Linux WiFi Manual

Sat Jul 21 15:21:58 UTC 2007

Hi
did you know about hp bios whitelist?

no?

well if you plan to buy an hp laptop, and because it is yours, you
want to change for example the minipci-e broadcom for another with
atheros based chip, that is not possible because HP bioses have a
whitelist of their products, that means that if you install i.e. a
theros based minipci, your bios wont boot, "error 104 remove
unatorized hardware an reboot"

by the way I just upgraded to 2.6.22 and I got this:

bcm43xx_mac80211: Adding Interface type 2
ssb: Switching to PCI-E core, index 3
ssb: Switching to IEEE 802.11 core, index 1
bcm43xx_mac80211: Loading firmware version 319.11 (2006-03-15 21:28:24)
ssb: Switching to ChipCommon core, index 0
ssb: Switching to IEEE 802.11 core, index 1
bcm43xx_mac80211: Radio turned on
bcm43xx_mac80211: Radio enabled by hardware
bcm43xx_mac80211: ERROR: bbatt(11) >= size of LO array

Call Trace:
 [<ffffffff881ce83a>] :bcm43xx_mac80211:bcm43xx_get_lo_g_ctl+0x54/0x93
 [<ffffffff881ce8af>] :bcm43xx_mac80211:bcm43xx_lo_g_ctl_current+0x36/0x3b
 [<ffffffff881ce98a>] :bcm43xx_mac80211:bcm43xx_lo_g_adjust+0x9/0x15
 [<ffffffff881c90c3>] :bcm43xx_mac80211:bcm43xx_phy_init_pctl+0x338/0x6a2
 [<ffffffff881c3c29>] :bcm43xx_mac80211:bcm43xx_phy_read+0x58/0x60
 [<ffffffff881cc367>] :bcm43xx_mac80211:bcm43xx_phy_initg+0xc85/0xd0a
 [<ffffffff881ccb9a>] :bcm43xx_mac80211:bcm43xx_phy_init+0x582/0x5a3
 [<ffffffff881bf105>] :bcm43xx_mac80211:bcm43xx_chip_init+0x675/0x984
 [<ffffffff881c07a1>] :bcm43xx_mac80211:bcm43xx_wireless_core_init+0x27d/0x70a
 [<ffffffff881c1fff>] :bcm43xx_mac80211:bcm43xx_add_interface+0x5c/0xf1
 [<ffffffff8818d5c6>] :mac80211:ieee80211_open+0x222/0x34c
 [<ffffffff811e6ada>] rtnl_fill_ifinfo+0x32d/0x488
 [<ffffffff811e05bb>] dev_open+0x2f/0x6e
 [<ffffffff811de783>] dev_change_flags+0x5a/0x118
 [<ffffffff811e7674>] rtnl_setlink+0x2bf/0x3f2
 [<ffffffff811d6954>] sock_rmalloc+0x24/0x4d
 [<ffffffff811e6d5c>] rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x0/0x1e5
 [<ffffffff811f4e9b>] netlink_run_queue+0x75/0x103
 [<ffffffff811e6d09>] rtnetlink_rcv+0x30/0x4c
 [<ffffffff811f5377>] netlink_data_ready+0x12/0x50
 [<ffffffff811f416d>] netlink_sendskb+0x23/0x3c
 [<ffffffff811f5352>] netlink_sendmsg+0x2b7/0x2ca
 [<ffffffff811d48bd>] sock_sendmsg+0xea/0x107
 [<ffffffff81045461>] autoremove_wake_function+0x0/0x2e
 [<ffffffff81045461>] autoremove_wake_function+0x0/0x2e
 [<ffffffff810706f8>] get_page_from_freelist+0x38a/0x51c
 [<ffffffff81075eee>] zone_statistics+0x3f/0x60
 [<ffffffff810706f8>] get_page_from_freelist+0x38a/0x51c
 [<ffffffff81073059>] mark_page_accessed+0x1b/0x2f
 [<ffffffff811d4af1>] sys_sendmsg+0x217/0x28a
 [<ffffffff81116277>] __up_read+0x19/0x7f
 [<ffffffff811d5a01>] sys_getsockname+0x82/0xb2
 [<ffffffff81009b5e>] system_call+0x7e/0x83

bcm43xx_mac80211: Chip initialized
bcm43xx_mac80211: 32-bit DMA initialized
bcm43xx_mac80211: Wireless interface started

