(OLD) (ARCHIVED) Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

[tempestuous]

These drivers are for Puppy4.1 with the 2.6.25.16 kernel. They are not compatible with Puppy4.1-retro.

The 2.6.25.xx kernel has completely overhauled wifi drivers, and there are now some extra drivers available as standard in the kernel for previously unsupported wifi chips, namely:
Intel IPW4965
Marvell Libertas - in USB, Compact Flash card, and Secure Digital card forms.
PrismGT-softmac versions
Broadcom USB versions
Realtek RTL8187 (USB)

Regarding improved wifi drivers:
The new rtl8180 driver for Realtek PCI/PCMCIA devices fully supports the recent RTL8185L chipsets, and the Belkin F5D7000 v7 PCI and F5D7010 v7 Cardbus devices will be properly recognised by this driver.

The hostap_pci and hostap_cs modules now properly support Prism3 SSF chipsets found in the D-Link PCI DWL-520 rev.E1 and Cardbus DWL-650 rev.P
... but you need to correctly load the firmware, as explained later in this thread -
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=276702#276702

In terms of third-party drivers, Barry has added:
Wifi - Ralink RT2860 (PCI/Cardbus), Ralink RT2870 (USB), TexasInstruments acx-mac80211 (CardBus/PCI/USB)
Ethernet - Realtek RTL8101E/RTL8102E, Atheros ATL1E & ATL2
Webcam - GSPCA, plus various others including updated Logitech QuickCam

So Puppy 4.1 is well equipped with device drivers, and the only extras needed are really specialised ones, as follows.

[tempestuous]

For the ASUS Eee 700-series (but not 701SD) and 900, 900A, 900HA, 901GO, 904HA, 904HD, 1000HA, 1000HD:
Ethernet is supported out-of-the-box by the new atl2 module, and the webcam is supported by the new gspca module.

But the wifi chipset (Atheros AR5007EG) requires a non-standard variant of the MADWiFi (ath_pci) driver.
Quite a few other recent notebook computers now use this chipset, too. Obviously they, too, will be supported by this driver.
This dotpet package contains a suitably modified /etc/rc.d/MODULESCONFIG file so that the new ath_pci module will be used in preference to the ath5k module.
But this madwifi package should ONLY be used with the AR5007EG variant, all "standard" Atheros wifi devices will be supported by the ath_pci module (or ath5k module) already contained in Puppy 4.1.

The source code is from here
http://snapshots.madwifi-project.org/madwifi-hal-0.10.5.6/

UPDATE July 1 2009:
After 4000 downloads, I thought it was time to update to the latest driver revision - r4031.

Some people get "no wireless interface detected" in the Network Wizard after installing this package.
Forum member glassparrot reports that to get this driver installed and working you must first disable the Eee's wifi device in bios, then later re-enable the wifi device after the driver is installed -
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=208066#208066
I cannot see how or why this method would make any difference ... but if it works, great!

The latest version of this madwifi driver also patched for compatibility with the wifi injection/cracking utility, Aircrack-ng. Attached to later post -
http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=275934#275934

[tempestuous]

Ethernet for the ASUS Eee 901, 1000, 1000H, and 1000HE
is supported out-of-the-box by the new Atheros atl1e module.
Wifi is supported out-of-the-box by the new Ralink rt2860sta module.

Eee internal microphone (all models)
The mic in the Eee is problematic. With older versions of the ALSA audio driver it was necessary to load the snd-hda-intel driver with extra parameters. This was achieved by adding either of these lines to /etc/modprobe.conf

[tempestuous]

Hotkeys on all ASUS Eee models:
Hotkeys on the Eee should be supported by the attached version of the "asus_acpi" module with associated "pciehp" (PCI Express Hot Plug Controller)module.
I hacked the standard asus_acpi source code by comparing it with the version from the Asus website.
The pciehp module is a standard kernel module, but it is not enabled in Puppy's standard kernel configuration.

And the attached "acpid" daemon package is also necessary.

Hotkeys supported:

Fn+F2: Toggle Wireless on/off
Fn+F5 external monitor on/off (NOT TESTED)
Fn+F7: Toggle Mute/Unmute (NOT WORKING)
Fn+F8: Decrease Volume Level
Fn+F9: Increase Volume Level

The Mute/Unmute function doesn't work because Puppy's version of the ALSA snd-hda-intel driver fails to respond to the "amixer set Master toggle" command. This could be fixed by creating a script which determines the volume state of the master channel, then use volume adjustments to respond accordingly, but I couldn't be bothered.

