ndiswrapper/network configuration issue

[prammy]

Hello,

I have a Dell Latitude D600 which has a built in broadcom wireless adapter. I am running Fedora Core 5


02:03.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 03)


I was able to install ndiswrapper successfully and bring the device up manually using the iwconfig utility.

The wireless network is served by a Linksys WRT54G running DD-WRT and I have WEP enabled. As long as I bring it up using iwconfig wlan0 key restricted XXXXXXXX it comes up and grabs an ip.

But I am not able to do this using the Network Configuration utility. When i use the configuration utility I get the following error:


Error for wireless request "Set Encode" (8B2A) :
SET failed on device wlan0 ; Invalid argument.


When I run iwconfig wlan0 I see that it doesnt get the encryption key.


wlan0 IEEE 802.11g ESSID:"exinferis" Nickname:"phobos"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.437 GHz Access Point: 00:13:10:E2:D9:82
Bit Rate=54 Mb/s Tx-Power:25 dBm
RTS thr=2347 B Fragment thr=2346 B
Encryption key:off
Power Management min timeout:0us mode:All packets received
Link Quality:100/100 Signal level:-40 dBm Noise level:-256 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0


Any suggestions ?

Thanks,

Pramod

[hilbert70]

Hi Prammy,

I have the same setup here at home. I only eddited three files:

1. Added to /etc/modprobe.conf

alias eth1 ndiswrapper
options ndiswrapper if_name=eth1

2. Created the file: /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth1

IPV6INIT=no
ONBOOT=yes
USERCTL=yes
PEERDNS=yes
GATEWAY=
TYPE=Wireless
DEVICE=eth1
HWADDR=
BOOTPROTO=dhcp
NETMASK=
DHCP_HOSTNAME=<your hostname>
IPADDR=
DOMAIN=
ESSID=<your essid>
CHANNEL=11
MODE=Managed
NETWORK_TYPE=g
#RATE=54Mb/s
RATE=Auto

3. Create the file: /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/keys-eth1

KEY=<your WEP key>


This setup should work.

[prammy]

Thanks Hilbert. That works out well for wireless to start on bootup. However do you have any suggestions for using NetworkManager with this since NetworkManager is never able to switch between networks. It just prompts me again

[panama]

I think but I am not 100% sure but you need to have NetworkManager and NetworkManagerDispatcher are both checked in
System -> Adminstration -> Services during bootup.

[LaChild]

Thanks Hilbert. That works out well for wireless to start on bootup. However do you have any suggestions for using NetworkManager with this since NetworkManager is never able to switch between networks. It just prompts me again

First I'd like to thank hilbert70 for the post, this helped me setup my network with Ndiswrapper, for some reason when you do the "./ndiswrapper -m" it doesn't seem to add the the alisas correctly and the above instructions got this up and running for me.

Edit:
---Deleted anwer as the second reboot failed, and I too am unable to NetworkManager still, I'll keep looking and let you know if I find the correct answer.

[prammy]

Anyways, I was finally able to get NetworkManager to work with this wireless card after upgrading ndiswrapper to 1.12. I also upgraded NetworkManager to 0.6.2 but the ndiswrapper upgrade alone should work.

Once you use NetworkManager, it will ask you for your keyring password each time you log in :(

But at least I can switch wireless APs between my gf's place and mine without manual reconfiguration :-)

[spantree]

how come i don't even have my broadcom loaded at the boot?

[prammy]

Put the following line in /etc/modprobe.conf

alias wlan0 ndiswrapper

[krazyshane]

Prammy, I have a few questions. I've been struggling to get ndiswrapper working with fedora core 5 when i've had success several times before. First, did you manually compile the software from source or did you download an rpm? When I try to compile it from source, it goes through successfully, but I get the following error:

*** WARNING: Kernel is compiled with 4K stack size option (CONFIG_4KSTACKS); many Windows drivers will not work with this option enabled. Disable CONFIG_4KSTACKS option, recompile and install kernel

After that, I got the driver installed, and ndiswrapper told me "Driver installed, hardware present". However, I'm having a strange problem. If I manually change the essid w/ iwconfig
#iwconfig wlan0 essid Home
it does not retain the settings. If I run iwconfig again it will tell me ESSID: off/any despite my changes. Can you explain the steps you used to get it working? I have a similar wireless card to you.

