# madwifi install wireless fidelity

## zerokill

i knew i would have post something eventually and after reading everything on wifi and gentoo, i just couldnt get my wifi card up and running. i have emerged madwifi successfully disabling sandbox, i have no linux experience what-so-ever, and do not where to go from here, im not sure if i need to run something or compile a module, (i've just never installed hardware, i had friend setup my linux   :Embarassed:  ) i'd appreciate the help!   :Shocked: 

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## smart

Shot one

let's see if maybe you are set already, so type:

iwconfig

and lets' see the result

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## UberLord

You could always try using the ebuild linked in my sig  :Smile: 

That kinda helps with wireless configuration

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## zerokill

```
bash: iwconfig: command not found
```

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## smart

Then Ubers script won't help you (yet).

Do:

emerge wireless-tools

which contains commands you need to be able to configure or get your wireless configured, and repeat the exercise.

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## UberLord

Thats odd as my ebuild has a dependancy on wireless-tools

You need to run iwconfig as root as it's in /usr/sbin by default

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## smart

do i feel like on a bazaar ? yes i do.

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## zerokill

k i emerged wireless-tools this is what happens after iwconfig

```
lo     no wireless extentsions.

eth0   no wireless extentsions.
```

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## _hephaistos_

hello,

this means your card wasn't recognized by linux.

1) do you have a pcmcia card or a build in card?

 -- pcmcia card: - do leds blink?

 - which type of card do you use, kernel-version?

do you have pcmcia built in kernel (and yenta_socket as module - works for me:)) - and wlan activated in kernel?

ciao

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## bjlockie

 *hephaistos6 wrote:*   

> hello,
> 
> this means your card wasn't recognized by linux.
> 
> ciao

 

There must be another reason.

I am using my DWL-G520 but iwconfig says I have no wireless extensions, maybe it is a kernel thing.

I haven't found the reason for the error message yet.

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## UberLord

 *bjlockie wrote:*   

>  *hephaistos6 wrote:*   hello,
> 
> this means your card wasn't recognized by linux.
> 
> ciao 
> ...

 

The reason is that wireless extensions need to be present and compiled into the running kernel before wireless-tools and any external wireless drivers are compiled.

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## smart

To get this back on a track,

shot two:

I don't know if this is a PCI or PCMCIA card, whatever,

in case of PCI do:

lspci -v

and show us the section related to your PCI card. If it's PCMCIA do:

cardctl info

and show us the result.

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## zerokill

the atheros wifi component is integrated, this is a laptop i have gentoo running on. 

so should i enable wireless extentsions in kernel then re-emerge wireless tools, and mad-wifi drivers?

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## UberLord

 *zerokill wrote:*   

> should i enable wireless extentsions in kernel then re-emerge wireless tools, and mad-wifi drivers?

 

Yes

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## smart

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> the atheros wifi component is integrated, this is a laptop i have gentoo running on. 
> 
> 

 

It will still be connected to the rest of your machine, either via pccard bridge or (mini-)pci. So the info would help.

It's your choice to follow a map or the noise.

While the latter CAN be faster, the first one is more repeatable and enlightening.

This is basically the difference that Linux offers you over Windows.

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> so should i enable wireless extentsions in kernel then re-emerge wireless tools, and mad-wifi drivers?
> 
> 

 

It should not be necessary to reemerge wireless tools.

