Belin FD7010 v7

Belin FD7010 v7

[Vadim Peretokin]

Hello,

I own a Belkin FD7010 version 7000 wireless card, and am unsure about
it's state with linux compatibility. It's based on the Realtek 8185
chipset, which I thought was linux-friendly, but alas, it apparently
wasn't - my Ubuntu 7.10 didn't recognize it at all. I looked at the
entry for it in the website:

"RTL8185 based cards. There is an official Realtek driver, which
offers limited functionality and is known to cause serious problems
(including random system crashes). There also is the rtl8180
opensource driver which is supposed to also work with 8185 (and for
some people it does), but there is no solution that works with
majority of (numerous) RTL8185-based cards. Some cards are not
supported by any of them. For more info about driver problems try
searching any major Linux forums."

But that is very ambiguous. Does that mean if anything is being done
to make this card work, do you know?

Re: Belin FD7010 v7

[Pavel Roskin]

On Thu, 2007-11-22 at 15:39 -0500, Vadim Peretokin wrote:

> But that is very ambiguous. Does that mean if anything is being done
> to make this card work, do you know?

The mac80211 driver for rtl8180/rtl8185 appeared in the "everything"
branch of the wireless-2.6 repository just weeks ago.  If you are ready
to recompile the kernel, use this to get the repository:

git-clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/linville/wireless-2.6.git
cd wireless-2.6
git-checkout --track -b everything remotes/origin/everything

Make sure CONFIG_RTL8180 is enabled in .config file.

-- 
Regards,
Pavel Roskin

Re: Belin FD7010 v7

[Vadim Peretokin]

Ahh I'm afraid no, I'm not quite there yet and need my laptop
functional. But I'll let you know then when the next version of Ubuntu
comes about, thank you!

On Nov 22, 2007 8:39 PM, Pavel Roskin <proski@gnu.org> wrote:
> On Thu, 2007-11-22 at 15:39 -0500, Vadim Peretokin wrote:
>
> > But that is very ambiguous. Does that mean if anything is being done
> > to make this card work, do you know?
>
> The mac80211 driver for rtl8180/rtl8185 appeared in the "everything"
> branch of the wireless-2.6 repository just weeks ago.  If you are ready
> to recompile the kernel, use this to get the repository:
>
> git-clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/linville/wireless-2.6.git
> cd wireless-2.6
> git-checkout --track -b everything remotes/origin/everything
>
> Make sure CONFIG_RTL8180 is enabled in .config file.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Pavel Roskin
>
>

Re: Belin FD7010 v7

[Pavel Roskin]

On Thu, 2007-11-22 at 21:04 -0500, Vadim Peretokin wrote:
> Ahh I'm afraid no, I'm not quite there yet and need my laptop
> functional. But I'll let you know then when the next version of Ubuntu
> comes about, thank you!

Actually, there is a compatibility package with the latest wireless
drivers:
http://linuxwireless.org/download/compat-wireless-2.6/compat-wireless-2.6.tar.bz2

It's much easier to compile.  No configuration is required.  Just run
"make" and then "make install" (as root).  Then use "modprobe rtl8180"
to load the driver.  Ubuntu will probably load it automatically after
reboot.  Linux 2.6.22 and newer is supported.  No kernel patching is
needed.  Just make sure to recompile the package when upgrading to the
next kernel.

Even if that doesn't work, it's possible to use ndiswrapper with the
Windows driver, so that you don't have to choose your OS because of
issues with just one driver.

-- 
Regards,
Pavel Roskin

Re: Belin FD7010 v7

[Vadim Peretokin]

That didn't quite work. iwconfig and ifconfig couldn't see the card,
but lswh -C network showed my card. It said "* - network UNCLAIMED",
but it didn't say any logical adresses. I tried a host of adresses
with "sudo ifconfig <adress> up", but nothing would work.

I had a friend help me do some hacks involving telling the driver the
adress of my card, and then iwconfig saw it - but for some reason Wicd
couldn't see it (I'll try again when I get back home and install
Network Manager again.). I have a log of what we did to get it
"working", if it's any help.

