rtl8180 as WAP and Slackware 12

Hi,

I wonder if anyone has managed to make rtl8180 wifi card work in access
point mode under Slackware 12?

It does work but only in ad-hoc mode, so possibly one could give a hint if
access point works at all.

Thank you.

--
luk

On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 00:07:29 +0200, lukaswu wrote:
[color=blue]
> I wonder if anyone has managed to make rtl8180 wifi card work in access
> point mode under Slackware 12?[/color]

Which driver and version are you using for it?
[color=blue]
> It does work but only in ad-hoc mode,[/color]

That certainly is not true. I have an RTL8180 Cardbus card, but all the
Linux drivers I found to work with it have worked in managed mode. (I
have never tried ad-hoc mode.)

Ndiswrapper (recent versions) also definitely works with these cards under
recent kernels.
[color=blue]
> so possibly one could give a hint
> if access point works at all.[/color]

If you absolutely have to build an access point around the machine with
this card, then the OpenBSD/NetBSD driver for it _does_ operate in access
point mode.

One other thing: I have seen issues with using these cards when ACPI is
enabled - the card driver keeps resetting. Try turning ACPI off.

[color=blue]
>
> Which driver and version are you using for it?[/color]

It comes from [url]https://rtl-wifi.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/rtl-wifi[/url] and it
is snapshot from 2007-02-17 since the very latest version did not want to
compile.

Which drivers are you using?[color=blue]
>
> Ndiswrapper (recent versions) also definitely works with these cards under
> recent kernels.[/color]

I'd rather use open version of drivers[color=blue]
>
>
> If you absolutely have to build an access point around the machine with
> this card, then the OpenBSD/NetBSD driver for it _does_ operate in access
> point mode.[/color]

Gave up using OBSD some time ago, anyway i guess sort of emulation is
needed for this drivers as well[color=blue]
>
> One other thing: I have seen issues with using these cards when ACPI is
> enabled - the card driver keeps resetting. Try turning ACPI off.
>[/color]

I read that this card is really faddy, though this time (kernel 2.6)
either it works or lands in the trash.

--
luk

On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 10:55:24 +0200, lukaswu wrote:
[color=blue][color=green]
>> Which driver and version are you using for it?[/color]
>
> It comes from [url]https://rtl-wifi.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/rtl-wifi[/url] and it
> is snapshot from 2007-02-17 since the very latest version did not want to
> compile.[/color]

I don't believe that any of the Linux drivers have an access point mode.
Why not just buy a cheap wireless router, they are under like $50 these
days.
[color=blue]
> Which drivers are you using?[/color]

I have a commercial access point (MSI) so I don't need to try to use these
cards to build an access point. All the up-to-date drivers seem to work
well in managed mode.
[color=blue][color=green]
>> Ndiswrapper (recent versions) also definitely works with these cards under
>> recent kernels.[/color]
>
> I'd rather use open version of drivers[/color]

Well, ndiswrapper doesn't have an access point mode either, IIRR. I know
you can run the card in managed mode, which is what most people want to do.
[color=blue][color=green]
>> If you absolutely have to build an access point around the machine with
>> this card, then the OpenBSD/NetBSD driver for it _does_ operate in
>> access point mode.[/color]
>
> Gave up using OBSD some time ago, anyway i guess sort of emulation is
> needed for this drivers as well[/color]

You'd guess wrong. BSD people are apparently rather more capable of
reverse engineering than Linux people, which would explain why pretty much
any wireless device will work in OpenBSD.
[color=blue][color=green]
>> One other thing: I have seen issues with using these cards when ACPI is
>> enabled - the card driver keeps resetting. Try turning ACPI off.
>>[/color]
> I read that this card is really faddy, though this time (kernel 2.6)
> either it works or lands in the trash.[/color]

I don't think it's faddy. It's an 802.11b chipset, they haven't been sold
much after 2005.

If you don't want it, I'll take it, they are really good cards within
their limitations.

>[color=blue]
> I don't believe that any of the Linux drivers have an access point mode.
> Why not just buy a cheap wireless router, they are under like $50 these
> days.[/color]

Sad news. I do not like these wireless routers, besides i prefer to have
everything in one box and let linux work.

Thank you for your help.


--
luk

On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:49:49 +0200, lukaswu wrote:
[color=blue][color=green]
>> I don't believe that any of the Linux drivers have an access point mode.
>> Why not just buy a cheap wireless router, they are under like $50 these
>> days.[/color]
>
> Sad news. I do not like these wireless routers, besides i prefer to have
> everything in one box and let linux work.[/color]

Then you will have to check out which chipsets are supported by the hostap
driver, and get one of those.

Or, as I said before, consider {Net|Open}BSD as the basis for the
solution. They are very close to Slackware in approach and configuration.
[color=blue]
> Thank you for your help.[/color]

I wish I had been able to provide some....