[Prism54-users] SMC wireless woes, need advise

[Karl-Heinz Herrmann]

Hi,

On Mon, 01 Mar 2004 17:58:13 -0600
"Damon L. Chesser" <dchesser4@cox.net> wrote:

> I have sent the below to Libranet user list and debian user list while
> I waited for my e-mail conformation to this list to come through.  I
> don't realy know what to do now, so any sugestions would be welcomed.
> 
> After following wireless postings, I decided to try it out.  I bought
> a SMC2804WBR router (802.11b,g w/wep and wap) and a SMC2835W PCIAM
> card. After installing it on Win XP (dual boot w/libranet 2.8.1) my
> windows broke!  I figured I would install it on the "easy one" first
> so I can"see" it in operation.  Now the GUI is broken (tool bar and
> the tool bar buttons/key short cuts don't work).  Ever try to fix
> windows without a GUI?
> 
> Then I tried it out on Libranet  Tried the support data base method,
> no-joy.
> The card does not light up, no boot-beeps indicating pcmcia cards
> found.  I went to www.prism54.org and followed their instructions (the
> card in in their data base and is listed as working, that's why I
> bought it).  These are the steps I followed:
> 
> 1:  Using LN support database instructions, downloaded the latest
> 2.4.23 kernel patch (following the LN link) and installed it.
> 
> 2:  Downloaded the kernel patch from prism54 and installed it.
> Re-compiled the kernel with the prism54 option under networking
> selected(you can find the directions under "readme" on the main page)
> 
> 3:  Rebooted after the kernel compiled.  MISTAKE!  I had no network
> apone reboot, but I was not worried as the drivers where not yet
> compiled:  So, downloaded the prism54 drivers, make compiled pointing
> to my kernel source by /usr/src/linux-2.4.23, make install clean, all
> asper the directions in the readme.


Well, from this description definitely one step is missing: fetching the
firmware (was on prism54 site but might be offline right now as the
project still has no permission to distribute it with GPL licensed
programs). If that's the thing missing I can mail the last versions of
the firmware I've here. 

For more general problem finding: 
read your log files, /var/log/*, maybe hotplug logs somewhere else,....
It might complain about missing firmware or other problems. Also there
are rumours of a SMC2835W "Version 2" which has a completely different
chipset. Make sure your card shows up as with lspci:
0d:00.0 Network controller: Harris Semiconductor: Unknown device 3890
(rev 01)

the relevant modules loaded here are:
prism54                31200   1 
firmware_class          3456   0  [prism54]
ds                      6592   0  (unused)
yenta_socket            9520   2 
pcmcia_core            37952   0  [ds yenta_socket]


What made problems for me at the beginning: I assumed loading the module
prsim54 would also load the firmware and activate the card (Led) -- I
won't. The modules have to be there, then bringing up the interface
with: 
ifconfig ethX up 

(tries to) loads the firmware and brings the LED to "on". 

*After* that you can configure the Wlan with iwconfig. IP has to be set
with ifconfig, can be done at activation or later, e.g. dhcp from the
AP.


K.-H.