AR5007EG finally supported

[scottro]

I upgraded today, and once again, the latest MadWifi snapshot wouldn't compile. I decided to see how ath5k was doing with this card. I did a modprobe ath5k, which showed me a wlan0 interface. Doing iwlist showed the nearby networks.

I edited /etc/sysconfig/wpa_supplicant to change ath0 to wlan0 and ran through my little wireless startup scripts and it worked. I'm actually writing this from the laptop, connected through my wireless which is using the latest rawhide kernel's ath5k module rather than the MadWifi snapshot. I'm guessing that this might be connected with Atheros opening the code for the ath9k (for newer cards using 802.11n) but I don't know.

Anyway, thought I'd post that information. This is on a 64 bit system running the latest rawhide, kernel
2.6.27-0.244.rc2.git1.fc10.x86_64

[kevmif]

As indicated here: http://madwifi.org/ticket/1192

They are on track for full support in 2.6.27 - as indicated by one of the comments from Proski near the bottom. Hears hoping they get it fully and completely implemented.

[scottro]

I missed that. I tend to look at the last few posts on the ticket, and completely overlooked those.

(I saw your posts though. I tend to be lazy and just post as anonymous.)

I join you in hoping it gets fully implemented. We are quite fortunate to have the MadWifi team doing this.

[kevmif]

Yes it certainly is good news - I the the ath_pci drivers may very well be redundant sooner rather then later hehe.

I know that myself and plenty of other users have been greatly inconvenienced by lack of wireless support. Thankfully prior to the new HAL being released the HAL patch from the eePC or whatever it was worked for me.

Without groups such as madwifi, Linux would be a lot harder on desktop PC's.

[robert-e]

Yippeee...That is really good news. I hope it included in the F8 updates (32 and 64 bit), before F8 reaches the end of it's rope. Geez...best news all day.
Regards,
Bob

[scottro]

Yup, I remember how excited I was when Sam Leffler finally got us a 64 bit version. Then came some kernel updates in the Fedora and Ubuntu alphas, and it didn't work, but they made new snapshots which did. (And many thanks to the folks who created the patches for these problems.)

I think Kevinmf has been paying closer attention to the ticket than I have, so can probably give a better idea of when ath5k first began working with some later kernels. For what it's worth, so far, I've only gotten it to work with that very recent kernel I mentioned in my first post. I'm glad I tried it, I wasn't going to bother, and was either going to file a new MadWifi ticket or wait and hope someone fixed it.

Actually, we've been lucky (and I am grateful) that MadWifi fixed the issues with the various alpha versions. I believe they don't support testing or distro specific kernels, though they will certainly accept patches if it doesn't break things for everyone else.

[kennedyprojects]

Good to hear - although your site helped out a lot scott :)

I just d/l'd the live iso and installed to a usb stick.. waiting for the 10 dvd to finish downloading then i'm going to try the usb live boot..

Rob

[MEX]

... I did a modprobe ath5k, .... This is on a 64 bit system running the latest rawhide, kernel
2.6.27-0.244.rc2.git1.fc10.x86_64My current kernel is 2.6.25.14-108.fc9.i686 and I havn't installed WLAN on my FSC ESPRIMO Mobile V5535 with a AR5007EG chip until now.

Except waiting until Fedora 9 finally updates to a kernel working with AR5007EG and the ath5k device driver, what will I have to do to activate WLAN on my notebook ?

MfG, MEX

[scottro]

I have a page that covers this. In Fedora 9, there's a good chance that you will be able to easily do it by enabling livna-testing.
See http://home.nyc.rr.com/computertaijutsu/rhwireless.html#5007

Start by trying with livna-testing. (Explanations at the link above).
Waves to Rob, Hey there, good to see you here.

[MarcoA]

I have up(down?)graded my laptop to Fedora 10 and found that, efectively, Atheros support works finally.
BUT:
- Even when I'm connected wireless, there appears a box asking for the WAP password?
- The connection is somewhat unstable, even with 100% of power
- Sometimes I can't connect and the password box appears, but I never have connected when it happens.

[MEX]

I have a page that covers this. In Fedora 9, there's a good chance that you will be able to easily do it by enabling livna-testing.
See http://home.nyc.rr.com/computertaijutsu/rhwireless.html#5007

Start by trying with livna-testing. (Explanations at the link above).
Waves to Rob, Hey there, good to see you here.livna looks like using a CLOSED SOURCE device driver, which i want to avoid :(

As I am not in a hurry, I intend to wait until kernel 2.6.27 is available for f9 too :rolleyes:

MfG, MEX

[scottro]

Yes, it is closed source, and I admire your patience (and dedication to avoiding closed source.) On the other hand, I already use flash, and these days, have less patiences, (and, unfortunately) less idealism, so I use closed source when it's all that's available.

That being said, you have my admiration. 2.6.27 should be out soon.

When running wpa it gives an error similar to that which is given when it can't find something (can't check right now, I do have to add the info to my page) but works anyway.

[stevea]

Sadly AR5007EG is a family of distinct parts with different programmable features. You'll probably still have to parse the SUB-vendorid/partid to determine if any driver will work.

[pembo13]

Anyone knows what is the status of the 2.6.27 kernel that supposedly has the working ath5k for the AR5007EG in F9?

With the currently ath_pci drivers from livna-testing, the laptop works, but wifi fails after suspend-restore. And any attempt to use a script rmmod ; modprobe the ath_pci module causes a system freeze requiring shutdown via power button.

