Recommendation on (cheap nano/mini) usb wireless adapter

[moonman]

Hmm, then I will take a look when I have more time. If it's more than that 1 file Iikely it won't make into the next kernel. I'm working on getting kernel 3.8.2 to work atm

[mlitke]

No problem. If I can find some time, I will look over the linux-headers-kirkwood parts of the build files to see if there is anything obvious.

[mlitke]

I just downloaded the new build files to compile the 3.8.2 kernel. It looks like you may have forgotten to update the md5sum for the aufs3-3.8.patch.xz file in the PKGBUILD file for the 3.8.2 kirkwood kernel.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', '
<snip>
...
==> Validating source files with md5sums...
linux-3.8.2.tar.bz2 ... Passed
archlinuxarm.patch ... Passed
support.patch ... Passed
config ... Passed
mach-types ... Passed
change-default-console-loglevel.patch ... Passed
usb-add-reset-resume-quirk-for-several-webcams.patch ... Passed
cryptodev-linux-1.5.tar.gz ... Passed
0001-block-cgroups-kconfig-build-bits-for-BFQ-v6-3.8.patch ... Passed
0002-block-introduce-the-BFQ-v6-I-O-sched-for-3.8.patch ... Passed
aufs3-3.8.patch.xz ... FAILED
==> ERROR: One or more files did not pass the validity check!
')

[moonman]

Thank you! I updated aufs3 patch and forgot to update md5sum. Fixed now

[permitivity]

mlitke,
It looks like a lot of work went into getting the AirLink AWLL5099 USB wireless adapter to work. I'm a new to linux, and I've been trying to figure out how to get my USB wireless adapter working. I have the linux driver in the form of source code. How did you "make" the driver you had?

If I understand the thread correctly, you were able to compile the vendor provided source code to make a working driver. You wanted to find a way to include the driver into the latest Arch Linux release? Or did you want to make sure all the files necessary to compile the driver is included in the Arch Linux release.

Sorry for the noob questions. Just trying to understand what's going on. Can you post the set of commands needed to compile and install the driver?

[pepedog]

You know, the driver might be there, no point reinventing the wheel.
Boot without the stick, and then lsmod
Plug in stick and lsmod again
Post both here

[mlitke]

I agree with pepedog. If you are using a supported adapter, just follow the instructions on the Arch Linux wiki to setup wireless networking (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Wireless). If you are unfamiliar with Linux, my advice would be to try to find an adapter that is supported, since that will likely get you going the quickest. However, if you have a AirLink AWLL5099 USB wireless adapter and would like to get it to work and are willing to spend some time on it, below are some notes from my experience.

If you do not update your system to the linux-kirkwood kernel, the device may work with the driver included with the 3.1.10 kernel. I thought I had it working at one point, but when I just tried again, I could not get it to work.

If you need (or want) to update your system to the linux-kirkwood kernel, the device will likely not work with the driver included with the kernel. But, with the current version of the linux-kirkwood kernel (3.8.4), there is a package in the Arch Linux AUR for the Realtek driver, that does not require too many modifications to get work with Arch Linux ARM (thanks moonman, the newer kernel includes all the necessary header files). Here are the steps I ran to get the device working with the Realtek driver:
- Get the system up and running with the base install (using the install instructions on the Arch Linux ARM website)
- Update the system to the linux-kirkwood kernel (to run the kirkwood kernel the system must have the newer UBoot)
- Install the linux-headers-kirkwood package
- Install the abs package and the base-devel package group
- Get the files to make the dkms-8192cu package from the Arch Linux AUR (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/dkms-8192cu/)
- Update the MAKE[0] line in the dkms.conf file (included with the dkms-8192cu package files) to change the architecture from i386 to arm, change the line:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'MAKE[0]="make ARCH=i386 CROSS_COMPILE= -C $kernel_source_dir M=$dkms_tree/$PACKAGE_NAME/$PACKAGE_VERSION/build modules"')
to
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'MAKE[0]="make ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE= -C $kernel_source_dir M=$dkms_tree/$PACKAGE_NAME/$PACKAGE_VERSION/build modules"')
- Install the dkms package on the system
- Use makepkg to make the dkms-8192cu package
- Install the dkms-8192cu package (this takes a little while, since the driver is built as part of the install process)
- Reboot the system (after it reboots, if you have the adapter plugged in, the 8192cu module should be loaded)
- Follow the instructions on the Arch Linux wiki to setup wireless networking

You may also want to enable dkms.service (this will make it so the system automatically rebuilds the driver when the kernel is updated).

[moonman]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mlitke', 't')he newer kernel includes all the necessary header files

[sneasle]

Warning, noob alert!

Are there any limitations on driver compatibility between linux flavors that I should be aware of? I have two different wireless adapters on my desk, I would like to get at least one working with my E02 pogo. Both have worked on other distro's, I'm just curious if I'm going to shoot myself in the foot following what someone has done for a different flavor.

For those interested, the adapters I am referring to are a TPLink TL-WN722N and a Etekcity 'High Power BGN'. The TPLink is an Atheros Chipset and the Etek is a Realtek I believe.

[grayman4hire]

Hello,

I'ts been awhile since I started this thread and finally had to chance to come back to it.

I can confirm that the Airlink101 AWLL5099 nano wireless adapter is not plug and play on the PogoPlug E02 running kernel 3.1 or 3.8.4. I did not try @mlitke detailed instructions yet. Thank you so much for that!

However, I was able to successfully get the following three other adapters working using netcfg.

An old CompUSA wireless G card (RT73)
AirLink AWLL3028 802.11g Wireless USB Adapter (RTL8187B)
Alfa AWUS036H (RTL8187)

Thank you again. BTW, I'm still in search of another cheap nano adapter.