SWLC-54108 cardbus wireless adaptor, Solved hopefully

lmcogs · Guru Joined: 03 Apr 2005 Posts: 340

Hi

I am trying to follow instruction in this links http://www.david-web.co.uk/blog/?p=123 about installing drivers for a Safecom wireless lan cardbus card SWLC-54108. I says to put some firmware files into 'wherever hotplug keeps it's firmware' in his case 'Kubuntu' it was /lib/hotplug/firmware.

I can't find this folder. I am running kernel 2.6.13. Can you tell me where this folder is in gentoo? Or maybe give me instructions as how to get this card going.

lmcogs

bLaXe · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:51 pm Post subject:

For my wireless card, using the ipw2200 driver, the firmware appears to be in the /lib/firmware directory.

The acx100 driver is in portage. Are you using this ebuild?

lmcogs · Guru Joined: 03 Apr 2005 Posts: 340

Hi blaXe

Thanks for reply. Not sure which worked but I get the following below. I created /lib/firmware and cp the files which David-Web blog (above links) suggested. The red light is on the pcmcia card. So I need to set up network. Any ideas how to do this?

PCI: Enabling device 0000:02:00.0 (0000 -> 0002)
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:02:00.0[A] -> Link [LNKC] -> GSI 5 (level, low) -> IRQ
5
PCI: Setting latency timer of device 0000:02:00.0 to 64
acx: found ACX111-based wireless network card at 0000:02:00.0, irq:5, phymem1:0x
2E020000, phymem2:0x2E000000, mem1:0xecd58000, mem1_size:8192, mem2:0xece80000,
mem2_size:131072
initial debug setting is 0x000A
using IRQ 5
acx: no firmware image was provided. Check your hotplug scripts
acx: no firmware image was provided. Check your hotplug scripts
acx: reset_dev() FAILED
ACPI: PCI interrupt for device 0000:02:00.0 disabled
acx_pci: probe of 0000:02:00.0 failed with error -5
PCI: Enabling device 0000:02:00.0 (0000 -> 0002)
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:02:00.0[A] -> Link [LNKC] -> GSI 5 (level, low) -> IRQ
5
PCI: Setting latency timer of device 0000:02:00.0 to 64
acx: found ACX111-based wireless network card at 0000:02:00.0, irq:5, phymem1:0x
2E020000, phymem2:0x2E000000, mem1:0xecd58000, mem1_size:8192, mem2:0xece80000,
mem2_size:131072
initial debug setting is 0x000A
using IRQ 5
not using auto increment for firmware loading
acx_write_fw (main/combined):0
acx_validate_fw (main/combined):0
acx: net device wlan0, driver compiled against wireless extensions 18 and Linux
2.6.13-gentoo-r5
initializing max packet templates
set up acx111 queue memory configuration (queue configs + descriptors)
dump queue head (from card):
len: 24
tx_memory_block_address: 19560
rx_memory_block_address: 14360
rx1_queue address: 12754
tx1_queue address: 12DD4
get_mask 0x00004182, set_mask 0x00000000
don't know how to get sensitivity for radio type 0x16
got sensitivity value 0
got antenna value 0x4A
got regulatory domain 0x30
get_mask 0x00000000, set_mask 0x00000000 - after update
new ratevector: 82 84 0B 0C 12 16 18 24 2C 30 48 60 6C
max lock hold time 846136 CPU ticks from helper.c:3092 to helper.c:3255
setting RXconfig to 2000:0000
acx: form factor 0x01 ((mini-)PCI / CardBus), radio type 0x16 (Radia), EEPROM ve rsion 0x05, uploaded firmware 'Rev 1.2.1.34' (0x03010101)
creating /proc entry driver/acx_wlan0
creating /proc entry driver/acx_wlan0_diag
creating /proc entry driver/acx_wlan0_eeprom
creating /proc entry driver/acx_wlan0_phy
acx_pci module v0.2.4 loaded successfully
lmcogs

bLaXe · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 7:49 pm Post subject:

There is an excellent chapter on wireless networking in networking guide that UberLord has written. I found it very useful when configuring my wireless card.

Alternatively, there is a wireless configuration howto on gentoo-wiki.com.

