revised Network Wizard + dhcpcd Aug 24 2007

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jonyo

#21 Post by jonyo »

Ok, Back in 2.17 now. Dunno what this prob with orinoco_cs not autoloading on boot anymore is about (see a message on boot..modprobe failed..wont bind or something..) but did read when I searched ma401 that someone had results in 2.13 & 4 by popping in the pcmcia card after boot up so tried it out & it worked. :)

I'm quite sure that orinoco_cs setup'd work wifi with an open network though I've not tried it out. I think when I start trying wep settings..gets all messed up.

With this driver:
# ifconfig -a
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:09:5B:24:54:04
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:3 Base address:0x100

lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
RX packets:221 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:221 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:40524 (39.5 KiB) TX bytes:40524 (39.5 KiB)

The other info requested:
-# cardctl status
Socket 0:
5V 16-bit PC Card
function 0: [ready]
Socket 1:
no card
-# cardctl ident
Socket 0:
product info: "NETGEAR MA401RA Wireless PC", "Card", "ISL37300P", "Eval-RevA"
manfid: 0x000b, 0x7300
function: 6 (network)
Socket 1:
no product info available
-# cardctl info
PRODID_1="NETGEAR MA401RA Wireless PC"
PRODID_2="Card"
PRODID_3="ISL37300P"
PRODID_4="Eval-RevA"
MANFID=000b,7300
FUNCID=6
PRODID_1=""
PRODID_2=""
PRODID_3=""
PRODID_4=""
MANFID=0000,0000
FUNCID=255
#
EDIT - think I see the prob - ma410RA?
I'll try an open no encryption connection..first chance I get.

Not sure in this part where it is that I enter my essid & wep?
wconfig wlan0 essid MY_ESSID
iwconfig wlan0 key open MY_HEX_WEP_KEY
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tempestuous
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#22 Post by tempestuous »

Yes it looks like your MA401RA has a true Orinoco chip, while the MA401 has a Prism2x chip.
So the orinoco driver is definitely correct, the hostap won't work.
I think the WEP problem is due to a limitation of your card's onboard firmware. The solution is probably to upgrade the firmware, instructions here -
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 2709#92709
but I warn that there is a risk you may kill your card. Though if WEP is not working you probably want a new card anyway. The only problem will be finding an older PCMCIA wifi card which is compatible with your 16bit PCMCIA interface.

jonyo

#23 Post by jonyo »

tempestuous wrote:Yes it looks like your MA401RA has a true Orinoco chip, while the MA401 has a Prism2x chip.
Something to look out for for anyone considering the ma401. Nowhere does it say RA on the cards or stuff that came with them. Have 3 though so i'll dig some more..might get lucky.

Lotsa info comes up with a google of ma401ra..

jonyo

#24 Post by jonyo »

Update - Found a 16 bit card that's supposed to use a hostap driver (on the way..in the mail). Will advise..

Outa curiosity, in the above pix, - Status shows > 44444444. What does that mean?

Dunno if this info is correct..
http://michael.gargantuan.com/FreeBSD/hostap.htm
quote from link
"It seems that the model change from MA401 to MA401RA is meant to signify the change in Prism chip. The MA401 has the Prism II chip, and the MA401RA has the Prism 2.5."

found another.. http://mysite.verizon.net/res183uh/toshiba.html
quote from link
"I actually had was a MA401RA. More Googleing. Went to www.linux-wlan.com got RPMS for my kernel version that work with the Prisim 2 and 2.5 chipsets followed the simple instructions. BadaBing BadaBoom, highspeed wireless net access"

and this - quote from link
"Well as it turns out the wireless network card manufacturers have this habit of changing the chipsets inside of the cards and not changing the packaging to reflect this"

Googling - ISL37300P", "Eval-RevA - which came up in --# cardctl ident
lotsa stuff..
Last edited by jonyo on Mon 10 Sep 2007, 17:55, edited 2 times in total.

tempestuous
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#25 Post by tempestuous »

jonyo wrote:The MA401 has the Prism II chip, and the MA401RA has the Prism 2.5
Yes, I saw such information on the web, too. But I saw other contradictory information that early MA401's had Orinoco chipsets. I even saw someone claim that some MA401's had a Hermes chipset (updated Orinoco).
jonyo wrote:Went to www.linux-wlan.com got RPMS for my kernel version
You were lucky to get away with that. Kernel compatibility depends not only on the kernel VERSION, but also on the specific CONFIGURATION of the kernel.
It would be far more sensible to use the linux-wlan-ng drivers I compiled recently for forum member svaens -
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 761#137761
jonyo wrote:followed the simple instructions. BadaBing BadaBoom, highspeed wireless net access
I'm glad that it worked, but "simple" ... no way. I have been using the linux-wlan-ng drivers for 4 years now with my Prism2.5-based USB adaptor, I should know! The unique setup commands used by the prism2_cs (linux-wlan-ng) driver is explained in the earlier link.
Puppy's Network Wizard currently supports the prism2_usb driver, but not prism2_cs driver. This may change in the near future.

