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Thread: Diagnose Server & Desktop differences

  1. #1
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    Diagnose Server & Desktop differences

    Hi,

    I am struggling to get my wireless usb working on a fresh installation of Ubuntu Server 10.04, but it works just fine on a fresh install of Ubuntu Desktop 10.04. So I am trying to work out what's causing the discrepancy. I know the Server version is a "minimal install" of Ubuntu, so something must be missing that affects its overall abilities.

    I am planning to compare the file system of a totally fresh Desktop version with a Server version - and would appreciate as much additional brain-power as possible to assist in the plan/execution of what I should be comparing. I hope this will throw up a solution as to what is NOT installed/configured on the Server version that prevents my wireless from working. [It will teach me a lot as well ]

    COMPARISON PLAN
    1. All programs installed on both file systems (looking for differences)
    2. Program differences which affect network setup and related hardware (I'm not sure of what this list should have on it)
    3. Related configuration files which might affect connectivity (same here - not sure what configures what at this stage)
      * Do $lsmod to look for installed wireless drivers
    4. Miscellaneous tests
      * Disable security on wireless router to see if security config is the cause
    5. I'm not sure if the kernel build will be different and if so how to establish this... but somehow wonder if this affects the outcome


    If anyone is willing to assist in filling out the gaps in this plan I would really appreciate it. Or maybe there is a better way?

    Many thanks...
    Last edited by MartinHansell; June 26th, 2010 at 07:03 AM. Reason: Additional information

  2. #2
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    Re: Diagnose Server & Desktop differences

    Post lsmod from both systems. It's possible that the server doesn't have wireless drivers.
    -------------------------------------
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  3. #3
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    Re: Diagnose Server & Desktop differences

    Thanks tgalait4,

    lsmod for desktop version below.

    I will put that in the list, but I can't query the server yet coz its currently not installed, although I have posted below an lsmod I did before reinstalling the desktop. I am currently operating off the desktop install, and when I have queried that thoroughly I will reinstall the server to do the differences.

    With lsmod, what difference am I looking for? Which modules affect the working of a wireless usb?

    Thanks again.

    Code:
    $lsmod
    Module                  Size  Used by
    binfmt_misc             6587  1 
    snd_hda_codec_idt      51914  1 
    arc4                    1153  2 
    snd_hda_intel          21877  2 
    snd_hda_codec          74201  2 snd_hda_codec_idt,snd_hda_intel
    snd_hwdep               5412  1 snd_hda_codec
    snd_pcm_oss            35308  0 
    rt73usb                22434  0 
    snd_mixer_oss          13746  1 snd_pcm_oss
    fbcon                  35102  71 
    tileblit                2031  1 fbcon
    font                    7557  1 fbcon
    bitblit                 4707  1 fbcon
    snd_pcm                70662  3 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_pcm_oss
    crc_itu_t               1371  1 rt73usb
    softcursor              1189  1 bitblit
    snd_seq_dummy           1338  0 
    rt2500usb              18141  0 
    vga16fb                11385  0 
    snd_seq_oss            26726  0 
    snd_seq_midi            4557  0 
    vgastate                8961  1 vga16fb
    rt2x00usb               9703  2 rt73usb,rt2500usb
    snd_rawmidi            19056  1 snd_seq_midi
    rt2x00lib              27509  3 rt73usb,rt2500usb,rt2x00usb
    snd_seq_midi_event      6003  2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
    snd_seq                47263  6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
    joydev                  8708  0 
    led_class               2864  1 rt2x00lib
    snd_timer              19098  2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
    snd_seq_device          5700  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
    hid_logitech            7388  0 
    snd                    54148  16 snd_hda_codec_idt,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
    mac80211              204922  2 rt2x00usb,rt2x00lib
    nouveau               467048  2 
    ff_memless              4093  1 hid_logitech
    intel_agp              24177  0 
    ttm                    49943  1 nouveau
    soundcore               6620  1 snd
    cfg80211              126485  2 rt2x00lib,mac80211
    snd_page_alloc          7076  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
    drm_kms_helper         29297  1 nouveau
    usbhid                 36110  1 hid_logitech
    hid                    67032  2 hid_logitech,usbhid
    drm                   162471  4 nouveau,ttm,drm_kms_helper
    agpgart                31724  3 intel_agp,ttm,drm
    ppdev                   5259  0 
    i2c_algo_bit            5028  1 nouveau
    parport_pc             25962  1 
    psmouse                63245  0 
    serio_raw               3978  0 
    lp                      7028  0 
    parport                32635  3 ppdev,parport_pc,lp
    e100                   28211  0 
    mii                     4381  1 e100
    SERVER LSMOD for wireless drivers only
    Code:
    $lsmod | grep rt          
    rt73usb                22434  0 
    crc_itu_t               1371  1 rt73usb
    rt2500usb              18141  0 
    rt2x00usb               9703  2 rt73usb,rt2500usb
    rt2x00lib              27541  3 rt73usb,rt2500usb,rt2x00usb
    led_class               2864  1 rt2x00lib
    mac80211              204922  2 rt2x00usb,rt2x00lib
    cfg80211              126517  2 rt2x00lib,mac80211
    parport_pc             26250  1 
    parport                32635  3 ppdev,lp,parport_pc
    agpgart                31788  3 ttm,drm,intel_agp
    Last edited by MartinHansell; June 26th, 2010 at 06:51 AM.

