Release Date: 2008-11-17, ver 1023
RTL8187B Linux driver version 1023
--This driver supports RealTek RTL8187SE Wireless LAN NIC
for
2.6 kernel:
Fedora Core 2/3/4/5/6/7, Debian 3.1, Mandrake 10.2/Mandriva 2006,
SUSE 9.3/10.1/10.2, Gentoo 3.1, etc.
2.4 kernel:
Redhat 9.2, etc
- Support Client mode for either infrastructure or adhoc mode
- Support WEP, WPAPSK and WPA2PSK connection
======================================================================================
Component
======================================================================================
The driver is composed of several parts:
1. Module source code
ieee80211
rtl8185
2. Script ot build the modules
Makefile
3. Script to load/unload modules
wlan0up
wlan0down
4. Script and configuration for DHCP
wlan0dhcp
ifcfg-wlan0
5. Supplicant source code:
wpa_supplicant-0.5.5.tar.gz
6. Example of supplicant configuration file:
wpa1.conf
======================================================================================
Installation
======================================================================================
<<Method 1>>
Runing the scripts can finish all operations of building up modules
from the source code, installing driver to the kernel and starting up the nic.
1. Build up the drivers from the source code
make
2. Install the driver to the kernel
make install
reboot
3. bring up wlan if nic is not brought up by GUI, such as NetworkManager
ifconfig wlan0 up
Note: use ifconfig to check whether wlan0 is brought up and use iwconfig to
check your wlan interface name,since it may change wlan0 to wlan1,etc.
<<Method 2>>
Or only load the driver module to kernel and start up nic.
1. Build up the drivers from the source code
make
2. Load 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..
Note: If you see the message of "unkown symbol" during ./wlan0up, it
is suggested to build driver by <<Method 1>>.
======================================================================================
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 helps to secure wireless connection with the protection of
WPAPSK/WPA2PSK mechanism.
If the version of Wireless Extension in your system is equal or larger than 18,
WEXT driver interface is recommended. Otherwise, IPW driver interface is advised.
Note: Wireless Extension is defined us "#define WIRELESS_EXT" in Kernel
Note: To check the version of wireless extension, please type "iwconfig -v"
If IPW driver interface is used, We suggested to follow the steps from 1 to 6.
If wpa_supplicant has been installed in your system, only steps 5 and 6 are required
to be executed for WEXT driver interface.
To see detailed description for driver interface and wpa_supplicant, please type
"man wpa_supplicant".
(1)Download latetest source code for wpa supplicant or use wpa_supplicant-0.5.5
attached in this package. (It is suggested to use default package contained
in the distribution because there should less compilation issue.)
Unpack source code of WPA supplicant:
tar -zxvf wpa_supplicant-0.5.5.tar.gz (e.g.)
cd wpa_supplicant-0.5.5
(2)Create .config file:
cp defconfig .config
(3)Edit .config file, uncomment the following line if ipw driver interface
will be applied:
#CONFIG_DRIVER_IPW=y.
(4)Build and install WPA supplicant:
make
cp wpa_cli wpa_supplicant /usr/local/bin
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(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".
Example 1: Configuration for WPA-PWK
network={
ssid="BufAG54_Ch6"
proto=WPA
key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
pairwise=CCMP TKIP
group=CCMP TKIP WEP104 WEP40
psk="87654321"
priority=2
}
Example 2: Configuration for LEAP
network={
ssid="BufAG54_Ch6"
key_mgmt=IEEE8021X
group=WEP40 WEP104
eap=LEAP
identity="user1"
password="1111"
}
Note: 1. proto=WPA for WPA, proto=RSN for WPA2.
2. If user needs to connect an AP with WPA or WPA2 mixed mode, it is suggested
to set the cipher of pairwise and group to both CCMP and TKIP unless you
know exactly which cipher type AP is configured.
3. Low kernel version which is lower than 2.6.18.rc2 may have trouble with
TKIP heavy traffic while SMP is configured. Please change your security
cipher or update your kernel.
4. According to documentaion "wpa_supplicant.conf" provided by the package of
wpa_supplicant, ap_scan is set to 2 for IBSS connection. If user is trying to
associate to AP in Infrastructure mode, please unmark this line us as belowing
"#ap_scan=2"
(6)Execute WPA supplicant (Assume rtl8187B and related modules had been
loaded):
wpa_supplicant -D wext -c wpa1.conf -i wlan0 & (recommended)
wpa_supplicant -D ipw -c wpa1.conf -i wlan0
Note: At first, user sholud check Wireless Extension by typing "iwconfig -v"
on the comment line. If the version of Wireless Extension is equal or
larger than 18, the option of "-D wext" is suggested. If the version
of Wireless extension is less than 18, the option of "-D ipw" is
suggested.
But before you use "wext" or "ipw" command, you sholud check which drivers
wpa_supplicant can support by typing command "wpa_supplicant". after typing the
comment line, you can see some infomations about wpa_supplicant are listed,
example:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
usage:
XXXXXXXXX
drivers:
wext = Linux wireless extensions (generic)
atmel = ATMEL AT76C5XXx (USB, PCMCIA)
wired = wpa_supplicant wired Ethernet driver
options:
XXXXXXXXX
example:
XXXXXXXXX
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The driver interface wpa_supplicant can support are listed in "drivers",
if "ipw" or "wext" is not listed in it, you can only use the the other interface.
If the interface you want to use is not supported by wpa_supplicant. you can
follow steps (1)-(6), And in step (3) you must let:
CONFIG_DRIVER_IPW=y.
or
CONFIG_DRIVER_WEXT=y.
or both
CONFIG_DRIVER_IPW=y.
CONFIG_DRIVER_WEXT=y.
Download Driver Pack
After your driver has been downloaded, follow these simple steps to install it.
Expand the archive file (if the download file is in zip or rar format).
If the expanded file has an .exe extension, double click it and follow the installation instructions.
Otherwise, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Device Manager.
Find the device and model you want to update in the device list.
Double-click on it to open the Properties dialog box.
From the Properties dialog box, select the Driver tab.
Click the Update Driver button, then follow the instructions.
Very important: You must reboot your system to ensure that any driver updates have taken effect.
For more help, visit our Driver Support section for step-by-step videos on how to install drivers for every file type.