Need drivers for Gigafast USB Wireless G - ZD1211 (Solved)

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SirDuncan · #1 Post by **SirDuncan** » Fri 29 Dec 2006, 02:50

I just got a Gigafast USB Wireless G for Christmas. I was hoping it would work with the built in ZD1211 driver, but it didn't. (Yes, it is using ZD1211, but I'm not sure whether it is ZD1211 or ZD1211b). I downloaded a dotpup called "zd1211-r83" and installed it. Still, it did not work. I even gave a go at compiling the driver that came with it, but I couldn't get that to work either (I simply couldn't get the settings right for it to compile properly, but I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to compiling). Nearly every link I found for a precompiled driver was dead. I can't even get the windows drivers to load in ndiswrapper. I would appreciate it if someone could repost the compiled drivers (both the original and b so I can try both) or help me get through the compiling process.
In case it matters, I am trying to use it on both puppylite w/zdrv 2.12 and regular puppy 2.12.

tempestuous · #2 Post by **tempestuous** » Fri 29 Dec 2006, 03:58

SirDuncan wrote:I downloaded a dotpup called "zd1211-r83" and installed it.

That dotpup came from here http://dotpups.de/dotpups/Wifi/drivers- ... -and-2.01/
As the name of the download location suggests, that driver is compatible with Puppy 2.0 and 2.01 only.

For Puppy 2.12 go here http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 2613#82613

SirDuncan · #3 Post by **SirDuncan** » Fri 29 Dec 2006, 20:28

I downloaded and installed the dotpup. I then tried to run the commands that kirk said made it work for him (on the same forum you linked me to). All I got was this:

sh-3.00# modprobe firmware_class

sh-3.00# modprobe ieee80211softmac
FATAL: Error inserting ieee80211softmac (/lib/modules/2.6.18.1/kernel/net/ieee80211/softmac/ieee80211softmac.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)

sh-3.00# modprobe zd1211rw
WARNING: Error inserting ieee80211softmac (/lib/modules/2.6.18.1/kernel/net/ieee80211/softmac/ieee80211softmac.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
FATAL: Error inserting zd1211rw (/lib/modules/2.6.18.1/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/zd1211rw/zd1211rw.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)

So, it is still not working. Am I possibly missing some dependency? Or is there some config file somewhere?

I haven't tried it on regular puppy, just puppylite, so if it is a dependency problem it may work on the full version. I'll let you know after I try it. Thank you for your help so far.

EDIT:
I tried it on regular puppy, and it doesn't work there either. I get the same error messages.

tempestuous · #4 Post by **tempestuous** » Sat 30 Dec 2006, 04:05

The ieee80211softmac is failing to load because it depends on the ieee80211 module. Do this -

modprobe firmware_class
modprobe ieee80211
modprobe ieee80211softmac
modprobe zd1211rw

Look at my later reply in that thread to mark2 for more detailed answer.

barriew · #5 Post by **barriew** » Sat 30 Dec 2006, 14:39

I got my ZD1211B adapter to work by compiling the Linux driver supplied with the adapter. If you didn't get this with yours, I can send it to you if you wish.

Barrie

SirDuncan · #6 Post by **SirDuncan** » Sun 31 Dec 2006, 01:48

That sort of did the trick. I'm not getting error messages now, but as soon as I use "modprobe zd1211rw" the light on the adaptor goes out (meaning that the adaptor is not transmitting or recieving). I now have the network interface showing, but it can't talk to the adapter. So now I'm kind of stumped. The adapter definitely should be working at this point.

Barrie: I tried compiling it myself, but I really don't know what I'm doing. Thus, I failed. Thanks for the offer though.

tempestuous · #7 Post by **tempestuous** » Tue 02 Jan 2007, 13:01

After "modprobe zd1211rw" check "dmesg" for clues about what happened.
And I just remembered that the firmware might need to be shifted from /lib/firmware/zd1211 to /lib/firmware

rarsa · #8 Post by **rarsa** » Tue 02 Jan 2007, 15:24

I can send you the driver when I get home. I have that exact USB adapter and it has always worked great with Puppy.

amish · #9 Post by **amish** » Tue 02 Jan 2007, 17:03

this is great, and i'm about ready to purchase a usb wireless device. i can always/will check the hw subforum, but can anyone in this thread (who is obviously familiar) recommend a really GOOD / easy usb wireless device? i'll try to get the "best" one recommeneded by a puppyuser. the ones i've seen look like little thumbdrives, but i have no aversion to the little usb boxes with a "large" antenna on them- i just want to know what works well with puppy.

rarsa · #10 Post by **rarsa** » Wed 03 Jan 2007, 05:55

Sorry that I didn't upload the driver today but I noticed that you are using 2.12 and I have it compiled for 2.02.

I will compile it for 2.12 tomorrow.

Cheers.

SirDuncan · #11 Post by **SirDuncan** » Wed 03 Jan 2007, 15:53

Tempestuous: I will try that when I get back home (I don't have the adapter with me since it isn't working with linux yet).