jonyo

#26 Post by jonyo »

jonyo wrote:Went to www.linux-wlan.com got RPMS for my kernel version
>>You were lucky to get away with that. Kernel compatibility depends not only on the kernel VERSION, but also on the specific CONFIGURATION of the kernel.
It would be far more sensible :) to use the linux-wlan-ng drivers I compiled recently for forum member svaens -
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 761#137761
-------------------------------------------------
Just to clear up, i did not do this. Its a copy paste (as are the other quoted stuff) from the links I found.

Bingo! Not sure at this point what's in the netgear ma401ra "ISL37300P", "Eval-RevA" card but..WIFI's good to go with pup 98 & 2.17!:D Mind you with an open connection no encryption, but good enuff for me right now :) on these ol' laps i'm fiddlin with. :)

Card works great thus, so far.. using the orinoco_cs driver in pup. Certainly a 16 bit 5 volt card that works.

Safe to say this card uses an orinoco chip or..any way to find out for sure?
I'd like to try the firmware fix to be able to use wep 64 encryption. I could use & test out the lap alot more that way.

Guess I could try this http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 686#136686 driver though not really sure how to go about it..
__________________________
Triple booting pup 98 & win 98se along with 2.17 live cd save file to HD, all wifi (open no encryt) with the ma401ra "ISL37300P", "Eval-RevA" on a ibm 380 ed lap p166mmx, 80 meg ram & 160 meg swap partition. :D

The other lap is a compaq presario 1220 200mmx cyrix, 80 meg ram..that I'm getting to..

nic2109
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Re: revised Network Wizard + dhcpcd Aug 24 2007

#27 Post by nic2109 »

tempestuous wrote:Network Wizard
1. As well as identifying the network interface by name, the wizard now also identifies the brand/model of the device, and whether the interface is LAN or wireless.
2. Support for WPA and WPA2 encryption, and the wizard will only permit these settings if the wifi module in use is compatible.
3. Support for the configuration of the prism2_usb module, which uses unconventional setup commands. And scanning also works with prism2_usb.

The package is over 100KB because it contains lsusb plus the relatively large configuration file needed by lsusb.

Thanks to Dougal for many scripting revisions, and JustGreg for testing the WPA2 function.

For Puppy versions earlier than 2.17, the "Autoload USB" function requires the additional net-wiz-usb-extras-k2.6.18.1.pet
I'm sorry to say this but installing and removing this package broke my network wizard! :(

I tried it out but it didn't find my wireless nic automatically (unlike the standard one which always does) so I added it manually (it's ipw3945 if relevant). I then restarted X but it didn't start at all - completely blank screen not even a console with a # prompt! So I re-booted (had to run xwin manually) and the network wizard was there didn't actually do anything. So I removed the new package but sadly it's still the same. The network wizard is still in the setup menu but nothing happens when you click it.

The system where this happens is 2.17 with the EZPup "eye-candy" package added.

Help, please!

Luckily I have another partition with 2.17.1 where I haven't changed anything, so that's what I'm using to post this. BTW; I've had no dhcp or any network issues with this setup :) .

Thanks.

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SirDuncan
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#28 Post by SirDuncan »

I'm trying to unload the orinoco driver to see if the hostap one will work for me. The orinoco has always worked before, but I'm having trouble with the redirection to wireless login at my university. In 2.17 (what I have loaded now) it auto loads the orinoco driver. In 2.17.1 it loads the hostap driver, but in 2.17.1 I cannot get an IP (I can get one in 2.17 just fine). I want to see if it is the hostap driver or 2.17.1 that is causing the IP problem. If it isn't hostap, I'm hoping that using it will solve the redirection problem.

Anyway, the orinoco driver won't unload. It keeps telling me that it is in use. I am using the same command that was listed above. Is there some command to force it to unload?
Be brave that God may help thee, speak the truth even if it leads to death, and safeguard the helpless. - A knight's oath

jonyo

#29 Post by jonyo »

SirDuncan wrote: Anyway, the orinoco driver won't unload. It keeps telling me that it is in use. I am using the same command that was listed above. Is there some command to force it to unload?
Might work
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 418#137418
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 407#136407

I'm quite confused at this point also..having read this.. http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 110#140110

Anyone know what chip is in my netgear ma401ra "ISL37300P", "Eval-RevA"?

