Wireless network linksys WPC54G v3 with Broadcom

[ianw1974]

Some of the above is referring to your pcmcia slot. The BIOS bug I'm unsure about, but the following text seems to think it was trying to get IRQ 0, and then got IRQ 9.

 

I've no idea on these messages, but if the files aren't giving you a link, I would go back to the ones we had a partial success with, and start working with getting these going.

 

Get back to here, and post your screens from ndiswrapper -i onwards, so we can see exactly every step taken and where errors appear, etc, etc. You can copy this to a text file, and then paste it from another system with internet connection.

[Arne]

Ian, first I want to say sorry for the double posting yesterday.

I dont know why this happen but my internet connection sometimes get hik ups and then the double ting happen.

 

Then to issue on hand. Yes I will go bak to CD rom files and start again, and I will post every output back.

 

During the previous struggling I have lost every ability to change card and get the wired connection back to the notebook, maybe I have to reinstall 2006. And it might have an impact on what we are trying to achieve. Have you experienced or heard of something like this????

[ianw1974]

Can't say I've heard of that. My laptop has both wired and wireless connections, and both seem to work OK.

 

It might just need the wired connection reconfiguring again to get it working.

[Arne]

Her it goes with 9x inf, sys, cat files from the CD rom

 

[root@ast2 arne]# modprobe ndiswrapper

[root@ast2 arne]# ndiswrapper -e bcmwl5

Driver bcmwl5 is not installed.Use -l to list installed drivers

[root@ast2 arne]# ndiswrapper -l

Installed drivers:

bcmwl5a driver installed

rt2500 driver installed

[root@ast2 arne]# ndiswrapper -e bcmwl5a

[root@ast2 arne]# ndiswrapper -l

Installed drivers:

rt2500 driver installed

[root@ast2 arne]# cd linksys/cdrom

[root@ast2 cdrom]# ls

bcmwl5.sys* LSBCMNDS.cat* LSBCMNDS.inf*

 

[root@ast2 cdrom]# ndiswrapper -i LSBCMNDS.inf

Installing lsbcmnds

Forcing parameter IBSSGMode|0 to IBSSGMode|2

Forcing parameter IBSSGMode|0 to IBSSGMode|2

Forcing parameter IBSSGMode|0 to IBSSGMode|2

Forcing parameter IBSSGMode|0 to IBSSGMode|2

Forcing parameter IBSSGMode|0 to IBSSGMode|2

 

[root@ast2 cdrom]# cd /etc/ndiswrapper

[root@ast2 ndiswrapper]# ls

lsbcmnds/ rt2500/

 

[root@ast2 ndiswrapper]# cd lsbcmnds/

[root@ast2 lsbcmnds]# ls

14E4:4318:1737:0048.5.conf 14E4:4320:1737:0049.5.conf 14E4:4320.5.conf lsbcmnds.inf

14E4:4318.5.conf 14E4:4320:1737:4320.5.conf bcmwl5.sys

 

[root@ast2 lsbcmnds]# ndiswrapper -l

Installed drivers:

lsbcmnds driver installed, hardware present

rt2500 driver installed

 

[root@ast2 lsbcmnds]# ndiswrapper -m

Adding "alias wlan0 ndiswrapper" to /etc/modprobe.conf

[root@ast2 lsbcmnds]# depmod -a

[root@ast2 lsbcmnds]# modprobe ndiswrapper

[root@ast2 lsbcmnds]# dmesg

ndiswrapper version 1.9 loaded (preempt=no,smp=no)

ndiswrapper (load_wrap_driver:111): loadndiswrapper failed (59904); check system log for messages from 'loadndisdriver'

What is the this "preempt=no,smp=no" telling me???

 

tail -100 /var/log/syslog shows just the same message and for obvious reason no show of

'wlan0: ndiswrapper ethernet device xx:xx:.............'

 

This message ...(load_wrap_driver:111)..... started the first time I installed the acer-driver. Before that it loaded the right driver and confirmed with 'ndiswrapper: driver ' ' LSBCMNDS ' ' loaded'

 

No "iwconfig" show of 'wlan0'

 

This time I used 9x files (inf. sys. and cat files) which I assume is win98 drivers.

I still thinking about what I said in my last reply yesterday that my 2006 has to be reinstalled because it seems my notebook is still 'locked up' in the Acer driver in some way.

 

When I install a new driver I use 'ndiswrapper -e <driver> to delete the old one before installing the new driver. I believe this is correct.

 

I need to clarify what is the right time to insert the card. In the XP manual both for this card and the previous Belkin card it a strong warning NOT to insert the card before you have installed the driver. It maybe different in linux, I just want to be sure???

