instaling rtl8187 driver in suse 10.3 linux

[cheanizer]

Hi friend

I have a computer that use rtl8187 for wireless adapter, I use Open Suse 10.3. then I download the driver in .rpm, then install them with YAST, but my wireless adapter still can not detected. any one help me?

[waterhead]

Did you modprobe the kernel? Check the output of this command for information concerning the driver.

dmesg

I'm not sure about the version that you have, but this driver went unmaintained for a while. It has been revived, but it currently is only available from the CVS repository.

Here's a link to the driver's web page. Check out the link to the Installing instructions.
Main Page - Realtek Linux wireless driver

[waterhead]

After reading a post about a RealTek 8169 driver here, I decided to look for a rtl8187 kernel module.

Low and behold, there is one! I found it as a USB adapter. To view your kernel configuration, you need to go to the source. (/usr/src/<your current kernel>). Enter this command, as root.

make menuconfig

Then, navigate to the section:

Device Drivers-->Network device support-->Wireless LAN-->Realtek 8187 USB support

There should be <M> preceding it. If not, you can change this, but then you would need to re-compile the kernel. If it is already compiled as a module, it should already be loading when your card is detected by the system. If it is not loading automatically, you can do it manually, as root

modprobe rtl8187

If it still doesn't work, maybe this is not the correct driver for your wireless.

[cheanizer]

After reading a post about a RealTek 8169 driver here, I decided to look for a rtl8187 kernel module.

Low and behold, there is one! I found it as a USB adapter. To view your kernel configuration, you need to go to the source. (/usr/src/<your current kernel>). Enter this command, as root.

make menuconfig

Then, navigate to the section:

Device Drivers-->Network device support-->Wireless LAN-->Realtek 8187 USB support

There should be <M> preceding it. If not, you can change this, but then you would need to re-compile the kernel. If it is already compiled as a module, it should already be loading when your card is detected by the system. If it is not loading automatically, you can do it manually, as root

modprobe rtl8187

If it still doesn't work, maybe this is not the correct driver for your wireless.

i Think my kernel is too new. when i install from binary. showed error about the kernel. i think you are right. but i never compile or recompile the kernel. before. I use menuconfig. then i make zImage. showed many error.

finally i reinstall using older kernel(using Open suse 10.2). and i think it is work.

thanks.

[waterhead]

Are you trying to compile a kernel? Do you really need to?

I was just suggesting that you look to see if it was compiled into the kernel as a module. I mentioned that if it wasn't that a re-compile would be needed, only for your information. I really didn't expect you to do it, or actually need to do it.

Since I have it on my Fedora 8, I would think that SUSE 10.3 would also have it as a module. If not I would suggest installing Fedora 8 before I would recommend compiling a kernel.

I actually have compiled when I needed to (twice). It is not that difficult, but not something that I would recommend a new Linux user try to do.