rt2870sta in-kernel drivers and 802.11n

Bazzaah · 2011-04-30 22:03:54

I have an Asus USB_N13 and it works well on 802.11g - I get a max bit rate of 54Mb/s whereas I would probably get more on the n setting, which router and dongle can support.

Is there a way I can edit wireless mode in in-kernel drivers like I could the .dat file on the prop drivers from Ralink? If so, how do I do change settings to 802.11n?

Thanks in advance for any help

student975 · 2011-04-30 23:31:44

I also have a couple of ASUS adapters with rt2870 (USB-N11 at my case):

1. rt2870sta going with the kernel 2.6.38 doesn't support n11.
2. it is possible to replace it with last rt2870sta version from Ralink site, but there are plenty of nuances.
3. starting from kernel 2.6.38 rt2x series of modules works fine at n11 mode (checked with two routers I have).

Just balcklist rt2870sta in /etc/rc.conf.

$ sudo lsmod | grep rt2
rt2800usb              10901  0 
rt2800lib              30364  1 rt2800usb
crc_ccitt               1355  1 rt2800lib
rt2x00usb               7965  1 rt2800usb
rt2x00lib              29834  3 rt2800usb,rt2800lib,rt2x00usb
mac80211              202190  3 rt2800lib,rt2x00usb,rt2x00lib
cfg80211              141484  2 rt2x00lib,mac80211
usbcore               134827  6 rt2800usb,rt2x00usb,usbhid,uhci_hcd,ehci_hcd

Of course at this case you have not to edit (or even have) .dat file.

Bazzaah · 2011-05-01 10:06:25

Thanks for that.

I've tried the instructions in the wiki without success (so far).

Is there anything in particular that you did to get the rt2x drivers working? The modules the writer refers to in the wiki seem not to exist for example.

Last edited by Bazzaah (2011-05-01 10:24:06)

student975 · 2011-05-01 10:56:42

@Bazzaah

Have you tried just to balcklist rt2870sta (adding !rt2870sta into MODULES=(...) array in rc.conf) and restart a system? After restart just inserting an adapter loads rt2x modules as I have listed above. You should get wlan0 interface. To check try 'sudo ifconfig -a'. Then follow instructions of network manager you use.

Bazzaah · 2011-05-01 12:21:31

student975 wrote:

@Bazzaah
Have you tried just to balcklist rt2870sta (adding !rt2870sta into MODULES=(...) array in rc.conf) and restart a system? After restart just inserting an adapter loads rt2x modules as I have listed above. You should get wlan0 interface. To check try 'sudo ifconfig -a'. Then follow instructions of network manager you use.

That's what I would expect but what happens (with rt2870sta blacklisted) is this;

SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory
Could not set interface wlan0 flags: No such file or directory
Failed to initialize driver interface
dhcpcd[3208]: version 5.2.12 starting
dhcpcd[3208]: wlan0: up_interface: No such file or directory

I use wpa_supplicant but it says n the wiki that is OK now.

It's a bit odd given that it works for you. I just wonder whether I'm missing a module or some package.

Last edited by Bazzaah (2011-05-01 12:25:51)

student975 · 2011-05-01 12:27:22

@Bazzaah

Don't try wpa-supplicant/dgcpcd before you see wlan0 in 'sudo ifconfig -a'. Don't try 'sudo ifconfig -a' before rt2x drivers are loading on adapter inserting. Are rt2x driver autoloading on adapetr inserting? What are last lines in 'dmesg' output just after inserting?

Bazzaah · 2011-05-01 12:45:50

I looked through /var/log and it seems to be a firmware issue...

May  1 08:55:27 localhost kernel: [   11.640819] phy0 -> rt2x00lib_request_firmware: Error - Current firmware does not support detected chipset.

It works fine with rt2870sta and I guess they both reference linux-firmware package.

I'll try again and see what happens with the rt2x modules whitelisted.

Bazzaah · 2011-05-01 13:04:57

Still no luck with the firmware - weird!