Thanks,
Shane

[prammy]

I downloaded the source and did and rpmbuild -ta <ndiswrapper source tarball>

I got the warning message about the 4K STACKS as well. I guess I could recompile the kernel with 8K STACKS

Try the following.
iwconfig wlan0 mode Managed
iwconfig wlan0 essid YOUR_ESSID
iwlist wlan0 scan (should show your AP)
iwconfig wlan0 key restricted WEP_KEY (if any)

[krazyshane]

Hmm, nice I didnt know about the iwlist scan command. I will try this, but it will not be until I get home today (some time around 5)

Check back here, i very well might have another question later :p I've been so frustrated w/ this

Thanks prammy,
Shane

[prammy]

Heh no probs Shane. I was getting quite frustrated with it too.

[krazyshane]

Alright! Getting somewhere. I built the rpms and installed the kernel module as well as ndiswrapper itself.

Everything went smooth there, but quick question -- what is the "kernel module?" it wouldnt work without that.

Anyway, still
#iwconfig wlan0 essid Home
will not retain.

I have sucessfully switched the mode to managed, and I have successfully set the encription key, but i cannot get the ESSID to switch from "off/any"

I know the hardware is working at least because iwlist wlan0 scan (REALLY COOL! didnt know about this command...) does indeed show my AP, so now it's a matter of setting my ESSID to that... help here?

Thanks,
Shane

[prammy]

I am guessing that your AP is using WEP ?

If so, then try the following:

iwconfig mode Managed
iwconfig wlan0 essid <YOUR AP>
iwconfig wlan0 key restricted XXXXXXXX <--- put the WEP Key here
dhclient wlan0

Hopefully this should bring up the wireless interface. If it works, then I can help you with configuring NetworkManager

[krazyshane]

Yes, it was initially WEP encrypted. I turned that off though, so now I'm sitting with a wide open network.

I can run iwlist wlan0, and sure enough I see
Cell 01 blah blah ESSID "Home" encriptions key = off

it seems though, ALL settings will save with iwconifg wlan0 [setting] [value] including keys, and mode mandaged etc. It will not accept any ESSID setting i give it tho. No matter what i type, when i #iwconfig wlan0 again, it says "ESSID:off/any"

blah!

Shane

[prammy]

Yes, it was initially WEP encrypted. I turned that off though, so now I'm sitting with a wide open network.

I can run iwlist wlan0, and sure enough I see
Cell 01 blah blah ESSID "Home" encriptions key = off

it seems though, ALL settings will save with iwconifg wlan0 [setting] [value] including keys, and mode mandaged etc. It will not accept any ESSID setting i give it tho. No matter what i type, when i #iwconfig wlan0 again, it says "ESSID:off/any"

blah!

Shane

Well try this

iwconfig wlan0 mode Managed
iwconfig wlan0 key open
iwconfig wlan0 essid Home

[krazyshane]

Well try this

iwconfig wlan0 mode Managed
iwconfig wlan0 key open
iwconfig wlan0 essid Home

iwconfig wlan0 key off

is that command... (which it will accept and retain) but it still will not accept any essid i give it. I'm going to reinstall the wireless tools...
Shane

[krazyshane]

Well, cannot do that. It's a dependency for like 30 other programs :(

Shane

[krazyshane]

It lets me set the mode to managed, it lets me set the key to whatever or disable the key. It also lets me change various other settings except the essid. I'm guessing this is why the network-config program cannot connect either. God this sucks. I dont understand, I've never had problems with ndiswrapper on other distros :(

Shane

[krazyshane]

Um.... well for ****s and grins :D I installed wlassistant and I am able to connect! It's a nice program too, you should grab it. Shows you a gui listing of all available networks and you point and connect. I watched what it put into the console, and it never set my essid, instead, it set my ap to the mac address of the router and successfully connected.

Hmm
I would still like to be able to do this manually tho :(

Shane