# [SOVLED]USB wireless card doesn't work.

## sunade

Hi all:

I am using the gentoo, the kernel version is 

Linux sophie 2.6.24-gentoo-r4 #1 SMP Fri May 9 12:59:44 EDT 2008 x86_64 AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4200+ AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux.

My USB wireless network card is: linksys, LKW-G750. Here is the result of lsusb

sophie ~ # lsusb

Bus 003 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Bus 005 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Bus 004 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0ace:1215 ZyDAS WLA-54L WiFi

Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

So I guess the drive is installed properly and it can detect the device correctly. Then I emerged the wireless-tool, and typed the command iwconfig, I got the following output:

sophie ~ # iwconfig

lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

There is no option for the wireless network card. I don't know where the problem is   :Sad: 

Later, I tried to use the ndiswrapper, and followed the instruction to install all the drivers

windrivers # ndiswrapper -i ZD1211BU.INF

installing zd1211bu ...

windrivers # ndiswrapper -l

zd1211bu : driver installed

        device (0ACE:1215) present

But the output of iwconfig is still the same. I have tried to figure it out for hours, but without any success. Any suggestion is appreciated.

ThanksLast edited by sunade on Sat May 10, 2008 6:33 pm; edited 1 time in total

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## NeddySeagoon

sunade,

Your lsusb only tells that your USB root hub driver is installed. It says nothing about the kernel driver needed to make the device work.

Searching make menuconfig (press / and enter ZD) shows

```
  │ Symbol: ZD1211RW [=n]                                                                                     │  

  │ Prompt: ZyDAS ZD1211/ZD1211B USB-wireless support                                                         │  

  │   Defined at drivers/net/wireless/zd1211rw/Kconfig:1                                                      │  

  │   Depends on: NETDEVICES && !S390 && USB && MAC80211 && WLAN_80211 && EXPERIMENTAL                        │  

  │   Location:                                                                                               │  

  │     -> Device Drivers                                                                                     │  

  │       -> Network device support (NETDEVICES [=y])                                                         │  

  │         -> Wireless LAN                                                                                   │  

  │           -> Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11) (WLAN_80211 [=y])                                                 │  

  │   Selects: FW_LOADER  
```

Your need to ensure that 

```
Depends on: NETDEVICES && !S390 && USB && MAC80211 && WLAN_80211 && EXPERIMENTAL
```

are all set correctly. !S390 will be off on your arch ans USB is already on, since lsusb works.

Notice 

```
Selects: FW_LOADER
```

that means your device needs fimware, which is not provided by the kernel.

Find the firmware file, decompress (unzip) it and install it in /lib/firmware

Fix your kernel and try again.

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## sunade

Hi Neddy:

Thanks very much for your nice reply. Now, I have recompiled the whole kernel by following the configuration you have suggested and emerged the ipw2200-firmware. Then I used the ndiswrapper to install the driver. But now the output of dmesg is:

NET: Registered protocol family 10

lo: Disabled Privacy Extensions

eth0: no IPv6 routers present

zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: zd_mac_get_channel() channel 0

zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: iw_get_range()

ndiswrapper version 1.52 loaded (smp=yes, preempt=no)

usbcore: registered new interface driver ndiswrapper

zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: zd_mac_get_channel() channel 0

zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: iw_get_range()

zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: zd_mac_get_channel() channel 0

zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: iw_get_range()

zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: zd_usb_init_hw()

usb 1-4: request_fw_file() fw name zd1211/zd1211b_ub

usb 1-4: Could not load firmware file zd1211/zd1211b_ub. Error number -2

zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: couldn't load firmware. Error number -2

zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: zd_usb_init_hw()

usb 1-4: request_fw_file() fw name zd1211/zd1211b_ub

usb 1-4: Could not load firmware file zd1211/zd1211b_ub. Error number -2

zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: couldn't load firmware. Error number -2

zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: zd_usb_init_hw()

usb 1-4: request_fw_file() fw name zd1211/zd1211b_ub

usb 1-4: Could not load firmware file zd1211/zd1211b_ub. Error number -2

zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: couldn't load firmware. Error number -2

zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: zd_usb_init_hw()

usb 1-4: request_fw_file() fw name zd1211/zd1211b_ub

usb 1-4: Could not load firmware file zd1211/zd1211b_ub. Error number -2

zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: couldn't load firmware. Error number -2

I have googled the error message but found no solution.

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> sunade,
> 
> Your lsusb only tells that your USB root hub driver is installed. It says nothing about the kernel driver needed to make the device work.
> 
> Searching make menuconfig (press / and enter ZD) shows
> ...

 

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## Ato

 *sunade wrote:*   

> Hi Neddy:
> 
> usb 1-4: Could not load firmware file zd1211/zd1211b_ub. Error number -2
> 
> zd1211rw 1-4:1.0: couldn't load firmware. Error number -2
> ...

 

You need the firmware files for this piece of hardware to be in /lib/firmware. From the error message the driver expects a single file in /lib/firmware/zd1211/zd1211b_ub.

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## NeddySeagoon

sunade,

You do not use ndiswrapper. The kernel is now providing your driver. however, you need the firmware file as Ato says,

The firmware on that site may be what you need.

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## sunade

Hi All guys:

Thanks very much for your nice suggestion. I am using the wireless to post this article now.

Thank you very much.

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> sunade,
> 
> You do not use ndiswrapper. The kernel is now providing your driver. however, you need the firmware file as Ato says,
> 
> The firmware on that site may be what you need.

 

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