 

Further more does it matter if the wired Ethernet card is inserted during wireless installation??

 

In my next reply I will show what happen when I use the NT driver which I had best result from, and this time I don't enter the card before I run 'ndiswrapper -l'.

[Arne]

I just did

rpm -qa ndiswrapper

and get NO respons???????

But I can use ndiswrapper?????

[Qchem]

Did you not install ndiswrapper from source? If so it wouldn't be in the rpm database.

 

I'm getting a bit lost as to what you're trying to do now. Why is there a rt2500 driver being loaded in ndiswrapper?

[Arne]

So this time I run 'NT' driver files namely:

bcmwl5.sys LSBCMNDS.cat LSBCMNDS.inf

 

First I reboot then I run exactly the same procedure and get the same output as last time. When I come to syslog and dmesg it reports:

ndiswrapper: driver lsbcmnds (The Linksys Group, Inc.,02/14/2005, 3.90.36.0) loaded

PCI: Enabling device 0000:05:00.0 (0000 -> 0002)

ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:05:00.0[A] -> Link [LNKB] -> GSI 9 (level, low) -> IRQ 9

PCI: Setting latency timer of device 0000:05:00.0 to 64

ndiswrapper: using irq 9

wlan0: vendor: ''

wlan0: ndiswrapper ethernet device 00:14:bf:d8:a5:64 using driver lsbcmnds, 14E4:4318.5.conf

wlan0: encryption modes supported: WEP; TKIP with WPA, WPA2, WPA2PSK; AES/CCMP with WPA, WPA2, WPA2PSK

wlan0: no IPv6 routers present

Looks nice I think

 

But this look the same as before:

wlan0 IEEE 802.11g ESSID:off/any

Mode:Managed Frequency:2.462 GHz Access Point: 00:00:00:00:00:00

Bit Rate:54 Mb/s Tx-Power:25 dBm

RTS thr:2347 B Fragment thr:2346 B

Encryption key:off

Power Management:off

Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0

Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0

Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

 

and this do NOT change anything in iwconfig.

[root@ast2 mnt]# iwconfig wlan0 essid 'linksys'

[root@ast2 mnt]# iwlist wlan0 scan

wlan0 No scan results

 

Neither do this:

[root@ast2 mnt]# ifconfig wlan0 up

 

 

Remains only the missed beacon so what can I do to get it???????

[Arne]

It's very simple. I keept the driver for the Belkin card since I believe ndiswrapper can have several drivers and load the one the inserted card need.

 

But maybe that can not be several wireless drivers?????

[Qchem]

What does iwconfig say after you've told it the correct ESSID to use?

 

You've probably already done this, but please ensure your firewall on the machine is turned off too.

[Arne]

Iwconfig do not change as a result of running 'iwconfig wlan0 essid 'linksys'

I just check again and the firewall is off.

Edited February 24, 2006 by Arne

[Arne]

This is a resume of what I have done since my last post. It also includes some important question I hope somebody can answer, I will appreciate it.

 

Syslog from my latest boot:

Feb 25 10:33:40 ast2 kernel: ndiswrapper version 1.9 loaded (preempt=no,smp=no)

Feb 25 10:33:40 ast2 kernel: ndiswrapper: driver lsbcmnds (The Linksys Group, Inc.,02/14/2 005, 3.90.36.0) loaded

Feb 25 10:33:40 ast2 kernel: ndiswrapper: using irq 9

Feb 25 10:33:40 ast2 kernel: wlan0: ndiswrapper ethernet device 00:14:bf:d8:a5:64 using dr iver lsbcmnds, 14E4:4318.5.conf

 

In order to scan all signals, not only 'linksys' I run this:

[root@ast2 arne]# iwconfig wlan0 essid any

[root@ast2 arne]# dhclient

Internet Systems Consortium DHCP Client V3.0.3

Copyright 2004-2005 Internet Systems Consortium.

All rights reserved.

For info, please visit http://www.isc.org/products/DHCP

 

Listening on LPF/wlan0/00:14:bf:d8:a5:64

Sending on LPF/wlan0/00:14:bf:d8:a5:64

Sending on Socket/fallback

DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 5

DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 8

DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 15

DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 9

DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 16

DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 8

No DHCPOFFERS received.

No working leases in persistent database - sleeping.

Can anybody explain the meaning of the 2 last lines ??? and further how to "wake it up" in a manner of speaking.

 

Then I followed some howto's

[root@ast2 arne]# ifdown wlan0

[root@ast2 arne]# ifup wlan0

 

Determining IP information for wlan0... failed.

