Less than linux basics

[sanctus]

Well it is there but i don't understand how to activate it...

[Killean]

Okay, good. To activate the driver you need to modprobe it. Basically just run:

# modprobe ipw2200

If no errors occur then we are good to go. Here is what I then did to set up wireless on my laptop. Just an FYI, my router is set up using WEP Shared Key encryption. So therefore what I'm about to show you will basically assume the same thing.

 

# iwconfig wlan0 essid [color=#0000FF]wireless_network_name[/color] key s:[color=#0000FF]#############[/color] [[color=#0000FF]1[/color]]
# ifconfig wlan0 up
# dhcpcd wlan0

iwconfig, part of the wireless package will let your wireless router connect. You need to change the stuff colored blue to the settings of your router. ESSID is the network name, key is your ASCII/HEX WEP password, and the 1 is which key sequence are you using (generally always the first, so no need to change that).

 

Then by using the standard net connection utility ifconfig, we are bringing up the wireless node we created. Then DHCPCD will grab you an IP address, therefore your internet connection. Hopefully.

 

Try that out and let me know how it goes.

[sanctus]

So, it seems to me that the first time i tried modprobe ipw2200 no errors occured.But now if do it I get the followwing error:

Fatal:error installing ipw2200 (or something similar like error running install...I don't remember well).

Now if i go on system-config-network I see that I have two devices:

1) eth0: BroadcomNetXtreme 57xx (...) which is of type ethernet

2) eth1: Intel® PRO/Wireless 2915ABG Network connection which is also of type ethernet (?!!?!)

So I tried to add a new device choosing a wireless type and there I have to choose a card but the Intel® PRO/wireless (...) isn't there as a choice....

 

I also tried to activate number 2) above but then an error similar to "device eth1 not found" comes up.

 

Now when i tried anyway to write:

# iwconfig eth1 essid wireless_network_name key s:############# [1] putting my networkname and wep key again it said something like "eth1,no such device".

What do I do wrong?

[Killean]

Fatal:error installing ipw2200...

This is telling me (not 100% sure) that the driver is not compiled into a module... So my guess is you need to activate it in your kernel as a module, then recompile making all modules. Now whether it will show up in the kernel dialogue is a different question. Ummm... Okay.

Do the following:

# cd /usr/src/linux
# make menuconfig

Here is what you want to do:

Device Drivers --->
    Network Device Support --->
         Wireless LAN (non-hamradio) --->

[*] Wireless LAN drivers (non-hamradio) & Wireless Extensions
[M] Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG and 2915ABG Network Connection

Then exit and save the config.

Mount your boot partition (if you did this), then type (in the /usr/src/linux folder):

# make all
# make modules_install
# make install

Then try my above steps again.

[sanctus]

Now the big problems started, I had to go to cd /usr/src/kernels/fc23d(...) instead of cd /usr/src/linux

I had already the * and the M where needed. I went out and saved. Now during the make (...) it gave me errors of type "no such file or directory" when looking for *.ko files and also something like "no target for init.o".

I tried to copy all this messages to the sharing folder (linux<-->windows) I had, but it didn't work anymore...

 

Also now when starting linux I get more and more red [failed] messages, one I remember is "mounting local file systems". What seems very strange to me is that i actually didn't change anything in the kernel but now nothing works. It is maybe possible that I changed something somewhere else, because usually I let start linux without looking at the details,therefore I don't since when this failures are around.

Would it be easiest if I reinstall everything?

And also there is a problem in mount the boot partition as I don't have one, I only have /, /home and /swap ? Maybe the problems come from there? I thought it might and so I just restarted linux and then tried the make (...) again with same problems.

[Killean]

Can you still log into linux?

 

I apologize. I should have told you to back up the original kernel in case something bad goes wrong. However since I don't think you have very much set up at the moment, you can easily just reinstall everything. I don't know about the Fedora install CD, but you should be able to use it to enter a root console to muck about the machine without actually being logged in.

 

If you can get back in, look in the folder:

/var/log/

This is where your system messages are placed. cp them over to your share and email them to me (I'll PM you the address). What we want from that folder is:

kern.log

messages

dmesg

and syslog

I hope that they are the same name. (I'm trying to help you by using examples from Gentoo.) Alas as some Slackware people say: If you use Red Hat, you only know Red Hat.

