Sheeva and Wifi

[bob38]

Hello,

I have two SheevaPlug, a Globalscale with kernel 2.6.36 and a Ionics with a kernel 2.6.31.8.

I'm trying to work with a Wifi USB key.

On Globalscale,

I'm trying with RT2870 (Hercules HWNum-300), RT73 and RTL8187 (Netgear WG111) :
- the RT2870 driver is found in drivers/staging, so I suppose it is not yet ready, that's why I think it doesn't work.
- the RT73 driver is found in drivers/net/wireless, so I don't understand why it doesn't work ?
- the RTL8187 is working fine ;o)

Here is the informations that I can read on my Globalscale :

# lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
rtl8187                50984  0
eeprom_93cx6            1166  1 rtl8187
ipv6                  235803  16
dm_crypt               11435  0
dm_mod                 60233  1 dm_crypt
mv_cesa                 9370  0

# tail /var/log/messages
Nov  9 06:30:45 g-sheeva-gb-2 kernel: usb 1-1: new high speed USB device using orion-ehci and address 2
Nov  9 06:30:45 g-sheeva-gb-2 kernel: phy0: hwaddr 00:14:6c:62:af:17, RTL8187vB (default) V1 + rtl8225, rfkill mask 2
Nov  9 06:30:45 g-sheeva-gb-2 kernel: rtl8187: Customer ID is 0xFF
Nov  9 06:30:45 g-sheeva-gb-2 kernel: rtl8187: wireless switch is on
Nov  9 06:30:45 g-sheeva-gb-2 kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver rtl8187
Nov  9 06:30:47 g-sheeva-gb-2 kernel: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready

# ifconfig wlan0
wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:14:6c:62:af:17
          UP BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

# modprobe -l | head
kernel/fs/reiserfs/reiserfs.ko
kernel/fs/isofs/isofs.ko
kernel/fs/hfsplus/hfsplus.ko
kernel/fs/hfs/hfs.ko
kernel/fs/exportfs/exportfs.ko
kernel/fs/nfsd/nfsd.ko
kernel/fs/cifs/cifs.ko

Now, I'm trying the same operation on the Ionics. And all if KO ! The driver which have the best result is RTL8187.
Here is its configuration.

# lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
rtl8187                51738  0
eeprom_93cx6            2044  1 rtl8187
ipv6                  271520  16
md_mod                 97756  0

# tail /var/log/messages
Nov  9 07:33:02 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: usb 1-1: new high speed USB device using orion-ehci and address 2
Nov  9 07:33:03 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: usb 1-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Nov  9 07:33:03 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: phy0: hwaddr 00:14:6c:62:af:17, RTL8187vB (default) V1 + rtl8225
Nov  9 07:33:03 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver rtl8187


# modprobe -l | head
/lib/modules/2.6.31.8/kernel/sound/usb/snd-usb-lib.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.31.8/kernel/sound/usb/snd-usb-audio.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.31.8/kernel/sound/usb/caiaq/snd-usb-caiaq.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.31.8/kernel/sound/soundcore.ko

I don't know why my Ionics doesn't launch the 'ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP)' see in messages.log
The modprobe command show module in absolute path, while my Globalscale use it in relative.

So, I'm trying the same kernel on my Ionics (2.6.36), and added also the modules.

# lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by

There are no module loaded Something is going wrong.

# tail /var/log/messages
Nov  9 08:21:11 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: usb 1-1: new high speed USB device using orion-ehci and address 3

# modprobe -l | head
kernel/fs/reiserfs/reiserfs.ko
kernel/fs/isofs/isofs.ko
kernel/fs/hfsplus/hfsplus.ko
kernel/fs/hfs/hfs.ko
kernel/fs/exportfs/exportfs.ko
kernel/fs/nfsd/nfsd.ko

modules have relative path. So, because nothing appears, I'm trying to load module of key.

