# Beginners Howto for WLAN setup?

## fLares

Hi. Is there a nice and easy to understand Howto on setiing up a WLAN with gentoo? I have a PC with gentoo running on it. It is connected to the Internet and also has a local Net attached (small one - just one Windows Box in that). There is a Firewall running to protect the local Net from attacks. 

What I want now is to put my "conceptronic"-WLAN card into it, and set it up in a way which will allow me to use a WLAN USB stick in my IBM Thinkpad to access the local Net and the Internet. But of course I don't want everybody else to use this connection.

So I need help-files or howtos about

* how to install the hardware (I mean not actually how to insert the card, but how to get the proper drivers running)

* how to make the WLAN active and accessible

* how to make the WLAN secure against attacks while allowing me to use it as a connection to my local Net as well as the Internet

Does anyone know easy howto-files on that? I am rather new to Linux, so I do not readily understand many of the howtos I have found on the net. I just know that I have to install the card and then set up "WAP" or "WEP" (some sort of enryption or protocol?) on it and then maybe run a "VPN" (tunneling protocol?) over all of this. What I don't know (besides how to install all this) is how I can identify my laptop and grant it access while denying all others access...

I hope it is not too hard. In Windows it was really easy, but I'd like to use the Gentoo Box for it, since it is my connection to the Internet and my fileserver...

Many Thanks

Ciao

fLares

----------

## Master Shake

First off does that card even work with linux?  Next you need to recompile your kernel with support for that wireless cards chipset's support.  Then you might want to emerge wireless-utils I think its called.  Then configure it through a console with something like this:

```
iwconfig eth(number of card) essid (your essid)

dhcpcd eth(number of card) up

ifconfig eth(number of card) up

rc-update add eth(number of card) default (to get it to start at boot)

```

if ifconfig gives you an ip address then your good to go.

----------

## jakubc

Hi,

to get the connection set up:

0. emerge packages according to the "Install" section here http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Wireless_Configuration_and_Startup

1. Find out what chipset your card uses.  a list (don't know if it's complete) is for example here: http://www.linux-wlan.org/docs/wlan_adapters.html.gz

2. Make sure you have the wireless option in your kernel eneabled:

```

Device Drivers  ---> 

   Networking support  --->

       Wireless LAN (non-hamradio)  --->

          [*] Wireless LAN drivers (non-hamradio) & Wireless Extensions 

```

3. Install the driver.  you have 2 choices here 

  a, just install the linux driver for your chipset, and then add it to /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.YOUR_KERNEL_VERSION

  b, use ndiswrapper with your windows .INF driver, you'll have to search a little for how it's setup (I don't have it in my head), but you should'nt have a problem finding it in the forums 

[edit]always be sure (if you want wireless at startup) to add the driver you have chosen to your /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.YOUR_KERNEL_VERSION[/edit]

4. Follow Master Shake's advice on how to see if the card works with dhcpcd

5. After you have done all of this and your net.YOUR_WIRELESS_CARD_EXTENSION is linked to net.lo 

```

ln -s /etc/init.d/net.lo /etc/init.d/net.YOUR_WIRELESS_CARD_EXTENSION

```

you can as Master Shake said do an:

```
rc-update add YOUR_WIRELESS_CARD_EXTENSION default

```

to start the connection at boot.

6. if you did nothing (by this meaning the means to obtain an address) with your /etc/counf.d/net or /etc/counf.d/wireless linux will run DHCPCD on the interface at startup.  If you want to startup using DHCPCD and have some settings thrown in then this is a pretty basic setup (usind a WEP key):

/etc/counf.d/net

```

modules=( "iwconfig" )

```

/etc/counf.d/wireless

```

essid_YOUR_WIRELESS_CARD_EXTENSION="YOUR_ESSID"

# if you use a WEP key

key_YOUR_ESSID="YOUR_WEP_KEY"

preferred_aps=("YOUR_ESSID")

ifconfig_YOUR_ESSID=( "dhcp" )

```

7. Now do:

```

/etc/init.d/net.YOUR_WIRELESS_CARD_EXTENSION restart

```

and if there are no [!!] then you should be set.

security: I thought WEP was pretty secure, but after reading this: https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-330914 I found out I still have some connection tweaking to do^^  I would therefore use WPA were I you (as said in the thread)

p.s. "iwconfig" will show you YOUR_WIRELESS_CARD_EXTENSION 

hope this helped, if not just ask, I hope I'll be able to help:-)

----------

## xline

my ifconfig ra0 crashes wen i make the ifconfig ra0 up but the first time I had setupd the driver i worked just fine but after reboot the module did'n load and the interface did'nt start and this hapends ever since

how can I fix this

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## jakubc

hi,

what is your computer setup? i.e. /etc/conf.d/net & /etc/conf.d/wireless. What does iwconfig say before you try "ifconfig ra0 up"? Also do you have SMP enabled in your kernel?

