ipw2200 drivers and version magic/FC6

[HansV]

Hello,

Due to some wifi problems I tried to upgrade the ipw2200 driver on my laptop. After compiling the new version I can't load the driver anymore due to following error:

ipw2200: version magic '2.6.18-1.2849.fc6 SMP mod_unload 686 REGPARM 4KSTACKS gcc-4.1' should be '2.6.18-1.2849.fc6 SMP mod_unload 586 REGPARM 4KSTACKS gcc-4.1'

How can I solve this?

Thanks in advance,

Hans

[Iron_Mike]

Which version of the the kernel are you running???? It looks you might have been bitten by the anaconda installer bug where it installed the 586 verison of the kernel instead of the 686 version.
Open a terminal window and type:
uname -a
See which version of the kernel shows, 586 or 686

If it shows 586, check this link:

http://www.fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=128104&highlight=anaconda+installer+bug

[brunson]

The ipw2200 driver, like all drivers, is very tightly coupled to the kernel, its version and its compile options. I'm pretty adept at compiling kernels and I still have problems getting version matches when compiling modules outside a full kernel build.

The last stable release of ipw2200 came out in Sept, has it not made its way into the fedora kernel yet?

[HansV]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your reply. The output of uname -a is:
Linux Asteroid 2.6.18-1.2849.fc6 #1 SMP Fri Nov 10 12:36:14 EST 2006 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

So I don't think I have the wrong kernel.
I tried upgrading the driver using the instructions found at: http://www.ces.clemson.edu/linux/fc2-ipw2200.shtml

Hans

[HansV]

The ipw2200 driver, like all drivers, is very tightly coupled to the kernel, its version and its compile options. I'm pretty adept at compiling kernels and I still have problems getting version matches when compiling modules outside a full kernel build.

The last stable release of ipw2200 came out in Sept, has it not made its way into the fedora kernel yet?

Unfortunately FC6 comes with ipw 1.1.2.
Any idea how I can fix the version problem? I'm without wireless now.

[Iron_Mike]

Unfortunately FC6 comes with ipw 1.1.2.
Any idea how I can fix the version problem? I'm without wireless now.

FC6 comes with built-in support for the ipw2100/2200 series wireless modules, the only thing needed to get them working is to install the firmware that's all it takes. It might be rough getting it to work now, since you removed the built-in module and installed a newer one. One option would be remove the driver and then remove ieee80211, then compile a new ieee80211, then the driver modules using Bill Moss's step. It has to b down in this order ieee80211, then ipw2200 driver, then copy the firmware into /lib/firmware directory and then a reboot.

One thing about Bill's steps, for regular users all steps do not need to be completed. Download the ieee80211 and drivers. Unarchive them in your home directory, change to the iee80211 directory and run the uninstall-old script, then run make, then make install, change to the ipw2200 directory and run make and make install, copy the firmware and reboot. But doing it this way, everytime a new kernel is release, that you wish to use, you will need to re-compile the 2 modules.

The easiest option would be to re-install FC6 and just copy the firmware to the directory and reboot.

[HansV]

The easiest option would be to re-install FC6 and just copy the firmware to the directory and reboot.

Do you mean to erase the disk and do a fresh install? Or can I 'repair' the current installation?

[Iron_Mike]

Do you mean to erase the disk and do a fresh install? Or can I 'repair' the current installation?


Fresh install, if you don't have too much time, data, invested. Otherwise try option 1 first, if that doesn't work, you will need option 2.

[HansV]

Fresh install, if you don't have too much time, data, invested. Otherwise try option 1 first, if that doesn't work, you will need option 2.

Thanks! I finally solved the problem by correcting the kernel problem and compiling ipw2200 again.