 

The I looked into ifcfg-wlan0:

[root@ast2 network-scripts]# cat ifcfg-wlan0

DEVICE=wlan0

BOOTPROTO=dhcp

ONBOOT=yes

Bootproto is a result of trying to use DCHCP to scan all signals.

 

Compared to:

[root@ast2 network-scripts]# cat ifcfg-eth0

DEVICE=eth0

BOOTPROTO=static

IPADDR=10.0.0.4

NETMASK=255.0.0.0

NETWORK=10.0.0.0

BROADCAST=10.255.255.255

ONBOOT=no

METRIC=10

MII_NOT_SUPPORTED=no

USERCTL=yes

IPV6INIT=no

IPV6TO4INIT=no

PEERDNS=yes

 

I am a little confused about the IP address I am looking for. In 'eth0' it is the notebook IP address used in a static BOOTPROTO. In wireless (ifcfg-wlan0) I feel we are looking for the AP's IP address. Further more if I use 'static' and enter notebook's IP address I am told that this IP address is already in use, which confirm my feeling.

Can somebody clarify if my feeling is right?????????

 

Based on this assumption my wireless card should be 'static' and can enter AP's IP address which I have set in the AP installation in XP. Further more I feel I should edit my 'ifcfg-wlan0' and add:

NETMASK=255.0.0.0

NETWORK=10.0.0.0

BROADCAST=10.255.255.255

and maybe more as in 'ifcfg-eth0' ?????

or...am I one wrong road here??????

 

I have read many places that some card's will need a keyboard button to be pressed, Is this still true including pcmcia/cardbus card or is this only for built in wireless chip's ???????

[ianw1974]

I cannot get DHCP working with my network, because the wireless access point doesn't pass DHCP. Therefore, you might have the same problem, and have to associate a static IP address.

[Arne]

Ian,

and have to associate a static IP address.

 

How do i do that?? another alias or.......

 

The IP address for the wireless network is the AP's IP address, right????

 

I still have the option to install the card in XP since I have a pci pcmcia adapter on the desktop. Do you think it's worth the effort????????

 

What else should I try??????

[ianw1974]

You could try it in the Windows desktop to check it all works. And also, whether dhcp works or whether it requires static.

 

I'll list my network, so you can see how it's configured, and how I can use DHCP in some places but not on wireless.

 

First, I have a router which connects to the internet, this is DHCP assigned by the ISP, I have no control over this, but this is fine. The LAN side of my router is 10.1.2.1. Then I have a hardware firewall, which has two IP's. The first is to put it on the same network as the router, so it has 10.1.2.2 on it's WAN port. The LAN side of the firewall has 10.1.1.1. This is the default gateway for all my machines. I have a number of machines:

 

10.1.1.2 - desktop wired connection

10.1.1.3 - laptop wireless connection

10.1.1.10 - wireless access point.

 

If I'm connected via a wired connection, I can get dhcp from my firewall as it issues dhcp addresses. The wireless access point is connected to the firewall, but dhcp cannot be passed through the access point. So it gets blocked, and my wireless card cannot get dhcp address. So I configured with static address, and now I can get connection and internet access.

 

So, now that you have ndiswrapper configured, and a kind of working connection, we should be able to go into mcc and then networking and add network connection. Then choose the interface that is listed, which should be your pcmcia card with ndiswrapper, and then choose it to be eth0, or eth1. Then configure the static ip address, entering a number that is free on your network. For example, if you were configured the same as me, then 10.1.1.4 is free as I've not listed it above. Your ip's might be different, and you might only have router instead of firewall. So the router would be your gateway. The access point doesn't matter, since it's a bridge between two networks, so you never use this IP as a gateway or anything else.

[Arne]

Hello Guys,

After several weeks struggle and great help from this forum and buying of 3 wireless cards and 2 access points I have given up getting my old Thinkpad to have a wireless Internet connection not to mention file- and printer sharing in Linux, mdv 2006.0.

 

I managed to get the card installed correctly but was not able to connect it to the access point and I tried 2 AP's.

 

I trow out 2006 and installed win98SE. I pop in the belkin CD-rom and run the installer and was told to insert the card and 2 min after I inserted the CD-rom I had a nice and fast wireless broadband connection which I use for this reply.

 

I find the 2006 a nightmare in wireless sense. You can use wiki, howto's and any other helping aid from people who has been successful in installation but it's not helpful when it doesn't work for you. Buying cards is pure lottery since the card manufacturer change the chip set and even with the right chip set it doesn't work.

 

So my advice to Mandriva is "get your act together and put down more resources and solve this main problem".

 

I still keep my 2006 on my desktop in dual boot with XP and wired LAN and Internet connection.