Let's troubleshoot this CM32 issue , for those with one on hand please read.

JeanM

So I have 6 pcmcia cards now, I thought maybe the first one was bad, and now that I am looking at the boot screen I see the following?

I've tested the cards in a spare laptop and they are detected, install fine, but I can't get them to work in the console server. The error I am seeing seems to indicate that there is no module to load? But this is one of the cards on the compatible list, Cisco Aironet 340 series.

If you have this console server AND also using the PCMCIA slot, can you boot it up and post the cardmgr part of the log?

What is reported version of the PCMCIA card services in your console server?

Thanks!


Starting PCMCIA services: cardmgr.
cardmgr[55]: starting, version is 3.1.24
cardmgr[55]: watching 1 sockets
cardmgr[55]: initializing socket 0
cardmgr[55]: socket 0: Aironet PC4800
cardmgr[55]: module /lib/modules/2.4.2_hhl20/pcmcia/airo.o not available
cardmgr[55]: executing: 'modprobe airo'
Configuring Ethernet Mode: done.
Configuring network interfaces: cardmgr[55]: + insmod: airo.o: no module by that name found
cardmgr[55]: modprobe exited with status 1
cardmgr[55]: module /lib/modules/2.4.2_hhl20/pcmcia/airo_cs.o not available
cardmgr[55]: executing: 'modprobe airo_cs'
cardmgr[55]: + insmod: airo_cs.o: no module by that name found
cardmgr[55]: modprobe exited with status 1
eth0: config: auto-negotiation on, 100FDX, 100HDX, 10FDX, 10HDX.
done.


So I also have the 350 series and tried it as well to compare the message.


Starting PCMCIA services: cardmgr.
cardmgr[55]: starting, version is 3.1.24
cardmgr[55]: watching 1 sockets
cardmgr[55]: initializing socket 0
cardmgr[55]: socket 0: Aironet 350 series
cardmgr[55]: module /lib/modules/2.4.2_hhl20/pcmcia/airo.o not available
cardmgr[55]: executing: 'modprobe airo'
Configuring Ethernet Mode: done.
Configuring network interfaces: cardmgr[55]: + insmod: airo.o: no module by that name found
cardmgr[55]: modprobe exited with status 1
cardmgr[55]: module /lib/modules/2.4.2_hhl20/pcmcia/airo_cs.o not available
cardmgr[55]: executing: 'modprobe airo_cs'
cardmgr[55]: + insmod: airo_cs.o: no module by that name found
cardmgr[55]: modprobe exited with status 1
eth0: config: auto-negotiation on, 100FDX, 100HDX, 10FDX, 10HDX.
done.


Now, there is a root access to the box, so I wonder if there is a way to get the necessary modules/drivers and somehow load it into the box maybe via the ethernet port OR the pcmcia port using CF card?

JeanM

Alright - check this out - http://ftp1.digi.com/support/utilities/80007071_E.tar.gz

This tar file contains a driver.tar inside with the - ready? airo.o module!

So I guess we have to load them after all!

Looking through the site for some docs on this....

Keanoknick

Let us know if you get it working, and with what card. I'm considering doing this with mine, so I can move my rack out of my office, right now I just have the CM32 physically plugged into my home network.

JeanM

Will do, it should work the 340 (and possibly 350) series aironet cards. I am going to try using WinSCP to put the .o files on the box in /lib/modules/2.4.2_hhl20/pcmcia/

JeanM

Alright, some progress made. Used WinSCP to connect to the cm32 over the ethernet port using the root account, then copied the .o file(s) and the car is now detected

Bad news, I don't see WPA2 only WEP...SONOFAB! I temporary changed my wireless router to WEP, still no go.

You can see it's now loading the airo.o module, and I able to set the ip config for eth1 (pcmcia card) to DHCP or Static IP via the console port OR through HTTPS (if I keep the static ip for the ethernet port that is).

I've tried disabling the eth0 port, rebooted (to keep just eth1 pcmcia interface) but still would not get the IP via DHCP and also would not connect to my wireless with static ip either.

Some errors from the log, quick google search talks about compatability issues with the cisco cards / firmware and linux etc.. not sure if that's whats going on here or not.

