Easy question: has anyone been able to get any currently available wifi
USB or PCMCIA adapter to work with a 2004 Toshiba Satellite M35X-S109
laptop (no built-in wifi), using Debian Etch?

Very hard question: if so, how were you able to do it?

I have tried a Netgear MA111 (v1?) USB adapter. I have only been able to
get it to work "out of the box" with OpenBSD (any recent distribution),
and Freespire 1.0.13 (before the switch to an Ubuntu base).

I have also tried a Netgear WG111 (v2) adapter. To date, it won't work
"out of the box" with any of many non-M$ OSes tried.




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Default User (<xyzzyx@sbcglobal.net>) wrote:

> Easy question: has anyone been able to get any currently available
> wifi USB or PCMCIA adapter to work with a 2004 Toshiba Satellite
> M35X-S109 laptop (no built-in wifi), using Debian Etch?
>
> Very hard question: if so, how were you able to do it?
>
> I have tried a Netgear MA111 (v1?) USB adapter. I have only been able
> to get it to work "out of the box" with OpenBSD (any recent
> distribution), and Freespire 1.0.13 (before the switch to an Ubuntu
> base).
>
> I have also tried a Netgear WG111 (v2) adapter. To date, it won't
> work "out of the box" with any of many non-M$ OSes tried.

I think one of them uses a ralink chipset, which means that there is a
driver available, however you need to compile and install it yourself
(e.g. using module-assistant). The netgear wg511t pcmcia card also
works, it uses an atheros chipset and runs with the madwifi driver.
Packages are available in non-free, so you also need to build them
using non-free. If you want to buy Netgear adapters, take a close look
at the product name. An additional letter or number can mean that is
uses a completely different chipset.

regards
Andreas Janssen

--
Andreas Janssen <andreas.janssen@bigfoot.com>
PGP-Key-ID: 0xDC801674 ICQ #17079270
Registered Linux User #267976
http://www.andreas-janssen.de/debian-tipps-sarge.html


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On Sat, 2007-04-28 at 23:24 +0200, Andreas Janssen wrote:
> Default User (<xyzzyx@sbcglobal.net>) wrote:
>
> > Easy question: has anyone been able to get any currently available
> > wifi USB or PCMCIA adapter to work with a 2004 Toshiba Satellite
> > M35X-S109 laptop (no built-in wifi), using Debian Etch?
> >
> > Very hard question: if so, how were you able to do it?
> >
> > I have tried a Netgear MA111 (v1?) USB adapter. I have only been able
> > to get it to work "out of the box" with OpenBSD (any recent
> > distribution), and Freespire 1.0.13 (before the switch to an Ubuntu
> > base).
> >
> > I have also tried a Netgear WG111 (v2) adapter. To date, it won't
> > work "out of the box" with any of many non-M$ OSes tried.
>
> I think one of them uses a ralink chipset, which means that there is a
> driver available, however you need to compile and install it yourself
> (e.g. using module-assistant). The netgear wg511t pcmcia card also
> works, it uses an atheros chipset and runs with the madwifi driver.
> Packages are available in non-free, so you also need to build them
> using non-free. If you want to buy Netgear adapters, take a close look
> at the product name. An additional letter or number can mean that is
> uses a completely different chipset.
>
> regards
> Andreas Janssen
>
> --
> Andreas Janssen <andreas.janssen@bigfoot.com>
> PGP-Key-ID: 0xDC801674 ICQ #17079270
> Registered Linux User #267976
> http://www.andreas-janssen.de/debian-tipps-sarge.html
>
>

FWIW, the MA111 says FCC ID: PY3MA111 on the side, and the WG111 says
PY3WG111V2 on the side. I do not know how to determine the chipset
inside either. I am not married to Netgear, I just happen to have those
two adapters (purchased new). I am not familiar with moduel-assistant,
or adding or subtracting kernel modules. Nor have I ever "built" a
package, or compiled a driver. I have never rebuilt a kernel. I would
much rather just buy a new adapter, if it would JUST WORK, without any
fuss. If I could only find one.



