Brand-n00b & Belkin wireless card trouble

[tracyf]

Hi all-

I've been playing with live Linux CD's for a while, loaded a few distros, and have now installed v. 5.9 Vector onto an older Dell laptop.  It's an Inspiron 2100 notebook, P3/256mb RAM.

I'm very impressed with the speed, look, and layout of Vector.  However, I'm having problems getting the wireless card to pick up.  The lights on the card are solid on- which, in Windows, meant it was getting a signal.  But I have no internet, etc.  Knoppix live and a few others managed to pick it up right off the bat, so I'm not sure what's up.  The card is the Belkin FD56020 v.2., which I Googled and it's supposed to be one of the known working cards.

Using VASM, from the desktop, I chose "wireless"- it then asks is I want to use ndiswrapper. I'm not sure what to do with that one. If I cancel, it says "no wireless found", if I say "ok", I have no idea what to point it to?  Using VEC, I left the hostname as it was and the DNS server as what the router shows (192.168.0.1). It says "setting up hostname and DNS server", then flashes off. Using Netconf, I chose DHCP, and again it says "configuring..."...but still no connection. Tried the other settings as well (static IP)- nothing.

iwconfig shows eth1, 802.11, my correct ESSID, the channel, and even that it has my encryption key (WEP).  But there's no link, signal, or noise level (all 0).  I assume this means it does see the card?

Any help is greatly appreciated~

Tracy

[hata_ph]

pls post your lspci, lsmod output?

are you using a externel wireless card?

EDIT:

Is this your card?

http://www.belkin.com/support/product/?lid=en&pid=F5D6020&scid=221

[bigpaws]

If you have the install CD you can try using VASM and then
pick ndiswrapper. Use the XP driver .inf file for the card.

You can then check see if the card is running by using the
command as root ndiswrapper -l
the output you are looking for would be installed and present.

If that exists then you are good to go. You could also use the drivers
from the LiveCD that works.

Bigpaws

[tracyf]

pls post your lspci, lsmod output?

are you using a externel wireless card?

EDIT:

Is this your card?

http://www.belkin.com/support/product/?lid=en&pid=F5D6020&scid=221

Yep,

That's the card- version 2.

lspci/lsmod:

vector:/~
root:# lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge (rev 03)

00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX AGP bridge (rev 03)

00:07.0 Bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 02)

00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01)

00:07.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 USB (rev 01)

00:07.3 Bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 03)

00:08.0 Multimedia audio controller: Cirrus Logic Crystal CS4281 PCI Audio (rev 01)

00:0a.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1410 PC card Cardbus Controller (rev 01)

00:0d.0 Ethernet controller: 3Com Corporation 3c905C-TX/TX-M [Tornado] (rev 78)

00:10.0 Communication controller: Agere Systems WinModem 56k (rev 01)

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Rage Mobility P/M AGP 2x (rev 64)


vector:/~
root:# lsmod

Module                  Size  Used by
freq_table              4768  0
snd_seq_midi            7200  0
snd_opl3_synth         13956  0
snd_seq_instr           7424  1 snd_opl3_synth
snd_seq_midi_emul       6912  1 snd_opl3_synth
snd_ainstr_fm           3072  1 snd_opl3_synth
ndiswrapper           186372  0
snd_seq_dummy           3716  0
snd_seq_oss            32128  0
snd_seq_midi_event      7168  2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                48720  9 snd_seq_midi,snd_opl3_synth,snd_seq_instr,snd_seq_midi_emul,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_pcm_oss            38048  0
snd_mixer_oss          15232  1 snd_pcm_oss
atmel_cs                6656  1
atmel                  34180  1 atmel_cs
serio_raw               6276  0
3c59x                  40232  0
snd_cs4281             17888  2
gameport               12296  2 snd_cs4281
snd_rawmidi            20128  2 snd_seq_midi,snd_cs4281
snd_ac97_codec         98084  1 snd_cs4281
ac97_bus                2944  1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm                69764  3 snd_pcm_oss,snd_cs4281,snd_ac97_codec
snd_page_alloc          8712  1 snd_pcm
snd_opl3_lib            9600  2 snd_opl3_synth,snd_cs4281
snd_seq_device          7692  7 snd_seq_midi,snd_opl3_synth,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_opl3_lib
mii                     5504  1 3c59x
snd_timer              19972  3 snd_seq,snd_pcm,snd_opl3_lib
snd_hwdep               7812  1 snd_opl3_lib
snd                    45796  19 snd_opl3_synth,snd_seq_instr,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_cs4281,snd_rawmidi,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_opl3_lib,snd_seq_device,snd_timer,snd_hwdep
soundcore               7008  1 snd
i2c_piix4               8332  0
shpchp                 30228  0
i2c_core               20992  1 i2c_piix4
intel_agp              22164  1
pci_hotplug            28616  1 shpchp
agpgart                28108  1 intel_agp
evdev                   8704  0
joydev                  9152  0
vector:/~
root:#

Sorry lsmod's out of line- I tried saving in both the editor and the mousepad program & this is the best I could get pasting into Wordpad...(my MS PC is the only one online right now).

Thanks for your help!

Tracy


 

[tracyf]

If you have the install CD you can try using VASM and then
pick ndiswrapper. Use the XP driver .inf file for the card.

You can then check see if the card is running by using the
command as root ndiswrapper -l
the output you are looking for would be installed and present.

If that exists then you are good to go. You could also use the drivers
from the LiveCD that works.

Bigpaws

No longer have the CD- I've downloaded the MS setup.exe, from Belkin, when needed. I have it now and unpacked the .exe- but none of the files are an inf...?

