Ralink rt2860 using ndiswrapper, eeepc 1000H running ubuntu netbook remix 10.04

[tincrowdor]

Background:
Getting your Ralink rt2860 card to work using ndiswrapper on your eeepc 1000H running ubuntu netbook remix 10.04

I tried various tricks to get my card to work, installed a new kernel, compiled the driver from source. Nothing worked for me. My network is as follows: SSID hidden, WPA, AES encryption
So as a lost resort I tried ndiswrapper and it worked for me, so here goes !

Now this method works with the default kernel you have installed. Mine is 2.6.32-22-generic. And a word of caution before you use this method. I have to disconnect and reconnect 2-3 times through the network applet to initiate the connection, but once it is established it is rock stable. In case it does not connect, you have to right click on the network connection icon, click edit connections and delete the connection listed form the wireless networks, and add it again. I have browsed on this connection for upto an hour without it dropping even once. I have even rebooted my system and can verify that you do not have to do any voodoo to get it working, except for the fact that 2-3 repeat connect/disconnect attempts may be required.

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Update: Alternate to the above: After the desktop loads disconnect from any wireless network and wait for 3-4 minutes. Then attempt the WPA or WPA2 connection, the wireless card connects IMMEDIATELY, without the need for repeat connection attempts or deleting/reading the station.
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Methodology:
Connect through a wired connection and open synaptic. Mark, download and install

ndisgtk
ndiswrapper-utils
ndiswrapper-common

Download the driver for gigabyte ws30n from here or here. It uses the same chipset. Extract all the files to a folder.

Click on the network manager applet and disconnect any active wireless connection.

On your desktop, click on Accessories->Terminal and run these two commands

sudo ifconfig wlan0 down
sudo rmmod rt2860sta
sudo depmod -a

On your desktop, click on System, and under administration click on Windows wireless drivers. A nice graphical interface opens up. Click on install a new driver and browse to the folder you extracted the downloaded driver files, and in that folder browse to drivers/GN-WI30N_WP30N_WS30N_WS30HN_WS31N/WINXP2K and select the inf file. The driver will then be automatically installed.

You can now click on the network applet icon and configure your wireless network as normal.

References:
Thanks to all these great guys for sharing their experience

1. http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1086165
2. http://www.wireless-driver.com/downl...rs-utility.htm
3. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Wi...er/Ndiswrapper

a big big thank you for this post as it seems to have resolved my erratic wifi connection using Ubuntu Netbook remix and Medion Akoya E1210 netbook

[cpw919]

Thank you Nucleuskore!! I was never going to figure that out. My computer can now work.

[unaskedwriter]

Worked well on my 901. Thank you. You've saved me a lot of time and headaches.

[poikiloid]

Thank you so much for posting this tutorial!!! it worked, and was easier and better than a different one I was trying.

To anyone who has any ubuntu flavor 10.10 or above, I found I DID STILL need this tutorial even though the instructions say it is no longer needed: I have EEE PC 1000 16GB SSD which came with XP, but I installed Lubuntu 11.04, which is snappier than XP on this machine. Wireless worked for a little while, then just would not anymore, until I followed these instructions.

THANKS!!

[nucleuskore]

Hi

Thanks for your feedback. I said that this tutorial is redundant as the card works fine with the new kernel; I have Ubuntu 11.04 on my eeepc 1000H and I am not using ndiswrapper. However I do note that it takes time too connect to hidden wireless networks, like my network at home, sometimes up to a minute. Anyway you use what works best for you Cheers

[nowifi]

Same problem on my machine (HP mini 110).

1. Ralink wireless driver (RT3090) does not function with Ubuntu UNR 10.04. (run from Live CD - actually from a Live SD write locked SD card created as Live USB)
2. Once driver is functioning, connections to non-broadcasting SSID routers fail.

These steps will make the connection ...

1. requires:

sudo su
mkdir -p /etc/Wireless/RT2860STA/
touch /etc/Wireless/RT2860STA/RT2860STA.dat
service network-manager restart
exit

and
2. requires forcing NM (Network Manager) to see the "hidden" network service (it helps to right click NM and toggle the Enable Wireless option off (to disable) & then on again) using

sudo iwconfig wlan0 essid <non-broadcast SSID> key s:<ASCII passcode string>

1. The first command sequence fixes:

dmesg | grep RT
[   35.973068] RtmpOSFileOpen(): Error 2 opening /etc/Wireless/RT2860STA/RT2860STA.dat
[   35.973078] Open file "/etc/Wireless/RT2860STA/RT2860STA.dat" failed!
[   36.297303] RtmpOSFileOpen(): Error 2 opening /etc/Wireless/RT2860STA/RT2860STA.dat
[   36.297312] Open file "/etc/Wireless/RT2860STA/RT2860STA.dat" failed!
[  200.006646] Read file "/etc/Wireless/RT2860STA/RT2860STA.dat" failed(errCode=0)!

2. The second terminal command is needed in Ubuntu to coerce the protocol connection from Network Manager while Dis/En-abling Wireless Networking.

ref:
Re: How To: Manual Network Configuration without the need for Network Manager
Ubuntu can not connect a wireless RaLink RT3090 to a hidden network
Re: Can't connect to hidden wireless in Ubuntu 10.10