lspci -vv

03:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4310 UART (rev 01)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 1361
        Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop-
ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
        Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort-
<TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
        Latency: 0, Cache Line Size: 64 bytes
        Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 19
        Region 0: Memory at b6000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
        Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2
                Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=375mA
PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
                Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=2 PME-
        Capabilities: [58] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit-
Queue=0/0 Enable-
                Address: 00000000  Data: 0000
        Capabilities: [d0] Express Legacy Endpoint IRQ 0
                Device: Supported: MaxPayload 128 bytes, PhantFunc 0, ExtTag+
                Device: Latency L0s <4us, L1 unlimited
                Device: AtnBtn- AtnInd- PwrInd-
                Device: Errors: Correctable- Non-Fatal- Fatal- Unsupported-
                Device: RlxdOrd- ExtTag- PhantFunc- AuxPwr- NoSnoop-
                Device: MaxPayload 128 bytes, MaxReadReq 128 bytes
                Link: Supported Speed 2.5Gb/s, Width x1, ASPM L0s, Port 0
                Link: Latency L0s <4us, L1 <64us
                Link: ASPM Disabled RCB 64 bytes CommClk- ExtSynch-
                Link: Speed 2.5Gb/s, Width x1
        Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
        Capabilities: [13c] Virtual Channel

using kernel provided modules...

On 7/21/07, Dotan Cohen <dotancohen at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 19/07/07, Karl Larsen <k5di at zianet.com> wrote:
> >     Here is the final version of this short manual. I think it will help
> > those trying to get WiFi working. At least that was the goal.
> >
> >
> >
> >                 How to get WiFi working on your lap-top
> >
> >     It has been hard to get the wifi that works so well on your Windows
> > XP to work when you select Linux at boot time.This paper will show a
> > step by step process that will get the modern laptop working.
> >
> > I:    First, in this example, I must learn the name of my WiFi hardware.
> > This can be done by opening a Terminal, becoming root, and entering
> > 'lspci'.
> >
> > 00:09.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications, Inc. AR5212
> > 802.11abg NIC (rev 01)
> > 00:0a.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI7420 CardBus Controller
> > 00:0f.0 IDE interface: ALi Corporation M5229 IDE (rev c4)
> > 00:12.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
> > RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
> >
> > Notice there are two items called Ethernet controller. But notice the
> > Atheros says it handles 802.11abg which is what WiFi is, So now we know
> > this laptop has hardware made by Atheros Communications, Inc.
> >
> > II:    The second step is to find out what Linux software is written for
> > our hardware. I used a great web page at:
> >
> > http://linux-wless.passys.nl/
> >
> > I went to this web page and at the first choice selected Sony. I then
> > hit Show and in the green band was Atheros and it says I need the
> > MadWiFi package and directs me to their web page. There you look at the
> > HowTo page and learn the actual kernel module is called "ath_pci" and
> > that call will get it working and it will call all the other needed
> > modules. The next step is to find a kernel with this software in it that
> > will make my laptop work.
> >
> > III:    Either find a kernel that has the drivers in module form, or
> > find a kernel modification that has the MadWiFi package. When done test
> > the kernel. This can be done by opening a Terminal, becoming root, and
> > entering 'modprobe ath_pci'.
> >
> >     I used "service network reboot" and it came back up with two
> > Internet sources, eth0 and ath0 listed. It showed no eth0 and ath0 was
> > not turned on. I told it to turn on ath0 and it did and the WiFi
> > Internet started working.
> >
> > IV:
> >
> >     Listed next is four laptop hardware systems I know about.
> >
> >   Hardware              Software        modprobe
> >
> >   Atheros Comm           madwifi        ath_pci
> >
> >   Intel old              IEEE80211      ipw2200
> >
> >   IntelPro 3945          IEEE80211      ipw3945
> >
> >   Broadcom BCM 4318      MAC80211       bcm43xx
> >
> >
> > V:    There is a network system available in at least Fedora Core 6 and
> > Fedora 7 called NetworkManager. You will want to set that up at least on
> > your laptop. I have it on both computers. Caution! Turn off network if
> > your using NetworkManager. Be aware that not everyone likes this
> > software and some say that it will not work well with some WiFi systems.
> > I can only say it works just fine for me.
> >
> >     Open a Terminal, become root, and enter cd /etc/rc.d/init.d/ and you
> > will see a lot of applications listed. Now do:
> > chkconfig network off
> > chkconfig NetworkManager on
> > chkconfig NetworkManagerDispatcher on.
> >
> >     Look at the two tiny computers near your name on the top edge near
> > your name and click on them. It will tell you what it is doing. There is
> > a good way to check overall performance with 'nm-tool'. This can be done
> > by opening a Terminal, becoming root, and entering 'nm-tool'.
> >
> > VI:    Follow the same steps I did with my laptop and replace mine with
> > yours. I hope your laptop is using one of the about 50 hardware packages
> > in the the web page above. And you wind up quickly with a working Linux
> > laptop. If your laptop is quite old it is possible this method will not
> > work.
> >
> > Karl Larsen
> > Chris Mohler
> >
>
> Karl, would you mind if I republish your final draft on
> http://dotancohen.com? I have a few Linux howtos, and this seems like
> something that I will certain want to reference.
>
> Dotan Cohen
>
> http://lyricslist.com/
> http://what-is-what.com/
>
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>

-- 
[Jorge J. Boscán Etura]
quando omni flunkus moritatus