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I have an old wireless adaptor that I used to use in Ubuntu until it seemed like it was no longer supported, I can't remember exactly when, but think it was around 10.10 Maverick.

I have just dug it out as my children's laptop wireless card has gone kaput.

My old usb wireless card is not seen by Network-Manager.

Doing lsusb it shows:

Bus 002 Device 003: ID 1435:0427 Wistron NeWeb UR054g 802.11g Wireless Adapter [Intersil ISL3887]

This link would suggest that the device is still supported by the Linux kernel

This link provides instructions for enabling the device in Debian systems

Is there a way I can get it to work in Ubuntu 12.04 32bit?

P.S. I have tried sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-precise-genericwithout luck

result of dmesg|grep p54

[   22.706862] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol ieee80211_free_hw
[   22.706870] p54common: Unknown symbol ieee80211_free_hw (err -22)
[   22.706876] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol ieee80211_alloc_hw
[   22.706879] p54common: Unknown symbol ieee80211_alloc_hw (err -22)
[   22.706887] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol ieee80211_beacon_loss
[   22.706890] p54common: Unknown symbol ieee80211_beacon_loss (err -22)
[   22.706909] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol regulatory_hint
[   22.706912] p54common: Unknown symbol regulatory_hint (err -22)
[   22.706921] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol ieee80211_register_hw
[   22.706923] p54common: Unknown symbol ieee80211_register_hw (err -22)
[   22.706938] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol ieee80211_get_hdrlen_from_skb
[   22.706941] p54common: Unknown symbol ieee80211_get_hdrlen_from_skb (err -22)
[   22.706950] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol __ieee80211_get_radio_led_name
[   22.706953] p54common: Unknown symbol __ieee80211_get_radio_led_name (err -22)
[   22.706964] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol ieee80211_wake_queue
[   22.706967] p54common: Unknown symbol ieee80211_wake_queue (err -22)
[   22.706977] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol __ieee80211_get_tx_led_name
[   22.706980] p54common: Unknown symbol __ieee80211_get_tx_led_name (err -22)
[   22.706992] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol ieee80211_tx_status_irqsafe
[   22.706994] p54common: Unknown symbol ieee80211_tx_status_irqsafe (err -22)
[   22.707005] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol wiphy_rfkill_set_hw_state
[   22.707008] p54common: Unknown symbol wiphy_rfkill_set_hw_state (err -22)
[   22.707020] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol __ieee80211_get_rx_led_name
[   22.707023] p54common: Unknown symbol __ieee80211_get_rx_led_name (err -22)
[   22.707034] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol ieee80211_queue_delayed_work
[   22.707037] p54common: Unknown symbol ieee80211_queue_delayed_work (err -22)
[   22.707064] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol ieee80211_stop_queue
[   22.707067] p54common: Unknown symbol ieee80211_stop_queue (err -22)
[   22.707074] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol __ieee80211_get_assoc_led_name
[   22.707077] p54common: Unknown symbol __ieee80211_get_assoc_led_name (err -22)
[   22.707090] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol ieee80211_unregister_hw
[   22.707093] p54common: Unknown symbol ieee80211_unregister_hw (err -22)
[   22.707098] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol ieee80211_beacon_get_tim
[   22.707101] p54common: Unknown symbol ieee80211_beacon_get_tim (err -22)
[   22.707118] p54common: disagrees about version of symbol ieee80211_rx_irqsafe
[   22.707121] p54common: Unknown symbol ieee80211_rx_irqsafe (err -22)

2 Answers 2

2

Your device is supported by the driver p54usb which requires firmware. Please open a terminal and do:

sudo apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree
sudo modprobe -r p54usb && sudo modprobe p54usb

Your device should now be working.

6
  • Sorry @chilli555 I think I jumped the gun a bit when I tested earlier I tried on my own pc and it worked great. Now I have just tried on the laptop I am receiving this sudo modprobe -r p54usb && sudo modprobe p54usb FATAL: Error inserting p54usb (/lib/modules/3.2.0-36-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/p54/p54usb.ko): Invalid argument Jan 7, 2013 at 18:36
  • I suspect it's the result of the well known mac80211 conflict in linux-backports-modules-cw. I suggest you do: sudo apt-get remove --purge linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6*. Then reboot and let us hear your report.
    – chili555
    Jan 7, 2013 at 20:05
  • No afraid it is still the same Jan 7, 2013 at 20:14
  • What is the specific error in dmesg after a reboot? dmesg | grep p54.
    – chili555
    Jan 7, 2013 at 21:35
  • Have added results to Question, Thanks for your time on this Jan 7, 2013 at 22:19
1

When you run:

modinfo p54usb

Does it return /lib/modules/3.2.0-36-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/p54/p54usb.ko

Or does it return /lib/modules/3.2.0-36-generic/updates/cw-3.6/p54usb.ko

If it is the cw-3.6 version, then backports was not fully removed and we still have the mac80211 conflict. Please do:

sudo apt-get remove --purge linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-precise-generic
sudo apt-get remove --purge linux-backports-modules-cw-3.6-3.2.0-36-generic

Make sure everything is removed. Both the generic package and the package matching your running kernel version, in your case, 3.2.0-36-generic should be gone.

If that it not the problem, you might reinstall your linux-image which includes all drivers, mac80211, cfg80211, etc.

sudo apt-get install --reinstall linux-image-`uname -r`

Those backticks are on the left side of my US keyboard on the same key with ~. Reboot and see if it's working now.

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  • Tried every suggestion none worked, modinfo p54usb returns /lib/modules/3.2.0-36-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/p54/p54usb.ko. Please note generic-pae. not /lib/modules/3.2.0-36-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/p54/p54usb.ko not sure what difference that makes Jan 8, 2013 at 18:01
  • I Have solved it, done a quick search for generic-pae and realised it is a different kernel to the standard generic so I rebooted and chose 3.2.0-36-generic from grub. This time sudo modprobe -r p54usb && sudo modprobe p54usb worked straight away. I will now reboot into generic-pae and see if the adaptor works in that if not I will just make generic the default kernel. I will have to remember this kernel difference in the future if it can make that much of a difference. Again @chilli555 thanks for all your help, I have certainly learnt a thing or two :) Jan 8, 2013 at 18:31

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