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⇤ ← Revision 5 as of 2009-03-16 03:36:22 →
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Comment: Remove Etch procedures, start Squeeze section, update InterWiki, amend usb8xxx supported devices.
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||<tablestyle="width: 100%;" style="border: 0px hidden">~-[[DebianWiki/EditorGuide#translation|Translation(s)]]: none-~||<style="text-align: right;border: 0px hidden"> (!) [[/Discussion|Discussion]]|| ~-[[DebianWiki/EditorGuide#translation|Translation(s)]]: none-~
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The libertas driver is a collection of modules providing support for Marvell Technology Group's Libertas chipsets: The libertas fullMAC driver is a collection of modules providing support for specific Marvell Technology Group Libertas chipsets:
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  * Introduced in kernel 2.6.24.   * Introduced in Linux 2.6.24.
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  * Introduced in kernel 2.6.24.   * Introduced in Linux 2.6.24.
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  * Introduced in kernel 2.6.22.   * Introduced in Linux 2.6.22.
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Non-free firmware is required for all drivers. Firmware for the usb8xxx driver is packaged for Debian as DebPkg:libertas-firmware. Non-free firmware is required for all drivers. Firmware for the usb8xxx driver is packaged for Debian as DebianPkg:libertas-firmware.
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The Libertas 88w8'''3'''35 (PCI) chipset is not supported by any driver (see [[NdisWrapper|NDISwrapper]]). {i} The Libertas 88w8'''3'''35 (PCI) softMAC chipset is not supported by any driver (see [[NdisWrapper|NDISwrapper]]).
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Using [[DebianEtch|Etch]]? [[#etch|Skip to the Etch section]].
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 1. Update the list of available packages and install the DebPkg:libertas-firmware and DebPkg:wireless-tools packages: {{{  1. Update the list of available packages and install the DebianPkg:libertas-firmware and DebianPkg:wireless-tools packages: {{{
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 * Examine the kernel ring buffer (dmesg) to verify the required firmware files are being loaded by the driver. Lack of firmware is the usual reason for the "SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory" error message.
  * Ensure the DebPkg:libertas-firmware package is installed.		  * Examine the kernel ring buffer ([[DebianMan:1/dmesg|dmesg(1)]]) to verify the required firmware files are being loaded by the driver. Lack of firmware is the usual reason for the "SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory" error message.
  * Ensure the DebianPkg:libertas-firmware package is installed.
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<<Anchor(etch)>>
<<Anchor(etch_2618)>>
=== Etch with 2.6.18 kernel ===
This driver is not present in the stock 2.6.18 kernel. Install and boot an [[EtchAndAHalf]] kernel to provide: {{{apt-cache search linux-image-2.6.24-etchnhalf}}} and install a package appropriate for your system.		 <<Anchor(squeeze)>>
=== Squeeze ===
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Restart your system, then follow the [[#etch_2624|Etch with 2.6.24 kernel]] procedure below.  1. Add a "non-free" component to {{{/etc/apt/sources.list}}}, for example: {{{
# Debian Squeeze (testing)
deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian squeeze main contrib non-free
}}}
 1. Update the list of available packages and install the DebianPkg:libertas-firmware and DebianPkg:wireless-tools packages: {{{
aptitude update
aptitude install libertas-firmware wireless-tools
}}}
 1. If not already peformed, connect the device to your system.
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<<Anchor(etch_2624)>>
=== Etch with 2.6.24 kernel ===
 . <!> The 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.
##
 1. Install the DebPkg:wireless-tools package: {{{
aptitude update
aptitude install wireless-tools
}}}
 1. Manually acquire the DebPkg:lenny/libertas-firmware package from http://packages.debian.org/lenny/all/libertas-firmware/download. For example: {{{
wget http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/pool/non-free/libe/libertas-firmware/libertas-firmware_5.110.22.p14-1_all.deb
}}}
 1. Install DebPkg:lenny/libertas-firmware via [[dpkg]]: {{{
dpkg -i /path/to/libertas-firmware*deb
}}}
 1. Libertas CF/SDIO and SDIO/GSPI devices: Manually acquire and install firmware as described on the [[http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/libertas#devicefirmware|libertas Linux Wireless page]].
 1. If not already peformed, connect the device to your system.
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 * Examine the kernel ring buffer (dmesg) to verify the required firmware files are being loaded by the driver. Lack of firmware is the usual reason for the "SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory" error message.
  * Libertas USB devices: Ensure the DebPkg:lenny/libertas-firmware package is installed.
  * Libertas CF/SDIO and SDIO/GSPI devices: Manually acquire and install firmware as described on the [[http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/libertas#devicefirmware|libertas Linux Wireless page]].		  * Examine the kernel ring buffer ([[DebianMan:1/dmesg|dmesg(1)]]) to verify the required firmware files are being loaded by the driver. Lack of firmware is the usual reason for the "SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory" error message.
  * Ensure the DebianPkg:libertas-firmware package is installed.
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The following list is based on the ''alias'' fields of {{{ modinfo usb8xxx}}} on Lenny. The following list is based on the ''alias'' fields of {{{modinfo usb8xxx}}} in Debian 2.6.26 (2.6.26-25lenny1) kernel images.
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USB: 05A3:8388 ARC International (Device name unknown)
USB: 1286:2001 Marvell Semiconductor, Inc. (Device name unknown)		 USB: 05A3:8388 ARC International Marvell 88W8388 802.11a/b/g WLAN
USB: 1286:2001 Marvell Semiconductor, Inc. 88W8388 802.11a/b/g WLAN
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 * irc://irc.freenode.net/#libertas - Driver [[IRC]] channel  * irc://irc.freenode.net/libertas - Driver [[IRC]] channel

