# HOWTO install and configure kernel 2.6 iBurst PCMCIA driver

## thesnowman

This post will attempt to help you install the new iBurst PCMCIA driver for your 2.6 kernel.  This driver has been ported from 2.4 to 2.6 by some Whirlpool forum members - big thanks to forum members gen2box.ath.cx, iNik and johnf for their hard work.

If you don't know what iBurst is check out http://www.iburst.com.au/ or http://www.iburst.co.za/.  I think this service is only available in Australia and South Africa ATM.  Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

If you are using a kernel <= 2.6.12 you will need the pcmcia-cs package installed and the pcmcia service running.

```
# emerge -av pcmcia-cs

# /etc/init.d/pcmcia start

# rc-update add pcmcia default
```

If your kernel is >= 2.6.13 you will need the pcmciautils package and there is no service to run.

```
# emerge -av pcmciautils
```

I'm using roaring penguin as my pppoe dialer, but feel free to use whatever you feel comfortable with.

```
# emerge -av rp-pppoe
```

Create the directories needed to store the ebuild and config files in your portage overlay.  Mine is /usr/local/portage.  Check /etc/make.conf for the PORTDIR_OVERLAY entry and uncomment if necessary.

```
mkdir -p /usr/local/portage/net-wireless/ibdriver/files
```

Download the ebuild and config files.

```
# wget -O /usr/local/portage/net-wireless/ibdriver/ibdriver-1.2.8.ebuild http://bugs.gentoo.org/attachment.cgi?id=81871

# wget -O /usr/local/portage/net-wireless/ibdriver/files/ibdriver http://bugs.gentoo.org/attachment.cgi?id=68144

# wget -O /usr/local/portage/net-wireless/ibdriver/files/iburst.conf http://bugs.gentoo.org/attachment.cgi?id=68145
```

Create the ebuild digest.  This should also download the source for you.

```
# cd /usr/local/portage/net-wireless/ibdriver

# ebuild ibdriver-1.2.8.ebuild digest
```

Tell portage that we really do want to emerge this masked package.  We also need to specify which modules we want to use via the package USE flags.  In this example we are going to emerge both the pcmcia and usb modules.

```
# echo "net-wireless/ibdriver ~x86" >> /etc/portage/package.keywords

# echo "net-wireless/ibdriver pcmcia usb" >> /etc/portage/package.use
```

Emerge the modules.

```
# emerge -av ibdriver
```

Reboot.  Don't ask me why, all I know is that the modules won't load correctly until I reboot.  YMMV.  You can try the following without rebooting, but if it doesn't work then I suggest you reboot and carry on from here.

Plug in your PCMCIA card and check the dmesg output.  You should get something similar to this:

```
# dmesg | tail

ib-pcmcia: insertion

ib-pcmcia: card version 2
```

Configure roaring penguin by running /usr/sbin/adsl-setup.  This is a script that will ask you a few questions about your connection (username, password, etc) and configure your ppp connection.  The network interface created by this driver is called ib0.

To configure this connection the Gentoo way we need to create a symlink from net.lo to net.ib0 in /etc/init.d

```
# cd /etc/init.d

# ln -s net.lo net.ib0
```

Now we need to configure ib0 to be an ADSL interface (as per the Gentoo Handbook).  Add the following lines to /etc/conf.d/net:

```
config_ib0=( "adsl" )

adsl_user_ib0="username"
```

username should be the same username you specified when running the roaring penguin adsl-setup script.  If you can't remember what it is because your ISP gives you a really long, meaningless username like mine try this:

```
# grep USER /etc/ppp/pppoe.conf
```

One drawback of this approach is that hotplug now tries to start net.ib0 as soon as the card is plugged in.  This causes a problem because it can take a while for the card to "sync" to the iBurst network.  While this is happening pppd tries to create a connection and it can't.  To get around this we can delay the bringing up of the interface to give the card a chance to connect to the network.  Add this code to /etc/conf.d/net:

```
preup() {

    if [ "${IFACE}" == "ib0" ]; then

        sleep 12

    fi

    return 0

}
```

You may need to adjust the sleep 12 line.  This tells the script to sleep for 12 seconds before the interface is brought up.  If you find that you are not connecting automatically then increase the number of seconds and try it again.

Good luck.

Check Gentoo Bugzilla for the latest ebuild.

Edits:

11 Sep 2005: Updated for version 1.2.1.

03 Nov 2005: Changed wget commands so the bug attachments are named correctly.  Added info on unmasking the package, the USE flags and net.ibo setup.

11 Mar 2006: Updated for version 1.2.8.Last edited by thesnowman on Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:09 pm; edited 3 times in total

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## Nar

Hi 

Thank you , it works  :Laughing: 

When will the ebuild make it to the main tree ? And what is this new iburst driver on the sourgeforge website ?

Thanks

narra

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## thesnowman

Hi Nar.  I'm pleased you could get your card working.  Mobile Internet on Gentoo is a wonderful thing.

I don't think this ebuild will ever make it in to the main tree.  It would have to be maintained by a Gentoo developer (which I'm not) who obviously has one of these cards so they can test it.  Therefore, always check the bug for new versions.  I'll also update my original post if I ever write a new ebuild.

The sourceforge project was setup by the Whirlpool members who ported the original code to the 2.6 kernel.  It contains both the PCMCIA driver and the USB driver.  I haven't had time to write a new ebuild for it.

----------

## Nar

Can not download files ?

Are your solution still working ?

Thanks 

nar* :Wink: 

----------

## thesnowman

 *Nar wrote:*   

> Can not download files ?
> 
> Are your solution still working ?
> 
> Thanks 
> ...

 

The project is now hosted on SourceForge.net.  I've updated the HOWTO for the latest version that was released a few months ago.

Please let me know if it works for you   :Smile: 

----------

## Nar

Hi SnowMan

It works for me  :Smile:  It even seems that the driver is better than the previous one. Only snag was that the device changed to "ib0", it was "ibut0". Changed that in pppoe.config and everything works again   :Laughing: 

Thank you for you work on this driver. Made my life so easy. Iburst on linux rocks   :Laughing: 

Thanks

nar

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## emmjay79

Props to thesnowman. This guide is awesome, and works flawlessly.

I had a customer who can't get traditional broadband and decided to use iBurst's wireless broadband. They currently use dialup to connect an office to the Internet.

I first questioned their sanity of replacing their modem on their linux firewall with a *usb* modem (I've had bad experiences with USB modems before). Using another NIC was out of the question, so we were left with USB and iBurst's modem.

I needed to recompile the kernel to use pcmcia, then reboot the server to be able to use the iburst pcmcia module.

A reboot later and voila! They now have net connectivity wirelessly through their usb iburst modem. Remarkable.

   -- M.

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## Nar

Hey snowman   :Laughing: 

How about bumping you ebuild to 1.2.8.

Thanks 

nar   :Very Happy: 

----------

## thesnowman

 *Nar wrote:*   

> How about bumping you ebuild to 1.2.8.

 

No problem.

I've updated the HOWTO and included a link to the bug so you can download it from there.

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## jrgns

I tried the ebuild with a 2.6.16 kernel, but it seems the pcmcia header files changed since 2.6.13. Has anyone got this working on an recent kernel? I'll post more info about what changed and the errors I got in a while...

J

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## jrgns

A patch exists for the driver (http://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=1495363&group_id=138984&atid=742190)

Patched, built and happyness! Had some problems with the file format though (was in tar instead of tar.gz, so I recompressed en redid the ebuild, worked fine)

----------

