Atheros AR9170 devices
This page describes how to enable support for WiFi devices based on the Atheros AR9170 chipset on Debian systems.
ar9170usb is a module for the Atheros AR9170 ("otus") 802.11 draft-n USB wireless LAN chipset. Supported devices are listed at the end of this page.
This driver is included in the mainline Linux kernel since 2.6.30-rc1. It is present in Debian kernel images since 2.6.30.
Atheros 802.11n PCI devices are supported by the ath9k driver.
Installation
Firmware is required to be installed prior to device operation.
Lenny
Install the git-core package:
$ su # aptitude install git-core && exit
Acquire the AR9170 firmware from the linux-firmware GIT tree:
$ git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dwmw2/linux-firmware.git
Install the firmware:
$ su # cp linux-firmware/ar9170-* /lib/firmware
Add the Debian Backports repository to /etc/apt/sources.list, for example:
# Backported packages for Debian Lenny deb http://www.backports.org/debian lenny-backports main
Update the list of available packages and install the lenny-backports/debian-backports-keyring package:
# aptitude update # aptitude -t lenny-backports install debian-backports-keyring
As your system does not yet have the GnuPG archive key of the backports.org repository installed, you will be asked to confirm installation of a package from an untrusted repository. Enter Yes when prompted.
Install a 2.6.30 (or later) kernel image appropriate for your system, along with the wireless-tools package. For example:
# aptitude update # aptitude -t lenny-backports install linux-image-2.6.30-bpo.1-$(uname -r | sed 's,.*-,,g') wireless-tools
- Restart your system and boot with the newly installed kernel. If not already performed, connect the device to your system.
The necessary kernel module should be automatically loaded. If necessary, it can be manually loaded via:
$ su # modprobe ar9170usb
Verify your device has an available interface:
# iwconfig
Raise the interface to activate the radio, for example:
# ifconfig wlan0 up
Configure your wireless interface as appropriate.
Sid
Install the git-core package:
$ su # aptitude install git-core && exit
Acquire the AR9170 firmware from the linux-firmware GIT tree:
$ git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dwmw2/linux-firmware.git
Install the firmware:
$ su # cp linux-firmware/ar9170-* /lib/firmware
- If not already performed, connect the device to your system.
The necessary kernel module should be automatically loaded. If necessary, it can be manually loaded via:
# modprobe ar9170usb
Verify your device has an available interface:
# iwconfig
Raise the interface to activate the radio, for example:
# ifconfig wlan0 up
Configure your wireless interface as appropriate.
Supported Devices
The page HowToIdentifyADevice/USB explains how to identify a USB device.
The following list is based on the alias fields of modinfo ar9170usb in Debian 2.6.30 kernel images.
USB: 04BB:093F I-O Data Device, Inc. WNGDNUS2 802.11n USB: 0586:3417 ZyXEL Communications Corp. (Device name unknown) USB: 07D1:3C10 D-Link System DWA 160A 802.11n USB: 083A:F522 Accton Technology Corp. Arcadyan WN7512 802.11n USB: 0846:9001 NetGear, Inc. WN111 v2 802.11n USB: 0846:9010 NetGear, Inc. WNDA3100 802.11n USB: 0ACE:1221 ZyDAS ZD1221 802.11n USB: 0CDE:0023 Z-Com UB81 802.11bgn USB: 0CDE:0026 Z-Com UB82 802.11abgn USB: 0CF3:1001 Atheros Communications, Inc. TG121N USB: 0CF3:9170 Atheros Communications, Inc. AR9170 802.11n USB: 2019:5304 PLANEX GWUS300 802.11n USB: CACE:0300 (Vendor name unknown) (Device name unknown)
See Also
ath9k - Help page for Atheros 802.11n PCI devices
External Links
http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/ar9170 - Driver page on Linux Wireless;
http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/ar9170.fw - GPL firmware page