I didn't add the Fn+F1 suspend-to-ram function, because this is likely to crash Puppy.
If you want to experiment with Puppy-compatible suspend, there is a script here -
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=13410
but looking through that script I see that it's probably not compatible with Puppy4.x
Further experimentation is required.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Install eee-asus_acpi-pciehp-k2.6.25.16.pet
plus the ACPI daemon (acpid) package compatible with your wifi device (ath_pci, r8180, or rt2860sta).
The acpid dotpet will add the following 3 commands to your /etc/rc.d/rc.local

[tempestuous]

Finally on the subject of the ASUS Eee, here is the eee kernel module to control the fan, FSB, and voltage, and read out the CPU temperature.
Once installed, refer to /root/my-documents/eeepc-README.txt for instructions.
Additional information from the module's author -
http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=9797

Note especially that this is an experimental driver, and if you disable your automatic fan control it's possible to DESTROY your Eee!
Fan speed instructions thanks to jakfish:
To enable manual control of the fan, do this

[tempestuous]

There is a very recent wifi chipset from Realtek called RTL8187SE, which is found in the MSI Wind U100 mini-notebook computer and ASUS Eee 701SD. This is a miniPCI wifi device, not to be confused with the RTL8187 USB chipset.
There is a proprietary driver for this chipset (at beta stage) which I now attach.
After installing this dotpet, reboot. The new driver is called "r8180", and will now appear in the Network Wizard.

This dotpet package adds a configuration line to /etc/modprobe.conf to ensure that all associated encryption modules are loaded.

A word of caution: apparently the MSI Wind is sold with 3 different wifi adaptors; as well as the RTL8187SE there is also a version with Ralink wifi chipset, and one with AzureWave chipset.
http://forums.msiwind.net/post41605.html#p41605

Forum member growler reports that the Fn+F11 keys must be pressed to turn on the wifi device.
If you find that a wifi connection is unsuccessful, it might just be that the final stage of configuration, DHCP, has failed. A possible workaround is to take the interface down and bring it back up again, like this

[Béèm]

Nice info in this thread. Thank you.
Maybe the thread should be made sticky to have the full attention.

[Aitch]

[Lobster]

Tempestuous has championed and developed our wi-fi capacity for years now. Another trusted developer improving the Puppy experience, deserves our many thanks . . .

Major Software upgrades for 4.1
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=235164#235164

Most up to date software links
http://tmxxine.com/wik/wikka.php?wakka=DingoAddons

[magerlab]

really great forum, i say again!
i just was looking for drivers for eee pc for a new kernel of puppy 4.1

will try tomorrow

[Dpup]

Installed Puppy 4.1 on my two ASUS Eee 4G's along with the Madwifi and function key patches described above. Works fine with my WPA2 TKIP wireless, but on reboot the wifi does not reconnect. Is there another tweak I missed?

The wifi connect on boot works consistently in Pupeee b4 which I have been using for several months.

A second separate but smaller problem is that shutdown does not always complete. I do a "hard" power off to shut down when it occurs.

Puppy 4.1 works great on my HP and Acer laptop dual boot with Vista from USB flash drive, and boots and auto connects wifi in under 30 seconds.

Thanks for all the great work.

Dpup

[dmpop]

Thank you very much, tempestuous for your nifty .pets!

[tempestuous]

[mawebb88]

Puppy 4.00 worked fine (from a USB stick) but when I upgraded to 4.1 (not the retro) the wireless interface is recognized but the wireless scanner did not not find and networks (there are and the Laptop's wireless is switched on).

The both the scanner in the new Network Wizard and Pwireless fail to find any networks (including my router).

Tried all the usual things from a command line (ifup/down dhcpcd etc) but no joy. So I have plugged in a Ethernet wire to send this.

Installed the Network Wizard from Puppy 4.00 in 4.1 but still no joy scanning wireless networks.

The correct module is used as far as I can tell (at5k_pci. Windows reports the card as Atheros AR5005G using driver ar5211.sys).

Tried to go down the Ndiswapper route but there is a problem with the wizard. When it goes to the open file dialogue box it comes up with an error about could not find a directory(several times). Just tried to repeat this and the error has gone (think is was PUPPYLASTLOCATON?).

So just got Ndiswrapper working (still with the 4.00 wizard). Will break there and go back to 4.1 wizard and try all over again.

Mike

BTW many thanks for all your effort. Puppy is great and the speed of booting 4.1 is brilliant.

[tempestuous]

mawebb88, since your wifi chipset is not an AR5007EG, then your query is not relevant to this thread.
Your answer is here
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=237976#237976

Please everyone, this thread is about specialized drivers.