PCI Wireless Card for F14

[doubleA]

I am trying to install a PCI wireless card with Marvel chipset on my HP desktop with F14. Was following a tutorial on fedoraproject, but that requires ndiswrapper and it seems that is not availlable for F14. I ran yum install kmod-ndiswrapper but got "nothing to do" message.

Please advise how I can install this PCI card. I tried to find a atheros chipset but cannot find one.

Thanks and happy 2011
:confused:

[bbfuller]

Hello doubleA

There is a relatively easy way to get ndiswrapper working in F14 although there are no pre-compiled packages for it. If you take a look at post #20 in this thread:

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=256276&page=2

You'll see all the steps chris62 used to get a successful install.

The things to bear in mind are that you need the kernel-devel and kernel-headers packages to match the kernel that you have installed and running at the time. That's most easily arranged if you haven't updated your system since install, or that it is completely up to date.

The other thing is in the last post at present, #32, where it mentions what needs to be done after every kernel update.

Post back if you have any questions.

Incidentally, while I was writing those notes, which were culled from a variety of sources, I was using an old Marvell based card myself. That was identified by Linux as having an 88W8388 + 88W8010 chipset.

[doubleA]

bbfuller,
thanks for that great tutorial. I am following to a t, even though i am worried about having to run this each time the kernel gets updated.

anyway, I run into the same problem as chris62 did. here is the output of 'make' then 'yum update' then 'uname -r' and 'ylist installed grep | kernel'

[doubleA@BeasOffice ndiswrapper]$ make
make -C driver
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/Aaron/Downloads/ndiswrapper/ndiswrapper/driver'
Makefile:36: *** Cannot find kernel version in /usr/src/kernels/2.6.35.9-64.fc14.i686, is it configured?. Stop.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/Aaron/Downloads/ndiswrapper/ndiswrapper/driver'
make: *** [all] Error 2
[doubleA@BeasOffice ndiswrapper]$ yum update
Loaded plugins: langpacks, presto, refresh-packagekit
Adding en_US to language list
You need to be root to perform this command.
[doubleA@BeasOffice ndiswrapper]$ su -
Password:
[root@BeasOffice ~]# yum update
Loaded plugins: langpacks, presto, refresh-packagekit
Adding en_US to language list
Setting up Update Process
No Packages marked for Update
[root@BeasOffice ~]# exit
logout
[doubleA@BeasOffice ndiswrapper]$ uname -r
2.6.35.9-64.fc14.i686
[doubleA@BeasOffice ndiswrapper]$ yum list installed | grep kernel
abrt-addon-kerneloops.i686 1.1.14-1.fc14 @updates
kernel.i686 2.6.35.9-64.fc14 @updates
kernel.i686 2.6.35.10-72.fc14 @updates
kernel.i686 2.6.35.10-74.fc14 @updates
kernel-devel.i686 2.6.35.10-74.fc14 @updates
kernel-headers.i686 2.6.35.10-74.fc14 @updates
[doubleA@BeasOffice ndiswrapper]$

not sure what to do next.
thanks

[stoat]

You were booted in the oldest kernel. I would reboot in the newest kernel and try again.

[doubleA]

you mean just restart the machine?

[stoat]

Yeah. Normally, the newest kernel becomes the default. I guess not this time. Press a key during the splashscreen countdown to see the menu. Select the newest kernel.

[doubleA]

Ok, I rebooted and got that problem solved. now I am trying to complete this install, but stupidly I cannot find the .inf file. i followed the tutorial so i have home/doubleA/Downloads/ndiswrapper/ndiswrapper and everything seems to be in there, but I cannot find the .inf so I cannot run that ndiswrapper -i command. I do see a Util folder and a Driver folder, but even in those there are no .inf

Thanks again

---------- Post added at 12:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:03 AM ----------

OK, I think I understand now. I have to have downloaded a driver for the PCI card already, is that correct? And now that I have installed ndiswrapper, it will be able to install the driver? But I am not sure how to get the .inf file that i need for this PCI wireless card, so not sure what to do next.

thanks

[stoat]

Okay. It's not possible (for me, anyway) to tell what exactly you're doing now. But I can say that once ndiswrapper is installed and working, you need driver files that make the wireless card work in Windows W2K or XP, not Vista, not Windows 7. Some people even use Windows 98 drivers, but Vista and later drivers don't do so well with ndiswrapper. Usually you need the INF and SYS files. Sometimes another one. Some places to get those files are 1) the CD that came with the device, 2) the manufacturer's web site, 3) the system folders of the W2K or XP system using the card. So what exactly are you working with now that ndiswrapper is installed and ready?