Translation(s): none

Marvell 88w8385, 88w8386, 88w8686 devices (libertas)

This page describes how to enable support for WiFi devices based on Marvell Libertas chipsets on Debian systems.

Contents

  1. Marvell 88w8385, 88w8386, 88w8686 devices (libertas)
    1. Drivers
    2. Installation
      1. Lenny
      2. Squeeze
    3. Supported Devices
      1. libertas_cs
      2. libertas_sdio
      3. usb8xxx
    4. See Also
    5. External Links

Drivers

The libertas fullMAC driver is a collection of modules providing support for specific Marvell Technology Group Libertas chipsets:

  • libertas_cs (supported devices)

    • Supports the 88w8385 chipset, used in compact flash and SDIO wireless devices.

    • Introduced in Linux 2.6.24.

  • libertas_sdio (supported devices)

    • Supports the 88w8686 chipset, used in SDIO wireless devices.
    • Introduced in Linux 2.6.24.

  • usb8xxx (supported devices)

Non-free firmware is required for all drivers. Firmware for the usb8xxx driver is packaged for Debian as libertas-firmware.

{i} The Libertas 88w8335 (PCI) softMAC chipset is not supported by any driver (see NDISwrapper).

Installation

Lenny

  1. Add a "non-free" component to /etc/apt/sources.list, for example: 

    # Debian Lenny/5.0
deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian lenny main contrib non-free

  2. Update the list of available packages and install the libertas-firmware and wireless-tools packages: 

    aptitude update
aptitude install libertas-firmware wireless-tools

  3. Libertas CF/SDIO and SDIO/GSPI devices: Manually acquire and install firmware as described on the libertas Linux Wireless page.

  4. If not already peformed, connect the device to your system.

  5. The necessary kernel module should be automatically loaded. If necessary, it can be manually loaded via one of the following commands (depending on your device's relevant interface): 

    modprobe libertas_cs

    or 

    modprobe libertas_sdio

    or 

    modprobe usb8xxx

  6. Verify your device has an available interface: 

    iwconfig

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

    ifconfig wlan0 up

  8. Configure your wireless interface as appropriate.

Troubleshooting

  • Examine the kernel ring buffer (dmesg(1)) to verify the required firmware files are being loaded by the driver. Lack of firmware is the usual reason for the "SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory" error message.

Squeeze

  1. Add a "non-free" component to /etc/apt/sources.list, for example: 

    # Debian Squeeze (testing)
deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian squeeze main contrib non-free

  2. Update the list of available packages and install the libertas-firmware and wireless-tools packages: 

    aptitude update
aptitude install libertas-firmware wireless-tools
  3. If not already peformed, connect the device to your system.

  4. The necessary kernel module should be automatically loaded. If necessary, it can be manually loaded via one of the following commands (depending on your device's relevant interface): 

    modprobe libertas_cs

    or 

    modprobe libertas_sdio

    or 

    modprobe usb8xxx

  5. Verify your device has an available interface: 

    iwconfig

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

    ifconfig wlan0 up

  7. Configure your wireless interface as appropriate.

Troubleshooting

  • Examine the kernel ring buffer (dmesg(1)) to verify the required firmware files are being loaded by the driver. Lack of firmware is the usual reason for the "SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory" error message.

Supported Devices

libertas_cs

libertas_sdio

usb8xxx

The following list is based on the alias fields of modinfo usb8xxx in Debian 2.6.26 (2.6.26-25lenny1) kernel images.

See Also

CategoryHardware | CategoryWireless