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usb wifi dwa-160 (firmware-atheros)

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fitterski
Posts: 9
Joined: 2017-10-31 03:19

usb wifi dwa-160 (firmware-atheros)

#1 Post by fitterski »

I have this dwa-160 wifi that isn't connecting (Debian-9.2)

a page on the net says to use

Code: Select all

aptitude install firmware-atheros
but aptitude is not installed by default (somehow)
ok so I installed it from he DVD although even the DVD needed to be force accepted (forget the command I'm on Suse now)

so I repeat the command and this time the response is that "firmware-atheros" is not found

Also have a TP-LINK usb thumb wifi, would like that to work too as a backup

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dotlj
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Re: usb wifi dwa-160 (firmware-atheros)

#2 Post by dotlj »

First, run

Code: Select all

lspci
to list your pci devices. Look for wireless or wifi. From this you will get some details about manufacturer and model number.
Say it is atheros, then search for atheros and you find
firmware-atheros

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aptitude show firmware-atheros  
provides details about the firmware included. I can't find any dwa or 160 included in this list. Is you dwa-160 really atheros?

Have you plugged in the TP-Link USB wifi? Plugging it in and checking, as a root user

Code: Select all

dmesg | tail
will provide some useful details. It is likely Debian includes drivers that will work with this without the need to install anything else.

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Thorny
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Re: usb wifi dwa-160 (firmware-atheros)

#3 Post by Thorny »

fitterski wrote:so I repeat the command and this time the response is that "firmware-atheros" is not found
Does your sources list include the non-free repository?

fitterski
Posts: 9
Joined: 2017-10-31 03:19

Re: usb wifi dwa-160 (firmware-atheros)

#4 Post by fitterski »

Thanks for the response. Without internet it's all very awkward as I have to boot Debian, try to get some material ready and saved, then boot Suse and recover what I can and report. This time the return of 'aptitude show firmware-atheros' cannot be found :-) It was NOT successful.

dotlj wrote:First, run

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lspci
this shows the onboard card but no wifi because there isn't any on board. I do use only usb wifi as a matter of policy.

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00:00.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890 Northbridge only single slot PCI-e GFX Hydra part (rev 02)
00:02.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890/RD9x0/RX980 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI Express GFX port 0)
00:04.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890/RD9x0/RX980 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI Express GPP Port 0)
00:05.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890/RD9x0/RX980 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI Express GPP Port 1)
00:06.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890/RD9x0/RX980 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI Express GPP Port 2)
00:07.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890/RD9x0/RX980 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI Express GPP Port 3)
00:0b.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RD890/RD990 PCI to PCI bridge (PCI Express GFX2 port 0)
00:11.0 SATA controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 SATA Controller [IDE mode] (rev 40)
00:12.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
00:12.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
00:13.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
00:13.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
00:14.0 SMBus: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SBx00 SMBus Controller (rev 42)
00:14.1 IDE interface: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 IDE Controller (rev 40)
00:14.2 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA) (rev 40)
00:14.3 ISA bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 LPC host controller (rev 40)
00:14.4 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SBx00 PCI to PCI Bridge (rev 40)
00:14.5 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI2 Controller
00:16.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
00:16.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 0
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 1
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 2
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 3
00:18.4 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 4
00:18.5 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h Processor Function 5
02:00.0 PCI bridge: ASMedia Technology Inc. ASM1083/1085 PCIe to PCI Bridge (rev 04)
03:04.0 Multimedia audio controller: C-Media Electronics Inc CMI8788 [Oxygen HD Audio]
04:00.0 USB controller: NEC Corporation uPD720200 USB 3.0 Host Controller (rev 03)
05:00.0 Ethernet controller: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. Yukon Optima 88E8059 [PCIe Gigabit Ethernet Controller with AVB] (rev 11)
06:00.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6315 Series Firewire Controller (rev 01)
07:00.0 SATA controller: JMicron Technology Corp. JMB363 SATA/IDE Controller (rev 03)
07:00.1 IDE interface: JMicron Technology Corp. JMB363 SATA/IDE Controller (rev 03)
08:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GK107 [GeForce GT 640] (rev a1)
08:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GK107 HDMI Audio Controller (rev a1)

it's lsusb that shows it (as atheros)

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Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 009 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 003: ID 058f:6362 Alcor Micro Corp. Flash Card Reader/Writer
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 007 Device 002: ID 046d:c062 Logitech, Inc. M-UAS144 [LS1 Laser Mouse]
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 006: ID 07d1:3a09 D-Link System DWA-160 802.11abgn Xtreme N Dual Band Adapter(rev.A2) [Atheros AR9170+AR9104]
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

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aptitude show firmware-atheros  
provides details about the firmware included. I can't find any dwa or 160 included in this list. Is you dwa-160 really atheros?

