need help configuring linux to detect wireless

[whizz81]

I just recently install fedora core 5 on my toshiba satellite A60/65 laptop. During installation, I set up DHCP to configure automaticall as oppose to inputting a static. However, Iam unable to configure my wireless card to view or connect to wireless network within range.

I tried using these three commands to activate my wireless card:
/sbin/chkconfig --level 345 NetworkManger on
/sbin/chkconfig --level 345 NetworkMangerDispatcher on
/sbin/service NetworkManger start ; /sbin/service NetworkManager Dispatcher start

THese commands enabled the icon displaying the connection status to appear in the panel...which reads " no network connection"

Here are the specific when I executed "ifconfig":

eth0
Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:A01C5:B7

UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000

RX bytes:0 (0.0 b) TX bytes:0 (0.0 b)

Interrupt:19 Base address:0xe000
lo
Link encap:Local Loopback

inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0

inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host

UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1

RX packets:2239 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:2239 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:2356523 (2.2 MiB)
TX bytes:2356523 (2.2 MiB)

HERE ARE THE PCI INFO:

Host bridge: ATI Technologies Inc R200 AGP Bridge [Mobility Radeon 7000 IGP]
(rev 05)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc PCI Bridge [IGP 340M]
00:13.0
USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc OHCI USB Controller #1 (rev 01)
00:13.1
USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc OHCI USB Controller #2 (rev 01)
00:13.2
USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc EHCI USB Controller (rev 01)
00:14.0
SMBus: ATI Technologies Inc ATI SMBus (rev 18)
00:14.1
IDE interface: ATI Technologies Inc ATI Dual Channel Bus Master PCI IDE Controller
00:
14.3 ISA bridge: ATI Technologies Inc Unknown device 434c
00:14.4 PCI
bridge: ATI Technologies Inc Unknown device 4342
00:14.5
Multimedia audio controller: ATI Technologies Inc IXP150 AC'97 Audio Controller
00:14.6
Modem: ATI Technologies Inc IXP AC'97 Modem (rev 01)
01:05.0 VGA compatible controller:
ATI Technologies Inc Radeon Mobility 7000 IGP02:04.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications,
Inc. AR5212 802.11abg NIC (rev 01)
02:06.0 CardBus bridge:
Texas Instruments PCI1410 PC card Cardbus Controller (rev 02)
02:07.0
Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)

After executing iwconfig this is what I got:

lo no wireless extensions

eht0 no wireless extensions

sit0 no wireless extensions

I hope this detail enough information to help determining the problem

I'll really appreciate whatever help I can get.

[John A]

From the sounds of it, Linux detects your hard-wired ethernet port, but needs a driver for the wireless card. In fact, Linux by default doesn't support very many wireless cards at all. You're usually forced to download the drivers.

So, you'll first need to find the exact name and model of your wireless card. Then google the brand/model of the card + "linux driver" or something similar. You'll then find a driver, and (hopefully) installation instructions.

Warning: many wireless drivers require you to compile them and need the kernel's source code. If you run into such a problem, come post here and we'll give you further instructions on that.

[whizz81]

My wireless card is atheros AR5212 802.11 abg NIC

after I google my ass off these are the information I have for the drivers that are compatible with wireless card I have in a fedora core 5.

I was able to download these file to a cd-rom.

when I tried to download one of them in linux, I get an error stating "unable to retrieve software information"

I don't have much experience with installation in linux..although I did read some instructions on yum and rpm , but I would appreciate some assistance from someone who have atleast done it before. I don't want to make any mistake that will end up setting me back.

Does anyone have experience with this??

madwifi-devel-0.9.3-31_r1865.fc5.at.i386.rpm - madwifi kernel header files

The madwifi kernel headers are used for accessing the kernel modules' API. [more]

madwifi-0.9.3-31_r1865.fc5.at.i386.rpm - A linux device driver for Atheros chipsets (ar5210, ar5211, ar5212)

Dec 23 18:43:40 CET 2006 madwifi-hal-kmdl-2.6.18-1.2257_1.fc5.cubbi_suspend2-0.9.3-31_r1865.fc5.at.x86_64.rpm - A linux device driver for Atheros chipsets (ar5210, ar5211, ar5212)

madwifi-hal-kmdl-2.6.18-1.2257_1.fc5.cubbi_suspend2-0.9.3-31_r1865.fc5.at.x86_64.rpm - A linux device driver for Atheros chipsets (ar5210, ar5211, ar5212)

[John A]

madwifi-devel-0.9.3-31_r1865.fc5.at.i386.rpm - madwifi kernel header files

The madwifi kernel headers are used for accessing the kernel modules' API. [more]

You don't really need this rpm - it's a development version, and there's no real reason to use one unless you want to beta test.

madwifi-0.9.3-31_r1865.fc5.at.i386.rpm - A linux device driver for Atheros chipsets (ar5210, ar5211, ar5212)

This is *one* of the rpms you need.