Rarsa: Thanks, if I can't get Tempestuous' drivers to work, yours will be greatly appreciated.

SirDuncan · #12 Post by **SirDuncan** » Thu 04 Jan 2007, 01:25

Well, I get it to connect to the router, but I cannot get out to the internet or scan the network. I tried both DHCP and static IP.
dmesg is giving me this:

//REMOVED due to taking up too much space.

I can't really see anything in that mess, but I don't know what to look for. The only line I see that looks like it might be an unexpected error is this 'ieee80211softmac: no version for "struct_module" found: kernel tainted.' I don't what it means or what to do about (or I would have done it, obviously), but maybe you (or Rarsa) do.

rarsa · #13 Post by **rarsa** » Thu 04 Jan 2007, 04:15

If you get to connect to the router then it is not a driver or HW problem.

It may very well be a problem with the specification of the DNS.

Check your /etc/resolv.conf file to see if it is pointing to valid DNS servers.

In my case it contains my router's address as it does the proxy for the DNS it gets from the ISP

Code: Select all

nameserver 192.168.1.1

I've also had it pointing to the two DNS servers provided by my ISP.

Usually on the "status" page on your routers configuration pages you'll see the DNS addresses provided by your ISP.

tempestuous · #14 Post by **tempestuous** » Thu 04 Jan 2007, 10:42

rarsa may be right about network config issues, but I have seen cases where wifi adaptors PARTIALLY worked after failing to load their firmware.
That's why I wanted you to check your dmesg. But I think your dmesg output is incomplete. The default line buffer in rxvt is not displaying enough lines. Launch rxvt with a larger line buffer, like this -

rxvt -sl 1000

Now run dmesg. Look for anything related to "softmac" and "firmware".

rarsa · #15 Post by **rarsa** » Fri 05 Jan 2007, 00:17

tempestuous wrote:Launch rxvt with a larger line buffer, like this -

rxvt -sl 1000

Now run dmesg. Look for anything related to "softmac" and "firmware".

Even better.

Code: Select all

 dmesg > dmesg.log

and then upload the dmesg.log file.

Pasting the full dmesg in a post makes the thread very difficult to follow.

SirDuncan · #16 Post by **SirDuncan** » Fri 05 Jan 2007, 15:45

Well, I've gotten dmesg in a .log file as Rarsa suggested and will attatch it to this post. This is the line that I have found which mentions something that may be pertinent:
ieee80211softmac: no version for "struct_module" found: kernel tainted.
As for DNS servers, I assumed that when the wizard said leaving it blank would get me the defaults, that that would be the same as getting them automatically (which is what I have always done on other OSes, on Linux I have only ever used DHCP before). I would try putting in a DNS now, but I am not near a wireless access point (at least not one that I know the IP range for). That may be what's wrong, but it would dissapoint me to not be able to use DHCP with the adapter. It greatly limits where I can use it. That will work fine for my desktop, since it never switches networks, but it leaves me using my old (non-USB) wireless B card with the laptop. That's ok I guess, I just like the idea of a G card for my laptop.
Well, I will give it a try tonight and both of you know how it works. I'll have to look up some DNS servers first, since my ISP didn't give me a list of any.

EDIT: Actually, it's not letting me upload the log. I'll try again later.

rarsa · #17 Post by **rarsa** » Fri 05 Jan 2007, 19:36

The forum only allows certain types of files.

The easiest way is for you to drag the log file to the "package" icon on the desktop to create a compresed file (.tar.gz) and upload that one.

SirDuncan · #18 Post by **SirDuncan** » Sat 06 Jan 2007, 04:45

Well, I tried giving it a DNS server and got nothing. It then occurred to me that I had overlooked one of the first steps in network troubleshooting. I forgot to try to ping the device I was trying to connect with (in this case the router). I gave it a try and recieved a 100% packet loss. So, in short, although it says it is connecting to the router, it is not actually connecting to the router. This being the case I am inclined to believe that it is a driver/driver config problem. I know that the device itself works because I have used it from the Windows partition (the one that I try to avoid putting on the net or even using for anything other than games).

I would post the log now, but I am on another PC at the moment. I'll get it up later.

SirDuncan · #19 Post by **SirDuncan** » Sat 06 Jan 2007, 20:27

Here is the log

tempestuous · #20 Post by **tempestuous** » Sat 06 Jan 2007, 20:53

In the log I see -

zd1211rw 4-4:1.0: firmware version 4725
...
usbcore: registered new driver zd1211rw

Well, the firmware loaded OK.

I see on the web that the new "rw" version of the Zydas driver may not work for your device, but the older "r83" B version should work. I have just compiled this driver here
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 8214#88214

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Need drivers for Gigafast USB Wireless G - ZD1211 (Solved)

Need drivers for Gigafast USB Wireless G - ZD1211 (Solved)

Re: Need drivers for Gigafast USB Wireless G - ZD1211