# ipw2200 firmware error

## drizer

I'm getting the firmware error on my laptop ( fujitsu P7010 ) with kernel source 2.6.15 version of ipw2200, any clues? ideas? on how to load the driver correctly? 

```

ipw2200: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200/2915 Network Driver, 1.0.8

ipw2200: Copyright(c) 2003-2005 Intel Corporation

ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:01:0d.0[A] -> Link [LNKC] -> GSI 11 (level, low) -> IRQ 11

ipw2200: Detected Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection

ipw2200: ipw-2.4-boot.fw load failed: Reason -2

ipw2200: Unable to load firmware: -2

ipw2200: failed to register network device

ACPI: PCI interrupt for device 0000:01:0d.0 disabled

ipw2200: probe of 0000:01:0d.0 failed with error -5

```

----------

## dgaffuri

Did you emerge firmware? Check with

```
emerge -pv ipw2200-firmware
```

Remove the -pv to actually emerge it. You should have

```
# ls -l /lib/firmware/ipw*

-rw-r--r--  1 root root  12007 Nov 27 23:28 /lib/firmware/ipw-2.4-LICENSE

-rw-r--r--  1 root root   6472 Nov 27 23:28 /lib/firmware/ipw-2.4-boot.fw

-rw-r--r--  1 root root 168344 Nov 27 23:28 /lib/firmware/ipw-2.4-bss.fw

-rw-r--r--  1 root root  16334 Nov 27 23:28 /lib/firmware/ipw-2.4-bss_ucode.fw

-rw-r--r--  1 root root 162884 Nov 27 23:28 /lib/firmware/ipw-2.4-ibss.fw

-rw-r--r--  1 root root  16312 Nov 27 23:28 /lib/firmware/ipw-2.4-ibss_ucode.fw

-rw-r--r--  1 root root 168344 Nov 27 23:28 /lib/firmware/ipw-2.4-sniffer.fw

-rw-r--r--  1 root root  16344 Nov 27 23:28 /lib/firmware/ipw-2.4-sniffer_ucode.fw
```

BTW, which version of 2.6.15 are you running? ipw2200 version should read

```
ipw2200: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200/2915 Network Driver, git-1.0.8
```

----------

## drizer

The firmware is there in the /lib/firmware dir and the ipw2200 build from kernel 2.6.15...

ipw2200: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200/2915 Network Driver, git-1.0.8

I have also tried using emerge ipw2200 source and removing the driver from the kernel source but stil the same firmware error... grrr

----------

## dgaffuri

Which version of udev? And do you have hotplug installed?

----------

## drizer

Which version of udev? And do you have hotplug installed?

```
[ebuild  R   ]      sys-fs/udev-079-r1    (-selinux) 0 kB

[ebuild  R   ]      sys-app/hotplug-20040923-r1   0 kB

```

udev and hotplug seem to work, but i'm not sure how to check hotplug ? i think this is where the firmware should be loaded.

----------

## dgaffuri

Yes, it's hotplug, unless you changed udev rules. Set

```
$ cat /etc/sysconfig/hotplug

#

# hotplug configuration

#

export DEBUG="yes"
```

and check /var/log/messages after trying to modprobe ipw2200, you may find some more info. Note that the /etc/sysconfig directory doesn't exist, so you'll have to create it.

----------

## drizer

No extra debug information with the sysconfig, but i did notice that coldplug loads the ipw2200 modules before hotplug is called... still get the same error when reloading the ipw2200 module after hotplug!!

maybe i need to check udevs rules?

----------

## dgaffuri

I don't understand well. Do you see firmware requests to hotplug in /var/log/messages?

----------

## glang

etc-update or dispatch-conf?

I had the same error when i needed to update etc once

----------

## Josuke

same error here

----------

## nuno

I have the same problem:

 *dmesg | grep ipw wrote:*   

> 
> 
> ipw2200: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200/2915 Network Driver, git-1.0.8
> 
> ipw2200: Copyright(c) 2003-2005 Intel Corporation
> ...

 

I'm using kernel 2.6.16-rc2 with ipw builtin and udev 084.

Before upgrading the kernel, I was using the ipw2200 module (version 1.0.3) and it was working correctly.

Nuno

----------

## tane_stelzer

You cant have it built in, it has to be a modules.

Tane

----------

## nuno

 *tane_stelzer wrote:*   

> You cant have it built in, it has to be a modules.
> 
> Tane

 

yes, compiling as module it works. Thanks!

I don't understand why it allowed me to compile the driver builtin instead of module (and why does it need to be a module?)

----------

## tane_stelzer

I am glad it worked, i dont know why i just remembered when i had problems with my ipw2200 i read it somewhere in these forums. 

Well i dont like the kernel ones i prefer to emerge them via portage that just always worked for me, the kernel just always caused trouble,

you guys might want to try that incase you are using the kernel onces.

Tane

----------

## dgaffuri

 *tane_stelzer wrote:*   

> I am glad it worked, i dont know why i just remembered when i had problems with my ipw2200 i read it somewhere in these forums.

 

Because it will try to load firmware too soon, when no userspace agent is there to serve the request.

 *tane_stelzer wrote:*   

> Well i dont like the kernel ones i prefer to emerge them via portage that just always worked for me, the kernel just always caused trouble,
> 
> you guys might want to try that incase you are using the kernel onces.

