Automatic setup for RTL8188CUS based wifi adapters

[ng28]

Hi MrEngMan

I did all download using my windows laptop, I use Huawei E586 Mifi with Vodafone data card form my primary internet use. Due to that issue with the file size and winzip error, today I tried downloading it using my Android Phone (Teathering) using 3 network sim.

Thanks for your help and glad to know that you found that details useful.

Others (I guess myengman you might be knowing this already)
Good News - wifi support for RTL8188CUS is now supported in new image and we can make our Pi run 50% faster, see this for details http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/2008

Cheers

[MrEngman]

Hi MrEngMan

I did all download using my windows laptop, I use Huawei E586 Mifi with Vodafone data card form my primary internet use. Due to that issue with the file size and winzip error, today I tried downloading it using my Android Phone (Teathering) using 3 network sim.

Thanks for your help and glad to know that you found that details useful.

Others (I guess myengman you might be knowing this already)
Good News - wifi support for RTL8188CUS is now supported in new image and we can make our Pi run 50% faster, see this for details http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/2008

Cheers

Downloading from Windows 7 gives some odd results sometimes. Downloading the drivers and I end up with 8192cu-2012xxyy.tar.tar files. Have to rename them to tar.gz although they are valid and untar OK. Also downloaded an XBian image yesterday and it got named XBian0.6.3.MAN. Should have been XBian0.6.3.7z. Oh well, that's Windows I suppose. Doesn't like too many . . . . 's in a filename I guess.

No, just looked at your link. Looks like the script could be retiring soon although it can be used, and I use it, to setup the images I've updated which have the included drivers and use it to run updates and rpi-update. Now to check the new one out.

And what a suprise MrEngman is mentioned on the Raspberry Pi home page. What an honour.

Made my day.

[dom]

And what a suprise MrEngman is mentioned on the Raspberry Pi home page. What an honour.

Made my day.

We've been aware that using WiFi on the Pi has been pretty tough, especially with the out of tree RTL8188CUS driver.
This (huge) thread has allowed a lot of people to get up and running with Wifi, and also signalled to us there was a lot of demand.
(I actually used your script when getting my dad up and running with WiFi some weeks back).

Please try the new image, and see if WiFi does work "out of the box" as we hope. We'd be interested to hear any suggestions from you if you think any settings should be tweaked.
Thanks again.

[thsBavR10]

MrEngman is mentioned on the Raspberry Pi home page. What an honour.
Made my day.

Your contribution is not valued highly enough.
I think that a lot of Pi-users would have needed much more time, or were desperate without your scripts and the sustained support.
Therefore, again by me thank you!

[Spectrose]

I'm beginning to think I have a bad dongle... I tried a fresh install of wheezy, with the new wifi setup, and was able to scan for networks, and join, but I had no internet access. If I ever disconnected from the network, the scan wouldn't work again. I would have to pull the dongle out and plug it in again. Still no network access, though, it appeared to be connected.

[MrEngman]

And what a suprise MrEngman is mentioned on the Raspberry Pi home page. What an honour.

Made my day.

We've been aware that using WiFi on the Pi has been pretty tough, especially with the out of tree RTL8188CUS driver.
This (huge) thread has allowed a lot of people to get up and running with Wifi, and also signalled to us there was a lot of demand.
(I actually used your script when getting my dad up and running with WiFi some weeks back).

Please try the new image, and see if WiFi does work "out of the box" as we hope. We'd be interested to hear any suggestions from you if you think any settings should be tweaked.
Thanks again.

Hi Dom,

This is next on the list. Just finishing off a few tweaks to fix some issues recently raised.

I've been using images upgraded to the new included driver for a while now and all has been OK. This includes using the script to set up the /etc/network/interfaces on images that have been upgraded in various ways before using the script and also using it to do the upgrade to the included driver on other images.

It also tidies up a few left overs that apt-get upgrade fails to delete if an rtl8188cus driver is installed before the images are upgraded to the newer ones with the inbuilt driver. If the rtl8188cus driver is loaded on a 3.1.9+ image before it is upgraded to 3.2.27+ when the upgrade is done apt-get upgrade loads the new revision and attempts to delete the old 3.1.9+ module directories but fails because the rtl8188cus driver is still loaded. The deletes fail with a directory not empty error or something like that. All modules are deleted except for the 8192cu.ko. I presume because it's not defined in any of the packages and the package list or whatever is being used to determine the files and directories that should be deleted.

Anyway will let you know about the new image asap.

