MT7601U, it needs to be in one those modes. However, depending on the tablet's operating system i.e IOS some can not connect to an ad-hoc network by default.

http://docs.slackware.com/howtos:net...s_access_point
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...-674502-print/

If the printer has an ad-hoc mode and is an e-printer then it might be easier to configure the computer and tablet to connect to it versus the computer itself.

nyloc · 02-11-2017, 07:10 PM

Not surprised it's confusing, I tried to upload the results of lsusb, lsmod, iwconfig only to be told I was uploading 9 images (even though I was only uploading text) so I had to delete most of the information. This after spending the best part of 24 hours searching the net for info on how to setup this device on Slackware, I was extremly pissed off and that was made worse by the prevention of me including the info I wantedto show. Today I am still angry about how much time I have wasted trying to do something Windows can do immediately.
The [printer is a Fuji Xerox CM115w, not that is relevant given I can't get the wifi device to work.
The current network configuration is whatever NetworkManager does when you install Slackware.
Isn't what I bought supposed to be a router.
Where is it documented that I need a wireless access point to send files to a printer. I do not want to access the internet via the wireless device!

nyloc · 02-11-2017, 08:19 PM

tried following the configuring_a_wireless_access_point and got this
bash-4.4# echo "1" > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward
bash-4.4# iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o eth0 -j MASQUERADE
bash-4.4# tail /etc/resolv.conf
# Generated by dhcpcd from eth0.dhcp
# /etc/resolv.conf.head can replace this line
nameserver 192.168.1.254
# /etc/resolv.conf.tail can replace this line
bash-4.4# ifconfig wlan0 192.168.1.254 up
bash-4.4# /etc/rc.d/rc.hostapd start
Starting HOSTAPD: /usr/sbin/hostapd -B -P /var/run/hostapd.pid /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
Configuration file: /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
ioctl[PRISM2_IOCTL_PRISM2_PARAM]: Operation not supported
Could not enable hostapd mode for interface wlan0
hostap driver initialization failed.
wlan0: interface state UNINITIALIZED->DISABLED
wlan0: AP-DISABLED
hostapd_free_hapd_data: Interface wlan0 wasn't started
bash-4.4#

bassmadrigal · 02-11-2017, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nyloc

Not surprised it's confusing, I tried to upload the results of lsusb, lsmod, iwconfig only to be told I was uploading 9 images (even though I was only uploading text) so I had to delete most of the information.

You can just copy/paste that directly into the post using [code][/code] tags... no need to upload anything

Normally, the two biggest things with wireless troubleshooting would be the output of lspci -k | grep -iA3 net and iwconfig. This would tell use what network device it is and the kernel module being used and if Slackware detects it as a wireless device. However, since this is a usb device, lspci may not show the wireless device. In that case, lsusb can help, but it isn't as forthcoming as lspci in providing good information. Would you include the output of regular lsusb as well as the output of lsusb -t?

Quote:

Where is it documented that I need a wireless access point to send files to a printer. I do not want to access the internet via the wireless device!

Unless the printer supports adhoc wireless connections, you need an at least access point, but most people use wireless routers. Even if the printer does support adhoc, I've found adhoc connections to be dodgy, even in Windows environments (although, I can't remember if I've ever needed to use adhoc on Linux... it's been years since I've needed it).

michaelk · 02-11-2017, 10:12 PM

Does not look like the printer supports direct print mode.
http://onlinesupport.fujixerox.com//...rGuide_ENG.pdf

No, the USB wireless adapter typically is used to connect the computer to a wireless router or access point. Without knowing the chipset of your device I do not know if it supports ad-hoc or AP mode. And yes it is more difficult then Windows. .

nyloc · 02-11-2017, 10:55 PM

Quote:

And yes it is more difficult then Windows. .

In the 48+ hours I have spent getting nowhere with this I could have backed up my hard drive reformatted it without that horrible UEFI garbage installed Windows and Slackware and had the device working under Windows to see if I can use that method of printing. So yes it is more difficult than Windows.

