[Prism54-users] SMC wireless woes, need advise

[Damon L. Chesser]

Karl-Heinz Herrmann wrote:

>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. 
>  
>
I grabed the .arm file from the window drivers.

>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)
>  
>
Yup!  It's there.

>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]
>  
>
Ok, I'm fuzzy here.
"Can't locate module firmware_class" or any other of the above listed 
when I run
"modprobe X".  I must not be running the correct command.  What should I 
run to see if these are loaded?

>
>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 
>  
>
"SIOCSIFFLAGS:  No such file or directory" is the error when the above 
is run (eth0)

>(tries to) loads the firmware and brings the LED to "on". 
>  
>
This is the big killer, no lights.  Somewhere from here back lies my 
problem.  I got it to work in WindowXP (reloaded OS) so the card is 
known good.  Thanks for responding K.-H.!  Where do I go from here?  A 
good chipset but bad modprobes?

>*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.
>
>
>
>  
>


-- 
Damon L. Chesser
dchesser@bigfoot.com