Linux Noob RTL8781B Driver Installation Help please :-)

[sebz07]

Hey all .........

Please don't bite my head off if this issue has been previously dealt with.
I am running BT5 through VMware

I have downloaded the drivers for my RTL8187B w/lan adapter.
I am a total Linux Noob and having problems installing my drivers.

Here is a copy of the "ReadMe.txt" Installation instructions:
[ I have added *'s next to stuff I need Simplified. ]

< Installation >

Runing the scripts can finish all operations of building up modules

from the source code and start the nic.

1. Build up the drivers from the source code

./makedrv
* How is this done in BT5? Terminal commands?


2. load the driver module to kernel and start up nic

./wlan0up

Note: when "insmod: error inserting 'xxxx.ko': -1 File exists" comes out

after run ./wlan0up, please run ./wlan0down first, then it should

be ok.



< Set wireless lan MIBs >

This driver uses Wireless Extension as an interface allowing you to set

Wireless LAN specific parameters.



Current driver supports "iwlist" to show the device status of nic

iwlist wlan0 [parameters]

where

parameter explaination [parameters]

----------------------- -------------

Show available chan and freq freq / channel

Show and Scan BSS and IBSS scan[ning]

Show supported bit-rate rate / bit[rate]

Show Power Management mode power



For example:

iwlist wlan0 channel

iwlist wlan0 scan

iwlist wlan0 rate

iwlist wlan0 power



Driver also supports "iwconfig", manipulate driver private ioctls, to set

MIBs.



iwconfig wlan0 [parameters] [val]

where

parameter explaination [parameters] [val] constraints

----------------------- ------------- ------------------

Connect to AP by address ap [mac_addr]

Set the essid, join (I)BSS essid [essid]

Set operation mode mode {Managed|Ad-hoc}

Set keys and security mode key/enc[ryption] {N|open|restricted|off}



For example:

iwconfig wlan0 ap XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX

iwconfig wlan0 essid "ap_name"

iwconfig wlan0 mode Ad-hoc

iwconfig wlan0 mode essid "name" mode Ad-hoc

iwconfig wlan0 key 0123456789 [2] open

iwconfig wlan0 key off

iwconfig wlan0 key restricted [3] 0123456789



< Getting IP address >

After start up the nic, the network needs to obtain an IP address before

transmit/receive data.

This can be done by setting the static IP via "ifconfig wlan0 IP_ADDRESS"

command, or using DHCP.



If using DHCP, setting steps is as below:

(1)connect to an AP via "iwconfig" settings

iwconfig wlan0 essid [name] or

iwconfig wlan0 ap XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX



(2)run the script which run the dhclient

./wlan0dhcp

or

dhcpcd wlan0

(Some network admins require that you use the

hostname and domainname provided by the DHCP server.

In that case, use

dhcpcd -HD wlan0)



< WPAPSK/WPA2PSK >

WPA_SUPPLICANT help the network to communicate under the protection of WPAPSK/WPA2PSK

mechanism



(1)Unpack source code of WPA supplicant:

tar -zxvf wpa_supplicant-0.5.3.tar.gz

cd wpa_supplicant-0.5.3



(2)Create .config file:

cp defconfig .config



(3)Edit .config file, uncomment the following line:

#CONFIG_DRIVER_IPW=y.



(4)Build WPA supplicant:

make

If make error for lack of <include/md5.h>, install the openssl lib(two ways):

1. Install the openssl lib from corresponding installation disc:

Fedora Core 2/3/4/5/6/7(openssl-0.9.71x-xx),

Mandrake10.2/Mandriva10.2(openssl-0.9.7x-xmdk),

Debian 3.1(libssl-dev), Suse 9.3/10.0/10.1(openssl_devl),

Gentoo(dev-libs/openssl), etc.

2. Download the openssl open source package from www.openssl.org, build and install it.



(5)Edit wpa_supplicant.conf to set up SSID and its passphrase.

For example, the following setting in "wpa1.conf" means SSID

to join is "BufAG54_Ch6" and its passphrase is "87654321".

network={

ssid="BufAG54_Ch6"

proto=WPA

key_mgmt=WPA-PSK

pairwise=CCMP TKIP

group=CCMP TKIP WEP104 WEP40

psk="87654321"

priority=2

}

Note: 1. proto=WPA for WPA, proto=RSN for WPA2.

2. If you want to connect an AP which works under WPA2 mixed mode, you'd better

use Realtek customed wpa_supplicant package.



(6)Execute WPA supplicant (Assume 8187B and related modules had been

loaded):

./wpa_supplicant -D ipw -c wpa1.conf -i wlan0 &




To the point I am a Windows user and need to be spoon fed by a Linux
Expert who can help simplify my driver installation within BT5

Many Thanks

[CharlesS]

I'm n00b so don't take my word for gospel. But I believe I read some where that when using VMware you don't need to install drivers on the guest OS because (in theory), they are installed and working on the host system. The host system dishes every thing out to the VMware, and thus the guest OS more or less automatically. Are things not working that way for you? I also believe that in order to get WiFi working in backtrack5 there is some initialization script you have to run after boot. But once again, I am a supper n00b just like you so you will need confirmation by a pro member before you try any thing.

I actually have a RTL8187 based USB dongle around here some where. I don't use it because I get unacceptable packet loss with any x64 OS. That might be your problem, bad support by the host OS. When I get the time I'll look for my dongle and give it a test and see what happens on my end.

I Hope that I was helpful.
-Charlie