Fritz!WLAN USB not recognized

[vaessen]

I can't make linux see my Fritz!WLAN USB N2.4 stick.
This happens both on OpenSuSE 11.1 64 bit, kernel 2.6.27.29-0.1-default
and
Fedora 11, kernel 2.6.30.8-64.fc11.x86_64

When plugging the stick in a usb port, this message is shown in /var/log/messages:


Oct 18 21:53:48 localhost kernel: usb 2-2: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
Oct 18 21:53:48 localhost kernel: usb 2-2: New USB device found, idVendor=057c, idProduct=84ff
Oct 18 21:53:48 localhost kernel: usb 2-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=16, Product=32, SerialNumber=48
Oct 18 21:53:48 localhost kernel: usb 2-2: Product: FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick N 2.4
Oct 18 21:53:48 localhost kernel: usb 2-2: Manufacturer: AVM Berlin
Oct 18 21:53:48 localhost kernel: usb 2-2: SerialNumber: 001F3F092D40
Oct 18 21:53:48 localhost kernel: usb 2-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Oct 18 21:53:48 localhost kernel: scsi8 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Oct 18 21:53:53 localhost kernel: scsi 8:0:0:0: CD-ROM FRITZ! WLAN selfinstall 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 CCS
Oct 18 21:53:53 localhost kernel: sr1: scsi3-mmc drive: 52x/52x cd/rw xa/form2 cdda tray
Oct 18 21:53:53 localhost kernel: sr 8:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg7 type 5


I installed ndiswrapper 1.55 manually with:
make uninstall
make
make install

Drivers I got from WindowsXP, both for 32 and 64bit.
The commands:

ndiswrapper -i fwlan64.inf
mdiswrapper -l

gave:

fwlan64 : driver installed

But the hardware is not mentioned.
Replacing it with the 32bit driver by giving:

nidswrapper -r fwlan64
ndiswrapper -i fwlan.inf
mdiswrapper -l

gave:

fwlan : driver installed

Still no hardware seen.
So I can't get on.


Has anyone experienced this before?

[Akoellh]

Wrong driver, both of them.

Oct 18 21:53:48 localhost kernel: usb 2-2: Product: FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick N 2.4

Why don't you try the latest compat-wireless with ar9170-firmware?

At least on Fedora that would work.

For kernels < 2.6.29 you will need ndiswrapper and the _correct_ Windows "draft-N" driver.

//Edit:

Oct 18 21:53:48 localhost kernel: scsi8 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Oct 18 21:53:53 localhost kernel: scsi 8:0:0:0: CD-ROM FRITZ! WLAN selfinstall 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 CCS

You will also have to search for a method to switch recognition of that hidden "CD-ROM drive" off, search Google on the stick's USB-ID 057c:84ff.

[vaessen]

Originally Posted by Akoellh

Wrong driver, both of them.

Hello Akoelb,

I am surprised with your answer since I read dozens of howto's and forum messages and they all mention fwlan.inf, even very recent ones. So if these drivers are not right, then what drivers then are right? The command 'ndiswrapper -i' at least has to specify a driver.

Oct 18 21:53:48 localhost kernel: usb 2-2: Product: FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick N 2.4

Why don't you try the latest compat-wireless with ar9170-firmware?

At least on Fedora that would work.

You suggest that I should buy another piece of hardware?

For kernels < 2.6.29 you will need ndiswrapper and the _correct_ Windows "draft-N" driver.

As you can see, both kernels I mentioned are >= 2.6.29

//Edit:

Oct 18 21:53:48 localhost kernel: scsi8 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Oct 18 21:53:53 localhost kernel: scsi 8:0:0:0: CD-ROM FRITZ! WLAN selfinstall 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 CCS

You will also have to search for a method to switch recognition of that hidden "CD-ROM drive" off, search Google on the stick's USB-ID 057c:84ff.

I'll try that.

[Akoellh]

Originally Posted by vaessen

Hello Akoelb,

Close enough...

Originally Posted by vaessen

I am surprised with your answer since I read dozens of howto's and forum messages and they all mention fwlan.inf, even very recent ones.

Maybe, but they are either wrong or for other hardware.

Originally Posted by vaessen

So if these drivers are not right, then what drivers then are right?