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## zerokill

k k, i did the recompiling and emerged wifi again. did the lspci -v below are results.

```

0000:00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) LPC Bridge (rev 02)

        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0

0000:00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) Ultra ATA 100 St                                                              orage Controller (rev 02) (prog-if 8a [Master SecP PriP])

        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems: Unknown device ff00

        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 18

        I/O ports at <unassigned>

        I/O ports at <unassigned>

        I/O ports at <unassigned>

        I/O ports at <unassigned>

        I/O ports at 1880 [size=16]

        Memory at 20000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]

0000:00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) SMBus Controller (rev 02                                                              )

        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems: Unknown device ff00

        Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 17

        I/O ports at 18a0 [size=32]

0000:00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) AC                                                              '97 Audio Controller (rev 02)

        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems: Unknown device ff00

        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17

        I/O ports at 1c00

        I/O ports at 18c0 [size=64]

        Memory at c0000c00 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512]

        Memory at c0000800 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]

        Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2

0000:00:1f.6 Modem: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) AC'97 Modem Controller (                                                              rev 02) (prog-if 00 [Generic])

        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems: Unknown device 0001

        Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 17

        I/O ports at 2400

        I/O ports at 2000 [size=128]

        Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2

0000:01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV34M [GeForce FX Go                                                               5200] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA])

        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems: Unknown device ff00

        Flags: bus master, 66Mhz, medium devsel, latency 40, IRQ 16

        Memory at c1000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable)

        Memory at e0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M]

        Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 2

        Capabilities: [44] AGP version 3.0

0000:02:00.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Texas Instruments TSB43AB21 IEEE-1394a-2000 C                                                              ontroller (PHY/Link) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])

        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems: Unknown device ff00

        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 20

        Memory at c2014000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable)

        Memory at c2010000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]

        Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2

0000:02:01.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C                                                              /8139C+ (rev 10)

        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems: Unknown device ff00

        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 21

        I/O ports at 3000

        Memory at c2014800 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]

        Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2

0000:02:02.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications, Inc. AR5212 802.11abg                                                               NIC (rev 01)

        Subsystem: Askey Computer Corp.: Unknown device 7057

        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 80, IRQ 22

        Memory at c2000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable)

        Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2

0000:02:04.0 CardBus bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems ToPIC95 PCI to Cardbus                                                               Bridge with ZV Support (rev 33)

        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems: Unknown device 0001

        Flags: slow devsel, IRQ 16

        Memory at 20001000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled]

        Bus: primary=02, secondary=03, subordinate=06, sec-latency=0

        I/O window 0: 00000000-00000003 [disabled]

        I/O window 1: 00000000-00000003 [disabled]

        16-bit legacy interface ports at 0001

0000:02:06.0 System peripheral: Toshiba America Info Systems SD TypA Controller                                                               (rev 05)

        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems: Unknown device ff00

        Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 16

        Memory at c2014c00 (32-bit, non-prefetchable)

        Capabilities: [80] Power Management version 2

```

im assuming we want the atheros communications 80.11abg? how do i use it?

----------

## smart

So we don't need to care about PCMCIA.

The eth0 from iwconfig above is probably your your RTL ethernet interface. So you lack the atheros completely in that case as of yet.

Make sure you have activated the Wirless LAN drivers & Wireless Extensions in the kernel (one option)... BTW, what version do you use ?

AFAIK, you have emerged madwifi drivers already. If you have switched kernel version meanwhile, you'll probably need to repeat that exercise.

Since i have never used madwifi drivers myself, here's what i'd expect from them.

They should create a kernel module for you in your kernel modules directory. "qpkg -l madwifi-driver ¦ grep /lib/modules" should show you all the kernel modules. Identify the module file for your card and try to load it as "modprobe *filename*", leaving out the extension like .ko. The ones having "_cs" in their name if there are such are meant for pcmcia so you don't need 'em.

Then after probing you might retry iwconfig and see what it gives.

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## ixion

```

emerge hotplug && rc-update add hotplug default && /etc/init.d/hotplug start && iwconfig ath0 key (your key goes here) && iwconfig ath0 key on && /etc/init.d/net.ath0 start

```

I hope this works!

The above got it working for me... I love the Gentoo Linux community!! Thank you for ebuilds!!  :Very Happy: 

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## floskel

 *ixion wrote:*   

> 
> 
> ```
> 
> emerge hotplug && rc-update add hotplug default && /etc/init.d/hotplug start && iwconfig ath0 key (your key goes here) && iwconfig ath0 key on && /etc/init.d/net.ath0 start
> ...

 

The hotplug ebuild was just what I needed, thanks for the tip ixion!

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## xitrium

will a device that's not supported still show up in lspci -v?

mine isn't showing up, but the company that built my laptop assures me that it's there....

thanks in advance

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## UberLord

 *xitrium wrote:*   

> will a device that's not supported still show up in lspci -v?
> 
> mine isn't showing up, but the company that built my laptop assures me that it's there....
> 
> thanks in advance

 

Not all the time.

IIRC, my prism54 pcmcia card didn't show up in lspci until hotplug had loaded the firmware.

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