Differences between revisions 49 and 52 (spanning 3 versions)
Revision 49 as of 2009-10-22 17:11:54
Size: 10761
Editor: GeoffSimmons
Comment: m-a prepare installs the appropriate linux-headers package. Drop installation from source.
Revision 52 as of 2010-06-07 01:32:32
Size: 9370
Editor: jidanni
Comment: install linux-headers no matter what
Deletions are marked like this. Additions are marked like this.
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= NDISwrapper =
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=== Lenny ===
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m-a prepare
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 1. Add {{{ndiswrapper}}} to the list of kernel modules to load at boot: {{{  1. Add {{{ndiswrapper}}} to the list of kernel modules to load at boot time: {{{
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 1. Insert the NDISwrapper module into the kernel: {{{
modprobe ndiswrapper
}}}
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Once the module is loaded, [[#ndis|install a NDIS driver]] and [[#configure|configure your wireless interface]]. After installation, [[#ndis|install a NDIS driver]] and [[#configure|configure your wireless interface]].

=== Squeeze / Sid ===
## nb. APT installs recommended packages by default since Lenny; ndiswrapper-dkms is included as a result.
/* linux-headers-* is currently required to be installed before dkms due to DebianBug:560822. (2010.6.7: that bug was closed in May 2010, but one finds one had better install the headers if one intends to get anywhere anyhow.) */

 1. Install the relevant linux-headers, [[DebianPkg:ndiswrapper-utils-1.9]] and DebianPkg:wireless-tools packages: {{{
aptitude update
aptitude install linux-headers-2.6-$(uname -r | sed 's,.*-,,') ndiswrapper-utils-1.9 wireless-tools
}}}
 This will also install the recommended DebianPkg:ndiswrapper-dkms package. DKMS will build the NDISwrapper module for your system.

 1. Add {{{ndiswrapper}}} to the list of kernel modules to load at boot time: {{{
echo ndiswrapper >> /etc/modules
}}}

After installation, [[#ndis|install a NDIS driver]] and [[#configure|configure your wireless interface]].
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 1. Insert the NDISwrapper module into the kernel: {{{
modprobe ndiswrapper
}}}
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 If your interface is not present, physically remove and insert the device, then run {{{iwconfig}}} again.
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=== Insert / Hotplug ===
## Commented due to ndiswrapper being specified in /etc/modules at module installation time -- GeoffSimmons
##According to a !DebianEtch entry on the NDISwrapper wiki, an 'allow-hotplug wlan0' entry in /etc/network/interfaces is about all it takes to get the card to be automatically configured and brought up when inserted (beyond the required steps to configure the card for manually bringing the interface up.)
##
##http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/mediawiki/index.php/InstallDebianEtch
##
##On Sarge this does not appear to be the case. Adding that line does not make hotplug 'just work'. This is most likely due to the lack of an entry for NDISwrapper in /lib/modules/<kernel version>/modules.pcimap. According to the hotplug overview when new hardware is detected the MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE map is consulted to determine which module is responsible for the device. Without that entry or some other help hotplug will not 'just work' for the device.
##
##The easiest workaround is to require the NDISwrapper module at boot so that it is always loaded and ready to claim the hardware. Just add it to the list in /etc/modules.
##
##The most difficult workaround (for many) may be to edit the NDISwrapper source and recompile so that it will make MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE entries for your hardware.
##
##http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/showthread.php?t=360483 http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=6713442
##
##An inbetween workaround may be to modify /etc/hotplug/pci.agent to parse an /etc/hotplug/pci.handmap and have it include the hardware details necessary to load ndiswrapper when your card is inserted, like you can do with usb.handmap. This step and the re-coding are probably best left to the developers which leaves us with /etc/modules.
##
There seems to be a couple different ways documented to enable hotplugging on interfaces. Mentioned in the !DebianEtch page on the NDISwrapper wiki is the line allow-hotplug wlan0. The man page for the interfaces file confirms that this is the intended way to enable hotplug. In /etc/hotplug/net.agent, you are directed to include mapping hotplug stanzas in /etc/network/interfaces.

On a Debian 3.1 / Dell Inspiron 1200 system the allow-hotplug entry did not seem to be necessary. The map stanza seemed to be enough, once NDISwrapper was already loaded. YMMV.
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CategoryHardware | CategoryWireless ## This page is referenced from http://www.debian.org/doc/FAQ/ch-software.html
CategoryHardware | CategoryWireless | CategoryPermalink

Translation(s): French

(!) ?Discussion


NDISwrapper

This page describes how to install NDISwrapper on Debian systems.

Introduction

Some vendors do not release hardware specifications and do not provide a Linux driver for their devices.