I told you, but i won't search them for you on the vendor's site, that's your job.

Originally Posted by vaessen

You suggest that I should buy another piece of hardware?

Never said that (but maybe a good idea anyway).

Originally Posted by vaessen

As you can see, both kernels I mentioned are >= 2.6.29

For me this

This happens both on OpenSuSE 11.1 64 bit, kernel 2.6.27.29-0.1-default

is < 2.6.29.

Anyway, as I normally "don't do ndiswrapper", I'm out of here, good luck.

[vaessen]

Originally Posted by Akoellh

Maybe, but they are either wrong or for other hardware.

I told you, but i won't search them for you on the vendor's site, that's your job.

I think that they should be fwusbn.inf or fwusbn64.inf. My stick is type N and that seems to make all the difference. There is a very clarifying article on this subject:

Fritz!WLAN USB Stick-N › Wiki › ubuntuusers.de

For me this

is < 2.6.29.

Right you are.

[Akoellh]

That looks more like it.

Originally Posted by vaessen

I think that they should be fwusbn.inf or fwusbn64.inf. My stick is type N and that seems to make all the difference.

And as you are using 64 bit (well, that's not difficult to figure out then, isn't it?).

Originally Posted by vaessen

There is a very clarifying article on this subject:

Fritz!WLAN USB Stick-N › Wiki › ubuntuusers.de

Jupp, that's one of the articles I would have expected to be found amongst the top hits (didn't search myself, but wiki.ubuntuusers.de is quite good in that sense).

P.S.

Instead of compiling ndiswrapper 1.55 "by hand", there is also:

Index of /repositories/driver:/wireless

Choose your poison.

[vaessen]

Originally Posted by Akoellh

That looks more like it.

And as you are using 64 bit (well, that's not difficult to figure out then, isn't it?).

And with the 64bit it does indeed find the device.
Halleluja.
But no wlan0 can be found.
Blast.
So, according to the Unbuntu article I will have a look at the dmesg to see what ndiswrapper is thinking. And I will use the script collectNWdata.sh.
And of course I will keep everybody informed, especially those who like to respond in a way that suggests that they are at the brink of utter boredom.
Those who like can start to bet wether or not it will all end with me buying a completely different piece of hardware and suggestions are, as usual, more than welcome!

Jupp, that's one of the articles I would have expected to be found amongst the top hits (didn't search myself, but wiki.ubuntuusers.de is quite good in that sense).

P.S.

Instead of compiling ndiswrapper 1.55 "by hand", there is also:

Index of /repositories/driver:/wireless

Choose your poison.

One cup of poison at a time.

[vaessen]

Well, it seems that problems arise when modprobing ndiswrapper. Here are the relevant messages in dmesg:

dmesg | grep ndis
ndiswrapper version 1.55 loaded (smp=yes, preempt=no)
ndiswrapper (import:242): unknown symbol: ntoskrnl.exe:'NlsMbCodePageTag'
ndiswrapper (load_sys_files:206): couldn't prepare driver 'fwusbn64'
ndiswrapper (load_wrap_driver:108): couldn't load driver fwusbn64; check system log for messages from 'loadndisdriver'
usbcore: registered new interface driver ndiswrapper


The last lines of /var/log/messages:


Oct 21 13:54:59 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 5
Oct 21 13:54:59 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: New USB device found, idVendor=057c, idProduct=84ff
Oct 21 13:54:59 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=16, Product=32, SerialNumber=48
Oct 21 13:54:59 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: Product: FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick N 2.4
Oct 21 13:54:59 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: Manufacturer: AVM Berlin
Oct 21 13:54:59 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: SerialNumber: 001F3F092D40
Oct 21 13:54:59 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Oct 21 13:54:59 localhost kernel: scsi9 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Oct 21 13:55:04 localhost kernel: scsi 9:0:0:0: CD-ROM FRITZ! WLAN selfinstall 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 CCS
Oct 21 13:55:04 localhost kernel: sr1: scsi3-mmc drive: 52x/52x cd/rw xa/form2 cdda tray
Oct 21 13:55:04 localhost kernel: sr 9:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg7 type 5