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Default User (<xyzzyx@sbcglobal.net>) wrote:
> On Sat, 2007-04-28 at 23:24 +0200, Andreas Janssen wrote:
>> Default User (<xyzzyx@sbcglobal.net>) wrote:
>>
>> I think one of them uses a ralink chipset, which means that there is
>> a driver available, however you need to compile and install it
>> yourself (e.g. using module-assistant). The netgear wg511t pcmcia
>> card also works, it uses an atheros chipset and runs with the madwifi
>> driver. Packages are available in non-free, so you also need to build
>> them using non-free. If you want to buy Netgear adapters, take a
>> close look at the product name. An additional letter or number can
>> mean that is uses a completely different chipset.
>
>
> FWIW, the MA111 says FCC ID: PY3MA111 on the side, and the WG111 says
> PY3WG111V2 on the side. I do not know how to determine the chipset
> inside either. I am not married to Netgear, I just happen to have
> those
> two adapters (purchased new). I am not familiar with
> moduel-assistant, or adding or subtracting kernel modules. Nor have I
> ever "built" a package, or compiled a driver. I have never rebuilt a
> kernel. I would much rather just buy a new adapter, if it would JUST
> WORK, without any fuss. If I could only find one.

Maybe lsusb knows. As for module-assistant, usually it is sufficcient to

- replace "main" with "main contrib non-free" in your sources.list and
run apt-get update
- install module-assistant
- run module-assistant prepare
- run module-assistant auto-install $driver-source
- load the driver manually or reboot

regards
Andreas Janssen

--
Andreas Janssen <andreas.janssen@bigfoot.com>
PGP-Key-ID: 0xDC801674 ICQ #17079270
Registered Linux User #267976
http://www.andreas-janssen.de/debian-tipps-sarge.html


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On Sat, 28 Apr 2007 23:24:35 +0200
Andreas Janssen <andreas.janssen@bigfoot.com> wrote:

> Default User (<xyzzyx@sbcglobal.net>) wrote:
>
> > Easy question: has anyone been able to get any currently available
> > wifi USB or PCMCIA adapter to work with a 2004 Toshiba Satellite
> > M35X-S109 laptop (no built-in wifi), using Debian Etch?
> >
> > Very hard question: if so, how were you able to do it?
> >
> > I have tried a Netgear MA111 (v1?) USB adapter. I have only been able
> > to get it to work "out of the box" with OpenBSD (any recent
> > distribution), and Freespire 1.0.13 (before the switch to an Ubuntu
> > base).
> >
> > I have also tried a Netgear WG111 (v2) adapter. To date, it won't
> > work "out of the box" with any of many non-M$ OSes tried.
>
> I think one of them uses a ralink chipset, which means that there is a
> driver available, however you need to compile and install it yourself
> (e.g. using module-assistant). The netgear wg511t pcmcia card also
> works, it uses an atheros chipset and runs with the madwifi driver.
> Packages are available in non-free, so you also need to build them
> using non-free. If you want to buy Netgear adapters, take a close look
> at the product name. An additional letter or number can mean that is
> uses a completely different chipset.
>

if its an ralink chipset than the following package may be the start (gets you
the source)
rt2x00-source
you would still need to compile it

zydass has a module in the kernel, I don't know if it's compiled by default on
debian kernels though (zd1211 I think). You will need izd1211-firmware
package for the firmware, possibly zd1211-source if the sources are not compiled

It says that it supports:

3COM 3CRUSB10075 6891:a727
AOpen 802.11g WL54 07b8:6001
iNexQ UR055g 1435:0711
Sitecom WL-113 0df6:9071
Telegent TG54USB 129b:1666
TwinMOS G240 126F:a006
Yakumo QuickWLAN 0b3b:1630
Airlink+ AWLL3025 0ace:1211
Zyxel ZyAIR G-220 0586:3401
X-Micro XWL-11GUZX 0ace:1211
Edimax EW-7317UG 0ace:1211
Safecom SWLU-5400 07b8:6001
Longshine LCS-8131G 07b8:6001
Planet WL-U356 0ace:1211
Sweex wireless 54MB 5173:1809
Acer WLAN-G-US1 0ace:1211
Trendnet TEW-424UB 0ace:1211
DrayTek Vigor 550 0675:0550
Asus WL-159g 0b05:170c
Trust NW-3100

