Re: RTL8187L: Can only "enable" hw radio switch after Windows boot

[Larry Finger <Larry.Finger@lwfinger.net>]

On 11/23/2010 01:26 PM, Klaas De Craemer wrote:
> 
> This morning I put the transceiver inside. I just connected it to the
> Atom box without antenna and it reported no wireless block:
> 
> [  382.312044] usb 1-3: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 2
> [  382.450722] usb 1-3: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=8187
> [  382.450835] usb 1-3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
> [  382.450939] usb 1-3: Product: RTL8187_Wireless
> [  382.451027] usb 1-3: Manufacturer: Manufacturer_Realtek_RTL8187_
> [  382.451122] usb 1-3: SerialNumber: 00C0CA3F9517
> [  382.451822] usb 1-3: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
> [  382.743060] phy1: Selected rate control algorithm 'minstrel'
> [  382.746490] phy1: hwaddr 00:c0:ca:3f:95:17, RTL8187vB (default) V1
> + rtl8225z2, rfkill mask 2
> [  382.764106] rtl8187: Customer ID is 0xFF
> [  382.764344] Registered led device: rtl8187-phy1::tx
> [  382.764554] Registered led device: rtl8187-phy1::rx
> [  382.765254] rtl8187: wireless switch is on
> [  382.765594] usbcore: registered new interface driver rtl8187
> 
> Then I put it back onto the antenna outside and it connected just fine.
> 
> I'm really confused now. Does this mean that it might be both a hard-
> & software problem? I guess I should also check if it works fine
> "warm" + immediately connecting it to the antenna. If temperature is
> such a problem I might put a heating resistor inside the transceiver
> housing...

I think we do have both a hardware problem in that your device is getting a
false hardware block reading when cold, and that the Linux driver is missing
some operation that compensates for this hardware error.

> The Windows driver is 6.1316.1209.2009 for Windows 7 64bit. It comes
> with a GUI from Alfa Networks that says version 700.1604.108.201.

The only Windows 7 system here belongs to my wife, and any requests to use it
for testing are not well received. In addition, the USB capture code I have only
works on XP. I will try to get that driver, or as close as I can.

A heating element of some sort might be the best bet. As winter comes, the
device might not generate enough heat to keep working. I don't know how cold it
gets where you are located, but if it is 4-5 now, I would expect at least -20 later.

Larry


Larry