Oct 21 13:56:36 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: USB disconnect, address 5
Oct 21 13:56:36 localhost kernel: scsi 9:0:0:0: rejecting I/O to dead device
Oct 21 13:56:37 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 6
Oct 21 13:56:37 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: New USB device found, idVendor=057c, idProduct=8402
Oct 21 13:56:37 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=16, Product=32, SerialNumber=48
Oct 21 13:56:37 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: Product: FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick N 2.4
Oct 21 13:56:37 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: Manufacturer: AVM Berlin
Oct 21 13:56:37 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: SerialNumber: 001F3F092D40
Oct 21 13:56:37 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice

Oct 21 13:57:13 localhost kernel: Disabling lock debugging due to kernel taint
Oct 21 13:57:13 localhost kernel: ndiswrapper version 1.55 loaded (smp=yes, preempt=no)
Oct 21 13:57:13 localhost kernel: usb 1-5.1: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 6
Oct 21 13:57:13 localhost kernel: ndiswrapper (import:242): unknown symbol: ntoskrnl.exe:'NlsMbCodePageTag'
Oct 21 13:57:13 localhost kernel: ndiswrapper (load_sys_files:206): couldn't prepare driver 'fwusbn64'
Oct 21 13:57:13 localhost loadndisdriver: loadndisdriver: load_driver(358): couldn't load driver fwusbn64
Oct 21 13:57:13 localhost kernel: ndiswrapper (load_wrap_driver:108): couldn't load driver fwusbn64; check system log for messages from 'loadndisdriver'
Oct 21 13:57:13 localhost kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver ndiswrapper


The command ndiswrapper -l gives:

fwlan : driver installed
fwusbn64 : driver installed
device (057C:8402) present

[vaessen]

I tried the Fritz!WLAN USB N2.4 on my laptop with Ubuntu 8.04 on it. And here I had succes. But things are a bit puzzling.

kernel: 2.6.24-24-generic

The ndiswrapper I used is part of the distribution.

After giving:
ndiswrapper -l fwusbn
and
modprobe ndiswrapper

the following happened in /var/log/messages:

Oct 22 08:47:56 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 309.580584] ndiswrapper version 1.52 loaded (smp=yes, preempt=no)
Oct 22 08:47:56 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 309.608260] usbcore: registered new interface driver ndiswrapper

After inserting the Fritz!WLAN stick:

Oct 22 08:48:31 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 344.595747] usb 3-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
Oct 22 08:48:31 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 344.759062] usb 3-1:configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Oct 22 08:48:31 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 344.830758] usbcore: registerednew interface driver libusual
Oct 22 08:48:31 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 344.850008] Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
Oct 22 08:48:31 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 344.851762] scsi4 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Oct 22 08:48:31 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 344.852644] usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
Oct 22 08:48:31 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 344.852649] USB Mass Storage support registered.
Oct 22 08:48:36 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 349.856022] scsi 4:0:0:0: CD-ROM FRITZ! WLAN selfinstall 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 CCS
Oct 22 08:48:36 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 349.871341] sr1: scsi3-mmc drive: 52x/52x cd/rw xa/form2 cdda tray
Oct 22 08:48:36 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 349.871501] sr 4:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 5

Oct 22 08:50:07 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 440.284086] usb 3-1: USB disconnect, address 4
Oct 22 08:50:08 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 441.544029] usb 3-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 5
Oct 22 08:50:08 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 441.710223] usb 3-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Oct 22 08:50:09 vaessen-laptop kernel: [ 441.851743] usb 3-1: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 5
Oct 22 08:50:09 vaessen-laptop loadndisdriver: loadndisdriver: load_driver(358): couldn't load driver fwusbn




The question is: if the driver fwusbn is not loaded, how can I still have a wireless connection? Does Ubuntu 8.04 have a driver of its own?


iwconfig gives:

lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

wmaster0 no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11g ESSID:"FRITZ!Box Fon WLAN 7170 Annex A"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: 00:24:FE:44:EE:3E
Bit Rate=2 Mb/s Tx-Power=27 dBm
Retry min limit:7 RTS thr: off Fragment thr=2346 B
Link Quality=76/100 Signal level=-20 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0


And indeed the connection is very slow. Download speed is about 100Kbyte/s, whereas 800 is attained when using the stick under Windows.