Help with wireless adapter on DSL or Puppy Linux?

Victor Delta · External Since: Apr 04, 2009 Posts: 3

I'm trying to get a wireless adapter (Edimax 7318g)to work on Puppy 4.2
retro (or DSL 4.4.10). I have a driver for it (RT61) in the form of a
xxxxx.tar.bz2 file.

As a Linux newbie, can anyone please tell me how I load this driver and get
the adaptor to work.

TIA

V

PS Have tried the DSL forum but although they've sent me a password to log
in, I'm not able to post (Googling suggests some others have found the
same). Does anyone know what the secret is?

Geoffrey Clements · External Since: Apr 09, 2004 Posts: 76

Victor Delta wrote:

> I'm trying to get a wireless adapter (Edimax 7318g)to work on Puppy 4.2
> retro (or DSL 4.4.10). I have a driver for it (RT61) in the form of a
> xxxxx.tar.bz2 file.
>
> As a Linux newbie, can anyone please tell me how I load this driver and
> get the adaptor to work.
>

I'm afraid I don't know anything about puppy linux but some general
guidelines for installing Linux software / drivers in order of preference:

1. Use a package from your distribution.
2. Use a package from the distribution on which your distribution is based.
3. Get the source package from upstream (this is what you have done),
unpack, build and install. You can usually find a README file in the source
package that describes how to do this.

To do 3 you usually need to install development packages to get the library
header files of any dependant libraries, install autoconf tools,
install "make" and install a compiler. Whilst not particularly complicated
this can be quite a big step for a newbie.

Having said all that, if puppy comes with a relatively recent kernel then
the driver for this is already in the kernel and you don't need this
package.

As root type "iwconfig" and see if any wireless interfaces appear, probably
under the name of wlan0 or ra0, if so then your driver is loaded.

--
Geoff Registered Linux user 196308
Replace bitbucket with geoff to mail me.

davesurrey · External Since: Feb 03, 2009 Posts: 9

"Geoffrey Clements" <bitbucket DeleteThis @electron.me.uk> wrote in message
news:49d7b603$0$513$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk...
> Victor Delta wrote:
>
>> I'm trying to get a wireless adapter (Edimax 7318g)to work on Puppy 4.2
>> retro (or DSL 4.4.10). I have a driver for it (RT61) in the form of a
>> xxxxx.tar.bz2 file.
>>
>> As a Linux newbie, can anyone please tell me how I load this driver and
>> get the adaptor to work.
>>
>
> I'm afraid I don't know anything about puppy linux but some general
> guidelines for installing Linux software / drivers in order of preference:
>
> 1. Use a package from your distribution.
> 2. Use a package from the distribution on which your distribution is
> based.
> 3. Get the source package from upstream (this is what you have done),
> unpack, build and install. You can usually find a README file in the
> source
> package that describes how to do this.
>
> To do 3 you usually need to install development packages to get the
> library
> header files of any dependant libraries, install autoconf tools,
> install "make" and install a compiler. Whilst not particularly complicated
> this can be quite a big step for a newbie.
>
> Having said all that, if puppy comes with a relatively recent kernel then
> the driver for this is already in the kernel and you don't need this
> package.
>
> As root type "iwconfig" and see if any wireless interfaces appear,
> probably
> under the name of wlan0 or ra0, if so then your driver is loaded.
>
> --
> Geoff

JUst seen this post.
If your adapter needs the Ralink RT61 driver then you are in luck as it's
already loaded in Puppy 4.2
Just go to Network Wizard and you should be able to get it working.
Cheers
dave

Chris Vine · External Since: Nov 03, 2004 Posts: 19

On Sat, 4 Apr 2009 18:48:18 +0100
"Victor Delta" <none.TakeThisOut@nospam.com> wrote:
> I'm trying to get a wireless adapter (Edimax 7318g)to work on Puppy
> 4.2 retro (or DSL 4.4.10). I have a driver for it (RT61) in the form
> of a xxxxx.tar.bz2 file.
>
> As a Linux newbie, can anyone please tell me how I load this driver
> and get the adaptor to work.

Isn't that a usb device? If so you should be using the rt73 driver.

In any event, if you have a reasonably recent kernel it should already
be available as is (I think it became available in the standard kernel
around the 2.6.25 mark, although it wasn't particularly stable until
around 2.6.27.) One of my computers has a recent ubuntu distribution
on it (Ibex) and as I recall I just had to plug my rt73 stick in and the
network manager came up. It helps if you have set up wireless before
with, say, windows, because the procedures are basically the same.

However, if you are using the Ralink kernel package, as I recall it has
some reasonably explicit instructions about how to do it in the
tarball, although you will have to get your text editor out to set it up
because it uses a text configuration file. If you do use the Ralink
driver then make sure you have blacklisted any in-kernel driver
modules. It won't work if you have both sets of drivers installed at
the same time.