# modprobe rtl8187
WARNING: Could not open 'kernel/drivers/misc/eeprom/eeprom_93cx6.ko': No such file or directory
FATAL: Could not open 'kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtl818x/rtl8187.ko': No such file or directory

It couldn't find it in relative path ? The same error appears in the syslog file during boot:
Nov  9 07:50:19 g-sheeva-ionics-4 modprobe: FATAL: Could not open 'kernel/net/ipv6/ipv6.ko': No such file or directory

That's why no default module is found.

Now, I don't know where to look for ! Can you help me ?

Thanks

Regards

Bob

[guidol]

Did you already install the additional paket with the realtek frimware?:
firmware-realtek
via apt-get

This is additionally needed for the modules.

[bob38]

Hi,

no I haven't install it. But I'm trying, but not found a source list available for Sheeva.

Do you know which URL to add to the sources.list file to have access to this package ?

Thanks

Regards

Bob

[bob38]

Hi,

finally, I found it on backport :
   deb http://backports.debian.org/debian-backports lenny-backports main non-free

But, if I ask about this package when it is installed, it tell me:

# dpkg -s firmware-realtek

Package: firmware-realtek
Status: install ok installed
Priority: optional
Section: non-free/kernel
Installed-Size: 184
Maintainer: Debian Kernel Team <debian-kernel@lists.debian.org>
Architecture: all
Source: firmware-nonfree
Version: 0.24~bpo50+1
Suggests: initramfs-tools, linux-image
Description: Binary firmware for Realtek RTL8192 wireless cards
 This package contains the binary firmware for wireless network cards with
 the RTL8192 chips supported by the rtl8192e and rtl8192su drivers.
 .
 Contents:
  * Realtek RTL8192E boot code (RTL8192E/boot.img)
  * Realtek RTL8192E init data (RTL8192E/data.img)
  * Realtek RTL8192E main code (RTL8192E/main.img)
  * Realtek RTL8192SU firmware, version 703E (RTL8192SU/rtl8192sfw.bin)
Homepage: http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/dwmw2/linux-firmware.git


So, it isn't use with may RTL8187 wifi dongle.

Bob

[guidol]

Sorry. I thought there are more firmwares for many realtek-cards included.

Did you install the wireless-tools as suggested on
http://wiki.debian.org/rtl818x

[bob38]

Hi,

don't worry, I'm ready to test all possibilities.

So, I found a big difference between Globascale and Ionics SheevaPlug. Globalscale use an Ubuntu, and Ionics a Debian.

When I loaded wireless-tools on my Ionics, I haven't the command iwconfig

So, yesterday, I overwrote all my Ionics with the standard Ubuntu package which is comming from plugcomputer. And the RTL8192 is running fine

But, I loose another functionnality, of course, because the kernel or the rootfs isn't completely compatible with this hard. I can't manage the 3 leds, which are available with the Debian distribution. And I suppose threre is another hard mechanism which won't work....

So, now, I'll try to compare the kernel configuration (if I found this file for Ionics). Because the /sys directory doesn't generate the same structure, and I suppose it depends of the kernel configuration.

I found also why the RT73 doesn't work on the Globalscale with the kernel 2.6.36. The driver exist in driver/net/wireless natively, but when I plug this component, I have an error : don't find rt73.bin in the syslog. So, I suppose the driver is not correct ? I'll look for older kernel version to check if there is the same problem today...

Regards

Bob

[guidol]

I found also why the RT73 doesn't work on the Globalscale with the kernel 2.6.36. The driver exist in driver/net/wireless natively, but when I plug this component, I have an error : don't find rt73.bin in the syslog. So, I suppose the driver is not correct ? I'll look for older kernel version to check if there is the same problem today...

Some networkcards need additionally to the driver a firmware file, which would be loaded at system-startup.
Like the Firmware fir the one of the realtek ones there is a firmware-package for ralink
called firmware-ralink
The info for installing a rt73 into debian is at
http://wiki.debian.org/WiFi/rt73

[birdman]

When I loaded wireless-tools on my Ionics, I haven't the command iwconfig

I run Debian Squeeze (on a SheevaPlug).  It has iwconfig in wireless-tools.

