Atheros AR5210, AR5211, AR5212, AR5213, AR5414 wireless devices (ath5k)

This page describes how to enable support for Atheros AR5xxx wireless chipsets using the ath5k driver on Debian systems.

?TableOfContents(3)

ath5k is a module for Atheros AR5xxx wireless LAN chipsets.

Unlike the [:WiFi/ath_pci:?MadWifi] driver, ath5k does not require a binary HAL (hardware abstraction layer) for its use. No firmware is required to be loaded from userspace. It is a completely free and open-source driver.

Missing Features

As stated?FootNote(http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/ath5k#features) on the Linux Wireless ath5k driver page:

• Access Point mode
• Turbo mode
• XR (eXtended Range)

If required, the above features are available in the [:WiFi/ath_pci:?MadWifi] driver.

Known Issues

The ath5k driver is in a constant state of development, with varying levels of support for chipsets depending on their age.

Installation

ath5k is included in the mainline Linux kernel since 2.6.25. It is present in Debian kernel images since 2.6.24.

• [:DebianEtch:Etch] users: This driver is not present in the stock 2.6.18 kernel.

• Install an [:EtchAndAHalf:] kernel: apt-cache search linux-image-2.6.24-etchnhalf and install a package appropriate for your system.

• Restart your system with this kernel before continuing.

Switching from MadWifi to ath5k

The following section can be [#configuration skipped] if [:WiFi/ath_pci:?MadWifi] was not previously used.

• Installation of madwifi-tools (version 1:0.9.4~rc2+dfsg-1 and later) installs /etc/modprobe.d/madwifi, which blacklists the ath5k driver. Either purge the madwifi-tools package or amend /etc/modprobe.d/madwifi as follows:

• From

  blacklist ath5k
  
  ## madwifi (non-free)
  #blacklist ath_hal
  #blacklist ath_pci
  #blacklist ath_rate_amrr
  #blacklist ath_rate_onoe
  #blacklist ath_rate_sample
  #blacklist wlan
  #blacklist wlan_acl
  #blacklist wlan_ccmp
  #blacklist wlan_scan_ap
  #blacklist wlan_scan_sta
  #blacklist wlan_tkip
  #blacklist wlan_wep
  #blacklist wlan_xauth 

  To

  #blacklist ath5k
  
  ## madwifi (non-free)
  blacklist ath_hal
  blacklist ath_pci
  blacklist ath_rate_amrr
  blacklist ath_rate_onoe
  blacklist ath_rate_sample
  blacklist wlan
  blacklist wlan_acl
  blacklist wlan_ccmp
  blacklist wlan_scan_ap
  blacklist wlan_scan_sta
  blacklist wlan_tkip
  blacklist wlan_wep
  blacklist wlan_xauth

• Amend /etc/network/interfaces, changing all references of 'ath0' to 'wlan0'.

• Restart your system.

• Verify that wireless networking is functional. If you can connect but not send/receive anything, you might need to adjust your firewall configuration. For example, if you have configured your firewall using shorewall, find and replace all occurrences of 'ath0' with 'wlan0' in files within /etc/shorewall.

?Anchor(configuration)

Configuration

1. Install the wireless-tools package:

   aptitude update
   aptitude install wireless-tools

2. The necessary kernel module should be [:Modules:automatically loaded]. If necessary, it can be manually loaded via:

   modprobe ath5k

3. Verify your device has an available interface:

   iwconfig

4. Raise the interface to activate the radio, for example:

   ifconfig wlan0 up

5. [:WiFi/HowToUse:Configure] your wireless interface as appropriate.

Supported Devices

Devices containing Atheros AR5210, AR5211, AR5212, AR5213 or AR5414 chipsets are supported by ath5k:

Check  modinfo ath5k output.

• PCI: 10B7:0013 3Com Corporation AR5212 802.11abg NIC (3CRDAG675)
  PCI: 168C:0007 Atheros Communications Inc. AR5000 802.11a Wireless Adapter
  PCI: 168C:0011 Atheros Communications Inc. AR5210 802.11a NIC
  PCI: 168C:0012 Atheros Communications Inc. AR5211 802.11ab NIC
  PCI: 168C:0013 Atheros Communications Inc. Atheros AR5001X+ Wireless Network Adapter
  PCI: 168C:0014 Atheros Communications Inc. (Device name unknown)
  PCI: 168C:0015 Atheros Communications Inc. (Device name unknown)
  PCI: 168C:0016 Atheros Communications Inc. (Device name unknown)
  PCI: 168C:0017 Atheros Communications Inc. (Device name unknown)
  PCI: 168C:0018 Atheros Communications Inc. (Device name unknown)
  PCI: 168C:0019 Atheros Communications Inc. (Device name unknown)
  PCI: 168C:001A Atheros Communications Inc. AR2413 802.11bg NIC
  PCI: 168C:001B Atheros Communications Inc. AR5413 802.11abg NIC
  PCI: 168C:001C Atheros Communications Inc. AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI Express Adapter
  PCI: 168C:0023 Atheros Communications Inc. AR5008 Wireless Network Adapter
  PCI: 168C:0024 Atheros Communications Inc. AR5008 Wireless Network Adapter
  PCI: 168C:0207 Atheros Communications Inc. AR5210
  PCI: 168C:1014 Atheros Communications Inc. AR5212 802.11abg NIC
  PCI: A727:0013 3Com Corporation 3CRPAG175 Wireless PC Card

External Links

• http://madwifi-project.org/ - project homepage;

  • http://madwifi-project.org/wiki/About/ath5k - more information on ath5k

• http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/ath5k - driver page on Linux Wireless

See Also

• ["WiFi/ath_pci"] - MadWifi driver

• [:WiFi/HowToUse:?HowToUse] WiFi adapter

CategoryHardware

ToDo: Move ath5k-specific content from ["DebianEeePC/HowTo/UseUpstreamAtherosModules"] to here?