Fix to the Atheros porbh on Linux

[acal3000]

This thread is related to Atheros driver problem several Linux users report on Linux

For that is NOT Linux fault is. Its fault of some bad license agremnets from those Morons from Atheros (Typical corpora arrogants ) that thos drivers are not availabe onseveral Linus distros

But fortunately there is an easy way to fix that problem. With an utility called ndiswrapper.

If you have an distro that use rrpmd on disk install install this. The method from install is different from evry distro and you need the stupid Winbloze inf driver file from the atheros card, You can get from your OEm disk or the Atheros website

open the konsole

become root

su
the you password


the go go the folder youn have the inf file

for example

cd /atheros driver (depend son the folder you put as name)

then

ndiswrapper -i netathr.inf (just paste the name on the same terminal this is not DOS thing some people dont understand when critize Linux DOS dont even half the half of power of a konsole on Linux have )

then must a appears a message that installing

the use ndiswrapper -l the chek the driver is installed is hould appears ath_pci or something like that.

Now proceed to configure the WLan (this process alsoi can be different on evry distro)

Is probalme you will need a component called mad wifi from the repos (again don know on all distros but that way is on MDV)

Be sure you have the repos configured to download or some rpms install disk

Another solution is that use temporally a normal ethernet connected by cable (most newer laptops will have both) and the uplug the cable after the process is done and test the wlan

And p roblem solved without easy withou any help from the arrogant people from Atheros

Its porble with corrected soon on nwere distros relases but still I am not sure MDV 2009 will be relased thsi October And Im excited waiting

[JN4OldSchool]

Do not blame Atheros Acal, it is a good chip. They are no worse than Broadcom, Realtech or any other manufacturer. Most new Linux distros will automatically pick up the majority of the Atheros wifi chips, the big problem seems to be related to the AR5007EG. For some reason Linux sees this chip as a 5006 and that driver just will not work. There is an easy fix using madwifi. First blacklist the ath5k module then install the latest driver from here:

http://madwifi.org/ticket/1192

You will, of course, have to build it with make, make install.

Fedora has a version of this in the Livna TESTING repo now and other distros are sure to follow soon. BTW, I have dumped fedora. They have ruined that distro. The developers are so out of touch with reality it is pathetic. I now use gentoo on my playbox and Linux Mint on my production computers. The reality is Linux is Linux but there is just no reason to keep jumping through the Fedora hoops every time I update. Releasing a final version with no 3D capabilities and no way to change the greeter was a joke. Though xorg has been fixed GDM remains busted in Fedora. The new PackageKit is an abortion and it seems everywhere you turn the devs are putting up roadblocks and dumbing things down. Oh well, rant over...

Wireless on Linux will probably continue to be a manual experience for most people. The thing to do is find out what chipset you have then get onto your distro's forum and find the trick. Also be prepared to plug the computer into the router until you get things going. Much easier than trying to import bits on a flash key. Madwifi should be your first choice and ndiswrapper as a last resort.

One final thought: I have OEM Vista Ultimate installs on two laptops now. These OSs were purchased through my school and installed on HP DV6007's in place of the HP marked Home Premium they came with. Neither one recognized wireless out of the box. I am using an Atheros 5007EG in one and a Realtech in the other. I had to import both drivers from the HP website. It isnt just Linux my friend!