Have you plugged in the TP-Link USB wifi? Plugging it in and checking, as a root user

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dmesg | tail
this seems to be detected but does not show in lsub

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[  622.733777] Chip Version Info: CHIP_8188E_Normal_Chip_TSMC_D_CUT_1T1R_RomVer(0)
[  623.007830] r8188eu 6-5:1.0 wlxe894f615a6a2: renamed from wlan0
[  623.046997] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxe894f615a6a2: link is not ready
[  623.069625] r8188eu 6-5:1.0: firmware: failed to load rtlwifi/rtl8188eufw.bin (-2)
[  623.069630] r8188eu 6-5:1.0: Direct firmware load for rtlwifi/rtl8188eufw.bin failed with error -2
[  623.069633] r8188eu 6-5:1.0: Firmware rtlwifi/rtl8188eufw.bin not available
[  623.069636] MAC Address = e8:94:f6:15:a6:a2
[  623.110651] usb 6-5: USB disconnect, device number 4
[  623.111612] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxe894f615a6a2: link is not ready
[  623.111776] R8188EU: ERROR indicate disassoc

will provide some useful details. It is likely Debian includes drivers that will work with this without the need to install anything else.
See attached screenshot, it seems that the driver IS in the installed firmware-linux-free package.

well, it don't seem to wanna upload

it says:

Most firmware previously included in the Linux kernel is non-free and has been moved to the firmware-linux-nonfree package.

Contents:
*Atheros AR9170 free firmware for use with carl9170 (carl9170-1.fw)

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Re: usb wifi dwa-160 (firmware-atheros)

#5 Post by sunrat »

fitterski wrote: it seems that the driver IS in the installed firmware-linux-free package.
Contents:
*Atheros AR9170 free firmware for use with carl9170 (carl9170-1.fw)
Firmware is not driver. Drivers are a kernel module whereas firmware is code loaded to the device when it is booted.
Do you have firmware-linux-free installed? The device shows in lsusb so it is recognised.
Is the kernel module being loaded?

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lsmod |grep carl9170
Maybe you just need to configure it:
https://wiki.debian.org/WiFi
https://wiki.debian.org/WiFi/HowToUse
“ computer users can be divided into 2 categories:
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ”
Remember to BACKUP!

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Re: usb wifi dwa-160 (firmware-atheros)

#6 Post by stevepusser »

Let's make this simple. AR9170 firmware for the dwa is in the firmware-atheros package: https://packages.debian.org/stretch/firmware-atheros

Realtek firmware for the TP Link rtl8188eu chipset is in the firmware-realtek package...https://packages.debian.org/stretch/firmware-realtek

Download the deb files from the links at the bottom on a connected system and then install them on Debian via "dpkg -i <package>" as sysadmin. Reboot. Profit.

Or use the Debian installer ISO that includes the firmware.
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Re: usb wifi dwa-160 (firmware-atheros)

#7 Post by sunrat »

stevepusser wrote:Let's make this simple. AR9170 firmware for the dwa is in the firmware-atheros package: https://packages.debian.org/stretch/firmware-atheros
Sorry Steve, this one's listed in firmware-linux-free - https://packages.debian.org/stretch/firmware-linux-free

Something I just noticed is very weird. It's recognised by USB as Atheros device:

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Bus 003 Device 006: ID 07d1:3a09 D-Link System DWA-160 802.11abgn Xtreme N Dual Band Adapter(rev.A2) [Atheros AR9170+AR9104]
But system appears to be attempting to load Realtek firmware for it:

Code: Select all

[  623.007830] r8188eu 6-5:1.0 wlxe894f615a6a2: renamed from wlan0
[  623.046997] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxe894f615a6a2: link is not ready
[  623.069625] r8188eu 6-5:1.0: firmware: failed to load rtlwifi/rtl8188eufw.bin (-2)
[  623.069630] r8188eu 6-5:1.0: Direct firmware load for rtlwifi/rtl8188eufw.bin failed with error -2
[  623.069633] r8188eu 6-5:1.0: Firmware rtlwifi/rtl8188eufw.bin not available
Wikidevi says the A versions of this device are Atheros but the B and C versions are Ralink. No Realtek! WTF? https://wikidevi.com/wiki/D-Link_DWA-160_rev_A2

Perhaps blacklisting rtl8188eu may force it to load the Atheros firmware. I've had to do that to make a pesky wifi dongle work before.
“ computer users can be divided into 2 categories:
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ”
Remember to BACKUP!

fitterski
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Re: usb wifi dwa-160 (atheros) BUT Rt-Link works

#8 Post by fitterski »

Just put 3 hours into this thing!

I downloaded and installed the realtek package, booted, and upon providing a pasword connected. I'm on this connection right now.