I have been attempting to keep the following smolts page updated:
http://smolts.org/wiki/pci/168c/001c/103c/137a

[scottro]

Well, it's in rawhide, and seems to be relatively stable. With the various issues about repos, rawhide hasn't been updated for a bit, so I am not sure if it's on track for F10 or not.

I don't use suspend restore, I'm afraid. I use the laptop mostly for testing, so I haven't needed to use it.

[MEX]

Anyone knows what is the status of the 2.6.27 kernel that supposedly has the working ath5k for the AR5007EG in F9?No, but I know that it is planed to release 2.6.27 after the end of September.
As this is in a few weeks, I intend to wait until then and then try the ath5k with the new 2.6.27 kernel on my FSC ESPRIMO Mobile V5535 with f9.

MfG, MEX

[kevmif]

2.6.26.3-17 allowed me to load ath5k and bring up the interface. But could not even ping the router. Ah well - ath_pci working well enough for now. Recompiling every time I update the kernel isn't the end of the world lol

[scottro]

I had a similar experience with some distro or another--it shows the card, but the card doesn't work. :)

The new kernel, however, seems to be lacking the little sysctl settings that enabled the LED light to work. Just as I found out about them and began getting used to them. Darn.
(It's not the Rawhide kernel either, I checked it with a vanilla 2.6.27 as well.)

[MarcoA]

I have reinstalled F9 and "once upon a time" it worked well after an automatic update, but, after another one, my Wi-Fi card ceased to respond.
How can I install a software that let me connect via Wireless and still work after updates?
I even have tried:
yum --enablerepo=livna-testing install madwifi
without success.

[scottro]

I am not sure if livna have caught up with the latest kernel yet. Try the other method, that of downloading and installing Sam Leffler's snapshot, and see if you have more joy.
(Instructions for doing that are in the link I posted early in the thread.)

[kevmif]

My ath5k WAS working with F10 beta but after an upgrade I get an ipcalc error.

Still, atheros have released most of their HAL, so full support for everything isn't far off.

[Deb]

I have up(down?)graded my laptop to Fedora 10 and found that, efectively, Atheros support works finally.
BUT:
- Even when I'm connected wireless, there appears a box asking for the WAP password?
- The connection is somewhat unstable, even with 100% of power
- Sometimes I can't connect and the password box appears, but I never have connected when it happens.

Hi MarcoA, exact same problem here with AR5418 chipset in my Macbook pro with kernel 2.6.27.3-39 and x86-64 arch. I really do not know when it will manage to connect. when unable, it is prompting for WPA pasword and dmesg is throwing up timeout error.
tried 'service restart network" but it could not determine the IP address. will try to get the svn version of the driver and compile the kernel module
have you been able to make any headway with this, if yes I would like to know..
thanks

[scottro]

I know that the latest Intrepid updates seemed to break some things for some people. However, I've been updating my Rawhide probably every two days or so, and it's been working fine for me.


However, I don't use NetworkManager, I run it with wpa_supplicant from the command line. Therefore, this *might* be a NetworkManager issue rather than a driver issue in Fedora.

The latest MadWifi snapshot, from September 3, 2008, IIRC, also works if one doesn't mind going through the fairly painless procedure of compiling the drivers (which takes about 2 minutes, even on the low powered Atom CPU).

[MarcoA]

I know that the latest Intrepid updates seemed to break some things for some people. However, I've been updating my Rawhide probably every two days or so, and it's been working fine for me.


However, I don't use NetworkManager, I run it with wpa_supplicant from the command line. Therefore, this *might* be a NetworkManager issue rather than a driver issue in Fedora.

The latest MadWifi snapshot, from September 3, 2008, IIRC, also works if one doesn't mind going through the fairly painless procedure of compiling the drivers (which takes about 2 minutes, even on the low powered Atom CPU).

Thanks, that's good news!
Where can I found It?

[scottro]

The MadWifi snapshot? See http://home.nyc.rr.com/computertaijutsu/rhwireless.html#5007 which gives the links and instructions on installation.

[Deb]

However, I don't use NetworkManager, I run it with wpa_supplicant from the command line. Therefore, this *might* be a NetworkManager issue rather than a driver issue in Fedora.


Thanks scottro for the clue. It IS a NetworkManager issue. Dumped NetworkManager and installed wicd and no more problem.

[kevaljd]

I am using F10 cambridge and there was no need for me to download and install madwifi thing. If you click on my username and trace my posts, my first post was to get my atheros 5007 to work. I was adviced by bbfuller and scottro to install the latest madwifi driver. However, with F10, everything is solved. However, some issues, but I can expect that on a rawhide. which has more than 3 modules under alpha testing modes -> distrowatch! :-)
cheers!

[scottro]

Fedora Rawhide (knock wood) has been very good to me with this card. Playing with Ubuntu Intrepid however, it seems they broke it a few days ago and haven't yet fixed it--however, one can fix it by doing aptitude install linux-backports-modules-intrepid-generic (or some combination of the above, too lazy to check right now.)
Additionally, it looks as if Hardy's backport module package is also supporting it through ath5k rather than MadWifi, so it's getting there--now of course, it's becoming an old card. :)

Soon, they'll all have N cards. I thought of getting myself an N router, but seems silly since there's only one N card in the house, and I don't do any data transfer from that machine.