I tried 2 cisco 340 cards, and 2 350 cards today, same results.

rebooted
Starting PCMCIA services: cardmgr.
cardmgr[55]: starting, version is 3.1.24
cardmgr[55]: watching 1 sockets
cardmgr[55]: initializing socket 0
cardmgr[55]: socket 0: Aironet 350 series
cardmgr[55]: executing: 'insmod /lib/modules/2.4.2_hhl20/pcmcia/airo.o'
Configuring Ethernet Mode: done.
Configuring network interfaces: cardmgr[55]: + Using /lib/modules/2.4.2_hhl20/pcmcia/airo.o
cardmgr[55]: executing: 'insmod /lib/modules/2.4.2_hhl20/pcmcia/airo_cs.o'
cardmgr[55]: + Using /lib/modules/2.4.2_hhl20/pcmcia/airo_cs.o
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: MAC could not be enabled
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
eth1: index 0x05: Vcc 5.0, Vpp 5.0, irq 9, io 0x0100-0x013f
cardmgr[55]: executing: './network start eth1'
eth0: config: auto-negotiation on, 100FDX, 100HDX, 10FDX, 10HDX.
SIOCSIFNETMASK: Cannot assign requested address
SIOCSIFBRDADDR: Cannot assign requested address
cardmgr[55]: Sending signal to the VTS Logger
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: BAP setup error too many retries
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: Max tries exceeded when issueing command
airo: BAP setup error too many retries
airo: BAP setup error too many retries
airo: BAP setup error too many retries
airo: BAP setup error too many retries
airo: BAP setup error too many retries
airo: BAP setup error too many retries

Any suggestions?

JeanM

I'll update this once I hear back from Digi Support, they've updated my case that it's with eng.

It might be a mute point if all this thing supports is WEP, I'll just then look at throwing a small access point to connect to it via eth0.

Here is some more info on these cards and the linux driver

cisco page on installing the aironet drivers from the cd (don't have it)
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/wireless/ps4555/products_tech_note09186a00800c6a9c.shtml

sourceforge page for the airo cards
http://airo-linux.sourceforge.net/

page on linux pcmcia stuff
http://pcmcia-cs.sourceforge.net/

More on the specifics, supports WPA looks like.
http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/Linux.Wireless.drivers.802.11b.html#Arlan802


.14 Aironet ARLAN 4500, 4800, Cisco 340 and Cisco 350 series
Driver status : stable
Driver names : ISA, PCI : airo.o
Pcmcia : airo_cs.o
Version : 1.4
Where : Linux kernel (2.6.17)
Pcmcia package (3.1.26)
Maintainers : Benjamin Reed <breed@almaden.ibm.com>
Javier Achirica <achirica@gmail.com>
Dan Williams <dcbw@redhat.com>
Matthieu Castet <castet.matthieu@free.fr>
Web page : http://sourceforge.net/projects/airo-linux/
Mailing list : http://sourceforge.net/mail/?group_id=24926
Documentation : README file
Configuration : /proc interface and Wireless Extensions
Statistics : /proc interface and Wireless Extensions
Modes : Managed, Ad-Hoc
Security : WEP (hardware), AES (host), MIC, 802.1x, WPA
Scanning : Wireless Extensions
Monitor : Yes
Multi-devices : N/A
Interoperability : 802.11-DS and 802.11-b, interoperate with Windows
Other features : Support MPI cards (Mini PCI)
Non implemented : -
Bugs : -
License : MPL & GPL

