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Intersil ISL3877, ISL3880, ISL3886, ISL3887, ISL3890 devices (Prism54)

This page describes how to enable support for WiFi devices based on Prism54 chipsets on Debian systems.

Drivers

Intersil/Conexant Prism54 wireless LAN chipsets are supported by three native drivers:

• p54pci (supported devices)

  • Supports PC Card and Mini PCI devices with an ISL3877, ISL3880, ISL3886 or ISL3890 chipset.
  • Introduced in kernel 2.6.24.

• p54usb (supported devices)

  • Supports USB first (ISL3886 chipset) and second (ISL3887 chipset) generation devices.
  • Introduced in kernel 2.6.24.

• prism54 (supported devices)

  • Supports PC Card and Mini PCI devices with an ISL3887, ISL3880 or ISL3890 chipset.
  • Included in mainline kernels from 2.6.5.

  • Disabled in Debian 2.6.24 and later kernels.¹

All drivers require non-free firmware, which must be acquired before device operation.

Prism 2/2.5/3 devices are supported by the hostap, orinoco and linux-wlan-ng drivers.

p54pci

For 2.6.24 and later kernels. This driver is included as a module in Debian kernel images.

• 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- | grep etchnhalf and install a package appropriate for your system.

• Restart your system with this kernel before continuing.

A specific firmware file - depending on your kernel version - is required to be installed.

1. Install the wireless-tools package:

   aptitude update
   aptitude install wireless-tools

2. Acquire and install the relevant firmware:

   • Kernels 2.6.24 (EtchAndAHalf) and 2.6.26 (Lenny):

     wget -O /lib/firmware/isl3886 http://daemonizer.de/prism54/prism54-fw/fw-softmac/lmac_2.7.0.0.arm

     Kernels 2.6.29 and later:

     wget -O /lib/firmware/isl3886pci http://daemonizer.de/prism54/prism54-fw/fw-softmac/2.13.12.0.arm

3. If not already performed, connect the device to your system.

4. The necessary kernel module should be automatically loaded. If necessary, it can be manually loaded via:

   modprobe p54pci

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.

p54usb

For 2.6.24 and later kernels. This driver is included as a module in Debian kernel images.

• 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- | grep etchnhalf and install a package appropriate for your system.

• Restart your system with this kernel before continuing.

A specific firmware file - depending on your kernel version - is required to be installed.

First generation USB devices (ISL3886 with net2280 bridge)

1. Install the wireless-tools package:

   aptitude update
   aptitude install wireless-tools

2. Acquire and install the relevant firmware:

   • Kernels 2.6.24 (EtchAndAHalf) and 2.6.26 (Lenny):

     wget -O /lib/firmware/isl3890usb http://jbnote.free.fr/prism54usb/data/firmwares/p54u_2.5.6.0.arm

     Kernels 2.6.29 and later:

     wget -O /lib/firmware/isl3886usb http://daemonizer.de/prism54/prism54-fw/fw-usb/2.13.24.0.lm86.arm

3. If not already performed, connect the device to your system.

4. The necessary kernel module should be automatically loaded. If necessary, it can be manually loaded via:

   modprobe p54usb

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.

Second generation USB devices (ISL3887)

1. Install the wireless-tools package:

   aptitude update
   aptitude install wireless-tools

2. Acquire and install the relevant firmware:

   • Kernels 2.6.24 (EtchAndAHalf) and 2.6.26 (Lenny):

     wget -O /lib/firmware/isl3887usb_bare http://daemonizer.de/prism54/prism54-fw/fw-usb/2.5.8.0.arm

     Kernels 2.6.29 and later:

     wget -O /lib/firmware/isl3887usb http://daemonizer.de/prism54/prism54-fw/fw-usb/2.13.24.0.lm87.arm

3. If not already performed, connect the device to your system.

4. The necessary kernel module should be automatically loaded. If necessary, it can be manually loaded via:

   modprobe p54usb

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.

prism54 (Etch with 2.6.18 kernel only)

Devices with an ISL3886 chipset are not supported by this driver. See p54pci or p54usb above.

1. Install the wireless-tools package:

   aptitude update
   aptitude install wireless-tools

2. Acquire and install the relevant firmware:

   • Devices with an ISL3880 or ISL3890 chipset:

     wget -O /lib/firmware/isl3890 http://lekernel.net/prism54/firmware/1.0.4.3.arm

     Devices with an ISL3877 chipset:

     wget -O /lib/firmware/isl3890 http://lekernel.net/prism54/firmware/1.1.0.0.arm

3. If not already performed, connect the device to your system.

4. The necessary kernel module should be automatically loaded. If necessary, it can be manually loaded via:

   modprobe prism54

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.

Supported Devices

p54pci

The page HowToIdentifyADevice/PCI explains how to identify a PCI device.

