Writing a Linux Driver

[Calum]

You all might have noticed, I'm a total Linux n00b. After uninstalling Solaris, then Red Hat 9, this time I've moved onto Ubuntu.

The only problem I've had so far is that I can't get my wireless card to work. I know it might be damn near impossible for someone like me with very little experience to do, but I would like to have a go at writing a driver for it.

Does anyone know how I could go about it?

[Solar]

Chances are, if your card isn't supported by an existing Linux driver, that the required information on the chipset is not available.

What card are you using, and do you happen to know which chipset is used?

[JoeKayzA]

The only problem I've had so far is that I can't get my wireless card to work. I know it might be d*mn near impossible for someone like me with very little experience to do, but I would like to have a go at writing a driver for it.

This is probably not what you wanted to hear, but you might want to look at a program called ndiswrapper (i hope ubuntu offers a package for it). It lets you load and run the card's windows driver inside the linux kernel.

It seems quite stable to me, but unfortunately it becomes a performance hog when the network traffic is high...

Well, you could give it a try.

cheers Joe

[Calum]

I've installed the ndiswrapper package, but no options are added to the system->Administration menu. I looked for it on the net and apparently I'm supposed to get another option...

I put the driver CD in the drive and tried to run autorun.exe and linux didn't like it, so I'm not sure what to do.

The actual card is a PCIMCIA 32-bit Cardbus MA521 Netgear Wireless PC Card. How do I find out the chipset?

[Solar]

I've installed the ndiswrapper package, but no options are added to the system->Administration menu.

That's the level at which Linux works only in the rarest of all times, I am afraid.

I put the driver CD in the drive and tried to run autorun.exe and linux didn't like it, so I'm not sure what to do.

Erm... no, it doesn't work that way. ndiswrapper allows you to use the Windows driver, it isn't a complete Windows emulator...

The actual card is a PCIMCIA 32-bit Cardbus MA521 Netgear Wireless PC Card. How do I find out the chipset?

Google. "MA521 chipset" gives you the chipset (RTL8180L), googling for "RTL8180L Linux" gives you all the links you could hope for, including the download page where RealTek offers Linux drivers (http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloads1-3.aspx?Keyword=8180).

I hope this helps.

[Calum]

Thanks a lot!!!

I hate to demonstrate jsut how new I am at this but how do I run the thing once I've extracted it and all? I don't know which file to use. If I double click 'makefile' (the bulldozer thing), it comes up with a text file,and I don't know what to do even then...

I should probably go to a Linux help forum, but you guys seem to know what you're doing

[Solar]

Quite honestly? If you're at the stage of double-clicking a Makefile, I'd almost recommend you switch back to Windows. Ye Linux times have not yet come!

No, honestly. Setting up WLAN under Linux with a driver that is not packaged by your distributor is non-trivial, and worst of all, distro-dependent. Try an Ubuntu-specific forum and make very clear you have no idea what a Makefile is about. Give them the info on the chipset you already got here - they might be able to help you. But don't be too disappointed if they write your case off as "hopeless".

[Calum]

Quite honestly? If you're at the stage of double-clicking a Makefile, I'd almost recommend you switch back to Windows. Ye Linux times have not yet come!

I thought so... Ah well, it was worth a try!