Wirelss problems - 2nd attempt - Realtek chipset on Toshiba F60

wombatvvv · March 16, 2011, 12:34am

Hello all,

About 12 months ago (I think) I tried OpenSUSE and despite having a heap of great advice and help from the people on this forum, I couldn’t get my wireless to work. Now with the new release, I’m trying again, but so far have not had much luck (again!)

I suspect I’m going to have to give up (again) and go back to Ubuntu/Windows 7, but I’ll give it a shot. Any help is very much appreciated.

Machine is a Toshiba Qosmio F60/00Y (PQF6FA-00Y002) laptop. I have a fresh install of OpenSUSE 11.4 64bit, completely up-to-date with the software update features.

I have done a search of recent posts and came up with this one:

Realtek Wireless not working

The bloke in that thread seems to have the exact same wireless card as mine, and it seems (unconfirmed) that he got his working. Got further than I have anyway. I followed the advice there but have come unstuck.

Please note I have no idea what I’m doing really, so please keep the Linux tech-talk to an understandable level.


**# /sbin/lspci -nnk**
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor DRAM Controller [8086:0044] (rev 12)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:0001]
00:01.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation Core Processor PCI Express x16 Root Port [8086:0045] (rev 12)
00:16.0 Communication controller [0780]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset HECI Controller [8086:3b64] (rev 06)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:0001]
00:1a.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset USB2 Enhanced Host Controller [8086:3b3c] (rev 06)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:0001]
        Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset High Definition Audio [8086:3b56] (rev 06)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:0001]
        Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 1 [8086:3b42] (rev 06)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 2 [8086:3b44] (rev 06)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 3 [8086:3b46] (rev 06)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 4 [8086:3b48] (rev 06)
00:1c.5 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 6 [8086:3b4c] (rev 06)
00:1d.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset USB2 Enhanced Host Controller [8086:3b34] (rev 06)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:0001]
        Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
00:1e.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge [8086:2448] (rev a6)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation Mobile 5 Series Chipset LPC Interface Controller [8086:3b09] (rev 06)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:0001]
00:1f.2 SATA controller [0106]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset 4 port SATA AHCI Controller [8086:3b29] (rev 06)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:0001]
        Kernel driver in use: ahci
00:1f.6 Signal processing controller [1180]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset Thermal Subsystem [8086:3b32] (rev 06)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:0001]
        Kernel driver in use: intel ips
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: nVidia Corporation GT216 [GeForce GT 330M] [10de:0a2b] (rev a2)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:0001]
        Kernel driver in use: nouveau
01:00.1 Audio device [0403]: nVidia Corporation High Definition Audio Controller [10de:0be2] (rev a1)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:0001]
        Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
02:00.0 SD Host controller [0805]: Ricoh Co Ltd MMC/SD Host Controller [1180:e822] (rev 01)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:0001]
        Kernel driver in use: sdhci-pci
02:00.1 System peripheral [0880]: Ricoh Co Ltd Memory Stick Host Controller [1180:e230] (rev 01)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:0001]
02:00.2 System peripheral [0880]: Ricoh Co Ltd Device [1180:e852] (rev 01)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:0001]
03:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8191SEvB Wireless LAN Controller [10ec:8172] (rev 10)
        Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device [10ec:8182]
06:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller [10ec:8168] (rev 03)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device [1179:0002]
        Kernel driver in use: r8169
ff:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor QuickPath Architecture Generic Non-core Registers [8086:2c62] (rev 02)
        Subsystem: Intel Corporation Device [8086:8086]
ff:00.1 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor QuickPath Architecture System Address Decoder [8086:2d01] (rev 02)
        Subsystem: Intel Corporation Device [8086:8086]
ff:02.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor QPI Link 0 [8086:2d10] (rev 02)
        Subsystem: Intel Corporation Device [8086:8086]
ff:02.1 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor QPI Physical 0 [8086:2d11] (rev 02)
        Subsystem: Intel Corporation Device [8086:8086]
ff:02.2 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor Reserved [8086:2d12] (rev 02)
        Subsystem: Intel Corporation Device [8086:8086]
ff:02.3 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor Reserved [8086:2d13] (rev 02)
        Subsystem: Intel Corporation Device [8086:8086]