Fedora and Gentoo are exactly the same unfortunately.

[Southtown]

Now the big problems started, I had to go to cd /usr/src/kernels/fc23d(...) instead of cd /usr/src/linux

Why is this? And why did you choose /usr/src/kernels/fc23d(...) ?

 

What seems very strange to me is that i actually didn't change anything in the kernel but now nothing works.

You probably landed in some random kernel config that wasn't exactly what you were currently running.

[sanctus]

Southtown, it's because the directory /usr/src/linux doesn't exist in my version of linux. The other one seemed the logic choice to me because there was as well a makefile file which seemed to be necessary for running menuconfig.

 

Killean, I can still log on linux but no more exchange files with windows.I'll see if USB works or if connection with a cable. But now I go skiing for a couple of days I keep you updated next week.

[Southtown]

/usr/src/linux doesn't exist in my version of linux.

It's usually just a symbolic link to the proper directory. I don't know where the kernel config is in Fedora, but it sounds to me like you compiled the wrong config. I'll read up a bit, and I'm sure Killean will too. :D

[Killean]

I'm going to install Fedora Core in a virtual machine. No better way to help him then to do this.

 

Have fun skiing mate! :D

[Killean]

Wow. I just love graphical installs. Makes things easy for those half serious about using it. From what I am seeing, Fedora Core 6 doesn't ship with the kernel source. You must download the default kernel and headers yourself and install to /usr/src.

:QuestionM *sighs*

Aaaand, I tried to modprobe ipw2200 and I got no errors whatsoever. I installed FC6 x86_64 to match my processor (you never gave any clues as to which you had installed).

:shrug:

[sanctus]

Well I installed the other one the x86. So I guess I just re-install fedora and then if I do right away the right thing it will work.Is this the best solution? I also can stilll try to send you the log? But it will be done only tomorrow, because todday I have to help my girlfriend move to a new place...

[Killean]

There might be a marked difference between the two. I would suggest you hold off for a day or two and allow me to download the x86 DVD and install it. And if you can still send me those logs, I would appreciate it.

 

We will get you out of this hopefully without a reinstall.

[Killean]

Okay, got x86 installed, tried all the above steps...

:cheer:

I don't know what to say. When everything was installed I did modprobe ipw2200 and it loaded without any problems. Maybe it's a hardware difference, or something you may have poked the wrong way in the beginning. I can't tell, at least not without logs or access to your console.

 

Regardless, if you can, send the logs. I've uploaded the default kernel from this system to my web server. Before you move the logs you can try to move this kernel back into your boot folder, and hope that everything returns to normal. I'll PM you that address.

[sanctus]

The problem is that Ican't share anymore files between windows and linux so I try a re-install. Also I can't send you the logs (of which I don't have the kern.log) as I have no way to pass them to windows. I'll tell you if it works afterwards.

[Killean]

Okay, from what I saw everything is pointing to the firmware not being installed.

 

Before you can load the driver, you need the firmware image. You can find

instructions for obtaining the firmware by going to:

 

Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200BG Driver Firmware.

 

Once you have the firmware, unzip the archive. You should find seven

files within it:

 

LICENSE A copy of the firmware license

ipw--boot.fw Boot strap image

ipw--bss_ucode.fw Used in BSS mode

ipw--bss.fw Used in BSS mode

ipw--ibss_ucode.fw Used in IBSS mode

ipw--ibss.fw Used in IBSS mode

ipw--sniffer.fw Used in Monitor mode

ipw--sniffer_ucode.fw Used in Monitor mode

 

You need to place all of these files into the hotplug firmware directory,

e.g. /usr/lib/hotplug/firmware/ or /lib/firmware/. Check the contents

of the /etc/hotplug/firmware.agent to determine the specific location for your

distribution.

 

Fedora does not have the firmware.agent file, but it does have /lib/firmware. So you should throw the files in there. The kernel has everything configured right. Try that, and try loading the ipw2200 module again. If it fails again, email me /var/log/messages.

[sanctus]

It still doesn't work, I just sent you a mail...