[doubleA]

I have the CD that came with the PCI card. I am going to try to install that driver now using ndiswrapper. willl report back shortly. (boy do i feel stupid)

---------- Post added at 11:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:58 AM ----------

Even though I have the CD and I am trying to install from that CD, I still cannot find the .inf file.

---------- Post added at 11:19 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:01 AM ----------

OK, well I couldnt find teh .inf file in the CD that came with the PCI card, so I went to Netgear website and downloaded the driver for WG311v3 PCI wireless card, and made sure I got the version that is for Windows 2000 and XP. I downloaded it to my Downloads folder, but it is an .exe file, and I cant open it. I cannot find a .inf. I tried to run ndiswrapper -i /home/doubleA/Downloads/wg311v3_3_1_setup.exe but that command requires a .inf file. Not sure what to do next.
thanks

[bbfuller]

Hello doubleA

No promises, but often those .exe drivers are what is called "self extracting executables" and can sometimes be extracted in Linux.

Use the "cd" command to move your terminal window into the folder where you have the exe file.

ls

when you think you are there will tell you if indeed you are.

Then try:

unzip -a <filename.exe> -d driver/

replace the whole of <filename.exe> with the name of the file you have downloaded and then, if you don't get error messages, look in the folder your file is in for a new folder called driver.

If that doesn't work we'll have to think again.

---------- Post added at 09:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:58 PM ----------

Hello doubleA

Well, I can't resist trying these things and I can tell you that doesn't work on this particular installer file.

What I have done though, I think, is to extract the required files under Windows.

I ran the installer program under Windows 7 until I got to the "Welcome" screen and then went and looked in my temporary files in the hidden "AppData - Local" folder. In that were a couple of folders dated and timed about when I ran the installer and within one of those was a pair of files:

netmw13c.inf
MRVW13c.sys

It's unusual, but not unknown, for the two files to have different designations.

ntmw I assume is a netgear designation and MRVW marvell.

If you want to try that for yourself and want to talk about it more, post back.

On the other hand, if you'd just like to try the two files, send me a personal message with an e-mail address and I'll send them to you as attachments. they are only about 260Kb in size.

[doubleA]

bbfuller,

i dont have windows, so i dont think i can extract. i'll PM you now.
thanks

doubleA

PS if you know where i can get a PCI wireless card with atheros chipset, please let me know.
thanks

[bbfuller]

Hello doubleA

Extracted files are on the way.

As to a supported card, which is effectively what you are asking, that can be a problem.

It turns out that manufacturers are prone to change the chipset in their cards without much than a very minor change in version number. So your v3 card will likely have a different chipset to the v1 and v2. That wouldn't matter so much except that online retailers aren't always forthcoming with that information.

If I were after such a card, I'd start looking on ebay, a surprising number of sellers list a chipset.

Incidentally, as well as Atheros, Broadcom is pretty well supported. But with both of them it is as well to avoid the most recent chipsets.

When you find a chipset:

www.google.com/linux

is a pretty good place to look and see if other people are having trouble with it. It's pretty good on individual cards as well.

[doubleA]

bbfuller
thanks for the help. i downloaded the driver you sent and ran ndiswrapper -i . please see below. does this mean i am at the end of the line with this particulat card?

[root@BeasOffice Downloads]# ndiswrapper -i /home/Aaron/Downloads/driver/netmw13c.inf
installing netmw13c ...
couldn't find models section "Marvell" -
installation may be incomplete
[root@BeasOffice Downloads]# ndiswrapper -i /home/Aaron/Downloads/driver/MRVW13C.sys
install argument must be .inf file
[root@BeasOffice Downloads]# ndiswrapper -l
netmw13c : invalid driver!
[root@BeasOffice Downloads]#

---------- Post added at 06:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:36 PM ----------

bbfuller
i returned that card and got a new one with RaLink chpset. With help from Nirik on #Fedora, I was able to get it up and running.
Thanks for all the help.
:)