From everything log;

May  1 13:52:52 localhost kernel: [  241.501240] Registered led device: rt2800usb-phy1::radio
May  1 13:52:52 localhost kernel: [  241.501261] Registered led device: rt2800usb-phy1::assoc
May  1 13:52:52 localhost kernel: [  241.501278] Registered led device: rt2800usb-phy1::quality
May  1 13:52:56 localhost kernel: [  245.103858] phy1 -> rt2x00lib_request_firmware: Error - Current firmware does not support detected chipset.

I'll have to look at this again later but thanks for the thoughts - much appreciated. I'm using the same device with rt2870sta without issue.

student975 · 2011-05-01 13:17:11

On adapter inserting I have:

[11672.933860] usb 2-5: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[11673.106376] ieee80211 phy1: Selected rate control algorithm 'minstrel_ht'
[11673.106748] Registered led device: rt2800usb-phy1::radio
[11673.106764] Registered led device: rt2800usb-phy1::assoc
[11673.106780] Registered led device: rt2800usb-phy1::quality

Sorry, have no idea wrt 'rt2x00lib_request_firmware: Error'.

vit · 2011-05-02 06:12:53

Bazzaah wrote:

Still no luck with the firmware - weird!
From everything log;
May  1 13:52:52 localhost kernel: [  241.501240] Registered led device: rt2800usb-phy1::radio
May  1 13:52:52 localhost kernel: [  241.501261] Registered led device: rt2800usb-phy1::assoc
May  1 13:52:52 localhost kernel: [  241.501278] Registered led device: rt2800usb-phy1::quality
May  1 13:52:56 localhost kernel: [  245.103858] phy1 -> rt2x00lib_request_firmware: Error - Current firmware does not support detected chipset.
I'll have to look at this again later but thanks for the thoughts - much appreciated. I'm using the same device with rt2870sta without issue.

Do you have linux-firmware installed?
I'm using rt2X00 modules with Linksys card, but newer tried N, because has no other devices with such speed.

Bazzaah · 2011-05-02 09:09:25

vit wrote:

Bazzaah wrote:
Still no luck with the firmware - weird!
From everything log;
May  1 13:52:52 localhost kernel: [  241.501240] Registered led device: rt2800usb-phy1::radio
May  1 13:52:52 localhost kernel: [  241.501261] Registered led device: rt2800usb-phy1::assoc
May  1 13:52:52 localhost kernel: [  241.501278] Registered led device: rt2800usb-phy1::quality
May  1 13:52:56 localhost kernel: [  245.103858] phy1 -> rt2x00lib_request_firmware: Error - Current firmware does not support detected chipset.
I'll have to look at this again later but thanks for the thoughts - much appreciated. I'm using the same device with rt2870sta without issue.
Do you have linux-firmware installed?
I'm using rt2X00 modules with Linksys card, but newer tried N, because has no other devices with such speed.

Yep - it was first thing I checked; my device also works with the rt2870sta, but not with rt2x drivers.

It seems a widespread problem - I'll be asking over at the serialmonkey forum.

Arch Linux

#1 2011-04-30 22:03:54

rt2870sta in-kernel drivers and 802.11n

#2 2011-04-30 23:31:44

Re: rt2870sta in-kernel drivers and 802.11n

#3 2011-05-01 10:06:25

Re: rt2870sta in-kernel drivers and 802.11n

#4 2011-05-01 10:56:42

Re: rt2870sta in-kernel drivers and 802.11n

#5 2011-05-01 12:21:31

Re: rt2870sta in-kernel drivers and 802.11n

#6 2011-05-01 12:27:22

Re: rt2870sta in-kernel drivers and 802.11n

#7 2011-05-01 12:45:50

Re: rt2870sta in-kernel drivers and 802.11n

#8 2011-05-01 13:04:57

Re: rt2870sta in-kernel drivers and 802.11n

#9 2011-05-01 13:17:11

Re: rt2870sta in-kernel drivers and 802.11n

#10 2011-05-02 06:12:53

Re: rt2870sta in-kernel drivers and 802.11n

#11 2011-05-02 09:09:25

Re: rt2870sta in-kernel drivers and 802.11n

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