DLink DFE-690TXD Cardbus-ethernet adaptor on Pup412-SOLVED

[mmmrr]

hello,

i'm trying to install the Asix AX88772 USB-Ethernet Adapter
onto a toshiba satellite 4010cds running full install puppy 412
with kernel 2.6.21.7. i have added modules asix, usbnet and mii
via bootmanager so they are loaded by default. there is an asix.ko
in /lib/modules/2.6.21.7/kernel/drivers/usb/net.

a green light on the adapter indicates that it is alive.

the info in the readme says the driver needs to be compiled
but i am uncertain about how to follow the directions given.

a previous forum thread on this adapter was inconclusive;
the original poster dropped out.

thanks, mm

[tempestuous]

i have added modules asix, usbnet and mii via bootmanager

That's unwise - your have forcibly loaded those modules, but it's far better to allow Puppy to automatically load the modules ...
however, it then becomes a question of whether your USB-ethernet adapter's USB device ID is recognised as compatible by Puppy's asix module. To find out, first run this command

Code: Select all

cat /proc/bus/usb/devices

Amongst the results you will see the vendor and product ID's for your device listed. Write them down, or post here.
Now run this command -

Code: Select all

modinfo asix

This will show you all USB device ID's recognised by the module. Hopefully your device will be listed. Let us know.

[mmmrr]

thanks for yr response, tempestuous,

i will remove those modules from bootmanager
if needed, of course. i had repeartedly, upon rebooting,
needed to modprobe usbnet, mii, asix. after a while i thought
'let the bootmanager do this'

cat /proc/bus/usb/devices...returns one possible:


T: Bus=03 Lev=01 Prnt=01 Port=02 Cnt=01 Dev#= 2 Spd=480 MxCh= 0
D: Ver= 2.00 Cls=ff(vend.) Sub=00 Prot=ff MxPS=64 #Cfgs= 1
P: Vendor=0424 ProdID=7500 Rev= 1.00
S: Manufacturer=SMSC
S: Product=LAN7500
S: SerialNumber=00000001c
C:* #Ifs= 1 Cfg#= 1 Atr=c0 MxPwr=100mA
I:* If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 3 Cls=ff(vend.) Sub=00 Prot=ff Driver=(none)
E: Ad=81(I) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
E: Ad=02(O) Atr=02(Bulk) MxPS= 512 Ivl=0ms
E: Ad=83(I) Atr=03(Int.) MxPS= 16 Ivl=125us

the rest of the list is stuff from the ohci host controller and usb mouse.

modinfo asix...returns:

filename: /lib/modules/2.6.21.7/kernel/drivers/usb/net/asix.ko
license: GPL
description: ASIX AX8817X based USB 2.0 Ethernet Devices
author: David Hollis
alias: usb:v04BBp0930d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v1737p0039d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v2001p3C05d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v07D1p3C05d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v1557p7720d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v13B1p0018d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0B95p1780d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0B95p7720d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v04F1p3008d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v1631p6200d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v1189p0893d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v07AAp0017d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v6189p182Dd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0411p003Dd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0557p2009d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v08DDp90FFd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v07B8p420Ad*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0B95p1720d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v2001p1A00d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0846p1040d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v077Bp2226d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
depends: usbnet,mii,usbcore
vermagic: 2.6.21.7 mod_unload 486

no v0424p7500 that i saw.

thanks again, looking forward to the next step.
cheers, mm

[tempestuous]

Vendor=0424 ProdID=7500

It appears that asix is the wrong driver! It should be smsc75xx
So try this -

Code: Select all

modinfo smsc75xx

[mmmrr]

# modinfo smsc75xx
modinfo: could not find module smsc75xx

[tempestuous]

I'm out of town for the next 2 weeks, so it will take some time to determine if it's possible to compile the smsc75xx module for Puppy 4.1.x
In the meantime you could try the most recent Puppy version - Slacko 5.7 - get the non-PAE version.

[mmmrr]

thanks, i'll give slacko 5.7 a go;
see how this old pentium 2, 266 cpu manages.
release note:
'Slacko has been known to run on a P3 733MHz processor with 256MB RAM. Slacko does not support old P2 or AMD K6 processors.'
cheers, mm

[mmmrr]

slacko 5.7 boots, displays,
makes internet connection via
usb/smsc75xx module.
it is too slow to be useful.
i'll see what i can find abt
compiling for the 2.6.21.7
and post here if i do anything.
cheers, mm

[tempestuous]

Further investigation reveals that the smsc75xx driver was introduced only from the 2.6.34 kernel onwards, thus it's completely absent from all early Puppies up to, and including, Lucid 5.2.8.

You could try Lucid 5.2.9 (Three-headed Dog) - it definitely contains the driver.

Alternatively, stick with Puppy 4.1.x and change to a different USB-ethernet adaptor. Try to find one that's supported by either the asix, kaweth, or pegasus drivers - these drivers are all contained in the Puppy 4.1 series.