The bad news is that the DWA-160 does NOT work. The FUNNY news is that on my Suse-TW system it's exactly the other way around.

I haven't got the faintest clue why, instead of openening code tags back and forth I'll just paste in here the sequence of events {the swap complaints arise from the fact that only one swap partition serves all installations}.

Code: Select all

Wireless-tools package was NOT installed by default, installed manually

# lsmod|grep carl9170
carl9170               90112  0
ath                    32768  1 carl9170
mac80211              671744  1 carl9170
cfg80211              589824  3 mac80211,ath,carl9170
usbcore               249856  10 usbhid,usb_storage,ehci_hcd,ohci_pci,xhci_pci,uas,ohci_hcd,carl9170,xhci_hcd,ehci_pci

# aptitude show firmware-linux-free
Package: firmware-linux-free             
Version: 3.4
State: installed
Automatically installed: no
Multi-Arch: foreign
Priority: optional
Section: kernel
Maintainer: Debian Kernel Team <debian-kernel@lists.debian.org>
Architecture: all
Uncompressed Size: 69.6 k
Suggests: initramfs-tools
Description: Binary firmware for various drivers in the Linux kernel
 This package contains firmware which was previously included in the Linux kernel and which is compliant with the Debian Free Software
 Guidelines. 
 
 Most firmware previously included in the Linux kernel is non-free and has been moved to the firmware-linux-nonfree package. 
 
 Contents: 
 * Atheros AR9170 free firmware for use with carl9170 (carl9170-1.fw) 
 * and others 
Homepage: http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git
Tags: role::app-data


Upon plugging-in the AWD-160.....

# dmesg|tail
[  919.864301] ath: country maps to regdmn code: 0x3a
[  919.864303] ath: Country alpha2 being used: CA
[  919.864304] ath: Regpair used: 0x3a
[  919.864632] ieee80211 phy1: Selected rate control algorithm 'minstrel_ht'
[  919.869315] usb 1-5: Atheros AR9170 is registered as 'phy1'
[  919.871355] carl9170 1-5:1.0 wlxb8a3868e6a1d: renamed from wlan0
[  919.893839] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxb8a3868e6a1d: link is not ready
[  920.087389] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxb8a3868e6a1d: link is not ready
[  920.321578] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxb8a3868e6a1d: link is not ready
[  920.371299] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxb8a3868e6a1d: link is not ready


NetworkManager icon in Syst-Tray:
- shows 2 workstation icons 
  + A red X (disconnected)

Right-clicking
==============

Enable-Networking: checked
Enable WiFi: checked
Enable-Notification: checked
Connection-Info: GHOSTED

Edit Connections:
----------------

General-TAB:
- autoconnect when available: checked
- All users may connect: checked

WiFi-TAB
- SSID: LAN is recognized and shown correctly
- Mode: client
- MTU: automatic

WiFi-Security TAB
- Sec:  WPA & WPA2 Personal
- Password: entered

Proxy-TAB [blank]
IPv4-TAB: [blank]
IPv6-TAB: [blank]

Right-click and then right-click on either 
LAN icon begins a connections attempt
which then fails with a popup:


# dmesg|tail
[ 2885.217277] ieee80211 phy1: reading regs failed (-5)
[ 2885.407651] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxb8a3868e6a1d: link is not ready
[ 2999.169596] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxb8a3868e6a1d: link is not ready
[ 3004.637683] wlxb8a3868e6a1d: authenticate with e4:6f:13:3f:2b:c8
[ 3004.714198] wlxb8a3868e6a1d: send auth to e4:6f:13:3f:2b:c8 (try 1/3)
[ 3004.717603] wlxb8a3868e6a1d: authenticated
[ 3009.719086] wlxb8a3868e6a1d: aborting authentication with e4:6f:13:3f:2b:c8 by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)
[ 3024.102484] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxb8a3868e6a1d: link is not ready
[ 3024.272407] ieee80211 phy1: reading regs failed (-5)
[ 3024.451496] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxb8a3868e6a1d: link is not ready

Reinstall package (manually after download & not from DVD)

# dpkg -i firmware-linux-free_3.4_all.deb
(Reading database ... 233341 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack firmware-linux-free_3.4_all.deb ...
Unpacking firmware-linux-free (3.4) over (3.4) ...
Setting up firmware-linux-free (3.4) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.130) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.9.0-4-amd64
W: initramfs-tools configuration sets RESUME=UUID=786628de-f3b2-4fdd-a599-e2e961c4bf71
W: but no matching swap device is available.
I: The initramfs will attempt to resume from /dev/sda5
I: (UUID=be5e6710-b8c1-4ad7-85ce-5c8671f603b5)
I: Set the RESUME variable to override this.