Dec 23 18:43:40 CET 2006 madwifi-hal-kmdl-2.6.18-1.2257_1.fc5.cubbi_suspend2-0.9.3-31_r1865.fc5.at.x86_64.rpm - A linux device driver for Atheros chipsets (ar5210, ar5211, ar5212)

madwifi-hal-kmdl-2.6.18-1.2257_1.fc5.cubbi_suspend2-0.9.3-31_r1865.fc5.at.x86_64.rpm - A linux device driver for Atheros chipsets (ar5210, ar5211, ar5212)

These kernel modules won't work because they're for 64-bit platform, which is incompatible with your processor chipset.

I suggest reading this guide, which explains which RPMs you need, and how to install madwifi.
http://madwifi.org/wiki/UserDocs/Distro/RedHat

Hope this helps

[whizz81]

I have the docs for yum, but it seems somewhat unclear to me...when a yum command is issued, the docs say it "downloads" the proper packages etc. Since I am trying to make a wireless system work, I obviously don't have access to the internet yet. Am I chasing my tail here issuing a command that "downloads" the proper package when I in fact don't even have access to the internet yet?

2) I ran the uname-r cmd to determine my kernel. It returned 2.6.15-1.2054_FC5. When I viewed the livna repository, I didn't see a madwifi kernel module-package that support this kernel. what do I do in this case?

[John A]

I have the docs for yum, but it seems somewhat unclear to me...when a yum command is issued, the docs say it "downloads" the proper packages etc. Since I am trying to make a wireless system work, I obviously don't have access to the internet yet. Am I chasing my tail here issuing a command that "downloads" the proper package when I in fact don't even have access to the internet yet?

Yes. :cheesy:

I ran the uname-r cmd to determine my kernel. It returned 2.6.15-1.2054_FC5. When I viewed the livna repository, I didn't see a madwifi kernel module-package that support this kernel. what do I do in this case?

You need to upgrade your kernel. In this case, yum makes this process a whole lot easier, so what you might want to do is physically connect your laptop to your router to do all the downloading and updating, and once that's done then try to hook everything up.

If you can get an internet connection (best thing is to hook up the laptop to the router before it boots, and then DHCP will be automatic), then try this at the prompt:

# su
[enter password]
# yum upgrade kernel

And then your kernel will be updated. At this point, you have 2 options: you can either proceed like you were going to do previously, and download an RPM kernel module that matches the lateest Linux kernel version, or you can install madwifi using the same method as the kernel: via yum. You might want to try this method first, as it's probably the easiest:

# yum install madwifi

Hopefully it will be installed and you can then detect a wireless card via iwconfig.

[whizz81]

is it possible for me to burn the files to a cd and install it on linux or that is pretty much a one way street?

[John A]

is it possible for me to burn the files to a cd and install it on linux or that is pretty much a one way street?

It is possible, but it's cumbersome. Simply burning the rpms to the disc is not enough, as the rpm merely contains packaging information, and to actually install the program it needs additional data downloaded. To be frank, I don't even know how to get the actual package, and it's not exactly easy.

Is there really a reason why you can't simply hook up your laptop with ethernet to a router? It would really make the whole install thing a lot easier.

[whizz81]

I was finally able to get access to a router in order to execute those cmds. However, when I executed "yum upgrade kernel" I got this error msg:

[root@localhost ]# yum upgrade kernel
Loading "installonlyn" plugin
Setting up Upgrade Process
Setting up repositories
core
Cannot find a valid baseurl for repo: core
Error : Cannot find a valid baseurl for repo: core

[John A]

Try cleaning and updating yum first.

# su
[enter password]
# yum clean all
# yum -y update

Your respositories file may also be corrupted, but first try the above commands.

[whizz81]

sorry I wasn't able to respond fast enough. Iam using a friend's router to execute those cmds and he's really hard to track down so it took a while.

I was able to execute yum Clean all and yum -y update after establishing internet connection. The error message that I received is the same as before:
[root@localhost ]# yum upgrade kernel
Loading "installonlyn" plugin
Setting up Upgrade Process
Setting up repositories
core
Cannot find a valid baseurl for repo: core
Error : Cannot find a valid baseurl for repo: core

[John A]

Not sure what the problem is; maybe you should just try good ol' RPM:
http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/LinuxTutorialKernelRpmInstall.html

[whizz81]

This will not require internet connection, right?

[John A]

This will not require internet connection, right?

It will require an internet connection, since downloading an RPM is just file information. The actual data is downloaded when you use the rpm command to install it.

[whizz81]

OK thanks...I'll read read the direction and try this.