Vendor web page : http://www.aironet.com/


[h=3]3.14.1 The device[/h]Aironet has been the producer of some of the most performant wireless LANs for a long time. Aironet was a division of Telxon, and was spun-off when Symbol, one of their competitor, did aquire Telxon. After a short independent life, Aironet was acquired by Cisco.
The previous section was dealing with Aironet old pre-802.11 products (see section 2.8), this section deals with their more recent 802.11 compliant products. Their first 802.11 products were the 3500 family, Frequency Hopping (1 and 2 Mb/s), and 4500, Direct Sequence (1 and 2 Mb/s).
The Arlan 4500 family is 802.11 compliant wireless LANs in the 2.4 GHz ISM band, and is Direct Sequence. It includes an ISA, PCI, Pcmcia, serial, Ethernet and multi-Ethernet versions, plus the Access Point.
These cards are based on the Harris Prism chipset, like many other cards (see section 2.4), but Aironet are using their own MAC controller. The 4500 offer standard 1 and 2 Mb/s bit rate. The MAC includes all the standard 802.11 features, with Power Saving, WEP, Ad-Hoc mode and roaming, plus a lot of Aironet extensions (short headers, variable base rate...). Conform to their reputation, their MAC is one of the richest in term of features, and one of the most performant.
The 3500 family (Frequency Hopping) eventually died, and I won't talk about it here.
The 4500 family was quickly followed by the 4800 family, still based on the Prism chipset, adding 5.5 and 11 Mb/s bit rate, either in MBOK (proprietary) or CCK, which is 802.11-b compliant. The 4800 can do encryption only at 1 and 2 Mb/s (this limitation was removed in the 4800B).
With introduction of the PrismII chipset, Aironet did release the 4800B family. It is functionally equivalent to the 4800, except that the new PrismII chipset allows lower price, greater sensitivity but force a lower transmit power (30 mW). Aironet still use their own MAC controller in the 4800B (and not the new PrismII MAC - see section 3.6).
After the acquisition by Cisco, the Aironet 4800B was renamed Cisco 340 series (exact same hardware, new name). Dell also sell the same hardware under its own brand as Dell TrueMobile 1100 (on the other hand, the TrueMobile 1150 is a Wavelan IEEE).
Like Lucent, Cisco offer different cards with different level of encryption. The cards labelled 340 feature no encryption, the cards labelled 341 feature 40 bits encryption and the cards labelled 342 feature 128 bits encryption. Moreover, some versions of the Pcmcia card are sold with antenna but others without antennas.
Cisco has now released the Cisco 350, a new family of 802.11b cards. From the information I did gather, it seems to be equivalent to the 340 series with a greater transmit power (100 mW instead of 30 mW). The Cisco 350 also improves the performance of the AP and introduce greater security (Radius authentication and co).
Cisco has also released a Mini-PCI (MPI) version of the Aironet 350, to be added in laptops that support a Mini-PCI slot. For some strange reason, this hardware is slightly different from the regular Aironet 350 PCI.
Cisco has also a wide range of IEEE 802.11g products, those are completely different from this hardware, and most often they are Atheros cards (see section 4.2). [h=3]3.14.2 The driver[/h]Ben has produced a solid driver for the Aironet card, The driver supports the ISA, PCI and Pcmcia cards (both 4500, 4800 & 4800B versions), it looks fairly complete and debugged, with a nice /proc interface. The driver also has very complete WEP support.
Ben also told me that the driver was able to recognise the PC3500 cards, but more work would be needed there to get it fully working.
Recently, I've started adding Wireless Extension to this driver. Ben was kind enough to integrate properly my work in his driver. Then, Javier Achirica did an amazing job of completing Wireless Extension support (power management, spy and co), and this driver has one of the most complete Wireless Extension support of all.
Then, Javier added to the driver the Cisco proprietary API, which allow communication with Cisco utilities (see section 3.16) and, amongst other things, flashing new firmware on the card. All this amazing work is in the latest release from Ben (1.5). He also wrote a couple of open source utilities allowing to **** all the register of the card and to flash new firmwares through this API.
Later, the driver has been integrated in the Linux kernel (2.4.6 and later) and moved to SourceForge. Javier has also added the ability to **** raw 802.11 frames. Then Javier did extensive work to fix locking (SMP support), add monitor mode and Wireless Scanning support (in version 1.4).
Ben attempted to add support to MPI card and added code for those cards in the CVS. The work on MPI card was completed and now MPI cards are properly supported. Ben and Javier are no longer active. Dan has fixed various bug and kept the driver up to date in the kernel, and Matthieu has added WPA support.

JeanM

Can someone boot one of these up and post the Card Services version # ?

I think this means WPA2 is out of the question - http://supportforums.cisco.com/docs/DOC-3012.pdf

Note : Cisco Aironet 350 Series products does not support WPA2 because their radios lackAES support. It is necessary to upgrade to Cisco Aironet Series access points and clientdevices that support AES if WPA2 is used.

I was going to see about updating pcmcia components from here http://sourceforge.net/projects/pcmcia-cs/files/pcmcia-cs/
readme stuff - http://www.faqs.org/docs/Linux-HOWTO/PCMCIA-HOWTO.html#ss1.3

Don't know what I was thinking, there is a) not enough room to compile/install a new version and b) no compiler installed..

I guess I'll just add a wireless access point and connect to it via eth0.

Done.

LinuxRacr

Wow, I can't believe I just found this thread.