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Wireless issues(12.2, Kernel 2.6.27.7 Atheros 242x)

I'm having wireless issues with a new install of Slackware 12.2.
-The computer is a Sony Vaio NR120E, the kernel I installed is 2.6.27.7.
-The wireless card is an Atheros 242x and it's not working.

The light on the wireless card does not turn on, regardless of whether the switch is on or off. This led me to believe it was a driver error. I attempted installing MadWifi, but it kept giving me compile errors. I then discovered the 0.94 version for 2.6+ kernels, but after compiling modprobe kept giving me errors(module not found). It seems the make files were sending the modules into the /lib/modules/2.6.27.7-smp folder... where as modprobe apparently doesn't look there.

Doing a little more reading I found out Alien had created a Slackware package of this, but that turned out to be for 2.6.27-smp as well.

During boot I noticed I received some errors referring to ath5k, which is another wireless driver designed for atheros cards, heres the data from the boot log(no idea what it means):

Quote:

ath5k: Unknown symbol ieee80211_free_hw
ath5k: Unknown symbol ieee80211_alloc_hw
ath5k: Unknown symbol ieee80211_register_hw
ath5k: Unknown symbol ieee80211_get_hdrlen_from_skb
ath5k: Unknown symbol ieee80211_generic_frame_duration
ath5k: Unknown symbol __ieee80211_get_tx_led_name
ath5k: Unknown symbol __ieee80211_get_rx_led_name
ath5k: Unknown symbol ieee80211_wake_queues
ath5k: Unknown symbol __ieee80211_rx
ath5k: Unknown symbol ieee80211_tx_status
ath5k: Unknown symbol ieee80211_stop_queue
ath5k: Unknown symbol ieee80211_stop_queues
ath5k: Unknown symbol ieee80211_unregister_hw
ath5k: Unknown symbol ieee80211_beacon_get
ath5k: Unknown symbol ieee80211_frequency_to_channel

I really need wireless unfortunately, and I have no clue what to do next here. Can anyone help me out?

Could be issues due to a new kernel running with relatively ancient userspace.

Quote:

Originally Posted by volkerdi (Post 4161091)

Could be issues due to a new kernel running with relatively ancient userspace.

Well I'm open to any courses of action, I just have no clue what to do. Should I install an older/newer release? I'd like to stick with Slackware if possible

Sorry, you do have the kernel that Slackware 12.2 ships with (I read it wrong before). Note that there are newer kernel packages in the patches directory due to a local security issue, if that is a concern to you (other patches as well).

Are you using the "huge" kernel, or the generic kernel with an initrd? The generic kernel with an initrd might allow you to load that ath5k module without hitting those missing symbols.

The Atheros drivers have had many bug fixes since 2.6.27.7, so if that doesn't work a newer Slackware would have a better chance.

Hello

Does anybody resolved this issue? I have atheros driver.I too got these ath5k error message when i insert Atheros in ubuntu linux OS with 2.6.32-21 kernel. Please suggest how to resolve this.