[plug]: dpkg-query -S /sbin/iwconfig
wireless-tools: /sbin/iwconfig

Do you have /sbin in PATH?

[bob38]

Hi,

yes I have /sbin in my PATH. And I can't find the iwconfig with the find command from /...

So, I decide to make my own kernel from kernel.org, with patch provided by plugcomputer website, and the specific sheevaplug-setup.c provided by Ionics. Then, I'll also change the rootfs with that provided by Globalscale, ubuntu 9.0.4. I have now a Ionics with Kernel 2.6.36

So, now, the RTL8192 is running fine 
And now, I'll try to understand why rt73 isn't running, by using the wiki site recommended by guidol.

Thanks for your help

Bob

[bob38]

Hi,

I found how to have a RT73 driver ok. The native driver is correct in the module 2.6.36, it's just that there is no rt73.bin file. So, I get this file from my Ubuntu server in /lib/firmware/rt73.bin and put it in my SheevaPlug in /lib/firmware/rt73.bin. Then, I restart my SheevaPlug, and configure my Wifi network with iwconfig, and all is fine

Thanks very much for all your help,

Now, I'm trying with a RTL8191, which doesn't work like the RTL8192 !

Regards

Bob

[bob38]

Hi,

Here are the operations I done to work with a RTL8191 WIFI.


get from http://sheeva.with-linux.com/sheeva/2.6.36/ the uImage, the modules, the headers, the config file, the Linux sources, and the patches.
- Extract the sources package
- go to this directory : cd linux-2.6.36
- clean it : make mrproper
- create .config file from sheeva config file : cp /xxx/sheeva-2.6.36.config .config
- apply patches
        patch -p1 < /xxx/mvsdio-2.patch
        patch -p1 < /xxx/mvsdio-1-2.6.30.patch
        patch -p1 < /xxx/linux-2.6.36-88e1121.patch
        patch -p1 < /xxx/0003-Initial-defconfig.patch
        patch -p1 < /xxx/0002-Driver-for-Marvell-Libertas-8688-SDIO-micro-AP-suppo-2.6.35.patch
- update .config file to add new driver
        search CONFIG_RTL8192E, and add the line below
                CONFIG_R8712U=m
- update ./drivers/staging/Makefile
        search CONFIG_RTL8192E, and add the line below
                obj-$(CONFIG_R8712U)            += rtl8712/
- get the last Linux source (in my case linux-2.6.37-rc2.tar.bz2). Extract it in temporary folder. Copy the directory drivers/staging/rtl8712 from this temporary directory to our current linux sources : linux-2.6.36/drivers/staging
- create all configuration files : make ARCH=arm menuconfig
- compile kernel : make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=/xxx/gcc/bin/arm-none-linux-gnueabi- uImage
- compile modules : make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=/xxx/gcc/bin/arm-none-linux-gnueabi- modules
- send ./drivers/staging/rtl8712/r8712u.ko to your SheevaPlug, and put it into /lib/modules/2.6.36/kernel/drivers/staging/rtl8712

At this point, We can try with new kernel without erasing flash. But this step can be passed.

Boot from tftp
        - connect to the SheevaPlug by using console from USB port
        - reboot it, and stop in Uboot
        - set serverip and ipaddr to get uImage from tftp
        - get uImage : tftpboot 0x800000 uImage
        - boot on it : bootm 0x800000

Update flash
        - connect to the SheevaPlug by using console from USB port
        - reboot it, and stop in Uboot
        - set serverip and ipaddr to get uImage from tftp
        - get uImage : tftpboot 0x800000 uImage
        - erase flash : nand erase clean 0x00100000 0x00400000
        - update flash : nand write.e 0x00800000 0x00100000 0x00400000