**# zypper ar -f http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/driver:/wireless/11.3-update/ driver_wireless**
Adding repository 'driver_wireless' [done]
Repository 'driver_wireless' successfully added
Enabled: Yes
Autorefresh: Yes
URI: http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/driver:/wireless/11.3-update/


**# zypper refresh driver_wireless**
Retrieving repository 'driver_wireless' metadata |]

New repository or package signing key received:
Key ID: 5308B44C4073BDBE
Key Name: driver:wireless OBS Project <driver:wireless@build.opensuse.org>
Key Fingerprint: E2FE2C7CDBC34646FB0A0D3C5308B44C4073BDBE
Key Created: Wed Jan 23 07:47:09 2008
Key Expires: Fri Apr  2 07:47:09 2010 (EXPIRED)
Repository: driver_wireless

Do you want to reject the key, trust temporarily, or trust always? [r/t/a/?] (r): t
Retrieving repository 'driver_wireless' metadata [done]
Building repository 'driver_wireless' cache [done]
Specified repositories have been refreshed.



**# zypper install rtl8192se-kmp-desktop rtl8192se-firmware**
Loading repository data...
Reading installed packages...
Resolving package dependencies...

Problem: nothing provides kernel(desktop:vmlinux) = a407ac2eb81067f8 needed by rtl8192se-kmp-desktop-0019.1207.2010_k2.6.34.7_0.7-1.4.x86_64
 Solution 1: do not install rtl8192se-kmp-desktop-0019.1207.2010_k2.6.34.7_0.7-1.4.x86_64
 Solution 2: break rtl8192se-kmp-desktop by ignoring some of its dependencies

Choose from above solutions by number or cancel [1/2/c] (c): **c**

Needless to say, I wouldn’t expect the last step to work considering I canceled the second last one (above). But just to remove any doubt:


**# modprobe r8192se_pci**
FATAL: Module r8192se_pci not found.

wombatvvv · March 16, 2011, 12:57am

P.S.

Searching Google, and I came up with this that might be helpful. Some guys seems to have got this card working on Debian by downloading the driver direct from Realtek and compiling it.

Blog entry: Samiux’s Blog: HOWTO : RTL8191SE wireless card on Back|Track 4 R2

I suspect that this is my driver: Realtek

Which I have downloaded, but I can’t seem to compile it using “make” as the blog suggests.

wombatvvv · March 16, 2011, 1:33am

P.P.S.

Using the information from the above posts and blogs, I’ve tried to download and compile the driver, but without any luck.

I’m pretty sure the firmware is installed, because it came up as an option in Software Manager when I did an update.

I used Yast to install a gnu C++ compiler, and also CMake (or something).

This is really exposing my ignorance when it comes to *nix environments, but I had a go and compiling the driver (it didn’t work):


***linux-bvoz:/home/maximus/Documents/driver/rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0019.1207.2010 #* make install**
make: *** /lib/modules/2.6.37.1-1.2-desktop/build: No such file or directory.  Stop.
make: *** [all] Error 2

...
**
*linux-bvoz:/lib/modules/2.6.37.1-1.2-desktop #* mkdir build
*linux-bvoz:/lib/modules/2.6.37.1-1.2-desktop #* ls**
build          modules.alias.bin    modules.dep      modules.order    modules.symbols.bin  vdso
kernel         modules.builtin      modules.dep.bin  modules.softdep  systemtap
modules.alias  modules.builtin.bin  modules.devname  modules.symbols  updates

***linux-bvoz:/home/maximus/Documents/driver/rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0019.1207.2010 #* make**
make[1]: Entering directory `/lib/modules/2.6.37.1-1.2-desktop/build'
make[1]: *** No rule to make target `modules'.  Stop.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/lib/modules/2.6.37.1-1.2-desktop/build'
make: *** [all] Error 2
linux-bvoz:/home/maximus/Documents/driver/rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0019.1207.2010 #

… I think I might be on the right track here, just totally out of my depth …

lwfinger · March 16, 2011, 1:51am

On 03/15/2011 07:06 PM, wombatvvv wrote:
>
> P.S.
>
> Searching Google, and I came up with this that might be helpful. Some
> guys seems to have got this card working on Debian by downloading the
> driver direct from Realtek and compiling it.
>
> Blog entry: ‘Samiux’s Blog: HOWTO : RTL8191SE wireless card on
> Back|Track 4 R2’ (http://tinyurl.com/45eym7n)
>
> I suspect that this is my driver: ‘Realtek’
> (http://tinyurl.com/2apoz8c)
>
> Which I have downloaded, but I can’t seem to compile it using “make” as
> the blog suggests.