The following list is based on the alias fields of modinfo p54pci on Lenny.

• PCI: 10B7:6001 3Com Corporation 3com 3CRWE154G72 [Office Connect Wireless LAN Adapter]
  PCI: 1260:3877 Intersil Corporation (Device name unknown)
  PCI: 1260:3886 Intersil Corporation ISL3886 [Prism Javelin/Prism Xbow]
  PCI: 1260:3890 Intersil Corporation ISL3890 [Prism GT/Prism Duette]/ISL3886 [Prism Javelin/Prism Xbow]

p54usb

The page HowToIdentifyADevice/USB explains how to identify a USB device.

The following list is based on the alias fields of modinfo p54usb on Lenny.

• USB: 0471:1230 Philips Wireless Adapter 11g
  USB: 0506:0A11 3Com Corp. 3CRWE254G72 802.11g Adapter
  USB: 050D:7050 Belkin Components (Device name unknown)
  USB: 0572:2000 Conexant Systems (Rockwell), Inc. SoftGate 802.11 Adapter
  USB: 0572:2002 Conexant Systems (Rockwell), Inc. SoftGate 802.11 Adapter
  USB: 0707:EE06 Standard Microsystems Corp. EZ-Connect 802.11g Adapter
  USB: 0707:EE13 Standard Microsystems Corp. EZ-Connect 802.11g Adapter
  USB: 083A:4501 Accton Technology Corp. (Device name unknown)
  USB: 083A:4502 Accton Technology Corp. (Device name unknown)
  USB: 083A:4521 Accton Technology Corp. (Device name unknown)
  USB: 083A:5501 Accton Technology Corp. (Device name unknown)
  USB: 0846:4200 NetGear, Inc. WG121(v1) 54 Mbps Wireless [Intersil Prism GT]
  USB: 0846:4210 NetGear, Inc. WG121(v2) 54 Mbps Wireless [Intersil Prism GT]
  USB: 0846:4220 NetGear, Inc. WG111(v1) 54 Mbps Wireless [Intersil Prism54 Intersil 3886]
  USB: 0846:4240 NetGear, Inc. WG111(v1) rev 2 54 Mbps Wireless [Intersil Prism54 Intersil 3886]
  USB: 0915:2000 GlobeSpan, Inc. 802.11 Adapter
  USB: 0915:2002 GlobeSpan, Inc. 802.11 Adapter
  USB: 09AA:1000 Intersil Corp. (Device name unknown)
  USB: 0BAF:0118 U.S. Robotics (Device name unknown)
  USB: 0BF8:1009 Fujitsu Siemens Computers (Device name unknown)
  USB: 0CDE:0006 Z-Com (Device name unknown)
  USB: 0CDE:0008 Z-Com (Device name unknown)
  USB: 0D8E:3762 Global Sun Technology, Inc. (Device name unknown)
  USB: 124A:4023 AirVast (Device name unknown)
  USB: 124A:4025 AirVast (Device name unknown)
  USB: 13B1:000A Linksys (Device name unknown)
  USB: 13B1:000C Linksys (Device name unknown)
  USB: 1435:0427 Wistron NeWeb (Device name unknown)
  USB: 1915:2234 Linksys WUSB54G 802.11g Adapter
  USB: 1915:2235 Linksys (Device name unknown)
  USB: 2001:3701 D-Link Corp. [hex] DWL-G120 Spinnaker 802.11b
  USB: 2001:3703 D-Link Corp. [hex] DWL-122 802.11b
  USB: 2001:3704 D-Link Corp. [hex] DWL-G122 802.11g rev. A2
  USB: 413C:8102 Dell Computer Corp. (Device name unknown)
  USB: 413C:8104 Dell Computer Corp. (Device name unknown)
  USB: 5041:2234 Linksys (?) WUSB54G 802.11g Adapter
  USB: 5041:2235 Linksys (?) (Device name unknown)

prism54

The page HowToIdentifyADevice/PCI explains how to identify a PCI device.

The following list is based on the alias fields of modinfo prism54 on Etch.

• PCI: 10B7:6001 3Com Corporation (Device name unknown)
  PCI: 1260:3877 Intersil Corporation (Device name unknown)
  PCI: 1260:3886 Intersil Corporation ISL3886 [Prism Javelin/Prism Xbow]
  PCI: 1260:3890 Intersil Corporation ISL3890 [Prism GT/Prism Duette]/ISL3886 [Prism Javelin/Prism Xbow]

See Also

• How to use a WiFi interface

External Links

• http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/p54 - driver homepage;

  • irc://irc.freenode.net/#prism54 - driver IRC channel

• http://lekernel.net/prism54/ - old Prism54 project homepage

CategoryHardware | CategoryWireless