Issue with ipw2200 module, also request for skge in base/module

[3rail]

Thanks guys, I was able to get the "firmware as extension" to work. Modification to my previous steps as follows:

• follow Curaga's steps to create a firmware extension
• do not sudo mkdir /lib/firmware
• do not add lib/firmware to /opt/.filetool.lst
• do not edit /opt/bootlocal.sh to include "rmmod ipw2200", just edit it to have "modprobe ipw2200" in there

3rail

[curaga]

Doing a modprobe in bootlocal should not be necessary, it'll likely get loaded by the autodetection.

[joesnose]

Hello,

ok from what i can gather the firmware is allowed to be shared, in which case could someone possibly upload their firmware.tcz. i am having trouble creating it. i have wireless working well with the last tinycore 2.xxx but getting it to work in the new 3.xxx version is giving me some grief.

Any help would be apreciated as would a pre built .tcz, thanks

[gerald_clark]

Intel requires that a user agree to the software license before downloading their firmware.
This prohibits distribution of a firmware tcz.
The other options are:
Write a tcz that displays and requires acceptance of the license, downloads the firmware, and creates the firmware tcz.
Download the firmware from Intel, create your own tcz, add the firmware directory to .filetool.lst, or save a tar archive and add an untar to bootlocal.sh.

[Jason W]

Actually it appears that you can distribute ipw2200 if you abide by the terms on this page:

http://intellinuxwireless.org/?n=faq&s=license

Notably this part:

Code: [Select]

Q. I am a package maintainer and I would like to create a package/distribution/CD 
that installs/provides the Intel firmware necessary for the ipw2100 and ipw2200
projects.

How does one go about doing this according to Intel's terms?
[ ipw2100 and ipw2200 specific ]
A. There are three key actions that must be performed:

Generally distributors alert end users to the fact that components of a package
may be covered under a variety of licenses, the specific terms of which vary. Some
distributors use an initial license page during the OS install that informs the user
that various components are governed by a variety of licenses, and use of the
components is subject to the user's compliance with the various licensing
requirements. Other package systems support an interactive package approach
that requires the user to view and accept the license before they can install it, etc.

Any description within the package must indicate that the package is covered by
the Intel license, and provide the user with information on how to access that
license -- making it clear that the user is not granted a license to use the package
unless these terms are agreed to.

The package must install the LICENSE file in the same location on the system that
the firmware files are installed. If it is standard practice in your distribution to place
all license files in a centralized location (for example /usr/share/license), then you
are free to place a copy of the license in that location, in addition to placing it in the
directory containing the firmware files.
NOTE: The above only applies to the license covering the ipw2100 and ipw2200
firmware.




[Arslan S.]

arch linux and gentoo have this in their repos
http://www.archlinux.org/packages/core/any/ipw2200-fw/
http://packages.gentoo.org/package/net-wireless/ipw2200-firmware

[bmarkus]

Usual solution what other distros apply is to display license and if it is accepted, record it and skip license next time. Similar solution can be applied in TC, saving acceptance info in ~ dir.

Some common speces how to store, in which file, etc. and some common tool would be appreciated for extension creator not to reinvent the wheel and to provide a unified look and feel. Possible a small FLTK application...

[tinypoodle]

What about including something similar like this in *.info :
ftp://mirrors.kernel.org/slackware/slackware-13.1/slackware/n/ipw2200-fw-3.1-fw-1.txt
(Found in the regular slackware tree)

EDIT: Corrected malformed url

[3rail]

What about including something similar like this in *.info :
ftp://mirrors.kernel.org/slackware/slackware-13.1/slackware/n/ipw2200-fw-3.1-fw-1.txt
(Found in the regular slackware tree)

that should be

http://mirrors.kernel.org/slackware/slackware-13.1/slackware/n/ipw2200-fw-3.1-fw-1.txt

[tinypoodle]

Oops, you detected a bug in the forum code; good catch, I would never have noticed!

First thing to go to "modify", and there was no 'http://' anywhere, but in "preview" was added again.
Engulfing the ftp url by an url tag prevents that. Seems rather paradox to me...

[Jason W]

It sounds clear to me that ipw2200 can be distributed in accordance to what was stated in my previous quote.   That is, the license must be with the firmware files in their install location, and that the user is told he cannot use the firmware unless he agrees to the license.

It does not appear that an agreement query is needed as long as the user is told of the license, and it is assumed here that info files are always read before installing a package, and it is the first thing visible by the appbrowser. 

That and simply placing the license in the tcz with the firmware.

I will aim to make a package tonight.

[jerramy]

I followed 3rail's steps to get ipw2200 working for my 2915ABG Intel/Pro Wireless working.

dmesg reports that the first time it fails, but the second time (after rmmod and modprope again) it finds the card and seems to work

However, wpa-gui doesnt list the card.  ifconfig shows that it's UP, and that there are TX packets, but there aren't any RX packets.

My router uses a WEP128 key instead of WPA, but I don't think I'm even getting far enough for that to be a problem, because the light on the keyboard that indicate that the wireless is powered doesn't come on (or is that normal if not Windows?)

Any suggestions for what comes between rebooting with all those changes, and starting wpa-gui?  Is there some "turn on wifi hardware" step I'm missing?

[tinypoodle]

Getting TX but not RX packets could be when not associated.
WEP does not require any wpa app.
LEDs might not work with all Linux drivers.

[maro]

@jerramy: There could be some similarity to what what happened a few days ago. You might want to have a go with the new 'rfkill.tcz' extension.

Furthermore what value is 'iwconfig' reporting for 'Tx-Power'?

[tinypoodle]

Posting whole output of iwconfig (at least for interface in question) here might not harm.