 

You're likely to get troubles emerging ieee80211 and ipw2200 against later kernels, look at the number of posts about this in the forums. 2.6.15 drivers are enough up to date, unlike 2.6.14 that included ipw2200 1.0.

----------

## tane_stelzer

Well i have them runnig well with kernel 2.6.15 no problem at all. 

Btw somebody mentioned 2.6.16-r2 is that out already, i think might be just a typo.

Tane

----------

## dgaffuri

 *tane_stelzer wrote:*   

> Btw somebody mentioned 2.6.16-r2 is that out already, i think might be just a typo.

 

No typo at all. 2.6.16-rc2 is out from 3 days, look at www.kernel.org

----------

## digitalshepard

I have a similar setup, however, I am stuck in a similar place.  Here is my configuration:

```

[ebuild   R   ] net-wireless/ipw2200-1.0.10  USE="-debug -radiotap"

[ebuild   R   ] net-wireless/ipw2200-firmware-2.4  

[ebuild   R   ] net-wireless/ieee80211-1.1.11  USE="-debug"

```

```

[ebuild   R   ] sys-kernel/gentoo-sources-2.6.15-r4

[ebuild   R   ] sys-kernel/suspend2-sources-2.6.15-r5

```

after mod probeing, dmesg shows the same error as above:

```

Feb  8 17:44:15 albatross ieee80211_crypt: registered algorithm 'NULL'

Feb  8 17:44:15 albatross ieee80211: 802.11 data/management/control stack, 1.1.11

Feb  8 17:44:15 albatross ieee80211: Copyright (C) 2004-2005 Intel Corporation <jketreno@linux.intel.com>

Feb  8 17:44:15 albatross ipw2200: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200/2915 Network Driver, 1.0.10

Feb  8 17:44:15 albatross ipw2200: Copyright(c) 2003-2005 Intel Corporation

Feb  8 17:44:15 albatross ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:04:02.0[A] -> Link [LNKF] -> GSI 11 (level, low) -> IRQ 11

Feb  8 17:44:15 albatross ipw2200: Detected Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection

Feb  8 17:44:25 albatross ipw2200: ipw-2.4-boot.fw load failed: Reason -2

Feb  8 17:44:25 albatross ipw2200: Unable to load firmware: -2

Feb  8 17:44:25 albatross ipw2200: failed to register network device

Feb  8 17:44:25 albatross ACPI: PCI interrupt for device 0000:04:02.0 disabled

Feb  8 17:44:25 albatross ipw2200: probe of 0000:04:02.0 failed with error -5

```

obviously after the attempted modprobe, iwconfig shows nothing.    Does anyone have any ideas?  I'm not completely gentoo illiterate, and I have a friend  who is a pseudo-guru.  His recommendation was to simply reinstall gentoo.  Anyone have a different one?

----------

## tane_stelzer

i have you tried a w previous kernel? Try one of the stable ones.

Tane

----------

## Josuke

try

```
*  sys-fs/udev

      Latest version available: 081-r1

      Latest version installed: 081-r1

      Size of downloaded files: 189 kB

```

----------

## liquidjoe

Same problem here with 2.6.15-gentoo-r1 . Its really strange . 

1. Error on boot ipw-2.4-boot.fw load failed: Reason -2 

2. rmmod ipw2200

3. modprobe ipw2200  -> ipw-2.4-boot.fw load failed: Reason -2 

4. emerge udev

5. rmmod ipw2200

6. modprobe ipw2200 -> it works 

Have tried with udev 0.79 , 0.81 , 0.84 . Same behaviour with all versions.

----------

## digitalshepard

Well, it seemed moving back to an older kernel works.  I guess I'll have have to wait a while before upgrading.

----------

## retroman

I have found it no to be an issue with the newer kernels but with the newer udev.  I rolled back to udev 058 and havent upgraded since because of that.

my current kernel version is 2.6.15r1

----------

## romanodog

Hey, i had the exact same problem as you guys, and i found this solution somewhere else on these forums.

Check out this blog... http://www.openthought.org/blosxom.cgi/2006/02/13#firmware_and_udev

and if you dont want to read it, here's what he says to do:

 *Quote:*   

> just create the file '/etc/udev/rules.d/999-firmware.rules', and add the following line in it:
> 
> ```
> ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEM=="firmware", RUN+="/sbin/udev_run_hotplugd"
> ```
> ...

 

You don't have to do the firmware_helper thing he has in there, by the way.

Well hope this helps, i'm so relieved that wireless finally works!

----------

## richard.xsi

solved the same problem in an extreme weird way.

previously  my ipw2200  works very well,then someday i got the firmware load error.

yes, i have tried all of the above methods and no work.

after hundreds of time rebooting and recompiling kernel,no luck. then i thought maybe a kernel update can help,so i update to Nitro 2.6.14,use a in kernel ipw driver,still got the same error.  :Twisted Evil: 

finally i think i should reboot to windows,why? because i had an idea that something will happen  :Very Happy: 

and as i said, strange thing happen  :Twisted Evil:   :Twisted Evil: 

the ipw2200 just works as before when i reboot to linux from windows.

so, should i say it's another method to get the firmware work  :Laughing: 

my config:  Gentoo_Jackass2006.0 on Insprion6000

using the latest udev and baselayout. no udev rules create necessary,no udev source patch needed.

----------

## sog

retroman, i agree: seems particularly to UDEV. you should be able to upgrade to 070, however - that's what i'm on with no problems. 077 and 079 both prevented the ipw2200 firmware from loading on my machine.

----------