That should get you started...

lmcogs · Guru Joined: 03 Apr 2005 Posts: 340

Hi bLaXe

Thanks I am reading both the sites you gave me but I am kind of stuck. First of I am not sure if wpa_supplicant supports this driver or do I go for wireless tools. I think I need a little bit more information, with more explanation. I have tried the wpa_supplicant method and got as far a wpa_supplicant.con but I don't know what to put in it. Then I also don't know what to do after that.

lmcogs

bLaXe · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 10:37 pm Post subject:

It does not appear that wpa_supplicant supports the acx100 driver (shame), so it looks like you will need to use the 'wireless-tools' method.

You will need to know some information about the access point you want to connect to:
The ESSID - usually a short string, eg "3com-wifi"
The WEP key that the access point is using (if you are using WEP). (If want to connect to an access point using WPA you will need to use wpa_supplicant. You might be able to get your card to work using ndiswrapper/wpa_supplicant.)

Make sure you have wireless-tools installed

lmcogs · Guru Joined: 03 Apr 2005 Posts: 340

Hi bLaXe

I am really torturing you but all the information is so confusing. Here's the latest

When I plug in the cardbus

Dmesg gives
acx100: It looks like you've been coaxed into buying a wireless network card
acx100: that uses the mysterious ACX100/ACX111 chip from Texas Instruments.
acx100: You should better have bought e.g. a PRISM(R) chipset based card,
acx100: since that would mean REAL vendor Linux support.
acx100: Given this info, it's evident that this driver is still EXPERIMENTAL,
acx100: thus your mileage may vary. Reading README file and/or Craig's HOWTO is
recommended, visit http://acx100.sf.net in case of further questions/discussion.
acx100: Warning: compiled to use 16bit I/O access only (compatibility mode). Set
Makefile ACX_IO_WIDTH=32 to use slightly problematic 32bit mode
Running on a little-endian CPU
acx_init_module: dev_info is: TI acx_pci
acx_init_module: TI acx_pci.o: Ver 0.2.0pre8 driver initialized, waiting for car
ds to probe...
PCI: Enabling device 0000:02:00.0 (0000 -> 0002)
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:02:00.0[A] -> Link [LNKC] -> GSI 5 (level, low) -> IRQ
5
PCI: Setting latency timer of device 0000:02:00.0 to 64
acx_probe_pci: WARNING: ACX111 support is quite experimental!
Found ACX111-based wireless network card at 0000:02:00.0, irq:5, phymem1:0x2e020
000, phymem2:0x2e000000, mem1:0xeccf8000, mem1_size:8192, mem2:0xecdc0000, mem2_
size:131072
initial debug setting is 0x001b
acx_select_io_register_set: using ACX111 io resource addresses (size: 56)
hw_unavailable = 1
acx_probe_pci: TI acx_pci: Using IRQ 5
reset hw_unavailable++
acx_reset_mac: enable soft reset...
acx_reset_mac: disable soft reset and go to init mode...
Requesting firmware image 'TIACX111.BIN'
not using auto increment for firmware loading
input: PC Speaker
acx_write_fw: firmware written
acx_write_fw (firmware): 0, acx_validate_fw: 0
acx_reset_dev: boot up eCPU and wait for complete...
Floppy drive(s): fd0 is 1.44M
FDC 0 is a National Semiconductor PC87306
acx_reset_dev: Received signal that card is ready to be configured

