How to use Lynksys PCMCIA WPC54G wireless-G adapter?

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LeithR
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How to use Lynksys PCMCIA WPC54G wireless-G adapter?

#1 Post by LeithR »

Good morning Puppy users,

I'm using 5.2 distro which is working well on cable access to the internet on my Dell Inspiron 1100 Laptop. I'm now trying to connect using a PMCIA Lynksys Wireless-G adapter model WPC54G.


So the steps I'm taking are to click on Desktop Connect icon, select wlan0, click on Wireless, then Scan and select BTHomehub2-G8M. Once it appears in Profile Name and ESSID I save this set up and click on use this profile I then get a message comes up saying "Unable to connect to wireless network".

I would have expected at some point during this process to be asked for my access information to the homehub network, it is set up as my wife and daughter both use it already, I just need to join.

I've tried unchecking the checkboxes to see if that opened up other avenues so far with out success(Profile encryption/mode and Security).

Where am I going wrong?, I'm sure its a simple fix, your assistance would be appreciated.

Hogweed
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#2 Post by Hogweed »

It sounds like you might not have ticked the box for the security protocol (WPA, etc). You should be prompted to enter a password before it tries to connect if this is ticked. Also try the option of the alternative network setup wizard if you are using the default simple wizard.

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racepres
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#3 Post by racepres »

double check, but my linksys USB54g does Not support WPA.
Also using 5.11 and newer I must use ndiswrapper to get the approriate [v4 in my case] driver. But again mine is USB, Not pcmcia... so this may all be BS.
RP

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CatDude
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#4 Post by CatDude »

Hi
LeithR wrote:So the steps I'm taking are to click on Desktop Connect icon, select wlan0, click on Wireless, then Scan and select BTHomehub2-G8M. Once it appears in Profile Name and ESSID I save this set up and click on use this profile I then get a message comes up saying "Unable to connect to wireless network".

I would have expected at some point during this process to be asked for my access information to the homehub network, it is set up as my wife and daughter both use it already, I just need to join.
It appears that you missed a step.

The following worked OK for me (in Lupu-520)
as you are already aware, i too use a BTHomehub2
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Apologies for the use of so many images
CatDude
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[img]http://www.smokey01.com/CatDude/.temp/sigs/acer-futile.gif[/img]

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bigpup
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#5 Post by bigpup »

Catdude,
You need to make this a how to in the forum section How To.

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cowboy
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#6 Post by cowboy »

from "Catdude"...

The following worked OK for me (in Lupu-520)

Simply incredible. The quality and quantity of assistance, freely given, on this forum is frequently just outstanding. Can you imagine the work Catdude put in for that answer? And yes, it does need to be sticky. Bravo.
[i]"you fix what you can fix and you let the rest go.."[/i] - Cormac McCarthy - No Country For Old Men.

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CatDude
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#7 Post by CatDude »

Hi

@ bigpup & cowboy

OK, i took your advice and have done it: How to set up a wireless connection in Lupu-520

CatDude
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LeithR
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Location: Kemnay, Aberdeenshire/Scotland

#8 Post by LeithR »

Thanks CatDude for the effort - much appreciated.

But - it didn't work for me.
All went well for the first few steps until I get to the Puppy Network Wizard, in there it tells me that I have
Interface - wlan0 type - wireless module - B43legacy Device Description pci:

I'm concerned that the Linksys card is not being seen as a PMCIA connected device?

Anyway - I continued on with the steps loaded the profile, selected "use the profile" - eventually I go the "Unable to connect to the wireless network" message.

I've repeated the above steps 4 times and now have a number of profiles in the drop down - all for BT Homehub.

I'd love to be able to share screen shots with you but haven't mastered that yet -

This is after all a long term project :D [/quote]

goingnuts
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#9 Post by goingnuts »

Think you are right - might be a wrong driver problem?
Try at command prompt the following:
lsmod # shows all drivers loaded - look for the b43 - assuming its "b43legacy" below
modprobe -r b43legacy # remove current used module b43legacy
modprobe b43 # load b43 module
iwconfig # should show name like wlan0
ifconfig wlan0 up # any errors here -> might miss firmware-install - firmware often in /lib/modules/allfirmware/
wpa_cli scan # should respond with OK
wpa_cli scan_results # should show networks found

If everything looks ok try connect-wizard again.

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rjbrewer
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#10 Post by rjbrewer »

There are at least 5 different versions of wpc54g cardbus card.
3 use slightly different versions of broadcom chip.

http://linux-wless.passys.nl/query_part ... me=Linksys

Type wpc54g in search (at the top of the page) and you will find
many wpc54g threads, (highlited in orange).

Inspiron 700m, Pent.M 1.6Ghz, 1Gb ram.
Msi Wind U100, N270 1.6>2.0Ghz, 1.5Gb ram.
Eeepc 8g 701, 900Mhz, 1Gb ram.
Full installs

LeithR
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#11 Post by LeithR »

Thanks goingnuts,


I tried as you suggested, I can see b43 present when I run lsmod a second time after removing b43legacy etc... However, when I then run iwconfig the response is
lo no wireless connection
eth0 no wireless connection

the commands ifconfig wlan0 up gives SIOCGIFFLAGS no such device message
and wpa_cli scan gives back a fails to connect to wpa_supplicant message

When I subsequently go back into the network connection wizard I don't see wlan0 as an option. At this point I restarted my machine and B43legacy had returned and wlan0 could be seen in the network connection wizard.


