[Solved] Rtl8187b

Isengrin · 2008-09-08 06:20:23

Yo!

Again, I'd like to ask your help.
I've been trying to make my RTL8187B wireless card to work, but just nothing. My computer is a Toshiba Satellite A215-SP4027, and my ethernet a RTL8101E.

Following the wiki http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Rtl8187_wireless and this post: http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=48953&p=1
I used:

[isengrin@luna ~]$ zcat /proc/config.gz | grep CONFIG_RTL8187
CONFIG_RTL8187=m
[isengrin@luna ~]$ sudo modprobe rtl8187
[isengrin@luna ~]$ dmesg | grep rtl8187
usbcore: registered new interface driver rtl8187
[isengrin@luna ~]$ ifconfig wlan0 up
wlan0: unknown interface: No such device

Then, according to the link provided in that post (http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions … er-610613/) I managed to have my wlan0 with ndiswrapper. Although, it still didn't work. I followed the Netcfg wiki, and tried it.
This was the profile:

CONNECTION="wireless"
DESCRIPTION="A simple WEP encrypted wireless connection"
INTERFACE=wlan0
SCAN="yes"
SECURITY="wep"
ESSID=lunaris
KEY="************"
IP="dhcp"

So I used

[isengrin@luna ~]$ netcfg2 wep

And it gave an error saying that the network was not available. I configured both the wlan0, the netcfg profile and the router in a lot of ways to make them work, but nothing.

I 'played' with /etc/rc.conf and other files so I ended making a mess with my Arch.
Then, I reinstalled everything to start from zero and, if possible, guided by someone who already knows how to work a RTL8187B.
Lsub shows this:

[isengrin@luna ~]$ lsusb
Bus 006 Device 004: ID 04f2:b008 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 
Bus 006 Device 002: ID 0bda:8197 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002  
Bus 005 Device 002: ID 0483:2016 SGS Thomson Microelectronics Fingerprint Reader
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001  
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001  
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 0930:0508 Toshiba Corp. 
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001  
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001  
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001

By the way, I think it may be that the Windows driver I used was wrong, although ndiswrapper -l said the device was present. Anyone knows wich driver should I use? Win98, WinXP, X64?

Thanks. n_n

Last edited by Isengrin (2008-09-18 08:39:22)

n8schicht · 2008-09-08 06:56:09

I also have a WLAN USB-Stick with the RTL8187B-driver. I once got it to work with ndiswrapper and the Win98-drivers from the Realtek homepage. But now it won't work anymore because I played with some settings and killed it, stupid me...

But: With kernel 2.6.27 we can expect native support for the RTL8187B chipset. I assume that the new kernel will come out within the next weeks. Does somebody have a more precise date at hand?

Isengrin · 2008-09-08 07:36:58

n8schicht wrote:

I also have a WLAN USB-Stick with the RTL8187B-driver. I once got it to work with ndiswrapper and the Win98-drivers from the Realtek homepage. But now it won't work anymore because I played with some settings and killed it, stupid me...

There comes the questions xD:
1. Did you modify the net8187b.inf in some way, or do you just installed it?
2. Did you use Netcfg?

n8schicht wrote:

But: With kernel 2.6.27 we can expect native support for the RTL8187B chipset. I assume that the new kernel will come out within the next weeks. Does somebody have a more precise date at hand?

I searched and searched since some days ago that I read of the RTL8187B support on kernel 2.6.27, but it seems that there is no precise release date.
Thanks.

SiC · 2008-09-08 07:54:23

The RTL8187B chipset is not supported natively in the kernel at the moment. Your best bet is to get the windows XP drivers and use ndiswrapper. I use this quite successfully with my adaptor.

Isengrin · 2008-09-08 08:08:56

Thanks, but once again my question is:
Do you use the Windows driver as it is, or do you modify it with things likethis?:

3. Open with an editor net8187b.inf ( WinXP folder )
4. Change at ControlFlags to 8197

ControlFlags
ExcludeFromSelect = USB\VID_0BDA&PID_8197&REV_0200

and add following line to the end of IDs

;;****************************************************************************
;; IDs for 98SE/ME/2K/XP
;;****************************************************************************
Realtek
%RTL8187B.DeviceDesc% = RTL8187B.ndi, USB\VID_0BDA&PID_8187&REV_0200
%RTL8187B.DeviceDesc% = RTL8187B.ndi, USB\VID_0BDA&PID_8189&REV_0200
%RTL8187B.DeviceDesc% = RTL8187B.ndi, USB\VID_0BDA&PID_8197&REV_0200

Sorry for the stupid questions.

n8schicht · 2008-09-08 10:26:28

SiC wrote:

The RTL8187B chipset is not supported natively in the kernel at the moment.

Oh nooo

Isengrin wrote:

Did you modify the net8187b.inf in some way, or do you just installed it?

IIRC I did not modify any of the inf-files. And I used the win98 drivers.

Isengrin wrote:

Did you use Netcfg?

Yes, netcfg2 with wpa-psk.

I'm still hoping for the drivers to be present in the new kernel release...