[MrEngman]

MrEngman is mentioned on the Raspberry Pi home page. What an honour.
Made my day.

Your contribution is not valued highly enough.
I think that a lot of Pi-users would have needed much more time, or were desperate without your scripts and the sustained support.
Therefore, again by me thank you!

Thanks, very much appreciated

[MrEngman]

I'm beginning to think I have a bad dongle... I tried a fresh install of wheezy, with the new wifi setup, and was able to scan for networks, and join, but I had no internet access. If I ever disconnected from the network, the scan wouldn't work again. I would have to pull the dongle out and plug it in again. Still no network access, though, it appeared to be connected.

It doesn't appear to be broken.

You weren't sure about using a space in the network name (SSID). I tried with one of my access points and it appears to be OK using a space character in the name.

Can you define how you "disconnected from the network". Have you checked the output of command ifconfig wlan0 when connected and "disconnected"?

Unplugging and plugging back the dongle is one way to get it reconnected if its disconnected but there are other ways. This essentially causes the commands ifdown and ifup to be run automatically as the USB detects the wifi device is removed and then re-inserted.

The normal commands for taking a network down and back up are

Code: Select all

sudo ifdown wlan0
sudo ifup wlan0

for wifi wlan0. If the wifi gets disconnected from the wireless network say because the access point goes down it will not reconnect itself using the basic setup but needs to be told to reconnect. This can be done using commands ifdown and then ifup. However I tend to use the command

Code: Select all

sudo ifup --force wlan0

This can force a reconnect without having to use ifdown and saves having to take the network down and backup.

You could probably also reconnect if you ran the command

Code: Select all

sudo /etc/network/interfaces restart

If you "disconnect from the network" can you reconnect if you use the command

Code: Select all

sudo ifup --force wlan0

No need for sudo if logged in as root user.

Perhaps if you set up your wifi with a fixed IP it might help. What is your network access point? Does it use DHCP?

For a static IP the wlan0 settings in /etc/network/interfaces will need editing and changing to something like the following

Code: Select all

iface wlan0 inet static             <<-- change from dhcp to static to use a static IP address
     address 192.168.1.10           <- static address settings to suit your network
     network 192.168.1.0
     netmask 255.255.255.0
     gateway 192.168.1.254

[MrEngman]

Hi to everyone using the script.

A WARNING - DO NOT USE THE SCRIPT on the new 2012-09-18-wheezy-raspbian image. It will not work and messes up the /etc/network/interfaces file if you do use it - like I just found out.

Seems the configuration is expected to be done through the GUI.

Take a look here - http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewt ... 47#p176847

For those of you, like me, who keep well away from the GUI then too bad for the moment.

MrEngman

[Dweeber]

Hi to everyone using the script.

A WARNING - DO NOT USE THE SCRIPT on the new 2012-09-18-wheezy-raspbian image. It will not work and messes up the /etc/network/interfaces file if you do use it - like I just found out.

Seems the configuration is expected to be done through the GUI.

Take a look here - http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewt ... 47#p176847

For those of you, like me, who keep well away from the GUI then too bad for the moment.

I'm actually doing the update now. Using the GUI is going to be interesting without a mouse. Hopefully, once I get one setup, I will see where the changes are made so that I can do them manually to the other system. That one doesn't even have a keyboard attached.

BTW... there appears to be a wpa_cli but I've never used it before... will try that after rebooting while on the keyboard.

More... can't use just keyboard on Startx... kinda figured that.
and wpa_cli is there, but I was not prepared for the list of commands I got when I did help
Need to look this command up and see if there are some simple scan, select, enter password etc.. commands

[MrEngman]

Hi to everyone using the script.

A WARNING - DO NOT USE THE SCRIPT on the new 2012-09-18-wheezy-raspbian image. It will not work and messes up the /etc/network/interfaces file if you do use it - like I just found out.

Seems the configuration is expected to be done through the GUI.

Take a look here - http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewt ... 47#p176847

For those of you, like me, who keep well away from the GUI then too bad for the moment.

I'm actually doing the update now. Using the GUI is going to be interesting without a mouse. Hopefully, once I get one setup, I will see where the changes are made so that I can do them manually to the other system. That one doesn't even have a keyboard attached.

BTW... there appears to be a wpa_cli but I've never used it before... will try that after rebooting while on the keyboard.

More... can't use just keyboard on Startx... kinda figured that.
and wpa_cli is there, but I was not prepared for the list of commands I got when I did help
Need to look this command up and see if there are some simple scan, select, enter password etc.. commands

Was just posting a reply to you in the Updating to the 2012-09-18-wheezy-raspbian image thread when I got an email about a message in this thread.

