Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

holytrousers · 2008-02-14 01:34:49

Hello to everyone.
After a full system update, i found that ndiswrapper wont work anymore.
I suppose a conflict with the built in driver ( something i have heard of on irc ) because after issuing ndiswrapper -l i get this message

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

that is strange because previously i always had the bcm43xx as the alternate driver ( which didnt work on my broadcom wifi )

when i try to rmmod the module ssb, i get the following

ERROR: Module ssb is in use by b44

I don't know why it is still used, i have blacklisted that module in rc.conf.

here is the messages.log : http://pastebin.org/19432

this is the log before i blacklisted ssb. i also got then the wlan0 interface in the network cards list ( iwconfig and ifconfig), BUT didn't work... and the error when i wanted to bring the interface up was : SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory

This is the actual log, after blacklisting ssb.( i dont have wlan0 in the interface list anymore, though ndiswrapper is installed and configured properly ) : http://pastebin.org/19485

I would be grateful if someone helped me on this issue.

Thank you ^_^

gorn · 2008-02-14 01:38:17

holytrousers wrote:

ERROR: Module ssb is in use by b44

Is that a typo and it's actually b43?

There is a b43 broadcom kernel module in 2.6.24. I'd add b43 to the blacklist and give ndiswrapper a try again.

holytrousers · 2008-02-14 01:40:32

no its no typo, it is exactly b44.

holytrousers · 2008-02-14 01:42:09

actually, b44 (not b43) is in my modules list .
It has worked previously without problems.
Should i blacklist it too ?

gorn · 2008-02-14 05:45:24

It seems b44 is an Ethernet card.
b43 is a wireless driver.

Your dmesg shows b43 is loading. Try adding b43 to the BLACKLIST and see what happens.

blu3ness · 2008-02-14 06:07:01

blacklist b43, blacklisting bcm43xx won't work anymore.

Shirakawasuna · 2008-02-14 06:07:13

I had this issue as well, with the same card! rmmod'ing b43 and bcm43xx didn't help at all (they both decided to load by default, the punks), but rmmod'ing mac80211 fixed the issue entirely. Add it do your blacklist along with b43 and bcm43xx and you'll probably be fine!

holytrousers · 2008-02-14 11:06:56

I blaclisted the following modules :
MOD_BLACKLIST=(bcm43xx pcspkr ssb b43 mac80211)
But that didn't change anything, the modules (ssb) will still load ... fortunately b43 wont. So that might be a good sign.
But that didn't help, i still don't get any wlan0 interface. Hmm, is it the ssb module that could be causing the conflicts ? ( Otherwise why does ndiswrapper mention it as an alternate module ? )
Here is the new log :
http://pastebin.org/19527

Last edited by holytrousers (2008-02-14 12:54:53)

Slychilde · 2008-02-15 06:38:27

I'm having the exact same problem. I tried using b43 and b43 legacy, which would give me a segmentation fault error on bootup (Line 83), but it would at least show my wireless card. I was using ndiswrapper as well, but now it doesn't even show wlan0 when I try to using it and blacklist bcm43xx, b43, and b43legacy.

I knew it was going to break when I saw ndiswrapper updating. ><

holytrousers · 2008-02-15 14:45:09

Well Slychilde, i don't really get that. I can't figure out what is the problem.
Here are the possible causes :
1. Ndiswrapper conflicting with b43 : Impossible : I have blacklisted it and it doesn't load anymore
2. Ndiswrapper conflicting with bcm43xx : Impossible : they are no longer available.
3. Ndiswrapper conflicting with mac80211 : Impossible : they are not installed on my system ( blacklisted too )
4. Ndiswrapper conflicting with ssb : Possible : # ndsiwrapper -l mentions this module as an alternate driver.
5. Ndiswrapper not installed properly : Impossible : I did everything right ( ndiswrapper -i driver_name --> ndiswrapper -m --> ndiwrapper -l lists my driver --> added ndiswrapper to the modules list in rc.conf )
6. Ndiswrapper is not compatible anymore with the new kernel (o_O)

Solutions ?
I Don't really know what to do !
I Have to use ndiswrapper ( opensource drivers wont work with my broadcom wlan )
The only solution to the problem might be to blacklist the ssb modules, which doesn't work ... they will always load.. and can't be rmmod-ded ( ITs says module ssb is in use by b44, so i suppose they are automatically loaded through a call from b44 )

Any ideas ?

Cheers.

holytrousers · 2008-02-15 16:48:11

Hey people,
i have solved my problem !
I think i was right : the ssb module was causing the conflict !
I blacklisted the b44 which was calling the ssb module, and ... voila ! my wlan works !
Hmm
So, there remains a little problem : I can't use my ethernet card anymore ...

What could be the solution ?

Thanx !

Slychilde · 2008-02-16 01:27:35

I tried doing what you said and it works for me too. It also breaks my ethernet, but I'd rather have wireless, so thank you!

holytrousers · 2008-02-16 03:32:18

I am glad for that Slychilde !

