Am I just being thick? WiFi network issue

[Thoric]

Hi all. I've used this site for some time, I find it very useful, but I can't understand a lot of what's discussed because I'm relatively new to Linux, so the answer to my problem could be here somewhere - it's just that I simply don't understand and need some kind soul to guide me through it all!

Basically, I have a dual boot desktop PC, and just got broadband at home. I bought a D-Link DSL-2640B Wireless ADSL router and a Linux compatible Edimax 7128G PCI WiFi Card. The system works smoothly under WinXP, but I'll be damned if I can get a network under Suse 10.1!

I downloaded the RaLink RT61 drivers from a link on the Edimax homepage, untarred the files, and followed the instructions in README. As I don't really know what I'm doing I usually just look out for errors or warnings, and if I don't get any then presume all is ok. The make file ran with a few warnings, but no errors, and I got through the instructions fine. I think the kernel might have been recompiled by YAST at some point (did a Software check and found that there were some Wireless LAN card drivers, or something, so I installed them), and I rebooted once at least. Running the "load" script from within the RaLink directory activates the RT61 module and suddenly I have a working WiFi card. Brilliant - almost.

if I call "iwconfig" I get the following (snippet):

ra0 RT01 Wireless ESSID:"fidget"
Mode: Managed.....

and "ifconfig":

lo...
ra0 Link encap:Ethernet HWAddr...
inet addr: 192.168.1.2
UP BROADCAST RUNNING

If I ping my router, I get a good 2ms response time. But if I ping anything else, such as "www.google.com", I get "Network is Unreachable".

In KWiFiManager, it shows a good signal strength to my router, but at the bottom it says "AccessPoint: Unknown", and in KNetworkManager, I get a little cross symbol on the tray icon, and in it's menu it says "No Network Devices Found".

I'm now stuck. In Windows, as soon as the WiFi card began to work, it ALL worked, internet and everything. Here though, I must be missing something. I think I only got this far by disabling DHCP and using Static IP, which I configured on the Router. All still works under WinXP (thankfully, otherwise I'd be unable to post this help request).

Can anyone see what I might have done wrong? Please remember I'm a complete newbie (keen but dumb!)

Many Thanks for any advice I get,

Thoric

[Dapper Dan]

Hi Thoric. This may be of some assistance...
Link

[MikeTbob]

Post your /etc/resolv.conf file, please.

[Thoric]

Hi DapperDan and MikeTbob,
Thanks for your replies, I will be able to try your advice tonight after work and I promise to post more info as soon as I have it!
Thanks,
Thoric

[Thoric]

Ok, this is weird.
I typed
more /etc/resolv.conf
and I got back two words:
search site
...and thats it. I expected more?

However, since reading also another topic on this forum, designed for newbies to Wifi on Linux, I managed to somehow get internet access !?
The responsible command appears to be
dhclient ra0
I got back:
Internet Systems Consortium DHCP Client V3.0.3
Copyright 2004-2005 Internet Systems Consortium.
All rights reserved.
For info, please visit ISC DHCP

Listening on LPF/ra0/00:0e:2e:d1:bf:d4
Sending on LPF/ra0/00:0e:2e:d1:bf:d4
Sending on Socket/fallback
DHCPDISCOVER on ra0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 5
DHCPOFFER from 192.168.1.1
DHCPREQUEST on ra0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67
DHCPACK from 192.168.1.1
bound to 192.168.1.2 -- renewal in 110471900 seconds.

What on earth is going on? What have I done? Have I sorted it?? Or just temporarily bodged something that probably won't work next time I boot up?

...why oh why do I find Linux so non-intuitive...

[Dapper Dan]

The Ralink chipsets can be very finicky. I had similar problems once in Slackware. I finally resorted to creating commands in my /etc/rc.d/rc.local which worked for me. In CentOS, trying to get Ralink devices going was a complete nightmare. I don't know what the differences may have been. Possibly there are things in the kernel with Slackware that is lacking in CentOS or something... I never did get it working to my satisfaction. I finally moved over to Atheros based wireless devices and have been happy ever since. I hope you stay connected.