And yes, the card does work if you install the net8185.inf driver in
ndiswrapper and then use the -a command to link the card to the
driver. I was just hoping that the card would work out of the box :)

On Nov 22, 2007 9:25 PM, Pavel Roskin <proski@gnu.org> wrote:
>
> On Thu, 2007-11-22 at 21:04 -0500, Vadim Peretokin wrote:
> > Ahh I'm afraid no, I'm not quite there yet and need my laptop
> > functional. But I'll let you know then when the next version of Ubuntu
> > comes about, thank you!
>
> Actually, there is a compatibility package with the latest wireless
> drivers:
> http://linuxwireless.org/download/compat-wireless-2.6/compat-wireless-2.6.tar.bz2
>
> It's much easier to compile.  No configuration is required.  Just run
> "make" and then "make install" (as root).  Then use "modprobe rtl8180"
> to load the driver.  Ubuntu will probably load it automatically after
> reboot.  Linux 2.6.22 and newer is supported.  No kernel patching is
> needed.  Just make sure to recompile the package when upgrading to the
> next kernel.
>
> Even if that doesn't work, it's possible to use ndiswrapper with the
> Windows driver, so that you don't have to choose your OS because of
> issues with just one driver.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Pavel Roskin
>
>

Re: Belin FD7010 v7

[Pavel Roskin]

On Fri, 2007-11-23 at 10:36 -0500, Vadim Peretokin wrote:
> That didn't quite work. iwconfig and ifconfig couldn't see the card,
> but lswh -C network showed my card.

You probably mean lshw.  I've never heard of it, but it looks like a
useful program.

>  It said "* - network UNCLAIMED",
> but it didn't say any logical adresses.

It means there is no driver using the card.  It you load either rtl8180
or ndiswrapper, it won't be unclaimed.

>  I tried a host of adresses
> with "sudo ifconfig <adress> up", but nothing would work.

You need to have a network interface first.  If the driver doesn't
create the interface, then it's not working with your card.  Use dmesg
to see kernel message for possible explanations.

Once you have the interface (let's say it's wlan0), use "ifconfig wlan0
up" to bring it up, "iwlist wlan0 scan" to see access points around you,
iwconfig to configure the wireless parameters, possible wpa_supplicant
for WPA authentication.  Once the driver report association, use
ifconfig or dhclient to configure it.  I'm sure there is more detailed
documentation somewhere.

> I had a friend help me do some hacks involving telling the driver the
> adress of my card, and then iwconfig saw it - but for some reason Wicd
> couldn't see it (I'll try again when I get back home and install
> Network Manager again.). I have a log of what we did to get it
> "working", if it's any help.

wicd is another interesting program I've never heard before.  Perhaps
you should ask in a list for wicd users, just make sure to provide with
sufficient details.

Anyway, wicd should not be required to connect to an AP.

> And yes, the card does work if you install the net8185.inf driver in
> ndiswrapper and then use the -a command to link the card to the
> driver. I was just hoping that the card would work out of the box :)

Well, not everything is working out of box, but we are getting there.

-- 
Regards,
Pavel Roskin

Re: Belin FD7010 v7

[Vadim Peretokin]

Yes, so I believe the problem was that that the rtl8180 driver didn't
see, and claim the card. I believe the command I used to get the
driver to see the card was "sudo echo -n <some adress here>" - I don't
remember it exactly, but if you need it, I can dig it up.

On Nov 23, 2007 11:43 PM, Pavel Roskin <proski@gnu.org> wrote:
> On Fri, 2007-11-23 at 10:36 -0500, Vadim Peretokin wrote:
> > That didn't quite work. iwconfig and ifconfig couldn't see the card,
> > but lswh -C network showed my card.
>
> You probably mean lshw.  I've never heard of it, but it looks like a
> useful program.
>
> >  It said "* - network UNCLAIMED",
> > but it didn't say any logical adresses.
>
> It means there is no driver using the card.  It you load either rtl8180
> or ndiswrapper, it won't be unclaimed.
>
> >  I tried a host of adresses
> > with "sudo ifconfig <adress> up", but nothing would work.
>
> You need to have a network interface first.  If the driver doesn't
> create the interface, then it's not working with your card.  Use dmesg
> to see kernel message for possible explanations.
>
> Once you have the interface (let's say it's wlan0), use "ifconfig wlan0
> up" to bring it up, "iwlist wlan0 scan" to see access points around you,
> iwconfig to configure the wireless parameters, possible wpa_supplicant
> for WPA authentication.  Once the driver report association, use
> ifconfig or dhclient to configure it.  I'm sure there is more detailed
> documentation somewhere.
>
> > I had a friend help me do some hacks involving telling the driver the
> > adress of my card, and then iwconfig saw it - but for some reason Wicd
> > couldn't see it (I'll try again when I get back home and install
> > Network Manager again.). I have a log of what we did to get it
> > "working", if it's any help.
>
> wicd is another interesting program I've never heard before.  Perhaps
> you should ask in a list for wicd users, just make sure to provide with
> sufficient details.
>
> Anyway, wicd should not be required to connect to an AP.
>
> > And yes, the card does work if you install the net8185.inf driver in
> > ndiswrapper and then use the -a command to link the card to the
> > driver. I was just hoping that the card would work out of the box :)
>
> Well, not everything is working out of box, but we are getting there.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Pavel Roskin
>