----------

## xline

were do I enable smp ?!?! 

on the kernel..... 

wen I make the iwconfig after I load the module rt2500.ko 

iwconfig ra0 

no wireless extentions. 

the fist time I made the ifconfig ra0 up then run the utility and working 

now ifconfig ra0 up... c

crash

now wen i make the iwconfig ra0 

tells no wireless extentions 

ifconfig ra0 

gives the info of the device...

----------

## xline

I have ro reboot to gete the info from the file... 

I cant access any connection from the linux....

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## jakubc

Are you sure you are loading the rt2500 driver at bootup? do you have rt2500 in your /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.YOUR_KERNEL ? (oops I forgot that in the post above... will fix it right away).  That could be problem no.1.  

Problem no.2 could be that you have SMP (Simultaneous multi processing) enabled in your kernel, the rt2500 driver does not like that at all! so if you have this disable it.  If you did have it remember to recompile rt2500!

The first time it didn't crash could be because you "modprobe"'d it and the module was loaded... 

did that help? is iwconfig at least saying something?

----------

## xline

the steps I have made to stup the card was:

-------------------------------------install frist access-------------------------------------------------

make -c /usr/src/linux SUBDIRS=$PWD modules 

during the make he tels mos skipd files... but is so fast I cant se what errors was.... 

but he instals 

then 

modprobe rt2500

can't find module 

modprobe rt2500.ko 

cant find module 

then  I have made 

/sbin/insmod rt2500.ko 

loade suceful 

lsmos 

rt2500

iwconfig ra0 essid wlan 

no wireless extentions 

so 

ifconfig ra0 up

then compile and run the aplication 

I was surfing 

cool 

--------------------------but after reboot-----------------------------

lsmod 

no module 

in the module dir 

modprobe rt2500.ko 

cant find module

insmod rt2500.ko 

loaded 

iwconfig ra0 

no wireless extentions 

ifconfig ra0 up 

crash.....

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

now wen was to linux to get the /etc/conf.d/net file 

i have found the one wireless It didn't fount..

so this is the 

net file 

# /etc/conf.d/net:

# $Header: /home/cvsroot/gentoo-src/rc-scripts/etc/conf.d/net,v 1.7 2002/11/18 19:39:22 azarah Exp $

# Global config file for net.* rc-scripts

# This is basically the ifconfig argument without the ifconfig $iface

#

iface_eth0="10.0.0.12 broadcast 10.0.0.1 netmask 255.255.255.0"

#iface_eth1="207.170.82.202 broadcast 207.0.255.255 netmask 255.255.0.0"

# For DHCP set iface_eth? to "dhcp"

# For passing options to dhcpcd use dhcpcd_eth?

#

#iface_eth0="dhcp"

iface_ra0="dhcp"

#dhcpcd_eth0="-N"

dhcpcd_ra0="-N"

# For adding aliases to a interface

#

#alias_eth0="192.168.0.3 192.168.0.4"

# NB:  The next is only used for aliases.

#

# To add a custom netmask/broadcast address to created aliases,

# uncomment and change accordingly.  Leave commented to assign

# defaults for that interface.

#

#broadcast_eth0="192.168.0.255 192.168.0.255"

netmask_eth0="255.255.255.0 255.255.255.0"

# For setting the default gateway

#

gateway="eth0/10.0.0.1"

--------------------------------------------------------------------

note 

this access I coldn't evel insmod it tells that is already on file 

I have made lsmod...

and their is no module... listed...

this is geting... real bad.......

if you can help I wold be thankful...

sorry about bad ing...

thanks for you time

----------

## jakubc

I'm sorry I'm in a hurry, but did you emerge all the packages from the HOWTO?

if so then do:

```

emerge rt2500

```

then edit your /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.YOUR_KERNEL to have this:

```

rt2500

```

for bootup.

then:

```

modprobe rt2500

```

iw config should have it now...

hope this helps:-)

will try to be of help tomorow sry I am in a hurry:-(

----------

## xline

thanks  :Smile:  for the help but the emerge tels that the rt2500 driver has ben masked so I can't use the emerge comand

----------

## jakubc

hi i'm back:-))

put this into your /etc/portage/package.keywords (if you don't have this file create it)

```

net-wireless/rt2500 ~x86

```

I presume you have the x86 architecture.  It should emerge without a problem then.