- that 's working in pup98 & (tested so far good to go) in 2.17, but no wep (mess's it up)..with the in the pup vers used.. orinoco_cs driver.

Hostap_cs is loading manually in 2.17 (& others) but no wifi interface shows up.

I'd also like to know if anyone is using a 16 bit pcmcia card in pup with wep & what card that might be?
Last edited by jonyo on Mon 10 Sep 2007, 01:53, edited 1 time in total.

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SirDuncan
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#30 Post by SirDuncan »

That allowed me to load the hostap instead. Thanks!

Unfortunately, the hostap cannot get an IP. So it is the hostap module that is screwy, or, more likely, my card is not actually intended to use it. In which case, I wonder why 2.17.1 automatically loads hostap for it? 2.17 seemed to realize that the orinoco driver was the correct one.

Jonyo, I had said that doubt it made a difference, but I wanted to know for sure. That is why I was trying to load hostap in 2.17. In 2.17.1 I could not get an IP (which I now know to be caused by the driver, not 2.17.1). I can't get either to redirect to the wireless login page, but I at least get an IP with 2.17 (or, more precisely, with the orinoco driver).

I hope that cleared up the confusion. I'm afraid that I sometimes have trouble articulating myself.
Be brave that God may help thee, speak the truth even if it leads to death, and safeguard the helpless. - A knight's oath

jonyo

#31 Post by jonyo »

Wasn't much confusion for me there. Reading your note was the tail end of many hrs (days..) of trying to sort out my card..

- searching & reading the forum (many more hrs also on the net)..

which turns out has common scenarios with other cards that use the same drivers. Much of the info on the net was conflicting but seemed to point to my card being a prism 2.5 (threads above).

I'm still quite thrilled :) to have gotten a wifi connection here with the ma401ra (first time in pup98 was a huge thrill..took a looong time) for now, but would like to get some wep action going. Haven't come across much yet in regards to pcmcia 16 bit cards & wep in pup but did come across some info recently.

I may be at the head of the class :) in regards to being misunderstood.. feedback tells a tale..
cheers
Last edited by jonyo on Wed 12 Sep 2007, 18:44, edited 1 time in total.

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BarryK
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#32 Post by BarryK »

I've got an alternative network wizard script here, but note it is basically the same as the on posted on 24th as regards wireless and the fundamentals of setup. Also, to test it requires some messing around...

I want to put this into pup 3.00, so I have done some more work on it and got it to my liking. I reduced the size somewhat, while keeping all the functionality, changed the primary window so that the 'tree' widget is eliminated. There was a problem with the 'Back' button after an interface had been configured. My version does not use 'lsusb', 'load-usb-modules.sh', 'usbmodules', or 'usb.ids'.

I've posted my version for testing, but do note that to get it to work, one of two things must be done -- either update gtkdialog to version 0.7.20, or edit the net-setup.sh script and remove the '--geometry' commandline option. My alternative to the 'tree' displays okay, except gtkdialog miscalculates the window width, so it has to be set on the commandline -- but the '--geometry' cmmandline option in gtkdialog3 v0.7.18 (used in pup 2.17) causes a segmentation fault. The change-log for gtkdialog states that was fixed for 0.7.20.

So, if you just remove the '--geometry' option, the first window displays a bit too wide.

To see what I have done in the script, look for the string 'v2.21'.

Attached. It has to be placed at /usr/sbin.
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tempestuous
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#33 Post by tempestuous »

Barry, the new look is good.
I compiled gtkdialog-0.7.20 and renamed the executable "gtkdialog3" so I could see the true end-result.
I should point out to others testing this new net-setup.sh script that the Aug24 version of the Wizard still needs to be installed first, if the additional features of prism2_usb support and WPA2 support are to be realised, because these features are embodied within a separate file: /usr/sbin/wag-profiles.sh
A few other files from the Aug24 version may also be required, I'm not sure.
Anyway, I was able to test prism2_usb support - all good, even the "Autoload USB" function. The USB device does not have a Description listed, I guess that's the result of not having lsusb. I don't miss it.