I've just set up the new image with the /etc/network/interfaces format used in the script. Like you I don't use the GUI much, in fact almost never.

I would suggest you copy your config to the new image and see what happens. I can't think of a reason why it shouldn't work.

I've a basic wpa_supplicant setup on one image just need to find it and then I'm going to try that.

It does look as though it's not necessary to use the GUI if you don't want to or cannot.

MrEngman

[Dweeber]

Was just posting a reply to you in the Updating to the 2012-09-18-wheezy-raspbian image thread when I got an email about a message in this thread.

I've just set up the new image with the /etc/network/interfaces format used in the script. Like you I don't use the GUI much, in fact almost never.

I would suggest you copy your config to the new image and see what happens. I can't think of a reason why it shouldn't work.

I've a basic wpa_supplicant setup on one image just need to find it and then I'm going to try that.

It does look as though it's not necessary to use the GUI if you don't want to or cannot.

MrEngman

Pulled out the hub... mouse, ticked off the wife... (good part) and did the StartX to get it working.

It works. Reboot and it comes up just fine...

Now.. what did it change... Noticed that it added in /boot/wpa_supplicant.conf or physically in /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

The network section....

After

Code: Select all

ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=1

Code: Select all

network={
        ssid="brutus"
        psk="PASSWORD"
        proto=RSN
        key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
        pairwise=CCMP
        auth_alg=OPEN
}

So I think... you can add that and boot...

The part that kept messing me up was the CCMP... not sure I've seen that before. I was trying TK.. and was getting nowhere... then I used it which is the default and it worked (This was in the gui of course).

I seem to remember that you can put a priority and it will connect to the highest priority (or is it the lowest numbered one) first.

If this is true, it would not be hard to script something simple for command line.. scan for SSID's, enter which one and enter password and create the network section.

[MrEngman]

Hi Dweeber,

Here's something you might find useful if you've not already found it. File 70-persistent-net.rules is disabled for wifi devices in the new image. Just removed one wifi adapter and replaced it with a different one and it's up and running with no changes at all. Just what you need. No messing about editing that file any more.

Details of changes to do this are in the post here http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewt ... 47#p176847Quite handy.

But if you want to connect more than one device then probably not such a good idea. But useful info knowing how to turn persistent names on and off.

[Dweeber]

I edited the wpa_supplicant.conf

Added priority to the first entry and added a second entry with a higher priority..

Code: Select all

network={
        ssid="brutus"
        psk="PASSWORD"
        proto=RSN
        key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
        pairwise=CCMP
        auth_alg=OPEN
        priority=9
}

network={
        ssid="TNETRezound"
        psk="PASSWORD"
        proto=RSN
        key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
        pairwise=CCMP
        auth_alg=OPEN
        priority=9
}

turned on my phones tethering... rebooted and it picked up the Rezound instead of my primary AP.... Cool.

[MrEngman]

Now.. what did it change... Noticed that it added in /boot/wpa_supplicant.conf or physically in /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

The network section....

After

Code: Select all

ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=1

Code: Select all

network={
        ssid="brutus"
        psk="PASSWORD"
        proto=RSN
        key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
        pairwise=CCMP
        auth_alg=OPEN
}

So I think... you can add that and boot...

The part that kept messing me up was the CCMP... not sure I've seen that before. I was trying TK.. and was getting nowhere... then I used it which is the default and it worked (This was in the gui of course).

I seem to remember that you can put a priority and it will connect to the highest priority (or is it the lowest numbered one) first.

If this is true, it would not be hard to script something simple for command line.. scan for SSID's, enter which one and enter password and create the network section.

From what I remember about wpa_supplicant.conf I'm fairly certain that leaving out items will actually enable all options for that item. So like pairwise if it's not included it will default to all options I believe. In my setup pairwise = CCMP TKIP, well I think it is. Thing is as far as I'm concerned wpa_supplicant can be a real pain, but if you're roaming about unfortunately probably rather necessary.

And being rather Stupid at times I like to Keep It Simple - e.g. a design I did in 1987 used a Hitachi HD64180 microprocessor - z80 with extra hardware bits. It's still being used around the world and very occasionally I need to update the code to make it compatibility with a new system it may be used with. The software I use - a z180 assembler - is the original from 1987 as well - why make things complicated when the original works perfectly well.

[alexeames]

For those of you, like me, who keep well away from the GUI then too bad for the moment.