----------

## xline

so ok I have downloaded the source put it in the packeg dir... ther merge rt2500 

it tells 

ebuilt net-tools/rt2500 ok 

so 

i done modprobe rt2500 

module not found 

modprobe rt2500.ko

module not found

modprobe rt2500.o

module not found

iwconfig ra0 

no such device 

ifconfig ra0 no such device

one more thing the compilation of the drivers gives an error that I had already sen in the kernel compilation on the wireless modules

tryed to make a pointer to an integer without a cast.... 

does it make any diference !?

is their any other way to load the module ?!

because this is realy geting me insane....

thanks realy thanks for your help becaus I'm realy almost in limt do quit this.... Y i'm thinking in buy a new wlan card...

----------

## jakubc

I had my share of problems with wireless as well so I can appreciate your situation:-)

What drivers are you using? i.e. where did you download them?  The drivers in portage work fine:

```

net-wireless/rt2500

      Latest version available: 1.1.0_beta2

      Latest version installed: 1.1.0_beta2

      Size of downloaded files: 286 kB

      Homepage:    http://rt2x00.serialmonkey.com

      Description: Driver for the RaLink RT2500 wireless chipset

      License:     GPL-2

```

I emerged these and they worked right off.  So delete the source from the package dir and just plain old "emerge rt2500".  Portage will take care of placing the copmiled driver where modprobe looks for it (or at least it should).  If it doesn't I have to admit that I am clueless:-(

another way to load the driver is through the ndiswrapper:http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/

as for the message I don't know it's significance (I get it compiling my programs sometimes, it is because of comparing a pointer to an integer fro example).

Hang in there!  The rt2500 chipset can really be made to work!

----------

## xline

done that.....

same problem....

i alreadi tried to format the computer....

put every thing again just like that...

and the same problem happend in fact now the sound card and the grafic interface don't work.....

startkde 

cant connect to xserver and sais this for eternety....

but the drivers sit don't work in my laptop 

the pcmcia wen it starts it alwais sais a socket 1 error

I'm going to instal the old disto again...

no one can help.... 

thanks ani way

I'm mad because I don't like the oder dsisto... so I gess I'm can't use linux...

this are the things that don't work.....

un less is theirs a mirecle way to put this to work....

the ati m9 128 MB of my laptop is not detected 

the realtec ethernet card not dectected too

wen I mount the cdrom the frist time alwais sais an error works at the second time

mouse usb with well not working.... the table pad not working to (I working whit only the keyboar )

pcmcia sokect error... wen started....

soud card it worked the firt time i had instaled the other ones.... not realy...

in windows every thing works..

in fedora too

but the gentoo doen't 

so i gess the gentoo does not suport my laptop..

is it possible !?

----------

## jakubc

wow, that sounds pretty borked... :Sad: 

I would urge you however to have a little bit more patience, gentoo (and linux in general) is great because unlike Windows everything has it's clear reason for going wrong (although it may not seem so at first:-) ).  Have you tried to check out his HOWTO]?  It could help with the pcmcia - wireless problem (at least I hope I got it right... your wireless is pcmcia right?)...

try to post the rest of the questions in relevant forums... the X and the mousepad....

next to everything really does have an explanation... so please don't give up!

for anyone reading this who has some ideas please post! (I admint that all of this is going too far for my linux EXPerience so far:-( )

thanks!

----------

## xline

I'm going to try installing for one mor time....

but...

I'm in the limit...

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## xline

do you have msn our someting...

that way we cold talk...

im a computer programer.  :Smile: 

yes with this probles it doen't look like but i was since 9 ... a windows user i have 23 so 

you can imagen...

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## factodude

Just curious, the last time you upgraded/recompiled your kernel did you make sure /boot was mounted before copying over the kernel image?  I've only gotten that error before when installing the driver to the wrong kernel directory.  Like the symlink would point to the newest kernel, but the actual image would not be on the boot drive.  Hence, you couldn't mount it since you didn't have that kernel loaded.

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## fLares

I almost got it, but it seems the ra2500 driver does not support "master" mode, so I cannot use it (or the conceptronics wlan card I have) to provide WLAN for my home  :Sad:   :Sad: 

Guess I have to buy an access point instead or get an old wlan card with a "prism" chipset which seems to be about the only thing that supports this master mode. Sadly the chipset is almost never listed when I buy a card and most older cards seem to have outdated WLAN-standards.

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