Reboot

insert dwa-160

# dmesg|tail
[  164.636509] ath: country maps to regdmn code: 0x3a
[  164.636510] ath: Country alpha2 being used: CA
[  164.636511] ath: Regpair used: 0x3a
[  164.649550] ieee80211 phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'minstrel_ht'
[  164.651829] usb 3-5: Atheros AR9170 is registered as 'phy0'
[  164.677823] carl9170 3-5:1.0 wlxb8a3868e6a1d: renamed from wlan0
[  164.735736] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxb8a3868e6a1d: link is not ready
[  164.912778] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxb8a3868e6a1d: link is not ready
[  165.125882] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxb8a3868e6a1d: link is not ready
[  165.198188] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxb8a3868e6a1d: link is not ready

DWA-160 removed

it don't fly!






# dpkg -i firmware-realtek_20161130-3_all.deb
Selecting previously unselected package firmware-realtek.
(Reading database ... 233276 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack firmware-realtek_20161130-3_all.deb ...                                                                                                       
Unpacking firmware-realtek (20161130-3) ...
Setting up firmware-realtek (20161130-3) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.130) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.9.0-4-amd64
W: initramfs-tools configuration sets RESUME=UUID=786628de-f3b2-4fdd-a599-e2e961c4bf71
W: but no matching swap device is available.
I: The initramfs will attempt to resume from /dev/sda5
I: (UUID=be5e6710-b8c1-4ad7-85ce-5c8671f603b5)
I: Set the RESUME variable to override this.



RT-Link WiFi plugged-in

Annunciation appears to connect to available LAN


# dmesg|tail
[  114.414307] R8188EU: ERROR indicate disassoc
[  114.515747] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxe894f615a6a2: link is not ready
[  115.833038] R8188EU: ERROR indicate disassoc
[  115.934660] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxe894f615a6a2: link is not ready
[  115.983344] R8188EU: ERROR indicate disassoc
[  116.084668] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxe894f615a6a2: link is not ready
[  117.369204] R8188EU: ERROR indicate disassoc
[  117.470603] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxe894f615a6a2: link is not ready
[  117.518620] R8188EU: ERROR indicate disassoc
[  117.620145] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxe894f615a6a2: link is not ready

Connected with password input manually


# dmesg|tail    (after pwd and conection)
[  217.571322] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxe894f615a6a2: link is not ready
[  218.884833] R8188EU: ERROR indicate disassoc
[  218.986278] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxe894f615a6a2: link is not ready
[  219.034141] R8188EU: ERROR indicate disassoc
[  219.135705] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxe894f615a6a2: link is not ready
[  220.412944] R8188EU: ERROR indicate disassoc
[  220.514396] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlxe894f615a6a2: link is not ready
[  234.265886] r8188eu 1-5:1.0: firmware: direct-loading firmware rtlwifi/rtl8188eufw.bin
[  236.612302] R8188EU: ERROR assoc success
[  236.612411] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): wlxe894f615a6a2: link becomes ready

This one WORKS ...just like that

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Re: usb wifi dwa-160 (firmware-atheros)

#9 Post by sunrat »

So you posted lsusb with the Atheros plugged in and dmesg with the Realtek plugged in. No wonder it's confusing.
I once chucked a wifi dongle in the bin when I couldn't make it work. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses.
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Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ”
Remember to BACKUP!

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Re: usb wifi dwa-160 (firmware-atheros)

#10 Post by stevepusser »

Sorry about that--sunrat, you're right about firmware-linux-free. Doesn't Debian install that as default, and if not, why not?
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fitterski
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Re: usb wifi dwa-160 (firmware-atheros)

#11 Post by fitterski »

sunrat wrote:So you posted lsusb with the Atheros plugged in and dmesg with the Realtek plugged in. No wonder it's confusing.
I once chucked a wifi dongle in the bin when I couldn't make it work. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses.
That's what I understood as needing doing from the response :-)

fitterski
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Re: usb wifi dwa-160 (firmware-atheros)

#12 Post by fitterski »

stevepusser wrote:Sorry about that--sunrat, you're right about firmware-linux-free. Doesn't Debian install that as default, and if not, why not?
It WAS installed by default, I just did a precautionary re-install (no effect)

BTW I'm now on my goto Tumbleweed and the RT-Link is working as it should here as well (as does the DWA-160).

fitterski
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Re: usb wifi dwa-160 (firmware-atheros)

#13 Post by fitterski »

I haven't done ANYTHING, I just boot Stretch every now and then to try to tweak a few things. Did so again minutes ago and clicking the NetworkManager icon shows BOTH usb transceivers and the available LANs on each according to ability but still only connects on the tiny thumb transceiver and not on the dwa-160. Just wanted to post this in case someone might be looking for answers.

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