(the eCPU
has woken up)
acx_reset_dev: Clean up cmd mailbox access area
reset hw_unavailable--
acx100: allocated net device wlan0, driver compiled against wireless extensions
v18 and Linux 2.6.13-gentoo-r5
******************************************
************* acx_init_mac_1 *************
******************************************
==> Get the mailbox pointers from the scratch pad registers
CmdMailboxOffset = 1dd00
InfoMailboxOffset = 1de88
<== Get the mailbox pointers from the scratch pad registers
CommandParameters = [ 0xecdddd04 ]
InfoParameters = [ 0xecddde8c ]
Requesting firmware image 'RADIO16.BIN'
No firmware image was provided. Check your hotplug scripts
Reading firmware image '/lib/firmware/RADIO16.BIN'
ERROR 2 trying to open firmware image file 'RADIO16.BIN': file not found - make
sure this EXACT filename is in eXaCtLy this directory!
WARNING: no suitable radio module (RADIO16.BIN) found to load. No problem in cas
e of a combined firmware, FATAL when using a separated firmware (base firmware /
radio image).
acx111_init_packet_templates: Init max packet templates
acx111_create_dma_regions: set up acx111 queue memory configuration (queue confi
gs + descriptors)
dump queue head (from card):
len: 24
tx_memory_block_address: 187E0
rx_memory_block_address: 11EE0
rx1_queue address: 102D4
tx1_queue address: 10954
get_mask 0x00004182, set_mask 0x00000000
Don't know how to get sensitivity for radio type 0x16, please try to add that!
Got sensitivity value 0
Got antenna value 0x4A
Got regulatory domain 0x30
get_mask 0x00000000, set_mask 0x00000000 - after update
new ratevector: 82 84 0b 0c 12 16 18 24 2c 30 48 60 6c
setting RXconfig to 2000:0000
Beacon length:69
hw_unavailable--
acx100: form factor 0x01 ((mini-)PCI / CardBus), radio type 0x16 (Radia), EEPROM
version 0x05. Uploaded firmware 'Rev 1.2.1.34' (0x03010101).
creating /proc entry driver/acx_wlan0
creating /proc entry driver/acx_wlan0_diag
creating /proc entry driver/acx_wlan0_eeprom
creating /proc entry driver/acx_wlan0_phy
acx_probe_pci: TI acx_pci.o: Ver 0.2.0pre8 loaded successfully

iwconfig gives

lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

eth1 no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11b+/g+ ESSID:"STAFC7609" Nickname:"acx100 v0.2.0pre8"
Mode:Auto Channel:1 Access Point: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Bit Rate=54 Mb/s Tx-Power=15 dBm Sensitivity=1/3
Retry min limit:7 RTS thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

iwlist wlan0 scan
wlan0 Interface doesn't support scanning : Resource temporarily unavailable

My /etc/conf.d/net file is

modules=("iwconfig")
key_ESSID="s:SWART2-54125 key enc open"
channel_wlan0="11"
config_ESSID=("dhcp")
dhcp_ESSID="nodns"

Lastly here's the relevant loaded modules
lsmod
acx_pci 152324 0
firmware_class 11904 1 acx_pci

However, there are no lights on the card, nothing seems to be happering. I wonder what the iwlist output means and I am not at all sure about the network setup. The info is pretty confusing. I also am wondering if there is some kind of mix up since I was dabbling with ndiswrapper before with the driver from Safecom and also the acx1000 ebuild which can be emerged from Gentoo.

The one that concerns the output above is following http://www.david-web.co.uk/blog/?p=123 who has said that he got this card going. However no replies from that site.

lmcogs

bLaXe · Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 6:53 pm Post subject:

Looking at the first few lines of the dmesg output you posted it seems that acx100 driver is not one of the best (being called 'experimental' doesn't fill me with confidence). You might have more success using ndiswrapper.

However,
I can see from the output of 'iwconfig' that you posted that the ESSID of your local access point is "STAFC7609".
In your /etc/conf.d/net file you appear to have misunderstood how to specify the configuration.

This line

lmcogs · Guru Joined: 03 Apr 2005 Posts: 340

Hi bLaXe

Skip that last bit re net file, I really didn't know what it's all about. Having read a little bit more I seem to understand about the essid, key etc. The router doesn't have a key at the moment and the SSID according to the status of the router at present is SWART2-54125 so this is the /etc/conf.d/net file now.

modules=( "!iwconfig" )
SWART2-54125_wlan0="any"
mode_wlan0="managed"
channel_wlan0="11"

Is this any better? Also how do I start it now, I don't have /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 file.

lmcogs

bLaXe · Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 10:03 pm Post subject:

lmcogs · Guru Joined: 03 Apr 2005 Posts: 340

Hi bLaXe

Near but yet so far.
I deleted all drivers from previous trials, tried ndiswrapper but that froze the system. I then followed the thread in https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-202476-highlight-chaosite.html for loading the drivers and firmware, which went very well without problems ( one thing the site warned was about the SMP locking with this driver and to turn it off. Don't know what this is).

Then I did as you said. The card red light is on but can't get the access point.