Hi MrEngman.

I did the new GUI thing with my Edimax last night and it worked a treat. I don't normally bother with the GUI, but thought it worth a try.

====
Thank you for all your work on the script. I think this is the longest thread on the forum and you are therefore a legend already. It looks as if your job here may be nearly done, but things change quickly, so maybe not?

I think a lot of people (including me) bought the Edimax dongle because we could see a fairly easy way to get it working with your script.

Thanks indeed.

[asb]

Seems the configuration is expected to be done through the GUI.

Take a look here - http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewt ... 47#p176847

For those of you, like me, who keep well away from the GUI then too bad for the moment.

You should be able to just set up /etc/network/interfaces and a wpa_supplicant.conf just how you want, or use wpa_cli. The setup we went with seemed to be the one that would keep most people happy. Certainly worked out nicer than having wicd or network-manager take over all network config (and sucking up resources).

[MrEngman]

Seems the configuration is expected to be done through the GUI.

Take a look here - http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewt ... 47#p176847

For those of you, like me, who keep well away from the GUI then too bad for the moment.

You should be able to just set up /etc/network/interfaces and a wpa_supplicant.conf just how you want, or use wpa_cli. The setup we went with seemed to be the one that would keep most people happy. Certainly worked out nicer than having wicd or network-manager take over all network config (and sucking up resources).

I downloaded the image and setup a new SD card, started the Pi and the blue LED flashed a few times and I though this looks good. Then I downloaded my script and ran it to configure /etc/network/interfaces. And of course didn't get very far. How many others using wifi with the rtl8188cus are going to do the same? I hope not too many.

Anyway a quick look at /etc/network/interfaces and it was then obvious that the set up was expecting to use wpa_supplicant somehow. A quick hunt around and then I found it - "Run startx and select “WiFi Config”. " Glad you didn't use wicd or network-manager.

My Pi has a wired network connection available for when necessary and a wifi dongle and nothing else connected, no not quite true there's a psu as well, so using the GUI isn't really an option is it? And wpa_cli - well if I can work out how to use it. Might actually be quite useful I suppose. Must hunt out the docs on wpa_supplicant etc..

For the moment I've set up /etc/network/interfaces to how I normally have it set, ignoring wpa_supplicant, and the wifi is running. Keep it simple etc.

And I can swap dongles without problems which will be really handy for some as wlan persistent has been disabled. Set up an image with the wifi and save it and then duplicate SD cards for other Pi's using the same network and then it really will work "out of the box". Now lets see what happens when I connect two dongles.

[asb]

For the moment I've set up /etc/network/interfaces to how I normally have it set, ignoring wpa_supplicant, and the wifi is running. Keep it simple etc.

Sure, the intention is that if you prefer to edit config files to set up wifi it should be very straight forward for you to set up /etc/network/interfaces how you want it, feeling free to ignore the current setup.

And I can swap dongles without problems which will be really handy for some as wlan persistent has been disabled. Set up an image with the wifi and save it and then duplicate SD cards for other Pi's using the same network and then it really will work "out of the box". Now lets see what happens when I connect two dongles.

Yes, I suppose the second dongle isn't going to have wpa_supplicant launch automatically for it as it's not set up in /etc/network interfaces.

[Spectrose]

It doesn't appear to be broken.

You weren't sure about using a space in the network name (SSID). I tried with one of my access points and it appears to be OK using a space character in the name.

Can you define how you "disconnected from the network". Have you checked the output of command ifconfig wlan0 when connected and "disconnected"?

Unplugging and plugging back the dongle is one way to get it reconnected if its disconnected but there are other ways. This essentially causes the commands ifdown and ifup to be run automatically as the USB detects the wifi device is removed and then re-inserted.

The normal commands for taking a network down and back up are

Code: Select all

sudo ifdown wlan0
sudo ifup wlan0

for wifi wlan0. If the wifi gets disconnected from the wireless network say because the access point goes down it will not reconnect itself using the basic setup but needs to be told to reconnect. This can be done using commands ifdown and then ifup. However I tend to use the command

Code: Select all

sudo ifup --force wlan0

This can force a reconnect without having to use ifdown and saves having to take the network down and backup.

You could probably also reconnect if you ran the command

Code: Select all

sudo /etc/network/interfaces restart

If you "disconnect from the network" can you reconnect if you use the command

Code: Select all

sudo ifup --force wlan0

No need for sudo if logged in as root user.

Perhaps if you set up your wifi with a fixed IP it might help. What is your network access point? Does it use DHCP?