One slight quirk: when I launch the Wizard it correctly lists my LAN adaptor

Code: Select all

eth0, Ethernet, r8169, pci, RealTek RTL-8169)
then after I "Autoload" my USB module the main Wizard window correctly lists my USB wifi device

Code: Select all

wlan0, Wireless, prism2_usb, usb
but now the LAN adaptor is listed TWICE.

jonyo

#34 Post by jonyo »

tempestuous wrote:I even saw someone claim that some MA401's had a Hermes chipset (updated Orinoco).
I'm having a look at a card (not ma401) that has the hermes chip. Is that supported in pup and or does it use the orinoco_cs driver in pup?

jonyo

#35 Post by jonyo »

tempestuous wrote:Yes it looks like your MA401RA has a true Orinoco chip, while the MA401 has a Prism2x chip.
Dunno how this works zaktly but my card comes up (with # cardctl ident ) ma401ra "ISL37300P", "Eval-RevA"
A google of "ISL37300P", "Eval-RevA" mostly comes up with prism 2.5 including this link
http://wiki.splitbrain.org/wlan:netgearma401 notwithstanding that it's called a ma401 in the link. :roll:

So, even though my card sez ma401 (that uses a prism 2 chip) on it, I actually have an ma401ra "ISL37300P", "Eval-RevA" = prism 2.5 - Yes?

& Hostap should or could work with it, but from what i've read, may not for a variety of reasons & the orinoco_cs driver can or may work instead.

Here's a response i got from checking this out:
"Orinoco_cs loads by default for both Orinoco (hermes chipset) and Prism chipset cards. It does not have much functionality though, so to take advantage of advanced programs in suites like backtrack, you have to load the hostap driver. I have not attempted to load the hostap driver for this particular card, I only tested in with Orinoco_cs. Sometimes it is not easy to change to hostap depending on your linux release as in addition to the chipset there are also firmware requirements. At this time I am not sure if this works with the hostap driver, you may want to do a search for MA401, hostap, and your version of Linux to see if there are any forums out there where people have commented on this type of setup"
Last edited by jonyo on Thu 13 Sep 2007, 00:41, edited 3 times in total.

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BarryK
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#36 Post by BarryK »

tempestuous,
/etc/networkmodules has all the module descriptions, which is how I eliminated lsusb and isb.ids. This file is built by 'createpuppy' in Unleashed, and the descriptions are just got from running 'modinfo' on each network module.
A couple of the modules however don't have any description when 'modinfo' is run, prism2_usb is one of them.

One thing I could do is if a user adds an extra network module after Puppy has been built, so it isn't listed in /etc/networkmodules, modinfo could be run and the info added to the file.

Anyway, I'll checkout why the double entry is occurring.

tempestuous
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#37 Post by tempestuous »

Barry,
just checking, then, that you will include in Puppy 3.0 the other updated files from the Aug24 Network Wizard:

/usr/sbin/wag-profiles.sh
/usr/sbin/wpa_connect.sh
/etc/wpa_supplicant2.conf
/etc/WAG/profile.conf
/etc/networkmodules
BarryK wrote:One thing I could do is if a user adds an extra network module after Puppy has been built, so it isn't listed in /etc/networkmodules, modinfo could be run and the info added to the file.
That's not a bad idea, but I wonder how you determine whether a new module is actually network-related?
/etc/networkmodules (as I listed above) has already been modified by Dougal to be as extensive (and accurate) as possible about all available network modules.
And I can think of one or two more exotic/experimental wifi modules I could add to the list (which we could consider compiling later) -

r8187 "Linux driver for Realtek RTL8187 WiFi cards"
mrv8k "Marvel 8xxx Wireless driver"
islsm_pci "Prism54 softmac 802.11 Wireless LAN adapter"
islsm_usb "Prism54 USB Driver"

But let's not get too fussy about descriptions. If the descriptions are based on information obtained from the module, this will only relate to the chipset contained in the wifi device, not to the brand of the device.
The whole reason why Dougal and I considered using lsusb was that we could obtain information about the BRAND and MODEL of the device, which might give some reassurance to new users that their device had been correctly identified, before they proceed to configure it.
Obviously, this is a "luxury" feature, which costs over 200KB.

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#38 Post by BarryK »

/etc/networkmodules is autogenerated, so I won't be placing a customised version in the net_setup package. If there are shortcomings in the descriptions, or some descriptions missing, perhaps a few special extra items can be in a separate file -- or, in createpuppy script if no desciption is found for a module then there could be some replacements in the createpuppy script itself.

I fixed the double-entries problem.

I have contacted the author of gtkdialog, asking if the miscalculation of window width ca be fixed, so the '--geometry' option won't be needed.

tempestuous
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#39 Post by tempestuous »

Puppy 3.0 alpha/beta now contains the new dhcpcd ver 3.1.4, but some users have reported problems.
Here is the old version of dhcpcd from Puppy 2.16. Could anyone interested please test this in Puppy 3.0.
It will overwrite the existing (newer) version of dhcpcd, but if you want the original back, just re-install dhcpcd-3.1.4.pet from the first post in this thread.
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