[SOLVED] Wireless constantly drops

**MisterX** · 10-09-2009

I installed the rt2870sta that you suggested and uninstalled ndiswrapper. The modinfo is showing the same output as your previous post. However, my wireless adapter is not detecting any networks at all now. I did modprobe and restarted the network, then ultimately rebooted without success

**waterhead** · 10-09-2009

Run this command, and check again.

Code:

sudo depmod -a

I wonder if the old staging module is causing some problems. I think that you would have to physically remove it from the /lib/modules directory. Then run depmod again. I have never done this, so I don't know if there are any problems created by doing this.

You could also put a copy of the new module in the staging folder. this would avoid any problems that may occur from removing a module. There should be a copy in the folder that you built it in.

Code:

sudo cp 2009_0820_RT2870_Linux_STA_V2.2.0.0/os/linux/rt2870sta.ko /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-generic/kernel/drivers/staging/rt2870/

You may need to adjust the folder path/names to match your exact system. I would then run this command again.

Code:

sudo depmod -a

I don't actually have one of these cards to test. I can build and load the module for it. but I can't test it to see if it works. And if not, troubleshoot it to find the problem.

I thought that this would be a better driver for your wireless. But if it refuses to work, you may need to re-install NDISwrapper. I would try different drivers for it, and see if the problem exists. Remember that it needs to be a WinXP/Win2000 driver. Any WinVista driver or a driver with Vista support may not work.

**reed9** · 10-09-2009

Per this thread on the Ubuntu forums:

So here's the trick, the magic bullet that will put you dead in the water unless you know it. The source code does not list the USB ID for the WUSB100 and thus the module will never associate with it. In other words, your card will be ignored no matter how hard you try. But if you add the necessary USB ID into include/rt2870.h and compile with that mod, it will work. So add

{USB_DEVICE(0x1737,0x0070)}, /* LinkSys */
\
to include/rt2870.h before compiling (search for #define RT2870_USB_DEVICES). This matches the result from lsusb (ID 1737:0070 Linksys) but don't forget the 0x parts.

This was written a few months back and the link so longer works. The current link is here.

It also seems this is a newer version, or at least there is no file include/rt2870.h, but there is at include/chip/rt2870.h

I don't know enough to say if this is the correct place to add the usb id.

**waterhead** · 10-09-2009

Since the modinfo rt2870sta command has this ID listed, I assumed that it is already covered. This is an updated version if the driver, newer than the post you referred to.

I can't check that driver file, 'cause I'm at work on a windows computer.

**waterhead** · 10-09-2009

AHA!

I checked out the link that you posted, reed9. Right in the first post was this:

I also needed the Firmware RT2870USB from the site above...

So maybe this is just a firmware problem. You can get the firmware from the Ralink Linux web site. I found it at the bottom of the page (Firmware RT2870USB(RT2879/RT2770).

Ralink corp.

Unpack it with this command.

Code:

unzip RT2870_Firmware_V8.zip

Go to the unpacked firmware folder.

Code:

cd RT2870_Firmware_V8

Now copy the firmware to the /lib/firmware folder.

Code:

sudo cp rt2870.bin /lib/firmware

I see that I already had the firmware on my system. I don't know if it comes with Ubuntu, or if the driver installed it. You may even need to put the firmware into the folder for your specific kernel version.

Code:

sudo cp rt2870.bin /lib/firmware/2.6.28-15-generic

To see if it is a firmware problem, run this command and post the output.

Code:

dmesg | grep firmware

EDIT: The firmware that I had was 8KB, while the downloaded firmware is 4KB. So it is different. Here's hoping the difference is what will make it makes it work!

**waterhead** · 10-09-2009

Also, I found the file that lists all of the supported wireless cards. It is the 2009_0820_RT2870_Linux_STA_V2.2.0.0/os/linux/usb_main_dev.c file. It has this line in it:

Code:

/* module table */
struct usb_device_id rtusb_usb_id[] = {
#ifdef RT2870

	{USB_DEVICE(0x1737,0x0070)}, /* Linksys WUSB100 */

So, there is no reason to add it.

**MisterX** · 10-09-2009

I installed the firmware and did

Code:

dmesg | grep firmware

and it produced no output. The wireless adapter is still not picking up any networks.

**waterhead** · 10-09-2009

After installing new firmware, you would need to reboot. But the fact that it gave no output, means that your system is not looking for or using any firmware.

Odd.

**MisterX** · 10-09-2009

I did a reboot right after I installed the firmware

A new development has arrived...

While checking the output of

Code:

iwconfig

Code:

MisterX@ubuntu:~$ iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

ra0       Ralink STA

I thought of something, I went into Wicd -> Preferences, and changed the wireless interface from wlan0 to ra0, and the networks were detected immediately, I am actually typing this from ubuntu(finally!)...now to see if the connection holds longer than 5-10 minutes...

ifconfig

Code:

eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:19:21:32:f3:04  
          UP BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)
          Interrupt:20 Base address:0xec00 

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:4 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:4 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:240 (240.0 B)  TX bytes:240 (240.0 B)

ra0       Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:1e:e5:e6:0e:e4  
          inet addr:192.168.1.100  Bcast:192.168.1.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::21e:e5ff:fee6:ee4/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:3835 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:519 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:648252 (648.2 KB)  TX bytes:89029 (89.0 KB)

iwconfig

Code:

ra0       Ralink STA  ESSID:"linksys"  Nickname:"RT2870STA"
          Mode:Managed  Frequency=2.437 GHz  Access Point: 00:0F:66:2C:5C:8A   
          Bit Rate=54 Mb/s   
          RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Link Quality=100/100  Signal level:-66 dBm  Noise level:-81 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

**waterhead** · 10-10-2009

That looks pretty good! Let us know how it works out.

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