So, first build your kernel > 2.6.17) (I used a 2.6.19) with support for the bcm43xx enabled. “Device Driver/Network support/Wireless”. The next step is a little shorter, simply install bcm43xx-fwcutter (via apt-get of course). This will ask you if you want to download the required firmware, and of course you will answer yes.

Now, is time to reboot, and discover the results:

bcm43xx: Chip ID 0x4306, rev 0x3
bcm43xx: Number of cores: 5
bcm43xx: Core 0: ID 0x800, rev 0x4, vendor 0x4243, enabled
bcm43xx: Core 1: ID 0x812, rev 0x5, vendor 0x4243, disabled
bcm43xx: Core 2: ID 0x80d, rev 0x2, vendor 0x4243, enabled
bcm43xx: Core 3: ID 0x807, rev 0x2, vendor 0x4243, disabled
bcm43xx: Core 4: ID 0x804, rev 0x9, vendor 0x4243, enabled
bcm43xx: PHY connected
bcm43xx: Detected PHY: Version: 2, Type 2, Revision 2
bcm43xx: Detected Radio: ID: 2205017f (Manuf: 17f Ver: 2050 Rev: 2)
bcm43xx: PHY connected
bcm43xx: Microcode rev 0x127, pl 0xe (2005-04-18  02:36:27)
bcm43xx: Radio turned on
bcm43xx: Chip initialized
bcm43xx: 30-bit DMA initialized
bcm43xx: Keys cleared
bcm43xx: Selected 802.11 core (phytype 2)

Fine no ? this works really fine right now, but I need to do some extended check before.

Enjoy FakeMobile

A week ago, a friend give me a WG311 (FS version I think). After 1 min, I decide to remove the metal stuff of this PCI card. And, I discover this:

This looks like a Atheros mini-pci no ? Ok, it’s time to unsolder no ?

Take 2 seconds, a good iron and that’s it. You have now, a nice Atheros mini-pci.

The only issue: This card has only one antenna connector, but this don’t really matter in fact, I think.

Bye ..

The quick and dirty way to fix that (it works fine for me.. perhaps others..) :

• Edit iw_ndis.c
• Search for iw_get_scan function
• change this

//if (time_before(jiffies, handle->scan_timestamp + 3 * HZ))
if time_before(jiffies, handle->scan_timestamp)
return -EAGAIN;

This simply drop the 3 sec wait for results.. Now I get search results in 0.25 sec ;) .. Please report if this works for you !

Do you think Cisco will still use "tsunami" as default for ESSID for their wireless products ? I haven’t a aironet card on my desk right now, but believe me, the default ESSID for access point, and wireless card made by Cisco is: tsunami.

Beside, this sound a pretty good name for a wireless product, I really believe it’s the worst to choose now.

If someone as a aironet card, perhaps he can post the default iwconfig result here.

ifconfig ath0 ssid YouSSID mode 11g mediaopt hostap
ifconfig ath0 192.168.2.1 #ip of the AP

# allow forwarding
sysctl -w net.inet.ip.forwarding=1

This is pretty simple no ? In fact, it take me a while to find the mediaopt option.

I decided to sell this fucking Linksys WMP54G because, i’m sick of ndiswrapping, and because my Netgear WG511 works very well. So i decided to buy another netgear. "Et la c’est le drame" :) In fact the WG311 works w/ the prism54 driver since it use a Atheros chipset, despite a lot of users report it as a supported card w/ prism54. This is a fake !!! WG311 use Madwifi driver. Despite i’m really fond of prism durette / GT card, Atheros isn’t a bad choice too.

Installation:
First you need to use the current CVS version (don’t try the latest snapshot since the cvs support more things.) I decided to patch install this on a 2.6.4 kernel (support for 2.4.23 isn’t working for me). So simply build the module. And modprobe it .

You should get something like this:

ath0: mac 5.6 phy 4.1 5ghz radio 1.7 2ghz radio 2.3
ath0: 11b rates: 1Mbps 2Mbps 5.5Mbps 11Mbps
ath0: 11g rates: 1Mbps 2Mbps 5.5Mbps 11Mbps 6Mbps 9Mbps 12Mbps 18Mbps 24Mbps 36Mbps 48Mbps 54Mbps
ath0: 802.11 address: 00:09:5b:98:0d:85
ath0: Atheros 5212: mem=0xcffb0000, irq=11

Next:
The ad-hoc mode is a bit buggy right now (but it should be fixed soon..) i read the mailing list and issue seems to be on the way. So I decided to
use as an AP (madwifi support the master mode). There isn’t any hostap like on 54g card but a good old fashion bridge can do the stuff.

echo -n "Creating bridge"
brctl addbr br0
brctl addif br0 ath0 
brctl addif br0 eth0

echo "Done"

echo -n "Configuring interfaces"
ifconfig eth0 0.0.0.0
ifconfig ath0 0.0.0.0

ifconfig br0 192.168.1.20
route add default gw 192.168.1.1
echo -n "Done"

Test:
First pings take a long time, since the bridge use the cards in promiscous mode, and brigde packet that are usefull, so building the ARP table can be a bit slow.. but it’s works perfectly ..

Important notes:

• Don’t try to build bridges w/ ndiswrapper since i won’t work.. due to the hack of promisc i think
• The prism54 seems to have trouble the Managed mode, it ask for a dissociation when you try to make it work w/ an hostap or a bridge like me . I use a old cisco (11mb) right now on my new Netgear AP :)

It only takes 10 minutes to figure that this kind of cards are well supported in Linux.

To install:

• download the latest kernel (2.4.23 for the test)
• download the latest Prism54 patch
• Patch the kernel
• make dep; bzImage …
• download http://prism54.org/firmware/isl3890 in /usr/lib/hotplug/firmware/
• reboot and enjoy

You should get something like this:

Loaded prism54 driver, version 1.0.2.2
eth0: prism54_mib_init()
eth0: islpci_open() 
eth0: resetting device...
eth0: uploading firmware...
eth0: firmware uploaded done, now triggering reset...
eth0: prism54_mib_init()
eth0: done with prism54_mib_init()! -- Client Managed mode

Latest point the README say that Ad-hoc mode for 2.4 kernel is a work in progress .. and it seems to work.

Update: You can get the firmware here . Take care that most recent WG511 sold now are WG511T which doesn’t use prism54 drivers but the Madwifi one.

Pretty fine since, it’s time for me to purchase the driver from LinuxAnt.

Ok I will give it a try soon …

( important note : it should support intel centrino too :)

You can off course use the linuxant one

Since you have obtained a trial license for DriverLoader, we are happy to inform you that permanent licenses for end-users are now available from our web store.

https://www.linuxant.com/store.

You can take a look at the press release for all the details.

http://www.linuxant.com/company/press_dldrstore.php

Also note that DriverLoader 1.36 is now available from the download section of our web site. We recommend that all users upgrade to the latest version.

Regards,

Ok now i add to pay for this driver why not . But hum 19$ .. it’s a bit more
than i want to pay for that. I will ask a rebate from Linksys ! And i guess that when i will
pay broadcom will release the source ?

Anyway, LinuxAnt has really made a great job since the driver works on centrino too now.

This should be a nice try ?