[TOC]
/ john pfeiffer updated 24dec07 /
Install the correct kernel module
change directory (goto) to the directory with the .inf
ndiswrapper -i usb2x.inf
ndiswrapper -i dellnic.inf
ndiswrapper -l
modprobe ndiswrapper
iwconfig
wlcardconfig
#need to learn the default settings for wlcardconfig
pump -i wlan0
Change the MAC Address and reload the network interface
ifconfig eth0 down
ifconfig eth0 hw ether 00:11:...
macchanger -r
ifconfig eth0 up
ifconfig eth0 netmask addr 192.168.1.1 //ignore the error message
ifconfig -a
ndiswrapper -l
(lists all the present drivers) ndiswrapper -e (do for each driver) modprobe -r ndiswrapper (unload old module) ndiswrapper -i mywindowswirelessdriver.inf ndiswrapper -l (my.. is there only one there? :) modprobe ndiswrapper dmesg | grep ndis iwconfig (Gottcha!!! wlan0)
ifconfig wlan0 etcetc
iwconfig wlan0 etcetc
dhclient wlan0
ping google.com
While KNOPPIX does most of the installing and is quite a package of utilities, there is the occasionaly Oh crap I've got to learn/install something.
Wireless USB is becoming popular (and linux is almost there too!)...
The easiest way (sometimes the only way) is to use windows drivers and Ndiswrapper.
http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net
READ the Install directions (at least twice) until all the commands and the REASON you're typing these things in makes sense because you may have to modify it for your particular situation (as I had to do) AND read Troubleshooting if you have troubles.
Installing the hardware drivers
Note: My wireless usb hardware was listed under List of cards known to work.
Copy the whole folder (you definitely need the .inf and the .sys file but maybe .cat or .dll helps too) with the windows drivers (e.g. DRIVERS containing DELLNIC.inf and PRISMA02.sys)
UHHH... check that, you actually first need the drivers for the Motherboard USB Controller (ah Knoppix how could you let me down? :) in this case: Silicon Integrated Systems Winxp/2k drivers for usb 2.0
Go into root shell (not just terminal console) command line prompt: "lspci"
You'll see a listing of USB bridges the way usb devices get to the motherboard. Look for your USB controller
(e.g. 00:03.0 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] uSB 1.0 Controller (rev 0f) etc.
ndiswrapper -i filename.inf
Hint you might have to type "ndiswrapper -i /home/knoppix/tmp/DRIVER/DELLNIC.inf"
or first I learned I had to install the mobo usb drivers
ndiswrapper -i /home/knoppix/tmp/SiS/SISUSB2X.INF
and
ndiswrapper -i /home/knoppix/tmp/SiS/USB2X.INF
I then tested it:
ndiswrapper -l
which showed me 'driver invalid' (But the USB was finally ok) so I had to remove the old one (which also included browsing with root privileges to /etc/ndiswrapper and deleting the dellnic folder)
ndiswrapper -r /home/knoppix/tmp/DRIVER/DELLNIC.inf
then again type (actually for insurance I rename DELLNIC.INF to dellnic.inf):
ndiswrapper -i /home/knoppix/tmp/DRIVER/dellnic.inf
then finally:
ndiswrapper -l
dellnic: driver installed
device (413C:8104) present
I tested it and
modprobe ndiswrapper
came up without any response (before it gave me some crappy error) but futher investigation...
dmesg | grep ndis
gives me:
ndiswrapper version 1.32 loaded...
ndiswrapper: driver dellnic (...) loaded
usbcore: registered new interface driver ndiswrapper
Get the software working
Now that we've installed the hardware we've got to get the software working...
iwconfig
Shows me wlan0 is already setup!
Notice the interface name is wlan0, so you should issue the following command to associate to your nearest (unprotected, unencrypted) access point:
dhclient wlan0
BUT in my case I need to start WPA Supplicant (necessary to use WirelessEncryptionProtocol)?
At least Knoppix button -> KNOPPIX menu -> Network/Internet -> Wireless LAN
Kwlan does a lot of the work...
iwconfig
shows me how my wireless is working (IEEE, ESSID, Mode, Freq, AccessPoint, etc.) but it doesn't configure anything by itself
wlcardconfig
starts a set of gui prompts which will configure my wireless:
ESSID (network name/id) type in name
NWID (cell identifier?) left blank
Mode left blank (defaults to Managed)
channel number left blank (defaults to auto)
frequency left blank
encryption key . . . . . .
additional paramaters?
iwspy
iwpriv
Since this is in the purpose of disseminating useful information (and linux is free) I would like to give credit to everyone, especially those from whom I plagiarized and did not directly credit...
Now some extraneous troubleshooting tips from the web: (Don't blame me if the links are broken, happens all the time kid.)
Seems useful, eh?
This guy has a great tutorial for ubuntu: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=9454
A long discussion of fixing someone's problem: http://www.mepis.org/node/5817#comment-32103