nyloc · 02-11-2017, 11:03 PM

the relevant line from lsusb
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 148f:7601 Ralink Technology, Corp. MT7601U Wireless Adapter
and lsusb -t
|__ Port 2: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Vendor Specific Class, Driver=mt7601u, 480M

the output from lsmod

Code:

root@nyloc:/home/col# lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
mt7601u                88775  0
mac80211              609638  1 mt7601u
tun                    20475  2
cfg80211              524905  2 mac80211,mt7601u
rfkill                 18649  1 cfg80211
appletalk              28103  0
ax25                   48643  0
ipx                    22078  0
p8023                   1548  1 ipx
p8022                   1633  1 ipx
psnap                   2519  2 ipx,appletalk
llc                     4957  2 p8022,psnap
ipv6                  334857  62
fuse                   84394  1
snd_hda_codec_hdmi     39395  1
hid_generic             1551  0
usbhid                 38479  0
hid                   107579  2 hid_generic,usbhid
snd_hda_codec_realtek    72730  1
ohci_pci                3618  0
i2c_dev                 6188  0
mxm_wmi                 2049  0
snd_hda_codec_generic    61189  1 snd_hda_codec_realtek
amdkfd                 72388  1
amd_iommu_v2            8390  1 amdkfd
radeon               1482406  9
kvm_amd                55053  0
kvm                   501453  1 kvm_amd
ttm                    82096  1 radeon
efi_pstore              4965  0
irqbypass               3519  1 kvm
drm_kms_helper        118812  1 radeon
crct10dif_pclmul        5461  0
crc32_pclmul            3238  0
crc32c_intel           13564  0
drm                   322966  7 ttm,drm_kms_helper,radeon
evdev                  13220  17
snd_hda_intel          29531  5
serio_raw               5146  0
snd_hda_codec         108141  4 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_intel
snd_hda_core           52370  5 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel
efivars                 8413  1 efi_pstore
snd_hwdep               6656  1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm                92802  4 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_core
r8169                  73063  0
agpgart                31796  2 drm,ttm
i2c_algo_bit            5962  1 radeon
fam15h_power            3399  0
fb_sys_fops             1730  1 drm_kms_helper
mii                     5143  1 r8169
syscopyarea             3458  1 drm_kms_helper
k10temp                 3832  0
sysfillrect             3950  1 drm_kms_helper
hwmon                   4199  3 fam15h_power,k10temp,radeon
sysimgblt               2608  1 drm_kms_helper
ohci_hcd               29364  1 ohci_pci
ehci_pci                4285  0
snd_timer              22109  1 snd_pcm
i2c_piix4               9447  0
snd                    69051  17 snd_hwdep,snd_timer,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_pcm,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel
i2c_core               47925  6 drm,i2c_dev,i2c_piix4,drm_kms_helper,i2c_algo_bit,radeon
xhci_pci                4873  0
ehci_hcd               44114  1 ehci_pci
soundcore               6876  1 snd
xhci_hcd              116990  1 xhci_pci
shpchp                 26296  0
tpm_infineon            8104  0
8250_fintek             3214  0
acpi_cpufreq            8189  0
wmi                     9259  1 mxm_wmi
fjes                   21479  0
tpm_tis                11588  0
tpm                    35737  2 tpm_tis,tpm_infineon
button                  5722  0
processor              26834  1 acpi_cpufreq
loop                   21270  0
root@nyloc:/home/col#

bassmadrigal · 02-12-2017, 12:08 AM

Ok, it seems to have a module it is using from the kernel, so what about the output of iwconfig?

And keep in mind, many tasks end up being more difficult on Linux (and especially Slackware since Slackware doesn't create fancy GUIs to simplify configuration). Linux ends up giving you more flexibility at the cost of tasks generally being more difficult than Windows. So, if you came to Linux for simplicity, it'll probably be a rough road. I use Linux for its flexibility and learned to enjoy the process of figuring out the difficult tasks.

nyloc · 02-12-2017, 12:31 AM

root@nyloc:/home/col# iwconfig
tun0 no wireless extensions.

lo no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11bgn ESSID

ff/any
Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=0 dBm
Retry short limit:7 RTS thr

ff Fragment thr

ff
Encryption key

ff
Power Management

n

eth0 no wireless extensions.

from the obscure ( a reference to a Rasberry device seemed as good as any) and old info (the Linux drivers on the disc that came with the device are dated 2013 and the responses to google go back to at least 2007) that all seems ok so far.

nyloc · 02-12-2017, 12:55 AM

seems a colon and a lower case O together produce an emoticon

bassmadrigal · 02-12-2017, 01:17 AM

Yeah, to prevent emoticons from showing, you need to enclose everything in the [noparse][/noparse] tags.

But, based on the iwconfig output, it seems your wireless device is detected by the kernel and has the proper module loaded. Now it's a matter of getting it to contact the printer. However, based on this bug report it seems like adhoc might not be supported by the driver, but I'm not sure if there is a better way to determine that.

If adhoc doesn't work, you will need to get a wireless access point to be able to contact the printer (I'd recommend getting a wireless router, as that will have the access point and a dhcp server so you don't have to worry about setting static IPs on the computer and printer).

nyloc · 02-12-2017, 05:45 PM

Was hoping the USB device would do.
Thanks for your help