Neither wired (Atheros) or wireless (Realtek) NIC available

caprus · December 11, 2009, 2:50pm

My friend has purchased a new laptop for his wife (a Christmas present), and he’s asked me to install 11.2. The Install went fine, but then it got really tough. Everything seems to work EXCEPT the network cards.

The wired NIC is ID’d by Windows 7 as an Atheros AR8132 PCI-E and is recognized as the same by YAST, but is not configurable as it’s grayed out. The following error message is shown:
Unable to configure the network card because the kernel device (eth0, wlan0) is not present. This is mostly caused by missing firmware (for wlan devices). See dmesg for details.
(see dmesg)

The wireless NIC is an Realtek RTL8192SE (according to Windows 7). This card is not even detected by YAST and is ID’d as an 8172 using lspci.

I found an INF file on the Windows side and tried to set that up in ndiswrapper but no luck. I found a driver file for the Atheros card on another site and tried to compile that without success.

I’ve spent way too much time on this now, and I’m getting really tired of “sneaker netting” files on and off this PC by thumb drive only to be unsuccessful getting a working NIC, so I’m hoping for some suggestions and handholding from someone a lot cleverer than I. I"m not a complete noobie any more, but I’d still be much better off if someone could offer basic howto info, as I’m obviously out of my depth here.

Here’s what I see with lspci:

lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Memory Controller Hub (rev 07)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)
00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 03)
00:1a.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 03)
00:1a.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #6 (rev 03)
00:1a.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 03)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 03)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 03)
00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 5 (rev 03)
00:1c.5 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 6 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev 93)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation ICH9M LPC Interface Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation ICH9M/M-E SATA AHCI Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 03)
06:00.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): O2 Micro, Inc. Device 10f7 (rev 01)
06:00.1 SD Host controller: O2 Micro, Inc. Device 8120 (rev 01)
06:00.2 Mass storage controller: O2 Micro, Inc. Device 8130 (rev 01)
07:00.0 Ethernet controller: Attansic Technology Corp. Atheros AR8132 / L1c Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (rev c0)
08:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 8172 (rev 10)

caprus · December 11, 2009, 2:59pm

one quick thought: I’m told one or both of these cards are supported by the newer 2.6.32… kernel, but I’ve no idea how to try and upgrade the kernel with no ability to move files other than with a thumb drive. I’d be willing try this if someone could confirm that it might work and could give me howto info.

caprus · December 11, 2009, 11:10pm

My friend has purchased a new laptop for his wife (a Christmas present), and he’s asked me to install 11.2. The Install went fine, but then it got really tough. Everything seems to work EXCEPT the network cards.

The wired NIC is ID’d by Windows 7 as an Atheros AR8132 PCI-E and is recognized as the same by YAST, but is not configurable as it’s grayed out. The following error message is shown:Unable to configure the network card because the kernel device (eth0, wlan0) is not present. This is mostly caused by missing firmware (for wlan devices). See dmesg for details.
(see dmesg)

The wireless NIC is an Realtek RTL8192SE (according to Windows 7). This card is not even detected by YAST and is ID’d as an 8172 using lspci.

I found an INF file on the Windows side and tried to set that up in ndiswrapper but no luck. I found a driver file for the Atheros card on another site and tried to compile that without success.

I’ve spent way too much time on this now, and I’m getting really tired of “sneaker netting” files on and off this PC by thumb drive only to be unsuccessful getting a working NIC, so I’m hoping for some suggestions and handholding from someone a lot cleverer than I. I"m not a complete noobie any more, but I’d still be much better off if someone could offer basic howto info, as I’m obviously out of my depth here.

Here’s what I see with lspci:# lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Memory Controller Hub (rev 07)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)
00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 03)
00:1a.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 03)
00:1a.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #6 (rev 03)
00:1a.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 03)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 03)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 03)
00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 5 (rev 03)
00:1c.5 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 6 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev 93)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation ICH9M LPC Interface Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation ICH9M/M-E SATA AHCI Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 03)
06:00.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): O2 Micro, Inc. Device 10f7 (rev 01)
06:00.1 SD Host controller: O2 Micro, Inc. Device 8120 (rev 01)
06:00.2 Mass storage controller: O2 Micro, Inc. Device 8130 (rev 01)
07:00.0 Ethernet controller: Attansic Technology Corp. Atheros AR8132 / L1c Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (rev c0)
08:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 8172 (rev 10)

filipejps · March 8, 2010, 7:41am

Any solution?

I have a laptop with this hardware too, and also cannot get Internet in any interface.

I have a Toshiba Satellite T-130 which has these network cards:

Realtek RTL8191SE Wireless LAN 802.11n
Atheros AR8132 PCI-E Fast Ethernet

Thanks

caprus · March 8, 2010, 3:35pm

I found a way to get the wireless going but not the wired, however that was quite a while ago, and there may now be solutions that I’m not aware of.

I used another PC to download the latest kernel version available at that time. I’m pretty sure that was kernel-default-2.6.31.4-1.6.x86_64, but now I’d go with the latest stable version. I then copied the download to a USB thumb drive.

first, just as a precaution, I ran
sudo cp /boot/grub/menu.lst /boot/grub/menu.lst.bak

(From this point on I’m going to type the steps I have recorded in my notes of the event. I hope someone with more knowledge will jump in and correct me if there’s any error.)

install with Yast:kernel-source
base development pattern
linux kernel development pattern
cd /home/user (Substitute your username)
md /build
cd /build
copy the .tar.bz kernel file to /home/user/build
tar -xjfv (the kernel filename)

when the files extract you’ll have a folder named something like “linux-2.6.31”.

From this point on I tried repeatedly to compile the new kernel from that folder as most of the experts on these forums advise, but I had no luck that way. Here’s what worked for me. Follow at your own peril.

As su

move that new linux-2.6.31 folder to /usr/src

cd /usr/src/linux-2.6.31
make menuconfig
make
make modules_install install

I then rebooted and was able to use the wireless connection only. No luck with the Atheros chip though. At that point I had to return the PC to its owner, so I don’t know what new resources might have become available since.

Note: I got lots of advice to try ndiswrapper and windows drivers… no luck. I also tried the r8132se-pci driver from Realtek… no luck with that either.

Please keep me up to date with your progress, as I’d like to be able to finish setting up my friend’s Atheros card one day. Thanx

filipejps · March 15, 2010, 3:52pm

Hi caprus,

Thanks for your answer but this too much complicated for me… I’m a beginner in this “linux” world so “kernel” and “compile” are words which I don’t like to see in the same sentence

As this is an old thread, and the solution you proposed is based on the kernel version, I thought that these new versions would correct this automatically, but it seems it’s not corrected yet…

caprus · March 15, 2010, 5:25pm

The problem is that you’re dealing with a “Catch-22” situation.

If you were on-line you’d simply update the kernel to the latest version… no big deal. It would be taken care of with Yast> Online Update. However, you’re not able to get on-line, so you can’t use an on-line utility… Catch-22

That’s why I had to come up with the solution I described.

There is an alternative that didn’t work for me, because I’m on a little, remote island and have no ability to just run out and buy parts, but you might try it. Find a wireless adapter that you can plug into a USB port and use it to get on-line. (Check these forums and/or the HCL to get advice on which one will work for you.) Then use Yast>Online Update to update the kernel. Once you do that you should be able to just remove the USB adapter and reboot to use the on-board Realtek adapter.