Netgear MA311 + Red Hat 9 (2.4.20-8)  HostAp Driver HowTo

Description

 

The goal of this HowTo guide is to install a Netgear MA311 802.11b wireless card in a system running Red Hat 9.

 

Index

 

1. Install Red Hat 9.0 (2.4.20-8) with no patches or upgrades
2. Download files
3. Copy Kernel source
4. Install HostAp driver
5. Edit startup files.

 

Install Red Hat 9.0 Linux

• Package Group Selection (Add the following)

·         SQL Database Server - Add "mysql-server" (Click on Details)

·         Development Tools

·         Kernel Development

·         X Software Development

·         Gnome Software Development

·         Select System Tools, but remove "ethereal"

    Login using root and your password

Start a terminal window.

            Download required files

• HostAP
• hostap-driver-0.1.3.tar.gz
• http://hostap.epitest.fi/
• Download to /root/

Hostap driver install procedures

 

Copy kernel source. Since I have a Pentium 4 it’s a i686. if you have a i386 then replace it with i386

 

#cp /usr/src/linux-2.4/configs/kernel-2.4.20-i686.config /usr/src/linux-2.4/.config

 

 

Untar the driver and “make pci”  since the MA311 is a PCI card.

 

#make pci KERNEL_PATH=/usr/src/linux-2.4

 

 

When “make” is done enter “make install_pci“ to install the driver. Don’t forget the KERNEL_PATH

 

#make install_pci KERNEL_PATH=/usr/src/linux-2.4

 

 

Open the text editor. Edit /etc/rc.d/rc.local  and enter the following:

/sbin/modprobe hostap_pci

/sbin/ifconfig wlan0 up   (if static /sbin/ifconfig/wlan0 192.168.1.x up)

iwconfig wlan0 mode managed   (or ad-hoc)

iwconfig wlan0 channel 11 (for ad-hoc , in managed this is not used)

iwconfig wlan0 essid nameofyournetwork

iwconfig wlan0 enc 1234567890 (if using WEP)

dhclient wlan0  (if using DHCP to get a lease)

route add default gw 192.168.1.1 (for static, not used if using DHCP)

echo “nameserver 206.13.28.12” > /etc/resolv.conf (not used for DHCP )

 

This example uses DHCP if you want a static IP you are on your own!

 

 

Copy eth0 network script to wlan0 so it can be modified it for wlan0

 

 

Using text editor. Open /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-wlan0 and replace eth0 with wlan0 in the script. Enter your gateway and other details. Save the file.

 

 

To check if the MA311 is up and running use “ifconfig” from the terminal. The network card is not accessible from the Network Configuration GUI in XWindow but it is working. I don’t know why it is not accessible from the Network Cofiguration window.

 

#ifconfig  

 

 

Connect to the net and have a blast!

 

Some neat commands that I don’t want to forget so they are included here.

Ifconfig eth0 up

Ifconfig eth0 down

Ifconfig  (similar to winipcfg or ipcfg)

Iwconfig (need more research)

 

Warning ! Use at your own risk. No warranties expressed or implied. These procedures may even blow up your computer.

This HowTO is to be free for all to use and copy. GNU license rules apply.

 

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