RTL8192CU Driver Problem

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1

Hello,

I would like to integrate Wi-Fi in my Beagleboard xM, with the use of Belkin N150 Surf WiFi Dongle.

However, I have noticed that rtl8192cu driver which is preloaded along with Ubuntu 12.04, is not working (dmesg gives me the result “wlan0: link is not ready” while I can find networks with “iwlist scan”).

I have checked this:
http://embeddedgeeks.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/belkin-micro-wifi-usb-dongle-on-the-beagleboard/
but I don’t think I would like to build a new kernel and replace the already existed one.

So, I would like to ask you if there is any tested 8192cu driver module I could download, capable of working with this dongle in kernel 3.2.

System specifications:
Beagleboard-xM Rev C
OS: Ubuntu 12.04
Linux Kernel: 3.2.24-x14

Thank you for your time.

2

For the xM, v3.2.x is now considered legacy, care to retest with
v3.6.x to see if your wifi now works?

For 12.04/armhf do:

wget http://rcn-ee.net/deb/precise-armhf/v3.6.5-x3/install-me.sh
/bin/bash install-me.sh

Regards,

3

Hi Robert,

Thanks for your advice, but do you think compiling the driver would work for 3.2.x?

Thx,
Huang

4

No idea, but if you want to spend the time trying it go right ahead...

But personally, I'd try a newer mainline in the off-chance that
someone fixed the bug, before relying on a Company X's source drop...

Regards,

5

Thank you for your answers.

Robert, I installed kernel 3.6.5-x3, according to your advice, but the problem still exists. dmesg gives me the result:

“IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready”

In addition, when I run “ifup wlan0”, I have the result:

ioctl[SIOCSIWENCODEEXT]: Invalid argument
ioctl[SIOCSIWENCODEEXT]: Invalid argument

Do you have any idea on overcoming this problem?

Thank you for your time.

6

Hi Vasilis,

I am also working on the wifi driver.

Is your ethX interface turned down?

My laptop has the issue of “ioctl[SIOCSIWENCODEEXT]: Invalid argument”

But wlan0 works still. I don’t know whether this is a problem or not. What are your settings for the board?

Best,
Huang

7

Hello and thank you for your interest,

Yes I have turned down the eth0 interface through /etc/network/interfaces file. However, I won’t have WiFi available. The only changes I have applied are the following:

  1. In the /etc/network/interfaces, I have entered:
auto wlan0
iface wlan0 inet static
address XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX
netmask XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX
gateway XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX
wpa-conf /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
wpa-driver wext
  1. wpa_passphrase > /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf

Thanks again.

8

I would like to ask one more question: Could it be possible to find a dongle that works with my Beagleboard xM out-of-the-box, without any special driver configuration?

9

I have a Netgear N150 dongle (WNA1100). It worked once and then died. I think the problem might be power supply. Have you tried to use a powered usb hub?

10

I haven’t tried that, but I don’t think that this is the case… How did you make it work? Did you use the same rtl8192cu driver? Have you tested anything else since that?

11

I did not use any customised driver. The lsmod indicates the driver is ath9k_htc, not rtl8192cu. I searched for compatible dongles here:http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers

And then I just specify the configuration in the /etc/network/interfaces

By the way, usb hub power is not the problem, I tried a usb hub w.o power today. It works just fine.

12

I see… I can’t really figure out what’s happening. I just want to get my Beagle xM connected without the need of an Ethernet cable. If anyone else has already tried something different, please let us know.