All would work fine on Latitude D610, except wireless network. Wireless NIC is Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG. Both iee80211 and ipw2200 modules are available in the R5C7 distro, but were not properly initialised. It appeared that the firmware images are either missing or not in one of the locations hotplug looks for them.

I have followed the instructions found on the Knoppix Remastering HowTo (http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Knoppix_Remastering_Howto) to make a modified iso and check whether inclusion of the firware images would solve my problem; it did.

I downloaded binary firmware images from http://ipw2200.sourceforge.net/, choosing the v2.4 firmware (in line with the version of the ipw2200 driver included in the R5C7 distro), and included all files from the zipped tar in /usr/lib/hotplug/firmware (one of the four locations specified in /etc/hotplug/firmware.agent). I did not specify ESSID etc. for my wireless network in the config files, so I can still specify those at boot-time.

Including the firmware images should be on the list for the next release.

Now, at boot-time, I can choose between the eth0 (wireless G) or eth1 (gigabit ethernet) adapters. Both can be initialized and work properly.

[edit] I boot my laptop from the liveCD as frontend.

Ton

I'd be happy to, but I don't want to get a visit from Intel's lawyers. Of course, if you sign a pledge to cover my legal fees I'd be happy to include the firmware.

_________________
cesman

When the source is open, the possibilities are endless!

No, covering legal fees would be too much to ask...

Hi tpb,

What are the rest of the steps you did to make the Dell610 2200BG wireless come to life?

At first I had thought it was the Broadcom that was the wireless and then figued out later that it was for the wired connection. That may be one reason I have a flat forehead

Thanks
Mike

Hello Mike,

I installed the firmware files (ipw2200 etc.) in the /usr/lib/hotplug/firmware folder of a decompressed KnoppMyth disc image (that I temporarily copied to my harddrive), recompressed and wrote it to a CD-ROM. Instructions for this can be found on Knoppix Remastering HowTo (http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Knoppix_Remastering_Howto).

Ton

Hi tpb,

Thanks, however, I wasn't trying to re-do the master, just trying to get the wireless to fire up on my install. I had been down this path earlier however used the 3.0 which didn't work, and neither does the 2.4. It acts as if the power is not turned for the wireless and that was more what I was asking about. The extra settings that are beyond the firmware files..

Works fine when I boot it into the other os.

I do appreciate the help!
Mike

In the BIOS options, you have to enable wireless adapter to power up at boot, i.e. not leave it up to OS to do so. I remember having changed options in the D610 BIOS.

Ton