Installing RT2500 Network Card
I need to install a driver for my RT2500 PCI wireless network card on my Solaris 10.
So I went to the ralink website (the manufacturer of the network card), and downloaded the linux (well supposedly the unix driver) binary file. Burned it to dvd, and copied from the dvd to my solaris computer.
So on the solaris computer, the *.tar.gz file (the binary driver file that I downloaded) is currently in root directory ('cause it's convenient to keep it there for now).
Now how do I install it and configure it? I have tried googling... I haven't found much information that I can understand and confidently execute. I'm sorry, but I'm new to using Unix system. All the tar.gz file is new and I don't know what to do with them.
And even if I have installed it, I am yet to configure it I believe, so I would need help on that. Could someone help me?
Thank you in advance.
[910 byte] By [
Xannena] at [2007-11-27 5:38:28]
# 1
Linux isn't Solaris and vice versa.
There is a laptop section on www.opensolaris.org with drivers for some wifi adapters.
The adapter types include mini pci and card bus.
There isn't a whole lot to choose from so if your adapter isn't listed, my wasn't, then you will need to do what I did and spend the cash to buy a supported adapter.
alan
# 2
Okay. Fair enough with the conflict with different unix system.
So then I went and googled for the network card driver for solaris. Apparently Open Solaris offers one. I downloaded the file, which is in the format: *.tar.gz
All I know about this file is that it is zipped up in tar and then in gzip.
Can someone please advise me how to unzip such file?
And then how to install the files? Like command to do it, and where I need to install it.
Lastly how do I configure my network card to work with solaris, if installation doesn't automatically do that.
Thank you in advance.
# 3
Review the man pages for gzip and you may as well take a few moments
and review the man pages for tar.
The man pages will give you examples of command syntax.
If you tar something together, you can untar it, as well.
If you gzip something to a smaller filesize, you can gunzip it back to full size.
The following references were found with Google, searching on "solaris man <whatever>".
http://www.uic.edu/depts/accc/software/unixgeneral/unix101.html
http://bama.ua.edu/cgi-bin/man-cgi?gzip
http://www.cs.biu.ac.il/cgi-bin/man?tar+1
# 4
I went to the opensolaris.org website and downloaded their supplied driver (from http://www.opensolaris.org/os/community/laptop/wireless/ral/;jsessionid=D8C7920 F852AE510DEC1EC4D801B719C)
I placed the download into my root directory. (I am completely new to solaris, I don't even know which files should be where on the file system. So I place the download in the general area - the root directory.)
I could gunzip it with the command: gzip -d <filename>
Then I untar it with: tar -xvf <filename>
And then unpackage it with opensolaris suggested command: pkgadd -d . SUNWral
All these process were successful.
When I followed the next command: ifconfig ral0 plumb
It said: ifconfig: plumb: ral0: no such interface
So I am guessing ral0 is a variable. How do I know or find out what the variable is to substitute into that command?
I did notice that at the botom right hand corner of my Java Desktop there is a network icon. When I put my mouse over it, it says: Network Connection: lo0
Is this the variable I am looking for to substitute where ral0 is?
I tried that with command: ifconfig lo0 plumb
No errors, it just returns to a new prompt. I guess that works.
But where to from here?
This is my situation. I have a RT2500 wireless pci network card. I want to connect to the home router so I can access to the internet. I have necessary networking details on the router such as: DNS, subnet mask and etc...
I manage to get a driver off opensolaris and installed it.
1. Now, how do I configure my solaris system to connect to the home router such that I have access to the internet?
2. Where should I put the installation files? Maybe somewhere in /etc or /dev ? I have no idea. But it doesn't feel right putting it in the root directory.
Note that I am only a native window user. I need quite detail instructions otherwise, I will still be clueless and stuck with the problem.
If I don't have help to set up my network card and acces to the internet, I might as well format all of solaris.
Thank you in advance.
# 5
If your card is supported by the driver you installed (with pkgadd), then I would do a 'ifconfig -a plumb', followed by a 'ifconfig -a'. Any supported cards should appear in the output.
In some cases, you may have to reboot the machine before the driver is ready.
Do you see any new devices after running those commands?
--
Darren
# 6
Okay here is the output of the terminal:
# ifconfig -a plumb
# ifconfig -a
lo0: flags=2001000849<UP,LOOPBACK,RUNNING,MULTICAST,IPV4,VIRTUAL> mtu 8232 index
l
inet 192.168.1.2 netmask ffffff00
#
I don't know how to interpret this. I need help.
What do I do from here?
# 7
It suggests that no network driver on the system is able to find a compatible network interface.So either the driver you installed does not work with your card, the installtion failed, or your card has a problem.-- Darren
# 8
> I placed the download into my root directory. (I am
> completely new to solaris, I don't even know which
> files should be where on the file system. So I place
> the download in the general area - the root
> directory.)
In the future, please use a home directory. If you're logged in as user root, consider making a junk space. Older versions of Solaris used to create a /space directory. This can be easily done using:
mkdir /space
and then use that as a staging area.
> It said: ifconfig: plumb: ral0: no such
ral zero not ral oh, right?
> So I am guessing ral0 is a variable. How do I know
It is not a variable. It describe the interface to plumb and then add network configuration settings to.
> I did notice that at the botom right hand corner of
> my Java Desktop there is a network icon. When I put
> my mouse over it, it says: [code]Network Connection:
> lo0
> Is this the variable I am looking for to substitute
> where ral0 is?
No, lo0 is the loopback adapter. If your adapter does come up, then you can click on that and then change it to ral0.
> This is my situation. I have a RT2500 wireless pci
> network card. I want to connect to the home router
Who is the manufacturer of the card and what is the model number. From Opensolaris.org:
See http://ralink.rapla.net/ for cards that should work with this driver.
Verified cards: ASUS WL-107G, Gigabyte GN-WIKG, Corega CG-WLCB54GL, and MSI MP54G2.
and
If plumbing failed, your card may be not supported or just not getting properly identified by the Solaris kernel. Send us a note and we'll try to help.
Send them a note at:
http://www.opensolaris.org/jive/forum.jspa?forumID=66
alan