The NDISwrapper project provides a Linux kernel module that loads and runs Windows kernel API and NDIS (Network Driver Interface Specification) API drivers supplied by the vendors within the Linux kernel. A Windows driver is then linked to this implementation so that the driver runs natively, as though it is in Windows, without binary emulation.

NDISwrapper uses Windows XP driver files - which may have been supplied with your hardware - to operate your device. This driver wrapper is only available for use on the x86 and x86-64 architectures (Debian i386 and AMD64 ports respectively).

While NDISwrapper is intended for use with WiFi devices, it may alternatively be used for other hardware classes, such as Ethernet adapters or USB-to-serial converters. This page assumes use of a wireless LAN device.

<!> 16-bit PC Card (PCMCIA) devices are not supported. Cardbus devices are supported.

Installation Overview

  1. Install the NDISwrapper kernel module and supporting applications.
  2. Install the relevant NDIS driver for your device.
  3. Configure the wireless interface.

Module Installation

Lenny

  1. Install the module-assistant and wireless-tools packages:

    aptitude install module-assistant wireless-tools
  2. Build and install a ndiswrapper-modules-* package for your system using ModuleAssistant:

    m-a a-i ndiswrapper
  3. Add ndiswrapper to the list of kernel modules to load at boot time:

    echo ndiswrapper >> /etc/modules

More information on building the NDISwrapper kernel module is described within /usr/share/doc/ndiswrapper-source/README.Debian.

After installation, install a NDIS driver and configure your wireless interface.

Squeeze / Sid

  1. Install the relevant linux-headers, ndiswrapper-utils-1.9 and wireless-tools packages:

    aptitude update
    aptitude install linux-headers-2.6-$(uname -r | sed 's,.*-,,') ndiswrapper-utils-1.9 wireless-tools

    This will also install the recommended ndiswrapper-dkms package. DKMS will build the NDISwrapper module for your system.

  2. Add ndiswrapper to the list of kernel modules to load at boot time:

    echo ndiswrapper >> /etc/modules

After installation, install a NDIS driver and configure your wireless interface.

NDIS Driver

{i} Windows XP drivers are required to be used. NDISwrapper does not support NDIS 6 (Windows Vista) at this time.

You are required to provide the appropriate driver for your device. The first place you should check is the NDISwrapper compatibility list (archive 1, archive 2). It lists many models of wireless devices that are usable with NDISwrapper and the driver that works best.

If you can't find it there, the Linuxant Windows Driver page has many drivers that work with NDISwrapper. It also has drivers for some 64-bit devices that don't offer native 64-bit drivers on the manufacturer's web page.

The final place you should examine is your driver CD or the manufacturer's web page. These often work, but sometimes they're broken or don't offer you full functionality. It's best to go with the ones listed on the NDISwrapper web page.

The driver you find may be packaged as a ZIP (.zip) archive or a self-extractable .zip inside a Portable Executable (.exe) format. Such self-extractable .exe are ZIP archive encapsulated inside a .exe, you can run the unzip de-archiver (provided by the unzip package) to extract its contents.

Other .exe files may be InstallShield installers or other installer formats. These require the use of utilities such as unshield or orange to extract the contents within.

If your drivers are within the cabinet file format (.cab), install cabextract and run cabextract on a file of interest, typically named data2.cab.

Installation

<!> The following procedure is specific to the "Dell Wireless Card 1390" (man: 14e4, dev: 4311) device and is provided as an example only. Consult the NDISwrapper compatibility list (archive 1, archive 2) for information on your specific device.

  1. Install the unzip package:

    aptitude install unzip
  2. Acquire an archive containing the NDIS driver from Dell's FTP site:

    wget http://ftp.us.dell.com/network/R151517.EXE
  3. Extract its contents:

    unzip -a R151517.EXE
  4. Install the NDIS driver:

    ndiswrapper -i DRIVER/bcmwl5.inf
  5. To verify NDIS driver installation, list the currently installed drivers:

    ndiswrapper -l

    You should receive the following output:

    bcmwl5 : driver installed
            device (14E4:4311) present

Refer to the NDISwrapper manual page for more information: ndiswrapper-1.9(8)

You can alternatively use ndisgtk to install drivers to the system.

Uninstallation

To remove a previously installed NDIS driver from your system:

ndiswrapper -e <driver>

For example:

ndiswrapper -e bcmwl5

You can alternatively use ndisgtk to uninstall drivers from the system.

Configuration

  1. Insert the NDISwrapper module into the kernel:

    modprobe ndiswrapper
  2. Verify your device has an available interface:

    iwconfig
  3. Raise the interface to activate the radio, for example:

    ifconfig wlan0 up
  4. Configure your wireless interface as appropriate.

Other Notes

NDISwrapper only supports managed and ad-hoc device operating modes.1

See Also


CategoryHardware | CategoryWireless | CategoryPermalink