- go to /boot directory, and get the sheeva-2.6.36-System.map in it.
- generate new modules dependencies : depmod -eF /boot/sheeva-2.6.36-System.map 2.6.36
- reboot (if you haven't update flash, don't forget to get uImage a new time from tftpboot)

- update /etc/network/interfaces
        auto wlan0
        iface wlan0 inet dhcp
        wireless-essid bond
        wireless-key 000000000000000000b0b007
        wireless-mode managed

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With the interfaces configuration, I haven't problem with RT73 and RTL8192. But it doesn't work with RTL8191 ! The command line haven't problem, but during the boot, the key is not ready. It seems that it starts slower ?

To resolve my problem, I currently add into interfaces a post-up command that check wlan interface. And if it isn't connected, launch iwconfig command after 10 seconds. And now, it's ok. But, if you have a better solution.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For information, the kernel.log file contains this informations for the 3 USB keys:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nov 16 14:56:08 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver rt73usb
Nov 16 14:56:08 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: device-mapper: ioctl: 4.18.0-ioctl (2010-06-29) initialised: dm-devel@redhat.com
Nov 16 14:56:08 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: wlan0: authenticate with 00:18:e7:51:50:07 (try 1)
Nov 16 14:56:08 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: wlan0: authenticated
Nov 16 14:56:08 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: wlan0: associate with 00:18:e7:51:50:07 (try 1)
Nov 16 14:56:08 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: wlan0: RX AssocResp from 00:18:e7:51:50:07 (capab=0x431 status=0 aid=2)
Nov 16 14:56:08 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: wlan0: associated

Nov 16 14:58:58 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver rtl8187
Nov 16 14:58:58 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: device-mapper: ioctl: 4.18.0-ioctl (2010-06-29) initialised: dm-devel@redhat.com
Nov 16 14:58:58 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: eth0: link up, 100 Mb/s, full duplex, flow control disabled
Nov 16 14:58:59 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: wlan0: authenticate with 00:18:e7:51:50:07 (try 1)
Nov 16 14:58:59 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 10
Nov 16 14:58:59 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: wlan0: authenticated
Nov 16 14:58:59 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
Nov 16 14:58:59 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: wlan0: associate with 00:18:e7:51:50:07 (try 1)
Nov 16 14:58:59 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: wlan0: associate with 00:18:e7:51:50:07 (try 2)
Nov 16 14:58:59 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: wlan0: RX AssocResp from 00:18:e7:51:50:07 (capab=0x431 status=0 aid=1)
Nov 16 14:58:59 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: wlan0: associated
Nov 16 14:58:59 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): wlan0: link becomes ready

Nov 16 15:02:40 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: r8712u: module is from the staging directory, the quality is unknown, you have been warned.
Nov 16 15:02:40 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: r8712u: DriverVersion: v7_0.20100831
Nov 16 15:02:40 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: r8712u: register rtl8712_netdev_ops to netdev_ops
Nov 16 15:02:40 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: r8712u: USB_SPEED_HIGH with 4 endpoints
Nov 16 15:02:40 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: r8712u: Boot from EFUSE: Autoload OK
Nov 16 15:02:40 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: r8712u: CustomerID = 0x0000
Nov 16 15:02:40 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: r8712u: MAC Address from efuse = 00:19:70:1b:f0:07
Nov 16 15:02:40 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver r8712u
Nov 16 15:02:40 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: device-mapper: ioctl: 4.18.0-ioctl (2010-06-29) initialised: dm-devel@redhat.com
Nov 16 15:02:40 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: r8712u: 1 RCR=0x153f00e
Nov 16 15:02:40 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: r8712u: 2 RCR=0x553f00e
Nov 16 15:02:40 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: eth0: link up, 100 Mb/s, full duplex, flow control disabled
Nov 16 15:02:40 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 10
Nov 16 15:02:40 g-sheeva-ionics-4 kernel: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready


Bob