I have a ralink rt73 based dongle by level one but this one gives quite a bit
of trouble about which driver it will accept (rt2x00 doesn't work, the legacy
rt73 does, but only the new versions)

> regards
> Andreas Janssen
>


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Default User(xyzzyx@sbcglobal.net) is reported to have said:
> On Sat, 2007-04-28 at 23:24 +0200, Andreas Janssen wrote:
> > Default User (<xyzzyx@sbcglobal.net>) wrote:
> >
> > > Easy question: has anyone been able to get any currently available
> > > wifi USB or PCMCIA adapter to work with a 2004 Toshiba Satellite
> > > M35X-S109 laptop (no built-in wifi), using Debian Etch?
> > >
> > > Very hard question: if so, how were you able to do it?
> > >
> > > I have tried a Netgear MA111 (v1?) USB adapter. I have only been able
> > > to get it to work "out of the box" with OpenBSD (any recent
> > > distribution), and Freespire 1.0.13 (before the switch to an Ubuntu
> > > base).
>
<--<snip>-->

> FWIW, the MA111 says FCC ID: PY3MA111 on the side, and the WG111 says
> PY3WG111V2 on the side. I do not know how to determine the chipset
> inside either. I am not married to Netgear, I just happen to have those
> two adapters (purchased new). I am not familiar with moduel-assistant,
> or adding or subtracting kernel modules. Nor have I ever "built" a
> package, or compiled a driver. I have never rebuilt a kernel. I would
> much rather just buy a new adapter, if it would JUST WORK, without any
> fuss. If I could only find one.

To find out which chipset your dongles use, try Googleing with
" linux WG111". You should have the chipset in the 1st or 2nd page.


Take a look at <http://madwifi.org> . Look for the Comaptability
page. It shows all of the Atheros cards that work with the madwifi
drivers. I have had very good results with the Netgear WG511U V2
PCMCIA cards. Very easy to setup and operate in a lot of different
modes.

The latest madwifi packages in testing (0.9.3-1) are working here on 3
Thinkpads and 2 desktops.

I have 2 USB dongles that use the rt2x00 drivers but they only partially
work. It took me less then an hour to get the WG511U's running as in
AP, Ad-Hoc and Managed modes. They are realy good in wardriving as
well with kismet.

:-) HTH, YMMV, HAND :-)
Wayne

--
Real programmers don't bring brown-bag
lunches. If the vending machine doesn't sell it, they don't eat it.
Vending machines don't sell quiche.
__________________________________________________ _____


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On Sun, 2007-04-29 at 00:14 +0200, Andreas Janssen wrote:
> Default User (<xyzzyx@sbcglobal.net>) wrote:
> > On Sat, 2007-04-28 at 23:24 +0200, Andreas Janssen wrote:
> >> Default User (<xyzzyx@sbcglobal.net>) wrote:
> >>
> >> I think one of them uses a ralink chipset, which means that there is
> >> a driver available, however you need to compile and install it
> >> yourself (e.g. using module-assistant). The netgear wg511t pcmcia
> >> card also works, it uses an atheros chipset and runs with the madwifi
> >> driver. Packages are available in non-free, so you also need to build
> >> them using non-free. If you want to buy Netgear adapters, take a
> >> close look at the product name. An additional letter or number can
> >> mean that is uses a completely different chipset.
> >
> >
> > FWIW, the MA111 says FCC ID: PY3MA111 on the side, and the WG111 says
> > PY3WG111V2 on the side. I do not know how to determine the chipset
> > inside either. I am not married to Netgear, I just happen to have
> > those
> > two adapters (purchased new). I am not familiar with
> > moduel-assistant, or adding or subtracting kernel modules. Nor have I
> > ever "built" a package, or compiled a driver. I have never rebuilt a
> > kernel. I would much rather just buy a new adapter, if it would JUST
> > WORK, without any fuss. If I could only find one.
>
> Maybe lsusb knows. As for module-assistant, usually it is sufficcient to
>
> - replace "main" with "main contrib non-free" in your sources.list and
> run apt-get update
> - install module-assistant
> - run module-assistant prepare
> - run module-assistant auto-install $driver-source
> - load the driver manually or reboot
>
> regards
> Andreas Janssen
>
> --
> Andreas Janssen <andreas.janssen@bigfoot.com>
> PGP-Key-ID: 0xDC801674 ICQ #17079270
> Registered Linux User #267976
> http://www.andreas-janssen.de/debian-tipps-sarge.html
>
>

The output of sudo lsusb is:

Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0846:4110 NetGear, Inc. MA111 WiFi (v1)
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0846:4240 NetGear, Inc. WG111 WiFi (v2)
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 058f:9254 Alcor Micro Corp. Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

There they are, but it doesn't seem to say what chipset they have. And
as for:

"module-assistant auto-install $driver-source",
what would "$driver-source" be, and where?