  4. #4
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    Re: Diagnose Server & Desktop differences

    I presume your USB card is by RealTek, hence anything with rt*usb would be a candidate.

    I just checked my Hardy server, it has the rt* drivers:

    tgalati4@washme:~$ locate rt73usb
    /lib/modules/2.6.24-23-server/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt73usb.ko

    After you boot your server, open a terminal and page through the dmesg file:

    dmesg | more

    Look for detection of the rt* card and note any errors.

    Also realize that the desktop version has Network Manager. This is the GUI which scans for wireless networks, handles passwords, and provides for automatic connection. On the minimal server, you have to manually configure the wireless. One missing switch and no connection.
    Last edited by tgalati4; June 27th, 2010 at 03:47 AM.
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  5. #5
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    Re: Diagnose Server & Desktop differences

    Quote Originally Posted by tgalati4 View Post
    I presume your USB card is by RealTek, hence anything with rt*usb would be a candidate.
    It's a TP-Link usb (TL-WN321G), and yes the drivers were definitely there when I did the installation

    After you boot your server, open a terminal and page through the dmesg file:

    dmesg | more

    Look for detection of the rt* card and note any errors.
    There are what look to be some errors, but I'm not really sure how to resolve them despite several searches. I have posted the dmesg output below with some other stuff I did before.

    Also realize that the desktop version has Network Manager. This is the GUI which scans for wireless networks, handles passwords, and provides for automatic connection. On the minimal server, you have to manually configure the wireless. One missing switch and no connection.
    OK - I will search on how to manually configure wireless... any clues before I get started?

    And thanks a lot for your help...
    Martin

    Code:
    $iwconfig wlan0
    wlan0     IEEE 802.11bg  ESSID:off/any  
              Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=10 dBm   
              Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
              Power Management:on
    
    $lsmod | grep rt          
    rt73usb                22434  0 
    crc_itu_t               1371  1 rt73usb
    rt2500usb              18141  0 
    rt2x00usb               9703  2 rt73usb,rt2500usb
    rt2x00lib              27541  3 rt73usb,rt2500usb,rt2x00usb
    led_class               2864  1 rt2x00lib
    mac80211              204922  2 rt2x00usb,rt2x00lib
    cfg80211              126517  2 rt2x00lib,mac80211
    parport_pc             26250  1 
    parport                32635  3 ppdev,lp,parport_pc
    agpgart                31788  3 ttm,drm,intel_agp
    
