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#1 2012-05-16 15:54:06

mvecera
Member
Registered: 2012-05-16
Posts: 5

WIFI STUMPED WPC11 PCMCIA Card on old laptop (have Ethernet!)

Gone through a ton of lightweight distros at this point and Slitaz is one of only 3 that comes close to rejuvenating this old laptop for a "One Laptop Per Child" project... and I am so SO close!  I have googled exhaustively on this and followed several walkthroughs including ndiswrapper and a host of others, but I hit a dead-end.

This was my latest.

==============================================

install linux-wireless.tazpkg as root to get wireless modules including b43

Install b43-fwcutter.tazpkg

Download,extract,and cut the firmware.

http://downloads.openwrt.org/sources/broadcom-wl-4.150.10.5.tar.bz2

tar xjf broadcom-wl-4.150.10.5.tar.bz2

cd broadcom-wl-4.150.10.5/driver

b43-fwcutter -w /lib/firmware driver/wl_apsta_mimo.o

The 38 firmware files are in the /lib/firmware/b43 folder

Open wireless connections

root@slitaz: wifibox

Drivers tab,

==============================================

... SCREECHING HALT ...

My wifi box interface does not have ANY tabs on it!  It only has 4 button on it, "Start wifi", "Stop wifi", "Configuration" and "Close".  Configuration only brings me to my old friend, the TazPanel for Wireless Connection, and it does nothing for me.

I am supposed to do the following:

==============================================

a. Firmware: b43-firmware click Install button

downloads and installs firmware if you have ethernet connection to internet

b. List files button shows installed b43 firmware

Module: b43 ,click Load button

Lsmod button shows loaded b43 module

Networks tab,Refresh button,you see access point,dbl click to connect if open or enter key

Configuration tab add key,essid,click connect,favorites tab

Add ssb and b43 to /etc/rcS.conf LOAD_MODULES=

The other main configuration file is /etc/network.conf to enable wifi at boot=yes , default interface=wlan0 and many other settings

==============================================

That is not to say that I wouldn't get lost in the rest of the procedure here - but without the "Drivers Tab" or other interface elements described, I am unable to continue.  I feel like I am walking down the road with the correct firmware, though.  Here is the output of lsmod and lspci:

root@inspiron:~# lsmod

Module                  Size  Used by    Tainted: P

b43legacy              79383  0

mac80211              145388  1 b43legacy

parport_pc             16061  0

floppy                 41138  0

video                   9783  0

output                  1144  1 video

parport                20983  1 parport_pc

button                  3602  0

cfg80211               99896  2 b43legacy,mac80211

rfkill                 10682  1 cfg80211

ssb                    24436  1 b43legacy

ndiswrapper           136941  0

pcmcia                 24993  0

yenta_socket           16223  0

pcmcia_rsrc             6989  1 yenta_socket

pcmcia_core             8413  3 pcmcia,yenta_socket,pcmcia_rsrc

snd_maestro3           11926  1

snd_ac97_codec         77963  1 snd_maestro3

ac97_bus                 718  1 snd_ac97_codec

snd_pcm                43737  2 snd_maestro3,snd_ac97_codec

snd_timer              12515  1 snd_pcm

snd_page_alloc          4853  1 snd_pcm

snd                    33394  6 snd_maestro3,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_timer

soundcore               3357  1 snd

intel_agp               7908  1

intel_gtt               9214  1 intel_agp

agpgart                18221  2 intel_agp,intel_gtt

root@inspiron:~# lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82815 815 Chipset Host Bridge

and Memory Controller Hub (rev 02)

00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82815 815 Chipset AGP Bridge (rev 02)

00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev 02)

00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801BAM ISA Bridge (LPC) (rev 02)

00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801BAM IDE U100 Controller (rev 02)

00:1f.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801BA/BAM USB Controller #1 (rev 02)

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Rage Mobility M4 AGP

02:03.0 Multimedia audio controller: ESS Technology ES1983S Maestro-3i

PCI Audio Accelerator (rev 10)

02:06.0 PCI bridge: Actiontec Electronics Inc Mini-PCI bridge (rev 11)

02:0f.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI4451 PC card Cardbus Controller

02:0f.1 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI4451 PC card Cardbus Controller

02:0f.2 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Texas Instruments PCI4451 IEEE-1394 Controller

08:04.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82557/8/9/0/1 Ethernet

Pro 100 (rev 08)

08:08.0 Communication controller: Agere Systems WinModem 56k (rev 01)

0d:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11b/g

Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02)

!!!Warning to all who dare assist!!!

I am a total NOOB!  All I know is what I can google.  I have a few terminal tricks memorized, but this project is the only linux project I have ever attempted and have only interacted with mail and web server terminals before.  In my regular life - I am completely self supporting, but in linux, I am rather helpless to do anything other than follow instruction.

Thanks in advance!

Matthew

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#2 2012-05-16 17:32:06

mojo
Administrator
Registered: 2011-03-29
Posts: 2,174

Re: WIFI STUMPED WPC11 PCMCIA Card on old laptop (have Ethernet!)

I'm assuming your using slitaz-4.0

Open terminal

type

su

Enter key

Password:

type

root

Enter key

If connected to internet

type

wget  http://people.slitaz.org/~mojo/stuff/b43legacy-firmware-3.130.20.0.tazpkg

Enter key

If not connected to internet download firmware tazpkg on another computer to flash drive and transfer:

Type

tazpkg install  b43legacy-firmware-3.130.20.0.tazpkg

Enter key

Type

modprobe -r b43legacy

Enter key

modprobe b43legacy

Enter key

Applications/System Tools/Wifi configuration

root,click OK button

The wifi access point should appear in a few seconds,dbl click it to connect if open or to enter password if secure and click ok to connect.

If you need more help post this info from output of commands:

lspci -nn | grep -i Network

uname -a

Open a second terminal to monitor kernel messages:

type

tail -f /var/log/messages

In first terminal:

type

modprobe -r b43legacy

Enter

type

modprobe b43legacy

Enter

Post any kernel message errors in the 2nd terminal related to b43legacy module and firmware loading

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#3 2012-05-16 19:51:09

mvecera
Member
Registered: 2012-05-16
Posts: 5

Re: WIFI STUMPED WPC11 PCMCIA Card on old laptop (have Ethernet!)

Wow.  Mojo.

You have swiftly and deftly dispatched with my problem.  I'm not worthy.

Thank you so much!

Matthew

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