Been trying to get a Zonet ZEW2501 USB dongle to work. downloaded and installed the latest drivers (zd1211b) and did get the dongle to show up as wlan0 when I iwconfig.

I've tried to configure wlan0 with the /etc/network/interfaces file, but nothing seems to change when I pull another iwconfig. I then manually enter the essid via iwconfig wlan0... but I still can't get on the network. (I've done the /etc/init.d/networking restart too, but no change.) I try a dhclient (i think that's right) but can't get an IP. Can't ping. I've taken off the encription too, so that's not it.

Somewhere I haven't configured correctly, but I can't see how to make my settings 'stick'. I read something about an /etc/wlan/ folder and I looked and I have it. Do I need to change something in the config file there too? Also something about the -DEFAULT ?? UGH!

Any insight will be helpfull. I think I'm close here, but I just can't get over the hump. And yes, I've searched and googled my heart out otherwise I wouldn't have gotten this far. I just can't seem to 'get it'.

TIA

What happens if you try this?
iwlist wlan0 scan

Your access point should show up if your card/dongle is set up correctly.

Yeah, I get the access points, mine and neighbors. Signal is strong, all looks good! I had taken out the encription too. But no talkie. Seems like I'm so close...

Can you post your /etc/network/interfaces file?

OK, I've tried a number of settings in this file. This is my transcribed version of my current interfaces file (which values dont' appear when I 'iwconfig').



Oh my, I just noticed a problem at the end so I #'d out the last 3 lines - 'pre/post-ups' and it fixed a lot of problems! the config came up after reboot and now I can bring up xine and play movies!!! YAH!

BUT... now I can't get anything with "iwlist wlan0 scan". I get "Warning: Driver for device wlan0 has been compiled with version 20 of Wireless Extension, while this program supports up to version 17. Some things may be broken..."

I've read that this warning isn't a deal breaker, but I don't know.

Strangely, it let's me start a 'ping', but I get 100% packet loss. so no success. I must still be missing something.

Try changing your interfaces file to this:


I'm assuming your router's address is 192.168.1.1. If not, change the gateway line accordingly.

OK, I made those changes. After a reboot, I see the settings for wlan0 all good. I can scan and see my AP, however I don't see the AP when I iwconfig wlan0. (I dont know if this is a problem, but it shows 00:00:00 etc.) When I try and ping I get 'Destination Host Unreachable' over and over. I # out the key and try without encription, reboot and get the same thing. No ping.

And yes the gateway (IP of router) is 192.168.1.1 and I have the IP addresses free for 2-9 with no other device taking .8, also have tried IP .9

Seems like I've got the farthest with your last suggestion, but still not connecting for some reason...

I've read examples of the interfaces files showing both wireless_xxx and wireless-xxx with the dash and underscore. Does it matter? I've got underscore, but the settings seem to be correct when I 'iwconfig' However I don't have the AP addy showing up.

I think this is close.

What happens when you ping 192.168.2.1?
What about ping 216.115.108.57?

Also, you might want to try using dhcp to see what happens. You can change your interfaces file to:


When you make changes to your interfaces file, you don't need to reboot. You should be able to use

to "apply" the changes.

I don't know if - or _ matters, however _ works for me.

I tried to ping 192.168.2.1 and it didn't go at all. Tried yahoo ping and I get the same 'Destination Host Unreachable'. Can't seem to get dynamic IP addy to work correctly. And the 'restart' with the above code bombs. Happend twice.

I googled the 'Destination Host Unreachable' with Zonet (the dongle) and got some ideas. I changed the WEP to Open from Auto. But still nothing. I'm back to before. Static IP, that can see my wireless network but not connect. I'm begining to question the driver.

It's possible that it's the driver. I had similar problems and that turned out to be the problem. After googling around, I found a driver from another manufacturer that others had successfully used.

Have you looked at this:
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/archive/ind ... 63307.html
This is the only part that I think should be relevent:
.

Yeah, problem is that I started with that driver (see first post in this thread). Maybe I compiled it wrong or something? I was also looking at the rewrite driver, but I'll have to see if the kernal would be ok.

OK looking at the zd1211 driver site you posted above, it says this



I just noticed this and didn't check before. Would this be a problem by default? I'm not able to get to my KM box to check. At this point I'm hoping to find a problem, any problem so that it can be fixed. But this driver seems to have a good track record... so I don't know.

I've double checked the driver "zd1211b", the interfaces file, the router setup. Still, I must be missing something!

post the iwlist scan section for your ap and the output of iwconfig.

we can try to set the essid and channel by hand and then run dhclient.

I am using that same driver without any problems..

I pretty sure that the kernel is compiled with wireless extensions and I know it's compiled with USB support.

I had assumed (from the wlan0) that you were using ndiswrapper. However, reading the driver page, I see you're not. Perhaps ndiswrapper is interfering... Is it loaded?

Other than that, I'm stumped... Sorry

Thanks for the continued assistance with this. I will post the details later as I'm not near my box.

Just an update. I've updated the firmware for the router and changed the channel to 2 from 11 as I'd read somewhere that Zonet (or the zd1211b driver) might have trouble with 11. I've disabled the onboard nic in BIOS. I've changed the WEP to OPEN from auto, but usually disable encription when working on this problem. I've verified that DHCP is enabled at the router. I've verified that there is no MAC filtering and that the static IP plugged in is within range in the router. I use a laptop wirelessly (XP) to connect to the router and it's side by side with the mythbox, this verify's that the signal (between 25-60% strength according to mythbox) should not be a problem. And I can get this stick to work on my xp laptop, so the stick is ok.

I just can't get past the feeling that there is something EXTREMELY simple/nooB that I'm just overlooking.

I have not specifically installed this usb NIC on knoppmyth, but I did get it working on ubuntu and kantoix. I followed the install instructions and got the driver from here:

http://zd1211.ath.cx/

Make sure you use the instructions to verify which chipset you have and then download the appropriate driver and compile.

Then I just did:

ifconfig wlan0 up
dhclient wlan0

and it worked very well. This was with the router set in totally open config. I did not try setting up encryption, but I image if you get it to connect with dhclient, that everything will probably work from there.

Good luck.

_________________
SIS K7S5A mb R4V5
Amd 2000 + cpu Atheros chipset wireless NIC
GF4 ti4200 Video onboard ALSA sound card
768 meg sdram partial install on Nuv2disc
120 g maxtor HD
PVR 250 Video Capture card