[mmmrr]

thanks for that info re the usb device.

the lucid idea is good except the compu
is so slow on any puppy post 4xx.

i have on hand an ethernet pcmcia card,
dfe-690txd [rev 10] according to hardinfo
which pupscan says uses module 8139too.

i've not been able to get it to work in the past
when i knew even less than i do now but in a
few hours i'll be to try again.

cheers, mm

[mmmrr]

hello temptestuous,
both pup412 and pup431 were able to see and use
the dfx-690txd ethernet adapter. however, it took
about 10 times longer to load sites than the expansion
card wireless adapter [ndiswrapper] which i've been using.

the xload display when using the ethernet connection
showed one white line with red above and no white line
and red 1/3 when using the wireless connection.

i had thought that the hardwire connection would be
less load.

thanks for yr assistance; it certainly helped me.
cheers, mm

[tempestuous]

both pup412 and pup431 were able to see and use the dfx-690txd ethernet adapter. however, it took about 10 times longer to load sites than the expansion card wireless adapter [ndiswrapper] which i've been using.

Then clearly there's a problem. It sounds like the 8139too driver is not playing well with your ethernet adaptor.
You can change the driver's behaviour by passing various parameters to it as it loads. The valid parameter in this case is "media=" and you want to force it to full-duplex mode, 100Mb/s. According to Google, this value should be "media=0x230". So do this -
Open /etc/modprobe.conf in Geany, and add this line:

Code: Select all

options 8139too media=0x230

Save. Reboot.
Check if the interface performs better than before.

[mmmrr]

using the wireless card, i read yr latest post.
thanks. r-clicking the connect icon i disconnected
from the network then inserted the ethernet card and
l-clicked the connect icon. as before the card is
seen and as before i had to set ip statically because
the auto dhcp gives a 169.254xx address which the
connection wizard says is good but the browser fails
to connect. i forgot to mention that. apologies.

i was puzzled as to how to save after entering code
'options ...' so before opening a terminal, while still
in connection wizard at the window showing card seen,
button for eth0, etc. i clicked 'load module' then on
next window 'more' which gave the window where i could
click 'specify' then enter the module name plus parameters.

entered '8139too media=0x230', clicked 'load'. that made no
difference to the speed. opened terminal:

# options 8139too media=0x230
bash: options: command not found

out of curiosity:

# save
bash: save: command not found

cheers, mm

[tempestuous]

The code I specified is not to be run in a terminal, it's a line of text to be added to /etc/modprobe.conf
And a reboot is required after making this change.

[mmmrr]

got it thanks for swift reply.
adding it towards the end, next to
the one other options line. the lines
seem to be grouped by first word, mostly.
saved, going to reboot with ethernet card.
cheers, mm

[mmmrr]

thanks, tempestuous,

that 'options...' has made quite a difference.
i've spent most of the day fooling around with
ethernet and wireless on pup412 and there is
not much difference. i suppose there is some
way to compare actual numbers?

it has inspired me to retry earlier series of pups
which i could not do when wireless was my only
connction and i didn't know how or if i could make
it work. i'm using a live cd of puppu213 to make this
reply. all noticebly quicker than 412 so i'll try an install
later. this computer isa mid-'90's pentium2, 266mhz,
160 mb ram so the 213 is a better fit than 412.

many thanks for yr help. it seems that this should get
a SOLVED but not with present thread title...

cheers, mm

[tempestuous]

OK, that's great to hear. Maybe you could edit the first post, and change the title to "How to use DLink DFE-690TXD Cardbus-ethernet adaptor - SOLVED".

For anyone else who stumbles upon this thread, please understand that the solution I explained for the slow transfer speeds of the DFE-690TXD adaptor is only applicable to the 8139too driver. Please don't "cut-and-paste" this information into situations involving different drivers - IT WILL CERTAINLY FAIL ! You have been warned.

this computer is a mid-'90's pentium2, 266mhz,
160 mb ram so the 213 is a better fit than 412.

Yes, I agree. You might also consider Classic Pup 214x-Top10, which is an updated variant, with quite a bit of added eye-candy -
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=42553
but the original Puppy 2.13 is still a good option ... or better still, Puppy 2.16, which was the latest in that original series, before Puppy moved up to a newer kernel.

[mmmrr]

how about:
"How to use DLink DFE-690TXD Cardbus-ethernet adaptor on Puppy 412 - SOLVED". ?

because when i ran 213 live the adapter seemed to run at the speed of the solved 412 before i made any change in /etc/modprobe.conf.

i'm embarrassed to say that i was misremembering the name of modprobe.conf. so could not find it to add the 'options..230'
line. when i did a full install of 213 i used the option to add that parameter in the network wizard but did not notice an
increase in speed.

this morning i realised my error, added 'options...230' to
modprobe.conf, saved, rebooted...but didn't notice a difference. perhaps the 213 kernel plays better with that
adapter?

i will give 216 a spin. i've tried 214x-top10 when it was top7
but barebones412 was faster.

cheers, mm

perhaps 8139too module in the 213 kernel