Chris

Victor Delta · External Since: Apr 04, 2009 Posts: 3

"Chris Vine" <chris.TakeThisOut@cvine--nospam--.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:ksqva6-18d.ln1@cvinex--nospam--x.freeserve.co.uk...
> On Sat, 4 Apr 2009 18:48:18 +0100
> "Victor Delta" <none.TakeThisOut@nospam.com> wrote:
>> I'm trying to get a wireless adapter (Edimax 7318g)to work on Puppy
>> 4.2 retro (or DSL 4.4.10). I have a driver for it (RT61) in the form
>> of a xxxxx.tar.bz2 file.
>>
>> As a Linux newbie, can anyone please tell me how I load this driver
>> and get the adaptor to work.
>
> Isn't that a usb device? If so you should be using the rt73 driver.
>
> In any event, if you have a reasonably recent kernel it should already
> be available as is (I think it became available in the standard kernel
> around the 2.6.25 mark, although it wasn't particularly stable until
> around 2.6.27.) One of my computers has a recent ubuntu distribution
> on it (Ibex) and as I recall I just had to plug my rt73 stick in and the
> network manager came up. It helps if you have set up wireless before
> with, say, windows, because the procedures are basically the same.
>
> However, if you are using the Ralink kernel package, as I recall it has
> some reasonably explicit instructions about how to do it in the
> tarball, although you will have to get your text editor out to set it up
> because it uses a text configuration file. If you do use the Ralink
> driver then make sure you have blacklisted any in-kernel driver
> modules. It won't work if you have both sets of drivers installed at
> the same time.

Chris

Thanks, I think you've put your finger on it regarding RT73 and black
listing. I'm trying with Puppy 2.17 Retro and it keeps coming up with RT2570
(from memory) installed which is I guess skuppering my attempts to load RT73
(which is already in the kernel as you say).

I'll try and find out how to blacklist on the internet.

Regards,

V

PS Tried to use NDISWrapper to use a RT73 Windows driver on the latest DSL
version last night and it wouldn't work at all.

Chris Vine · External Since: Nov 03, 2004 Posts: 19

On Thu, 9 Apr 2009 20:50:49 +0100
"Victor Delta" <none.RemoveThis@nospam.com> wrote:
> Thanks, I think you've put your finger on it regarding RT73 and black
> listing. I'm trying with Puppy 2.17 Retro and it keeps coming up with
> RT2570 (from memory) installed which is I guess skuppering my
> attempts to load RT73 (which is already in the kernel as you say).
>
> I'll try and find out how to blacklist on the internet.

Yes, there was a problem with some manufacturers using the same ID for
different chipsets.

You will probably have a file /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist. If so, just
add a line:

blacklist rt2500usb

to it.

Chris

Victor Delta · External Since: Apr 04, 2009 Posts: 3

"Chris Vine" <chris.TakeThisOut@cvine--nospam--.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:i7k4b6-vvm.ln1@cvinex--nospam--x.freeserve.co.uk...
> On Thu, 9 Apr 2009 20:50:49 +0100
> "Victor Delta" <none.TakeThisOut@nospam.com> wrote:
>> Thanks, I think you've put your finger on it regarding RT73 and black
>> listing. I'm trying with Puppy 2.17 Retro and it keeps coming up with
>> RT2570 (from memory) installed which is I guess skuppering my
>> attempts to load RT73 (which is already in the kernel as you say).
>>
>> I'll try and find out how to blacklist on the internet.
>
> Yes, there was a problem with some manufacturers using the same ID for
> different chipsets.
>
> You will probably have a file /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist. If so, just
> add a line:
>
> blacklist rt2500usb
>
> to it.

Many thanks. I'll let you know how I get on.

By the way, I currently use WPA-PSK encryption, will I have to use WEP with
RT73?

V

Chris Vine · External Since: Nov 03, 2004 Posts: 19

On Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:44:41 +0100
"Victor Delta" <none RemoveThis @nospam.com> wrote:

> "Chris Vine" <chris RemoveThis @cvine--nospam--.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:i7k4b6-vvm.ln1@cvinex--nospam--x.freeserve.co.uk...
> > On Thu, 9 Apr 2009 20:50:49 +0100
> > "Victor Delta" <none RemoveThis @nospam.com> wrote:
> >> Thanks, I think you've put your finger on it regarding RT73 and
> >> black listing. I'm trying with Puppy 2.17 Retro and it keeps
> >> coming up with RT2570 (from memory) installed which is I guess
> >> skuppering my attempts to load RT73 (which is already in the
> >> kernel as you say).
> >>
> >> I'll try and find out how to blacklist on the internet.
> >
> > Yes, there was a problem with some manufacturers using the same ID
> > for different chipsets.
> >
> > You will probably have a file /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist. If so,
> > just add a line:
> >
> > blacklist rt2500usb
> >
> > to it.
>
> Many thanks. I'll let you know how I get on.
>
> By the way, I currently use WPA-PSK encryption, will I have to use
> WEP with RT73?

No, it will manage WPA and WPA2 (and indeed, the rt73 chipset
also supports harware encryption which the kernel will employ from
2.6.28 onwards), although not all network managers do. The gnome
network manager will handle WPA, as will wicd. The KDE wireless tool
only used to do WEP but I imagine that may have changed now (I don't
know).

Chris