Re: Belin FD7010 v7

[Pavel Roskin]

Quoting Vadim Peretokin <vperetokin@gmail.com>:

> Yes, so I believe the problem was that that the rtl8180 driver didn't
> see, and claim the card. I believe the command I used to get the
> driver to see the card was "sudo echo -n <some adress here>" - I don't
> remember it exactly, but if you need it, I can dig it up.

I guess it was adding the PCI ID of the card to the driver using the  
"new_id" mechanism.  Yes, that would be useful.  The ID could be added  
to the driver, so that you would never need to do it again.

Please send the output of "lspci -n"

-- 
Regards,
Pavel Roskin

Re: Belin FD7010 v7

[Vadim Peretokin]

Yes! Yes there was a new_id thing that we used echo on.

Here is the output of that command:

vadi@vadi-laptop:~$ lspci -n
00:00.0 0600: 8086:3340 (rev 03)
00:01.0 0604: 8086:3341 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 0c03: 8086:24c2 (rev 01)
00:1d.1 0c03: 8086:24c4 (rev 01)
00:1d.2 0c03: 8086:24c7 (rev 01)
00:1d.7 0c03: 8086:24cd (rev 01)
00:1e.0 0604: 8086:2448 (rev 81)
00:1f.0 0601: 8086:24cc (rev 01)
00:1f.1 0101: 8086:24ca (rev 01)
00:1f.3 0c05: 8086:24c3 (rev 01)
00:1f.5 0401: 8086:24c5 (rev 01)
00:1f.6 0703: 8086:24c6 (rev 01)
01:00.0 0300: 1002:4c57
02:00.0 0607: 104c:ac55 (rev 01)
02:00.1 0607: 104c:ac55 (rev 01)
02:08.0 0200: 8086:103d (rev 81)
03:00.0 0200: 1799:701f (rev 20)


The last one is my card, and the devid is "1799:701f" (I remember I
needed to use that with ndiswrapper).

On Nov 24, 2007 2:33 PM, Pavel Roskin <proski@gnu.org> wrote:
> Quoting Vadim Peretokin <vperetokin@gmail.com>:
>
> > Yes, so I believe the problem was that that the rtl8180 driver didn't
> > see, and claim the card. I believe the command I used to get the
> > driver to see the card was "sudo echo -n <some adress here>" - I don't
> > remember it exactly, but if you need it, I can dig it up.
>
> I guess it was adding the PCI ID of the card to the driver using the
> "new_id" mechanism.  Yes, that would be useful.  The ID could be added
> to the driver, so that you would never need to do it again.
>
> Please send the output of "lspci -n"
>
> --
> Regards,
> Pavel Roskin
>

Re: Belin FD7010 v7

[Pavel Roskin]

On Sat, 2007-11-24 at 15:46 -0500, Vadim Peretokin wrote:
> Yes! Yes there was a new_id thing that we used echo on.
> 
> Here is the output of that command:
> 
> vadi@vadi-laptop:~$ lspci -n
[skip]
> 03:00.0 0200: 1799:701f (rev 20)

I've submitted a patch to add that ID to the driver.  Just for the
record, it's actually Belkin F5D7010 v7.  You lost "k" and "5" in the
subject, check your keyboard :)

-- 
Regards,
Pavel Roskin

Re: Belin FD7010 v7

[Vadim Peretokin]

I noticed, that was horrid typing. My keyboard is okay though hehe.

And thank you, when will I be able to test the driver again then?

On Nov 24, 2007 8:42 PM, Pavel Roskin <proski@gnu.org> wrote:
> On Sat, 2007-11-24 at 15:46 -0500, Vadim Peretokin wrote:
> > Yes! Yes there was a new_id thing that we used echo on.
> >
> > Here is the output of that command:
> >
> > vadi@vadi-laptop:~$ lspci -n
> [skip]
> > 03:00.0 0200: 1799:701f (rev 20)
>
> I've submitted a patch to add that ID to the driver.  Just for the
> record, it's actually Belkin F5D7010 v7.  You lost "k" and "5" in the
> subject, check your keyboard :)
>
> --
> Regards,
> Pavel Roskin
>