SiC · 2008-09-08 11:30:10

I used the Win XP drivers for my netgear WG111v3. I just grabbed them off the CD that came with the stick.

Isengrin · 2008-09-08 19:40:42

Puf.... Ok, not with the Win98 nor WinXP, but the X64 drivers I managed to put up the interface (with the modifications to the .inf file mentioned in http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions … er-610613/)

[isengrin@luna~ ]$ sudo modprobe rtl8187
[isengrin@luna~ ]$ sudo ifconfig wlan0 up
[isengrin@luna~ ]$ ifconfig
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:A0:D1:87:55:C0  
          inet addr:192.168.1.70  Bcast:192.168.1.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:318 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:30 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:26554 (25.9 Kb)  TX bytes:2653 (2.5 Kb)
          Interrupt:17 Base address:0x4000 

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:4 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:4 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:280 (280.0 b)  TX bytes:280 (280.0 b)

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:16:44:69:E9:5A  
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 b)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 b)

So please, can you tell me what to do next? Should I proceed with Netcfg2 or is there something I need to do first?
I don't want to do anything without guide to avoid breaking the system again. xD

Last edited by Isengrin (2008-09-08 19:48:12)

SiC · 2008-09-09 10:43:00

You should be set now to use netcfg to configure the wireless connection.

n8schicht · 2008-09-09 11:33:37

@Isengrin: Why do you "sudo modprobe rtl8187"? The RTL8187-driver is not compatible to your NIC with RTL8187B chipset. That's why you will have to use ndiswrapper.
So your command should be "sudo modprobe ndiswrapper"...

Isengrin · 2008-09-10 19:58:37

n8schicht wrote:

@Isengrin: Why do you "sudo modprobe rtl8187"? The RTL8187-driver is not compatible to your NIC with RTL8187B chipset. That's why you will have to use ndiswrapper.
So your command should be "sudo modprobe ndiswrapper"...

I guess I'm just stupid...
No, seriously, I followed the Wiki and thought it had something to do, but I amended that.
---
Well, to resume... I couldn't make it work. Although the wlan0 is up it just doesn't work, and since netcfg is ok it must be that I used the wrong drivers (although I tested a lot of them).
I'm really busy with school so I'll just give up and wait for the kernel 2.6.27.

Thanks a lot for your help guys.

(Still if someone manage to have it working concretly on a Satellite A215-Sp4027, I'll be glad to know the steps ;)

Last edited by Isengrin (2008-09-10 20:02:25)

n8schicht · 2008-09-12 17:18:01

I just did a reinstall of my card, and here is how I did it:

1.) Download the Windows-Package from the Realtek site: http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/dow … =true#1431. Extract it and change to the Win98 folder.

2.) Remove any previously installed drivers from ndiswrapper (ndiswrapper -l and then ndiswrapper -r driver). Also unload the ndiswrapper module if it is still loaded: modprobe -r ndiswrapper

3.) Install the Win98 driver: ndiswrapper -i net8187b.inf

4.) List your USB devices: lsusb. Note the ID of your device (mine looks like this: 0846:4260)

5.) Now assigne your device ID to the driver: ndiswrapper -a 0846:4260 net8187b

6.) Let ndiswrapper write the configuration: ndiswrapper -m

7.) Load ndiswrapper: modprobe ndiswrapper

After that you should have a working network interface wlan0 and can use netcfg2 to set it up. Good luck!

Isengrin · 2008-09-18 08:37:35

n8schicht wrote:

1.) Download the Windows-Package from the Realtek site: http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/dow … =true#1431. Extract it and change to the Win98 folder.

That package doesn't include the Windows 98 driver any more. Then I looked for it in google and found this:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiD … ekRTL8187b
http://venezuelaportatil.blogspot.com/2 … lenny.html

And they both worked perfect. I'll leave here the driver that Realtek sent to the guy of the blog, although with the new kernel it will be useless.
http://isengrin.iespana.es/rtl8187B_lin … 008.tar.gz

-----------
And SiC and n8schicht, thanks a lot for your help, I'm really grateful. n_n

Last edited by Isengrin (2008-09-24 18:32:07)

Arch Linux

#1 2008-09-08 06:20:23

[Solved] Rtl8187b

#2 2008-09-08 06:56:09

Re: [Solved] Rtl8187b

#3 2008-09-08 07:36:58

Re: [Solved] Rtl8187b

#4 2008-09-08 07:54:23

Re: [Solved] Rtl8187b

#5 2008-09-08 08:08:56

Re: [Solved] Rtl8187b

#6 2008-09-08 10:26:28

Re: [Solved] Rtl8187b

#7 2008-09-08 11:30:10

Re: [Solved] Rtl8187b

#8 2008-09-08 19:40:42

Re: [Solved] Rtl8187b

#9 2008-09-09 10:43:00

Re: [Solved] Rtl8187b

#10 2008-09-09 11:33:37

Re: [Solved] Rtl8187b

#11 2008-09-10 19:58:37

Re: [Solved] Rtl8187b

#12 2008-09-12 17:18:01

Re: [Solved] Rtl8187b

#13 2008-09-18 08:37:35

Re: [Solved] Rtl8187b

Board footer