Here latest

# /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 start
* Caching service dependencies ...
/etc/conf.d/net: line 8: SWART2-54125=any: command not found
/etc/conf.d/net: line 8: SWART2-54125=any: command not found
/etc/conf.d/net: line 8: SWART2-54125=any: command not found [ ok ]
/etc/conf.d/net: line 8: SWART2-54125=any: command not found
* Starting wlan0
* Configuring wireless network for wlan0
* no access points found
* Couldn't find any access points on wlan0
* Failed to configure wireless for wlan0 [ !! ]
laptop acx100 # iwlist wlan0 scan
wlan0 Scan completed :
Cell 01 - Address: 00:30:54:41:28:AA
ESSID:"SWART2-54125"
Protocol:IEEE 802.11b
Mode:Managed
Frequency:2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
Quality:0/100 Signal level:-29 dBm Noise level:-256 dBm
Encryption key:off
Bit Rate:1 Mb/s
Bit Rate:2 Mb/s
Bit Rate:5.5 Mb/s
Bit Rate:11 Mb/s
Bit Rate:22 Mb/s
Bit Rate:6 Mb/s
Bit Rate:9 Mb/s
Bit Rate:12 Mb/s
Bit Rate:18 Mb/s
Bit Rate:24 Mb/s
Bit Rate:36 Mb/s
Bit Rate:48 Mb/s
Bit Rate:54 Mb/s
Extra:bcn_int=200
Extra:atim=0
(Unknown Wireless Token 0x8C05)

laptop acx100 # iwconfig wlan0
wlan0 IEEE 802.11g ESSID:off/any
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Bit Rate:54 Mb/s Tx-Power:10 dBm Sensitivity=0/3
RTS thr:4096 B Fragment thr:4096 B
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality:100 Signal level:0 Noise level:0
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

/etc/conf.d/net

modules=( "iwconfig" )
SWART2-54125="any" (I see this is wrong, will change it!)
mode_wlan0="managed"
channel_wlan0="11"
preferred_aps=("SWART2-54125")

Wonder has this anything to do with it?

cardctl status
no pcmcia driver in /proc/devices

lmcogs

bLaXe · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 2:29 pm Post subject:

First, I just had a look at the ACX100/ACX111 website and it has you card listed as working on the '0.2.0pre8pf40' version of the driver. This can only be a good thing

Second, 'SMP' stands for Symmetric Multi-Processing. You only need this if you are running a multi processor system. You can disable this in the kernel.

lmcogs · Guru Joined: 03 Apr 2005 Posts: 340

Hi bLaXe

I think I have had enough for now anyway. I tried the 2.6.14 kernel but the driver wouldn't compile and I got errors emerging acx100. Went back to 2.6.13 and I emerged acx100 with use flag "pcmcia" and that went ok, loaded the modules. This is what I got running dmesg

laptop ~ # dmesg | grep acx
acx100: It looks like you've been coaxed into buying a wireless network card
acx100: that uses the mysterious ACX100/ACX111 chip from Texas Instruments.
acx100: You should better have bought e.g. a PRISM(R) chipset based card,
acx100: since that would mean REAL vendor Linux support.
acx100: Given this info, it's evident that this driver is still EXPERIMENTAL,
acx100: thus your mileage may vary. Reading README file and/or Craig's HOWTO is
recommended, visit http://acx100.sf.net in case of further questions/discussion.
acx100: Warning: compiled to use 16bit I/O access only (compatibility mode). Set Makefile ACX_IO_WIDTH=32 to use slightly problematic 32bit mode
acx_init_module: dev_info is: TI acx_pci
acx_init_module: TI acx_pci.o: Ver 0.2.0pre8 driver initialized, waiting for cards to probe...
acx_probe_pci: WARNING: ACX111 support is quite experimental!
acx_select_io_register_set: using ACX111 io resource addresses (size: 56)
acx_probe_pci: TI acx_pci: Using IRQ 5
acx_reset_mac: enable soft reset...
acx_reset_mac: disable soft reset and go to init mode...
acx_write_fw: firmware written
acx_write_fw (firmware): 0, acx_validate_fw: 0
acx_reset_dev: boot up eCPU and wait for complete...
acx_reset_dev: Received signal that card is ready to be configured