I did take to heart, from man module-assistant:
"NOTE: don’t even think about using some random kernel-source-x.y.z
package contents (or linux-x.y.z tarball from the Internet) to specify
the kernel source for your currently running kernel. Don’t! Those source
is not exactly what have been used to build the running kernel and its
configuration most likely does not match yours."

I think that just refers to the kernel source code, not to module source
code to be added. I think . . .




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On Sat, 2007-04-28 at 22:36 -0400, Wayne Topa wrote:
> Default User(xyzzyx@sbcglobal.net) is reported to have said:
> > On Sat, 2007-04-28 at 23:24 +0200, Andreas Janssen wrote:
> > > Default User (<xyzzyx@sbcglobal.net>) wrote:
> > >
> > > > Easy question: has anyone been able to get any currently available
> > > > wifi USB or PCMCIA adapter to work with a 2004 Toshiba Satellite
> > > > M35X-S109 laptop (no built-in wifi), using Debian Etch?
> > > >
> > > > Very hard question: if so, how were you able to do it?
> > > >
> > > > I have tried a Netgear MA111 (v1?) USB adapter. I have only been able
> > > > to get it to work "out of the box" with OpenBSD (any recent
> > > > distribution), and Freespire 1.0.13 (before the switch to an Ubuntu
> > > > base).
> >
> <--<snip>-->
>
> > FWIW, the MA111 says FCC ID: PY3MA111 on the side, and the WG111 says
> > PY3WG111V2 on the side. I do not know how to determine the chipset
> > inside either. I am not married to Netgear, I just happen to have those
> > two adapters (purchased new). I am not familiar with moduel-assistant,
> > or adding or subtracting kernel modules. Nor have I ever "built" a
> > package, or compiled a driver. I have never rebuilt a kernel. I would
> > much rather just buy a new adapter, if it would JUST WORK, without any
> > fuss. If I could only find one.
>
> To find out which chipset your dongles use, try Googleing with
> " linux WG111". You should have the chipset in the 1st or 2nd page.
>
>
> Take a look at <http://madwifi.org> . Look for the Comaptability
> page. It shows all of the Atheros cards that work with the madwifi
> drivers. I have had very good results with the Netgear WG511U V2
> PCMCIA cards. Very easy to setup and operate in a lot of different
> modes.
>
> The latest madwifi packages in testing (0.9.3-1) are working here on 3
> Thinkpads and 2 desktops.
>
> I have 2 USB dongles that use the rt2x00 drivers but they only partially
> work. It took me less then an hour to get the WG511U's running as in
> AP, Ad-Hoc and Managed modes. They are realy good in wardriving as
> well with kismet.
>
> :-) HTH, YMMV, HAND :-)
> Wayne
>
> --
> Real programmers don't bring brown-bag
> lunches. If the vending machine doesn't sell it, they don't eat it.
> Vending machines don't sell quiche.
> __________________________________________________ _____
>
>

About the Netgear WG111, the madwifi site says:
"Rev 02 has a TI chip, and is not compatible (Device Information :
104c:9066, Work with ndiswrapper)."

The site does not seem to mention the MA111.

I did install ndiswrapper-common, but when I run sudo ndiswrapper, i
get:
"Error: no versions of ndiswrapper found!"

man ndiswrapper only says:
"ndiswrapper is a wrapper for the version-specific ndiswrapper-X.X
programs (where -X.X is ndiswrapper is a wrapper for the
version-specific ndiswrapper-X.X programs (where -X.X is the version
number of the utils; ie, ndiswrapper-1.8). It simply figures out which
version should be called, and calls the appropriate binary. Each
version’s man page contains its usage details."

Well gee, that sure explains it all . . .



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