[ltp] Good news about the Atheros driver

[Joel Ebel]

I got this response from Greg, the author of this new atheros driver. 
Looks like we'll get it working soon.

Joel

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [Madwifi-users] Thanks! But I can't turn it on!
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2003 10:26:18 -0700
From: greg chesson <greg@atheros.com>
To: Joel Ebel <jbebel@ncsu.edu>
References: <3EFBD488.5030903@atheros.com> <3EFC2B7D.5030604@ncsu.edu>

Joel,

I've just found out that the IBM T40s implement an RFKILL option.
It's an extra control line that goes into the card just on the ibm systems.
If you were using a retail Cardbus card you wouldn't see the problem.
Point is, we'll have to add some code to the driver to detect this and
do a handshake with the BIOS and a special hardware interrupt
generated when you push the Function key.

Anyway this explains why you have no tx power and why ifconfig
and iwconfig don't override it.

Sincere apologies - this is why its a beta release.

There are differences in how the rf kill mechanism works depending on
whether
you have a 5211 or a 5212 chip.   However,  I'll make a mod for the driver
that handles both cases as soon as I get all the interfacing facts.

I'll have to hunt down a T40 test machine here, but will do so.
This will take a couple days because its friday and I'm completely saturated
with deadlines and such.   But I'll email you a modded driver for testing
as soon as I can, and if it works for you we'll roll it into another code
drop on Sourceforge.

Don't panic, we'll get you on the air.

g



Joel Ebel wrote:
> Yeah.  No luck.  I'm still guessing it's IBM silliness.  However, I do 
> notice that txpower is set to off.  The only thing I've found to make it 
> not say off is to use iwconfig ath0 txpower auto.  Then it says 0 dBm. 
> Not much better.  iwlist ath0 txpower says "No transmitter powers ? 
> Please update driver..."  So apparently I have no way to change the 
> trnsmit power.  Any other thoughts?  Should I be contacting IBM to get 
> them to give me a way to turn it on?
> 
> Thanks,
> Joel
> 
> greg chesson wrote:
> 
>> We're guessing the bios is doing something for you.
>>
>> Try this:
>>
>>     ifconfig ath0 up
>>
>> that should light it up.
>> the output you provided shows that the driver loaded.
>> then the other iwconfig and iwlist commands mentioned
>> in the README file should work.
>>
>> g
>>
>>
>>
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