    lshw -C network
      *-network DISABLED
           description: Ethernet interface
           product: N10/ICH 7 Family LAN Controller
           vendor: Intel Corporation
           physical id: 8
           bus info: pci@0000:05:08.0
           logical name: eth0
           version: 01
           serial: 00:13:20:da:3a:20
           size: 10MB/s
           capacity: 100MB/s
           width: 32 bits
           clock: 33MHz
           capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd autonegotiation
           configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=e100 driverversion=3.5.24-k2-NAPI duplex=half firmware=N/A latency=32 link=no maxlatency=56 mingnt=8 multicast=yes port=MII speed=10MB/s
           resources: irq:20 memory:52000000-52000fff ioport:1000(size=64)
      *-network
           description: Wireless interface
           physical id: 1
           logical name: wlan0
           serial: 94:0c:6d:e1:b5:72
           capabilities: ethernet physical wireless
           configuration: broadcast=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bg
    
    $iwlist wlan0 scan
    wlan0     Scan completed :
              Cell 01 - Address: 00:18:4D:4C:37:52
                        Channel:2
                        Frequency:2.417 GHz (Channel 2)
                        Quality=42/70  Signal level=-68 dBm  
                        Encryption key:on
                        ESSID:"Hansell"
                        Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
                                  12 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
                        Bit Rates:9 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                        Mode:Master
                        Extra:tsf=0000006512c66bf7
                        Extra: Last beacon: 1024ms ago
                        IE: Unknown: 000748616E73656C6C
                        IE: Unknown: 010882848B960C183048
                        IE: Unknown: 030102
                        IE: Unknown: 2A0100
                        IE: Unknown: 32041224606C
              Cell 02 - Address: 00:1F:FB:06:DD:EA
                        Channel:9
                        Frequency:2.452 GHz (Channel 9)
                        Quality=26/70  Signal level=-84 dBm  
                        Encryption key:on
                        ESSID:"HAMED"
                        Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s
                                  18 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                        Bit Rates:6 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s
                        Mode:Master
                        Extra:tsf=0000000231cd6ed1
                        Extra: Last beacon: 576ms ago
                        IE: Unknown: 000548414D4544
                        IE: Unknown: 010882848B961224486C
                        IE: Unknown: 030109
                        IE: Unknown: 2A0104
                        IE: Unknown: 32040C183060
                        IE: Unknown: DD07000C4300000000
                        IE: Unknown: 0706545720010D10
    
    $dmesg | grep -i rt73
    
    [   22.800930] Registered led device: rt73usb-phy1::radio
    [   22.800968] Registered led device: rt73usb-phy1::assoc
    [   22.801009] Registered led device: rt73usb-phy1::quality
    [   22.801497] usbcore: registered new interface driver rt73usb
    [   23.790315] rt73usb 1-4:1.0: firmware: requesting rt73.bin

  6. #6
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    Re: Diagnose Server & Desktop differences

    You have to bring up the interface you want to use:

    sudo ifconfig wlan0 up

    Then you have to configure the wireless card:

    man iwconfig

    sudo iwconfig wlan0 essid "The Goat Farm" key AEFB1234FB
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  7. #7
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    Re: Diagnose Server & Desktop differences

    Quote Originally Posted by tgalati4 View Post
    You have to bring up the interface you want to use:

    sudo ifconfig wlan0 up

    Then you have to configure the wireless card:

    man iwconfig

    sudo iwconfig wlan0 essid "The Goat Farm" key AEFB1234FB
    Thanks! I just reinstalled the server, and with a bit of messing I managed to get it to talk to my router. I can ping the router successfully... BUT I cannot successfully update the packages list (and hence the system). Somehow the internet connection is not yet complete.

    I set the IP address for this device to "reserved" on the router so there would be no connection problems (it was one of the tweaks that enabled me to get the thing working). My router is providing the dhcp service as I haven't yet set that up on the server.

    How do I now test my internet connection?

    Thanks, once again!

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