Wifi only temporarily connects on Asus EEE 1000HE

[nosehat]

I am definitely ready to compile from source, although I have not had that particular pleasure yet. That's one of the things I really like about using Ubuntu, though. Every frustration, even big ones, usually turns into a learning opportunity.

Funny though that this hardware's been out since 2009, the bug's been known since 2009, the "new" driver's been out since 2009, but it still hasn't made it into the standard distribution.

Where do I find the updated driver though? The link in the original post of the bug report is dead:

btw there is a new driver version 2.1.1.0 out since 3 weeks see here:
http://www.ralinktech.com/ralink/Hom...ort/Linux.html

Also, how can I get the version number of my current driver?

Thanks again!

[chili555]

Also, how can I get the version number of my current driver?

modinfo rt2860sta

Where do I find the updated driver though?

http://www.ralinktech.com/support.php?s=2

Download RT2860PCI/mPCI/CB/PCIe(RT2760/RT2790/RT2860/RT2890) to your desktop. Hook up ye olde ethernet and get the kernel headers and build tools, like my saw and hammer:

sudo apt-get install build-essential linux-headers-generic

Now follow this tutorial with a couple of exceptions: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1476007

You need to enter a name and an email and press accept to download

Not needed, just press Accept.

Skip step 5 entirely. In step 6, change to:

sudo mv /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/staging/rt2860/rt2860sta.ko rt2860sta.ko.dist
sudo cp /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rt2860sta.ko /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/staging

Those tickmarks are on the left side of my US keyboard on the same key with ~.

Skip step 9; we already handled that. You will probably encounter warnings but not errors. If you get stuck or don't understand something, stop and ask.

[nosehat]

Thanks! I'll try that right away.

Seeking this driver myself, I stumbled upon this:

http://rt2x00.serialmonkey.com/wiki/index.php/Downloads

I notice that RutilT is in the repository. Should I install that too?

[chili555]

Thanks! I'll try that right away.

Seeking this driver myself, I stumbled upon this:

http://rt2x00.serialmonkey.com/wiki/index.php/Downloads

I notice that RutilT is in the repository. Should I install that too?

I doubt it. I think the newer driver will work without any other help. We can always do so later.

[nosehat]

On the revised step 6, should I replace "uname" with my user name?

I'm getting this:

nosehat@nosehat-laptop:~/2010_07_16_RT2860_Linux_STA_v2.4.0.0$ sudo mv /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/staging/rt2860/rt2860sta.ko rt2860sta.ko.dist
mv: cannot stat `/lib/modules/2.6.32-32-generic/kernel/drivers/staging/rt2860/rt2860sta.ko': No such file or directory
nosehat@nosehat-laptop:~/2010_07_16_RT2860_Linux_STA_v2.4.0.0$

[chili555]

mv: cannot stat `/lib/modules/2.6.32-32-generic/kernel/drivers/staging/rt2860/rt2860sta.ko': No such file or directory

That's also weird. Please do:

sudo updatedb
locate rt2860sta.ko

updatedb will take a few moments, please be patient.

should I replace "uname" with my user name?

Nope; notice it has converted the command to use the name of your running kernel: 2.6.32-32-generic. uname -r is a quick way to specify your currently running kernel version without typing it all out. Hey, I'm old and lazy!

What we are trying to do is move the old, not working driver out of the way and save it, and then move the new one over in its place.

It's late for old Chili. See you tomorrow.

[nosehat]

uname -r is a quick way to specify your currently running kernel version without typing it all out

That's pretty useful.

Here it is:

$ locate rt2860sta.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.32-28-generic/kernel/drivers/staging/rt2860/rt2860sta.ko

But "uname -r" returns "2.6.32-32-generic"

I notice that in /lib/modules I have extensive folders for both 32-28 and 32-32. Could this be a problem?

[nosehat]

Looking over the instructions you linked here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1476007

and looking at your exceptions to the instructions, did you really mean for me to skip step 5 entirely? Certainly I already have gcc thanks to installing build-essential linux-headers-generic. But isn't part of the original step 5 where the new driver actually gets made?

[nosehat]

It's late for old Chili. See you tomorrow.

Ah, cool. I'll hold off on experimenting on my own until tomorrow!

Thanks so much for all your help so far! You've been outrageously generous. I definitely appreciate it!

[chili555]

and looking at your exceptions to the instructions, did you really mean for me to skip step 5 entirely? Certainly I already have gcc thanks to installing build-essential linux-headers-generic. But isn't part of the original step 5 where the new driver actually gets made?

See there? See what happens when old Chili is a little too close to nap-time and is in a rush? Old Chili makes, as my old Performance Evaluation used to say, the occasional understandable error.

Sorry about that. Yes, Mr. Chili. we actually need to make and make install!!! Let's revise step #5 as follows:

Step 5
After successfully installing build tools and headers, please execute the following commands step by step in a terminal window.

cd Desktop/2010

Press Tab and the remainder will fill in automatically.

sudo su
make
make install
ifconfig wlan0 down
rmmod rt2860sta
exit

I will be in the corner with my dunce cap until you post back.