Tracy

[hata_ph]

atmel_cs                6656  1
atmel                  34180  1 atmel_cs

I think VL auto load the module for you wireless card. Did you try to configure your wireless using VASM?

http://www.houseofcraig.net/belkin_howto.php
http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/Belkin_F5D6020_ver.2

[bigpaws]

hata_ph

Using VASM, from the desktop, I chose "wireless"- it then asks is I want to use ndiswrapper. I'm not sure what to do with that one. If I cancel, it says "no wireless found", if I say "ok", I have no idea what to point it to?  Using VEC, I left the hostname as it was and the DNS server as what the router shows (192.168.0.1). It says "setting up hostname and DNS server", then flashes off. Using Netconf, I chose DHCP, and again it says "configuring..."...but still no connection. Tried the other settings as well (static IP)- nothing.

so the answer is yes.

You are correct that it is a simple .exe that does not unpack.

This looks promising:
http://www.linux.com/forums/printtopic/748?theme=print

Here is something to try:
http://www.houseofcraig.net/atmel_guide.php

Try the first one then look at the other. The amtel module that is loaded may not be the
proper module hence the reason for the first link.

HTH

Bigpaws

[tracyf]

Hi all~

I'm trying everything posted & will post back....

T

[tracyf]

Ok-

So far, I've tried a few of these suggestions but no luck.

I did, however, boot Knoppix Live 5.1.1 and the card works with that.  Is there some way to use the drivers from Knoppix in Vector?  I searched, while in Knoppix and found a file and a folder called atmel- how can I insert these to work- or am I way off base?

T

[bigpaws]

You are right on track.

If your card is being loaded by ndiswrapper then you
could use that driver for it. The folder location may give
you a clue.

Knoppix uses a modified kernel. I would guess that the
amtel module was compiled. You have the amtel driver
however there are reports of it being bad. You could also
consider downloading a new kernel and using the config
file to build a new kernel.

Bigpaws

[rbistolfi]

ndiswrapper           186372  0
snd_seq_dummy           3716  0
snd_seq_oss            32128  0
snd_seq_midi_event      7168  2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                48720  9 snd_seq_midi,snd_opl3_synth,snd_seq_instr,snd_seq_midi_emul,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_pcm_oss            38048  0
snd_mixer_oss          15232  1 snd_pcm_oss
atmel_cs                6656  1
atmel                  34180  1 atmel_cs

I don't know too much about wireless, but my card wont work if both, ndiswrapper and native modules are inserted. I would try to remove the ndiswrapper module with modprobe -r ndiswrapper.

[tracyf]

I just stumbled across this http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-networking-3/f5d6020-v2-in-fedora-core4-370606/ and wondered if there's a way to utilize these drivers in VL?

[hata_ph]

ndiswrapper           186372  0
snd_seq_dummy           3716  0
snd_seq_oss            32128  0
snd_seq_midi_event      7168  2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                48720  9 snd_seq_midi,snd_opl3_synth,snd_seq_instr,snd_seq_midi_emul,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_pcm_oss            38048  0
snd_mixer_oss          15232  1 snd_pcm_oss
atmel_cs                6656  1
atmel                  34180  1 atmel_cs

I don't know too much about wireless, but my card wont work if both, ndiswrapper and native modules are inserted. I would try to remove the ndiswrapper module with modprobe -r ndiswrapper.

did you try this?

[tracyf]

ndiswrapper           186372  0
snd_seq_dummy           3716  0
snd_seq_oss            32128  0
snd_seq_midi_event      7168  2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                48720  9 snd_seq_midi,snd_opl3_synth,snd_seq_instr,snd_seq_midi_emul,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_pcm_oss            38048  0
snd_mixer_oss          15232  1 snd_pcm_oss
atmel_cs                6656  1
atmel                  34180  1 atmel_cs

I don't know too much about wireless, but my card wont work if both, ndiswrapper and native modules are inserted. I would try to remove the ndiswrapper module with modprobe -r ndiswrapper.

did you try this?

This is going to sound dense- but I have no idea how to "try" this?  Is this a file I need to edit?

I did run modprobe -r ndiswrapper at a prompt, then tried vasm again to detect the card (as well as VLwifi and Wifi-Radar).

Can you possibly clarify/give a walkthrough? I'd really love to stay w/Vector...

TY so much,

T
Edit: I just ran ndiswrapper -l, and under "atmel" it says "invalid driver"...how do I point it to a/the correct one? According to the FCC id, the card is Atmel 76C502A. I also have other "invalids"- install.ini, makefile.kernelv2.6, pcandis5.sys, setup.exe, vl-hot-sda-vol1.desktop (I'm guessing this is from a thumb drive I plugged in once that's no longer there?)...

[hata_ph]

1. remove the ndiswrapper module by typing "modprobe -r ndiswrapper" as root
2. check "lsmod" to see the ndiswrapper module is remove
3. run "ifconfig" and "iwconfig" and double check the wireless card is there either as ethx or wlanx
4. run "vwifi" as root

or if you want to use ndiswrapper..... (I never use ndiswrapper before, but from what I know this is the step to do it....)

1. remove the atmel module using "modprobe -r atmel_cs"
2. download the windows drivers for your wireless card... http://www.belkin.com/support/article/?lid=en&pid=F5D6020&aid=6065&scid=221
3. run "ndiswrapper -i xxx.inf" to install the drivers http://www.angelfire.com/linux/hardwire/Ncommands.html
4. run "vwifi" as root