(DROPPED) Need help with WiFi PCI 8190 (1T2R) driver - module unknown?

[CJ]

I have just bought a PCI card for wifi - it's a Longshine, 1T2R - and having read that it uses an realtek chip, I thought I was set (and got even happier when the box actually said Linux support).

However, it does not seem to have a driver module for it.
In PCC - hardware, it shows as Device 8190, with Module: Unknown.

I had hoped I could use the rt8192 for it, but alas no.

Firstly, does anyone know if we actually have a driver available in the repos and I just don't know what to look for?

Secondly, there is a CD with a driver supplied. They suggest two methods, either compiling it into the kernel, or 'make' and copy the firmware over.
The first is not a happy solution as I am loathe to compile outside the repos. Would the second issue get me around that problem?

I did search around, but nothing seems to come at me, so any help would be appreciated!

Cheers!
CJ

[AS]

Hi CJ,

the module to use with your card should be r8192e_pci, then from PCC-> System -> Open a console as administrator, type:
modprobe r8192e_pci
then try to configure your network connection.

AS

[CJ]

as, thanks for the suggestion. I modprobed said module as root, still no dice... i.e. nothing shows up in Network Manager, and PCC hardware still shows the card as Module: Unknown.

Cheers!
CJ

[AS]

please list your device using, from root,  lspci

07:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 02)

and then lspci -v -s 07:00.0

of course use the strings you will find from first lspci instead of my own 07:00.0

finally add the output of the command uname -r

AS

[CJ]

Code: [Select]

lspci
02:03.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 8190

Code: [Select]

lspci -v -s 02:03.0
02:03.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 8190
        Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 8190
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 11
        I/O ports at ef00 [size=256]
        Memory at fdefe000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
I tried firstly on the 2.6.33.7 kernel, but am currently on '2.6.37.4-pclos1.bfs' - same difference.

Cheers!
CJ

EDIT: Just realised... I did this a the normal user, not root. If you think it makes a difference, I will post the same from root tomorrow. Sorry, getting sleepy, I guess...

[AS]

please from root, not from user account:

lspci -v -s 02:03.0

and lspcidrake -v | grep 8190

[ancients]

I have done this before with wifi cards that do not have something for it in the repository.
You said that the card came with a disk ( probably for windows instalation), anyways...
what your looking for is in your network control center, then configure your wifi card,
it should say no driver available, or could'nt find driver, Make sure you drag the drivers from
the disk to your documents, home folder, wherever.
Then tell the network center where to look for the windows .inf file for your driver.

It may take you a couple of times to find the right driver for your wifi, but I have done this before.
Good luck.

[CJ]

as, as root:

Code: [Select]

lspci -v -s 02:03.0
02:03.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 8190
        Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 8190
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 11
        I/O ports at ef00 [size=256]
        Memory at fdefe000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
        Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2

lspcidrake | grep 8190
unknown         : Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.|Device 8190 [NETWORK_OTHER]

Ancients, thanks. You are talking about ndiswrapper. I could do that, but I have no wish to have Windows drivers on my system if it can be avoided. Also, as already stated in my initial post, there is a CD and that actually contains drivers for Linux too, but I wish to avoid having to manually patch my kernel and thus installing outside the repos.

[AS]

lspcidrake | grep 8190
unknown         : Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.|Device 8190 [NETWORK_OTHER]

lspcidrake -v | grep 8190

will give additional info to exactly identify your device.

[CJ]

Code: [Select]

lspcidrake -v | grep 8190
unknown         : Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.|Device 8190 [NETWORK_OTHER] (vendor:10ec device:8190)

[AS]

HI CJ,

Support for RTL8190 is actually not built by any kernel module, in current kernels.

However apparently support is present in r8192E_core.c source file, at line 96 of this source is listed your device, but is placed under a conditional  flag (RTL8190P):
http://lxr.free-electrons.com/source/drivers/staging/rtl8192e/r8192E_core.c?v=2.6.37
http://lxr.free-electrons.com/source/drivers/staging/rtl8192e/r8192E_core.c?v=2.6.38

Actually, your only choices are ndiswrapper or a new miniPCI card, (or tweaking the kernel).

AS

[CJ]

as, I was beginning to suspect something like it, so I found myself a cheap Asus card for now. I shall keep the other card, as it seems to have a common, albeit new, chip, so I am hopeful that some future kernel shall likely support it out of the box.

Anyhow, thank you for you help and time, much appreciated!

Cheers!
CJ