Let's wait now for the experts to tell us how to solve this problem with the b44

Cheers

wonder · 2008-02-16 23:10:34

heh... i found the solution but i forget to post. actualy i put in rc.conf
MOD_AUTOLOAD="no"
MOD_BLACKLIST=(bcm43xx b43 mac80211 cfg80211 ssb)

ssb is loaded by b44. to ndiswrapper to work you need to put it before b44 is loaded
MODULES=(... ndiswrapper b44....)

with this will work ethernet and wireless

holytrousers · 2008-02-17 13:11:06

Thank you Wonder !

That worked for me, now both devices are working !
However, i did not have to disable the MOD_AUTOLOAD feature !
By the way, why did this happen with the latest changes to the kernel ?
Shouldn't this be reported as a bug ?

Cheers!

Shirakawasuna · 2008-02-17 19:29:02

Strange. I have the ssb module loaded right now and ndiswrapper works fine. Stupid kernel issues.

wonder · 2008-02-17 20:09:51

don't know if is a kernel bug or a ndiswrapper bug.

holytrousers · 2008-02-18 01:01:22

Well, its useless actually to blacklist the ssb module, as it is necessary for b44 to work :
The trick is : when ssb finds the wlan card, it goes there and occupies it ... not allowing ndiswrapper to control it. ssb is apparently a new driver for the bcm cards, thats why b44 is using it ... and bcm43xx is not needed anymore.
Thats why we need ndiswrapper to be the first one to take the place and control the wireless card, when ssb comes later, it finds the place occupied, so it goes forward to control the ethernet card.
That would be my interpretation.
The problem is neither from the kernel, nor from ndiswrapper.
The problem is the fact that bcm43xx modules have been replaced by ssb, and ssb controls both ethernet and wireless.

Cheers

holytrousers · 2008-02-18 01:04:51

By the way, i don't know if this will be a permanent issue, so one could add the solution to the wiki.

Thanx again.
Cheers

Factory · 2008-03-12 03:19:29

WOW I am glad this post appeared .

So here's how I have mine working with ndiswrapper as we speak:

#/etc/rc.conf
MOD_AUTOLOAD="yes"
MOD_BLACKLIST=(... b43)
MODULES=(ndiswrapper b44 mii !bcm43xx ...)

$ lspci
0b:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM94311MCG wlan mini-PCI (rev 01)

Learned something new today: ORDER MATTERS!

Hardware: Dell Inspiron 6400

KRTac · 2008-07-09 22:23:18

hi.

I have got the same problem on my laptop. I foloved all the instructions on the topic and searched around, but couldt solve the problem. I cant seem to get the driver running, althow the ndiswrapper is the first module that is loaded, and the b43, ssb and the others ar blacklisted. Has anybody got the same problem? i really need to get this to work, and i dont want to give up on arch. Help please?

edit: I have the 2.6.25 kernel and ndiswrapper kernel module version 1.52..the latest from the repo

Last edited by KRTac (2008-07-09 23:18:56)

timetrap · 2008-07-09 22:54:54

Uh, I have b44 AND b43 working fine on my system (dell e1505).

Stop using ndiswrapper. SInce 2.6.24 it has been unneeded for broadcom devices. Ndiswrapper works great for those "stable" distros. But Arch has the latest and greatest kernels, so use it to your advantage.

wonder · 2008-07-09 23:21:24

@timetrap
yes. you are right. i'm using b43 since 2.6.24 but not all cards works with that. there are some chipset who works only with ndiswrapper.

unsupported

* The 802.11a part of the 4309 and 4312 is not supported.
* There is no support for any Draft 802.11n features. We are working on it.
* BCM 4310
* BCM 4328/4329

KRTac · 2008-07-09 23:31:38

ok...I've tryed the b43 driver...it creates the interface (wlan0, unlike ndiswrapper witch doesn't), but I can't use it...when i do ifconfig wlan0 up it returns a error: SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory

wonder · 2008-07-09 23:42:14

@KRTac
did you install firmware?

Arch Linux

#1 2008-02-14 01:34:49

Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#2 2008-02-14 01:38:17

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#3 2008-02-14 01:40:32

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#4 2008-02-14 01:42:09

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#5 2008-02-14 05:45:24

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#6 2008-02-14 06:07:01

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#7 2008-02-14 06:07:13

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#8 2008-02-14 11:06:56

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#9 2008-02-15 06:38:27

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#10 2008-02-15 14:45:09

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#11 2008-02-15 16:48:11

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#12 2008-02-16 01:27:35

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#13 2008-02-16 03:32:18

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#14 2008-02-16 23:10:34

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#15 2008-02-17 13:11:06

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#16 2008-02-17 19:29:02

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#17 2008-02-17 20:09:51

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#18 2008-02-18 01:01:22

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#19 2008-02-18 01:04:51

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#20 2008-03-12 03:19:29

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#21 2008-07-09 22:23:18

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#22 2008-07-09 22:54:54

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#23 2008-07-09 23:21:24

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#24 2008-07-09 23:31:38

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

#25 2008-07-09 23:42:14

Re: Kernel 2.6.24 and ndiswrapper issues

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