The driver for this device will be in the 2.6.40 kernel, which means that it
will not be available until 11.5 comes out.

There are many postings on the forums and the wiki telling what you need to do
to compile an out of kernel driver. Hint: you must have the kernel j=headers
available.

wombatvvv · March 16, 2011, 3:23am

Sorry, I’m a complete newb at this. Does that mean that it’s possible, or that I should forget about until 11.5? I have no idea what the rest of your post means, but I’ll do my best to find out.

wombatvvv · March 16, 2011, 4:09am

I wouldn’t have a clue how to compile “out of kernal drivers”.

I tried googling it but came up empty.

I’ve tried using ndiswrapper, but not getting far.

lwfinger · March 16, 2011, 4:22am

On 03/15/2011 09:36 PM, wombatvvv wrote:
>
> Sorry, I’m a complete newb at this. Does that mean that it’s possible,
> or that I should forget about until 11.5? I have no idea what the rest
> of your post means, but I’ll do my best to find out.

No, I was just telling you that it will not be automatic until 11.5. Until then,
you will need to do what you are starting.

Under the View tab in YaST, select patterns and install “Linux Kernel
Development”, “C/C++ Development”, and “Base Development”.

I looked for a definitive article on setting up how to do this, but didn’t find
one quickly. Perhaps someone else will post a link.

wombatvvv · March 16, 2011, 5:07am

Okay thanks.

I think I’m beginning to get somewhere. Once I installed that stuff through YaST, I was able to successfully make, “make install” and then load the drivers using modprobe.

But now that’s done, it’s still not working. If I use the Network manager taskbar icon, the “Wireless” tab is just greyed out, even after reboot; and if I look in YaST > Hardware Information, I still can’t see any wireless card there (there is a “Network Card” and “network Interface” though).

I really want to get this working, but it’s starting to look like the same story as 11.3: not only does it seem nigh on impossible, but I can’t seem to find anything on Google about anyone getting it working 100% for sure.

jyas80 · March 16, 2011, 5:51am

I just installed a wireless PCI-e card on 11.3 tonight. From what I can tell it’s working great.

02:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8191SEvB Wireless LAN Controller (rev 10)

Steps:

Download the driver from:
Realtek Driver

su -
cd /usr/src/
sudo tar -xzvf /home/<username>/rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0019.1207.2010.tar.gz
cd rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0019.1207.2010/
make
sudo rm -rf /lib/firmware/RTL8192SE
sudo cp -rf firmware/RTL8192SE /lib/firmware
mkdir /lib/modules/2.6.34.7-0.7-desktop/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtl8192se/
cp HAL/rtl8192/r8192se_pci.ko /lib/modules/2.6.34.7-0.7-desktop/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtl8192se/
sudo depmod -a

Once I rebooted It shows up in yast. I then simply set it up to connect to my router.

Hopefully this helps.

In order to compiler the driver you might need to do one of:

sudo zypper install kernel-source and kernel-syms make gcc gcc-c++
sudo zypper in -t pattern devel_kernel

wombatvvv · March 16, 2011, 6:29am

Holy sh!t - it actually worked!

I’ve been wanting to use OpenSUSE literally for years (and for the dumbest of all reasons) but have never been able to get it running right.

Wow thanks very much! Now I just wonder if I should do a completely fresh install and just follow your steps, because I’m not quite sure what I’ve done in the past 48hrs trying to get this working. I think I have ndiswrappers and stuff installed and probably a whole heap of **** that I don’t need.

Anyway, I’m stoked.

(and the dumb reason is because I like the logo).

dsosnoski · March 17, 2011, 9:28pm

Worked for me, too. I’d had wireless going with 11.3, but had forgotten how I’d done it. Thanks for getting this thread going to provide a reminder!

peter_maker · March 20, 2011, 2:35pm

Worked for me also, on a Toshiba P500 with rtl8191se had been using a dwl-g122 usb wifi .glad that this thread worked
pete