HOWTO: RT2500, etc. wireless cards

[wieman01]

Dapper Drake users should take a look at this thread if this one doesn't work. This guide was tested with Feisty Fawn, Gutsy Gibbon, and Hardy Heron.
--
To all RT73 users, please also see this post. Thanks to Kiefer Rodriguez for this solution.

Please post to this Launchpad bug report with all of your specs, if you have problems with a Ralink based wireless adapter.

This is a simple guide for all Ralink based wireless adapters and everyone who wants to replace the Linux driver with "ndiswrapper" (e.g. because you want to make use of either Network Manager or WICD).

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Get the latest version of the Windows driver for your card from Linksys' website or from the CD that came with your device (whatever vendor).

• Install "ndiswrapper" package with working internet connection (Ethernet):
  

  sudo apt-get install ndiswrapper-common ndiswrapper-utils-1.9

• Install "ndiswrapper" package without working internet connection (alternatively, install it via Synaptic/Adept):
  

  sudo apt-cdrom add sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install ndiswrapper-common ndiswrapper-utils-1.9

• Load new driver module (may not be necessary any longer, but does no harm either):
  

  sudo depmod -a sudo modprobe ndiswrapper

• Add the module to "/etc/modules" to have it load automatically:
  

  echo 'ndiswrapper' | sudo tee -a /etc/modules

• Create alias directive:
  

  sudo ndiswrapper -m

• Pick a valid Ralink driver based on the chipset of your card (you might blacklist all of them if you are not sure):
  

  rt2500usb rt2500pci rt2500 rt2570 rt73usb rt73pci rt73 rt61usb rt61pci rt61 rt2860 rt2860sta rt2x00usb rt2x00lib

• Blacklist Ralink driver:
  

  echo 'blacklist <your_ralink_driver>' | sudo tee -a /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist

• Now unzip the driver archive you have just downloaded (e.g. in your home directory):
  

  unzip <driver_archive>.exe

• Now find the right driver in the resulting folder & deploy it (folder should also contain other driver files i.e. .cat, .sys):
  

  sudo ndiswrapper -i <your_ralink_driver>.inf

• Make sure it has installed correctly:
  

  ndiswrapper -l

• The output should yield something like this:
  

  rt2500usb : driver installed device (13B1:000D) present (alternate driver: rt2500usb)

• Last but not least open this file...
  

  sudo gedit /etc/network/interfaces

• ...and add these 2 lines if they are not there yet [also try without adding them if Network Manager does not pick up the card & reboot]:
  

  auto wlan0 iface wlan0 inet dhcp

You can now safely delete the extracted driver files & folders. Then reboot the computer and see if you can connect using your favorite networking applet (e.g. Network Manager, WICD, Wifi Radar, etc.).

Feedback is - as always - appreciated.

CHANGE LOG:
30/09/2007: Minor fixes.
07/10/2007: Expanded "blacklist".
20/10/2007: Added missing part concerning "interfaces" file.
22/10/2007: Load module "ndiswrapper" at boot.
23/10/2007: Enhanced blacklist.
07/11/2007: Bug fix for Network Manager.
12/11/2007: Updated blacklist & module section.
13/01/2008: Launchpad bug report.
15/04/2008: Update for Hardy.
17/04/2008: RT73 note.

[grovulent]

No luck...

My problem I think is in finding a reliable copy of the windows drivers. I can't extract them from the exe on the ralink website (cabextract, and various windows programs don't work). so I've been trying random rt2500.inf files (+ sys and cat) found through googling.

The first set I found caused the same freeze problem when it tried to connect, the second wouldn't install via ndiswrapper - received an error 'couldn't find models section "insert model here" for multiple models.

Anyone know where to find the actual latest inf, sys, cat files?

[wieman01]

Originally Posted by grovulent No luck... My problem I think is in finding a reliable copy of the windows drivers. I can't extract them from the exe on the ralink website (cabextract, and various windows programs don't work). so I've been trying random rt2500.inf files (+ sys and cat) found through googling. The first set I found caused the same freeze problem when it tried to connect, the second wouldn't install via ndiswrapper - received an error 'couldn't find models section "insert model here" for multiple models. Anyone know where to find the actual latest inf, sys, cat files?

What wireless adapter have you got? You did not find anything on the vendor's website?

[grovulent]

Originally Posted by wieman01 What wireless adapter have you got? You did not find anything on the vendor's website?

Ah - silly me... didn't think to check the laptop makers site (MSI) - downloaded their driver.. but the latest they offer is from august 2006 (whereas ralink has updated as of 2007). Tried it - no luck - same hanging problem. Full reboot required each time.

Might have to email MSI to see if they can release a later driver.

[wieman01]

Originally Posted by grovulent Ah - silly me... didn't think to check the laptop makers site (MSI) - downloaded their driver.. but the latest they offer is from august 2006 (whereas ralink has updated as of 2007). Tried it - no luck - same hanging problem. Full reboot required each time. Might have to email MSI to see if they can release a later driver.

Do you run Feisty or Gutsy? I used to have these lockups in Dapper, but compiling the latest "ndiswrapper" from source did solve the problem later on. No more hanging.

[grovulent]

Originally Posted by wieman01 Do you run Feisty or Gutsy? I used to have these lockups in Dapper, but compiling the latest "ndiswrapper" from source did solve the problem later on. No more hanging.

Recently upgraded from feisty to gutsy in the hope wireless would improve. I used to be able to get it to work in feisty by editing the interfaces file... but that doesn't work anymore.

I must admit I really don't know what compiling the latest 'ndiswrapper' involves...

[bapoumba]

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/34902
I ran in the problem yesterday...
I bought this card because it was supported. My home network is wired now, so I was not using it any longer. But yesterday, I had to when I went to my LUG's install party.

I'm not sure I'm willing to try win drivers for a chipset that used to be fully supported. Am I missing something? (in that case, please accept my apologies).

[wieman01]

Originally Posted by bapoumba https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/34902 I ran in the problem yesterday... I bought this card because it was supported. My home network is wired now, so I was not using it any longer. But yesterday, I had to when I went to my LUG's install party. I'm not sure I'm willing to try win drivers for a chipset that used to be fully supported. Am I missing something? (in that case, please accept my apologies).

If you want to use GNOME Network Manager, you don't have a choice at the moment. You can always configure it manually by editing "/etc/network/interfaces", but I find that too big a hassle.

EDIT:
This thread is a good reference: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=560229

[bapoumba]

Originally Posted by wieman01 If you want to use GNOME Network Manager, you don't have a choice at the moment. You can always configure it manually by editing "/etc/network/interfaces", but I find that too big a hassle.

Hmm.. I removed completely network-manager, working with the conf files (n-m does not handle switching from DHCP to static IP very well..). End of the off-topic, thanks for the input, wieman01

[wieman01]

Originally Posted by bapoumba Hmm.. I removed completely network-manager, working with the conf files (n-m does not handle switching from DHCP to static IP very well..). End of the off-topic, thanks for the input, wieman01

Yeah, static IPs are still an issue. Very sad... That's what keep me from using Network Manager as well.