Thanks also to you rjbrewer

I went to the site suggested and checked altho I found it a little confusing. I've sent off an email to them with as much info as I can muster on my Lynksys card to see if they can shed any more light. No response as yet.

Many thanks for your assistance both.

trogger
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wireless won't connect -Dell Inspiron 8.9 inch

#12 Post by trogger »

I am having problems too.

I was able to auto connect immediately to wireless on an old laptop but when I try with my 2 year old Dell Inspiron 9 inch I get as far as Catdude's screen for "scan".
Then, when I scan, I get a message "no networks detected" (even though the network is on and I am connected to it via lucid puppy on the old laptop).

The first time I scanned on the Dell, it detected my neighbours wireless(unfortunately password protected!) but it didn't list my own wireless.
When I re-tried (several times and rebooted) it simply insists "no networks detected" (not even the neighbour's that it had detected the first time!). Suggests my router is turned off or a wireless switch on my laptop needs to be turned on.

I would love to get this going, but simply don't know enough to identify the problem. Can anyone help please?

LeithR
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#13 Post by LeithR »

I have some new information to share. While investigating something else I was introduced to the tail command so i started investigating my wireless access to broadband using this command.
# tail -f /var/log/messages
I won't bore you with the whole detail as I plugged and unplugged a couple of devices quite a few times. However the outcome of plugging in my Linksys wireless-G notebook adapter card model wpc54g results in the following kernel message. Its fairly clear that the kernel sees the card and correctly identifies the driver etc - I am now interpreting this as an issue to do with the setup so eloquently described by CatDude - I think I'm fairly correct in that assumption.
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.notice kernel: pcmcia_socket pcmcia_socket0: pccard: CardBus card inserted into slot 0
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.debug kernel: pci 0000:03:00.0: reg 10: [mem 0x00000000-0x00001fff]
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.debug kernel: pci 0000:03:00.0: supports D1 D2
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.debug kernel: pci 0000:03:00.0: PME# supported from D0 D1 D2 D3hot D3cold
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.debug kernel: pci 0000:03:00.0: PME# disabled
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.info kernel: pci 0000:03:00.0: BAR 0: assigned [mem 0xf8000000-0xf8001fff]
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.info kernel: pci 0000:03:00.0: BAR 0: set to [mem 0xf8000000-0xf8001fff] (PCI address [0xf8000000-0xf8001fff]
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.debug kernel: pci 0000:03:00.0: cache line size of 32 is not supported
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.info kernel: b43-pci-bridge 0000:03:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.info kernel: b43-pci-bridge 0000:03:00.0: PCI INT A -> Link[LNKA] -> GSI 11 (level, low) -> IRQ 11
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.debug kernel: b43-pci-bridge 0000:03:00.0: setting latency timer to 64
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.debug kernel: ssb: Core 0 found: ChipCommon (cc 0x800, rev 0x02, vendor 0x4243)
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.debug kernel: ssb: Core 1 found: IEEE 802.11 (cc 0x812, rev 0x04, vendor 0x4243)
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.debug kernel: ssb: Core 2 found: PCMCIA (cc 0x80D, rev 0x01, vendor 0x4243)
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.debug kernel: ssb: Core 3 found: V90 (cc 0x807, rev 0x01, vendor 0x4243)
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.debug kernel: ssb: Core 4 found: PCI (cc 0x804, rev 0x07, vendor 0x4243)
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.debug kernel: ssb: Core 5 found: IEEE 802.11 (cc 0x812, rev 0x04, vendor 0x4243)
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.info kernel: b43legacy-phy2: Broadcom 4306 WLAN found
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.debug kernel: phy2: Selected rate control algorithm 'minstrel'
Apr 30 07:08:18 puppypc user.info kernel: ssb: Sonics Silicon Backplane found on PCI device 0000:03:00.0
trogger - I know you were having difficulties - have you solved your problem? might the above help?

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dk60902
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#14 Post by dk60902 »

Catdude, that's a great tutorial. I finally figured it out, and used the same sequence of steps. I was able to configure a USB adapter that works great.

However, I have a Compaq laptop with a Broadcom BCM4306 wireless. I think that it has been noted before that there is an issue with Broadcom wireless cards working with Linux. I haven't look yet to see if there are any Linux drivers on the Broadcom website.
Last edited by dk60902 on Sat 14 Jan 2012, 18:27, edited 1 time in total.

ieee488
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#15 Post by ieee488 »

dk60902 wrote:However, I have a Compaq laptop with a Broadcom BCM4306 wireless. I think that it has been noted before that there is an issue with Broadcom wireless cards working with Linux.
I have a Broadcom wireless in my Dell D620, and Ubuntu / Xubuntu / Kubuntu has a driver for it.

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dk60902
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#16 Post by dk60902 »

Which Broadcom wireless card do you have?

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