(the eCPU has woken up)
acx_reset_dev: Clean up cmd mailbox access area
acx100: allocated net device wlan0, driver compiled against wireless extensions v18 and Linux 2.6.13-gentoo-r5
************* acx_init_mac_1 *************
acx111_init_packet_templates: Init max packet templates
acx111_create_dma_regions: set up acx111 queue memory configuration (queue configs + descriptors)
acx100: form factor 0x01 ((mini-)PCI / CardBus), radio type 0x16 (Radia), EEPROM version 0x05. Uploaded firmware 'Rev 0.1.0.11' (0x03010101).
creating /proc entry driver/acx_wlan0
creating /proc entry driver/acx_wlan0_diag
creating /proc entry driver/acx_wlan0_eeprom
creating /proc entry driver/acx_wlan0_phy
acx_probe_pci: TI acx_pci.o: Ver 0.2.0pre8 loaded successfully
acx_cmd_join_bssid rates_basic 0003, rates_supported 1fff
<acx_cmd_join_bssid> BSS_Type = 255
<acx_cmd_join_bssid> JoinBSSID MAC:00:00:00:00:00:00
acx_set_status: Setting status = 0 (STOPPED)
acx_set_status: Setting status = 1 (SCANNING)
<acx_set_timer> Elapse = 2500000
acx_complete_dot11_scan: no matching station found in range yet
acx_set_status: Setting status = 1 (SCANNING)
<acx_set_timer> Elapse = 2500000
acx_cmd_join_bssid rates_basic 0027, rates_supported 1fff
<acx_cmd_join_bssid> BSS_Type = 255
<acx_cmd_join_bssid> JoinBSSID MAC:00:00:00:00:00:00
acx_set_status: Setting status = 0 (STOPPED)
acx_set_status: Setting status = 0 (STOPPED)
acx_cmd_join_bssid rates_basic 0027, rates_supported 1fff
<acx_cmd_join_bssid> BSS_Type = 255
<acx_cmd_join_bssid> JoinBSSID MAC:00:00:00:00:00:00
acx_set_status: Setting status = 0 (STOPPED)
acx_set_status: Setting status = 0 (STOPPED)

And this
dmesg |grep ACX

acx100: that uses the mysterious ACX100/ACX111 chip from Texas Instruments.
acx100: Warning: compiled to use 16bit I/O access only (compatibility mode). Set Makefile ACX_IO_WIDTH=32 to use slightly problematic 32bit mode
acx_probe_pci: WARNING: ACX111 support is quite experimental!
Found ACX111-based wireless network card at 0000:02:00.0, irq:5, phymem1:0x30020000, phymem2:0x30000000, mem1:0xecda8000, mem1_size:8192, mem2:0xece80000, mem2_size:131072
acx_select_io_register_set: using ACX111 io resource addresses (size: 56)
Requesting firmware image 'TIACX111.BIN'
ACX100 f/w ver >= 1.9.3.e or ACX111 --> using s/w timer
ACX111 doesn't support ED!
ACX111 doesn't support CCA!
ACX100 f/w ver >= 1.9.3.e or ACX111 --> using s/w timer
ACX111 doesn't support ED!
ACX111 doesn't support CCA!

And this

iwconfig wlan0 essid SWART2-54125 channel 11 mode managed

laptop ~ # iwconfig wlan0
wlan0 IEEE 802.11b+/g+ ESSID:"SWART2-54125" Nickname:"acx100 v0.2.0pre8"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.462 GHz Access Point: 00:00:00:00:00:00
Bit Rate:54 Mb/s Tx-Power=15 dBm Sensitivity=1/3
Retry min limit:7 RTS thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

And finally I tried

iwlist wlan0 scan
wlan0 Interface doesn't support scanning : Resource temporarily unavailable

So I still can't get the access point and as far as I can see there are alot of warning messages and experimental statements.

Thanks for all your help. I might try again some other time, maybe try another distro.

lmcogs

lmcogs · Guru Joined: 03 Apr 2005 Posts: 340

Hi blaxe et all

I am back again, just to say I have got some success with the acx111 driver with this card. I followed this http://www.david-web.co.uk/blog/?p=123, installing the driver and firmware as david mentions. First removed all old drivers. I put the firmware in /lib/firmware/ and /usr/lib/hotplug/firmwar/ because I wasn't sure where to put it. Installed the card and ran dmesg which told me the driver loaded successfully.

Then ran the command iwconfig wlan0 essid SWART2-54125 channel 11 mode managed followed by
dhcpcd wlan0 and this did it.

However when I first did the above dhcpcd wlan0 it could not find the Access Point so I booted windows and after while got the card working there. Rebooted gentoo and ran dhcpcd again and low and behold the card is working. I am at the moment emerging a few applications.

Hopefully this will continue.