problem with realtek RTL8187B wireless (Solved)

[Steve161]

Hi friends:

Finally fully back to PCLOS. Although I am on the gnome 2010 version now, I am posting  here because I had the same problem with kde.  In the network center, my wireless adapter is being recognized, but I can not see any  available wireless connections.  I myself use a wired connection, but I often bring my laptop to work and sometimes need to pick up a wireless signal.  I know that there are wireless connections in my building, so they should be showing.  Btw, Toshiba Satellite L305-S5955.  Also, with 2009, there was a problem with wireless not showing up at all, but that was easily fixed by upgrading to one of the testing kernels available at the time.  However, I have the same problem with all the available kernels in the 2010 repos.  

Thanks in advance for all replies.

[Steve161]

Ok, back with kde.  When I go to PCC, system, services, I get this error when trying to start wlan (which I assume has something to do with wireless.

[frazelle09]

Steve, i just had the same problem with the Module p80211 not found...

You might try my solution...

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,71009.0.html

Hope it works and have a great evening! 

[Steve161]

Hi frazelle09:

It looks similar, so I guess we are on the right track.  However, I think we are using different wireless cards.  Here is my modprobe.conf

install scsi_hostadapter /sbin/modprobe ahci; /sbin/modprobe ata_piix; /bin/true
install usb-interface /sbin/modprobe ehci_hcd; /sbin/modprobe uhci_hcd; /bin/true
alias wlan0 rtl8187
alias eth0 r8169
alias sound-slot-0 snd_hda_intel
options snd-ac97-codec power_save=1

[frazelle09]

This page seems to pretty new...

http://www.aircrack-ng.org/doku.php?id=rtl8187

Here, it looks like they came up with a work-around...

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/archive/index.php/t-238928.html

Have a great morning!  

[Steve161]

Thanks, my friend.  Will take a look.

[Steve161]

I think that is a no go.  I tried the links but it is still the same.  My wireless is recognized but does not show available wireless connections.

[frazelle09]

Steve, did you consider this?

I have the RTL8187B version of this card, and the supplied linux driver has always had a problem where the transmit power level is too low as seen by the access point. The only solution so far is to blacklist the rtl8187 driver in /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf and install the windows XP version of the driver using the ndiswrapper package.

Have a great evening! 

[Steve161]

Yeah, that is my last option.  But something tells me the fix is much easier (for someone other than me). My wireless worked out of the box with the kernels in the testing repo on 2009, and it is being recognized now.  So close......

[tschommer]

Steve, just on a side note - I had to download the 2.6.33 kernel and install it from another partition and reboot right after installing 2010, only then was the correct rt2870 module being used.

The version in the 2.6.32 kernel from the live cd not only didn't work, it locks up my DSL router connection completely.

I've got my fingers crossed that the optional kernel works for ya 

Torsten

[Steve161]

That was the first thing I tried.  But the kernel worked fine otherwise, so I will give it another shot.  Thanks.

Edit:didn't work.

[Steve161]

bump

[Steve161]

 bump

[Steve161]

Just a further note, same problem with Mandriva, wireless works on OpenSuse.  I want my PCLinuxos

[MaddogF16]

Is the switch to enable the wifi "on"?  First place to start, then go to a terminal and post the results from "iwconfig" please.