RaspBMC Wifi Woes: Help Please!

[PipPin]

Hi there,

My Pi has finally seen some action over the Christmas break. The remarkable projects going on here are clearly out of my league. I can't even get WiFi working.

My Hardware
RasPi Model B, Rev 1
SD Card: Samsung 8 GB Class 10
Dongle is D-Link DWL-G122 (B1)

On the latter,

Code: Select all

lsusb

reports

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Bus 001 Device 005: ID 2001:3c00 D-Link Corp. AirPlus G DWL-G122 Wireless Adapter(rev.B1) [Ralink RT2571]

I've reimaged RaspBMC from scratch so many times trying the figure this out, and followed so many guides it's hard to remember what attempts met with what levels of success. My latest attempt was based on the walkthough here: http://anup.info/blog/2012/07/29/raspbmc-wifi.

Since it's the latest install is based on wheezy, I added the wheezy non-free source rather than the squeeze source. Some key errors on apt-get update were fixed using the guidance here: http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewt ... 28&t=19075

After installing the ralink firmware (which at least references the relevant chipset), I plug in the dongle and I get some activity on the dongle's little LEDs, but that's where the fun ends. It doesn't return any hosts on the issue of "nmcli dev wifi list". And if I run "sudo ifup wlan0" I get no DHCP offers.

If it's of any interest, the wlan0 entry does appear in ifconfig, but after that is run, the "sudo ifup wlan0" command now gives extra errors:

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wpa_supplicant: /sbin/wpa_supplicant daemon failed to start
run-parts: /etc/network/if-pre-up.d/wpasupplicant exited with return code 1
...
Some bumph here about Internet Systems Consortium
...
RTNETLINK answers: Input/output error
Listening on LPF/wlan0/MY:MA:CA:DD:RE:SS
Sending on   LPF/wlan0/MY:MA:CA:DD:RE:SS
DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 8
send_packet: Network is down
receive_packed failed on wlan0: Network is down
...
More like the above, different intervals, and no "receive_packet" lines until ..
...
No DHCPOFFERS received.
Unable to obtain a lease on first try. Exiting.
Failed to bring up wlan0.

And after that wlan0 stops being listed by ifconfig. I can get it back with reboots or other messing around, but the results are the same. I've tried lots of different set ups in /etc/networking/interfaces and these haven't faired any better (and some of them much worse). In one previous attempt I did manage to get it to list my ssid, but the connection wasn't useable. I've not been able to repeat it since.

Some of the pages my frantic searching have turned up seem to be suggesting issues like this could be power supply related. In case of differing power consumption, I've tried the set up using both wired and wireless keyboards, and no keyboard but ssh (I might try the latter again), but it's made no difference so far. I don't own a powered USB hub, perhaps it's time I did, but I'd be reluctant to go the powered hub route for the "final" set up.

I'll replace the power supply if my current one turns out to be substandard. I do own a multimeter ... is there anything I can do to check if power is the problem? Or if anyone has other suggestions, they'd be gratefully recevied. It's been driving me mad.

[Dilligaf]

First off being a Raspbmc problem you will have better luck posting to their forum. Following a 6 month old guide isn't the best idea as 6 months is a lifetime in the PI universe. Raspbmc has a built in wireless configuration app that should work without problems, in fact the new Windows installer will allow wifi setup before installation and install over wifi.

[PipPin]

I'll check out the new installer ... not sure how I missed it.

If the built in app for configuration is the "Network Manager" add-on, I tried that too, but it requires the device to already work. It's only about connecting to a host that you can already see (and supplying the password), if the dongle doesn't work the add-on doesn't help. But perhaps this isn't what you meant.

Tutorial from 6 months ago: I see your point, but the newer ones I could find were basically the same, only less clear. Tried lots of options in the networking file, but none had any real degree of success.

Configuring WiFi over WiFi? One of us doesn't know what you're talking about. It may be me, but it does sound uncommonly like nonsense.

[robcamp]

Hi,
I have two PI's, one WiFi, one Wired. For the wireless I brough a £9 Maplin n150 USB adapter. It worked out of the box, used the Configuration manager in RaspBMC. I am not using a powered hub, but have a 1200ma 5v USB powering the device. It seems stable, but I also glued a heat sink on top of the CPU. It has no keyboard or mouse attached and I use putty or the XBMC remote on my Ipad/Iphone to control it.

It streams iPlayer (Well did last night when I watched Waking the Dead)

Look at the PI bundle Maplin sell for £75, it has the adapter pictured. While not wanting to give it up, it might just be easier to spend the money!

Rob

[Dilligaf]

Configuring WiFi over WiFi? One of us doesn't know what you're talking about. It may be me, but it does sound uncommonly like nonsense.

I don't know where you got that from. I said you can configure wifi with the installer and install over wifi. Check it out, it's very user friendly.

[PipPin]

Thanks guys.

You're right, Dilligaf that's not what you said. But at that point I couldn't see how else to interpret it. It's the two stage install process that saves it from being nonsense. WiFi can be configured as part of the initial flash of the SD card, allowing the remainder of the install over the WiFi connection.

I'm now fairly convinced it's a power issue. The guide in Eben & Gareth's "Raspberry Pi User Guide" says a powered hub would probably be necessary. Indeed, using both the new installer (thankyou!) and a powered hub, I got the thing working ... though it was still flaky. But the hub isn't one I've used that way before, or especially want to use that way again, as I have no specs for the power connection (I've emailed the manufacturer, but I don't hold out much hope).

Cheers robcamp, presumably either the Maplin dongle is less power hungry or your adapter is more robust, or both (or it could be my WiFi). I think I might shell out on both fronts. At some point I'll probably invest in a second Pi, so the extra bits and pieces won't be wasted.

[Dilligaf]

If you have an original PI with the usb fuses you may want to consider bridging them, there's plenty of discussion regarding this on these forums

[PipPin]

Thanks again chaps. I got the dongle robcamp suggested. And following the "tutorial I linked", plus set up within XBMC, it now seems to work just fine.

While I was in Maplin, I saw they were also stocking the Pibow, which I simply couldn't resist.