For a static IP the wlan0 settings in /etc/network/interfaces will need editing and changing to something like the following

Code: Select all

iface wlan0 inet static             <<-- change from dhcp to static to use a static IP address
     address 192.168.1.10           <- static address settings to suit your network
     network 192.168.1.0
     netmask 255.255.255.0
     gateway 192.168.1.254

I finally managed to get it connected through the new wheezy gui. (I did not use the script from the command line, I only used the new program in the gui).
The only thing ifconfig is showing that looks of note is this: RX packets: 559 errors:0 dropped: 578
TX is at 120~150 packets, no errors, and no drops. I'm still unable to connect to anything in the browser, and I'm unable to ssh into the pi.

using ifdown wlan0 and then ifconfig shows the same RX and TX numbers, but no ip address.

I did see a lot of unable to associate driver to device messages pop up in the GUI, though. Whether this is a wheezy issue with the new build or not, I'm unsure.

I haven't tried a static ip yet, and my router has DHCP turned on.

[pmonro]

Please try the new image, and see if WiFi does work "out of the box" as we hope. We'd be interested to hear any suggestions from you if you think any settings should be tweaked.
Thanks again.

I previously used Mr Engmans script successfully until it crashed and then decided to wait for the update which I downloaded yesterday.(1012-9-18)
I have Realtek 8188CUS 80211n adaptor with wheezy. The AP is netgear N150 DGN1000 which uses WPA2-PSK
My problem is that I can see the network but it will not connect.
Firstly my network uses AES encryption but the new download has CCMP. Will this work for AES
The etc/network/interfaces file is
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
iface etho inet dhcp
allow-hotplug wlan0
iface wlan0 inet manual
wpa-roam/etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
iface default inet dhcp
I tried to alter the interfaces file but it will not save and I do not know how to do it
Any suggestions appreciated
Regards

[Dweeber]

I tried to alter the interfaces file but it will not save and I do not know how to do it
Any suggestions appreciated
Regards

To write to the interfaces file you need to be root.

So either sudo to root

or use something like

Code: Select all

sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces

[copper.hat]

Hi, thanks to MrEngman for a great script.

I am trying to get my Edimax EW-7811UN working with my hidden network.

I got the EW-7811UN working with my network ssid visible. I am using 2012-08-16-wheezy-raspbian, and the latest script from MrEngman. Works very nicely. I changed to using wpa_supplicant to see if that would allow me to hide my network ssid again. No luck.

Has anyone managed to connect to a hidden network with the EW-7811UN?

Thanks, Joe

relevant lines in /etc/network/interfaces
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
pre-up wpa_supplicant -d -Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -B

/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
ap_scan=1
network={
ssid="my network"
proto=RSN
key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
pairwise=CCMP TKIP
group=CCMP TKIP
psk="blah blah blah"
}

[MrEngman]

Hi, thanks to MrEngman for a great script.

I am trying to get my Edimax EW-7811UN working with my hidden network.

I got the EW-7811UN working with my network ssid visible. I am using 2012-08-16-wheezy-raspbian, and the latest script from MrEngman. Works very nicely. I changed to using wpa_supplicant to see if that would allow me to hide my network ssid again. No luck.

Has anyone managed to connect to a hidden network with the EW-7811UN?

Thanks, Joe

relevant lines in /etc/network/interfaces
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
pre-up wpa_supplicant -d -Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -B

/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
ap_scan=1
network={
ssid="my network"
proto=RSN
key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
pairwise=CCMP TKIP
group=CCMP TKIP
psk="blah blah blah"
}

Well, there's plenty of people who've had the same problem and I'm not sure it can be done but I did find this.

Code: Select all

If the SSID is hidden, add the following option to the block: 
scan_ssid=1

Found that here https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/WPA_supplicant. Whether it works or not I've no idea. And there is a lot of stuff on the internet about hidden ssid's saying basically it's pointless and others saying it can actually be a bad thing to do.

MrEngman

[copper.hat]

Hi, thanks to MrEngman for a great script.

I am trying to get my Edimax EW-7811UN working with my hidden network.

I got the EW-7811UN working with my network ssid visible. I am using 2012-08-16-wheezy-raspbian, and the latest script from MrEngman. Works very nicely. I changed to using wpa_supplicant to see if that would allow me to hide my network ssid again. No luck.

Has anyone managed to connect to a hidden network with the EW-7811UN?

Thanks, Joe

relevant lines in /etc/network/interfaces
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
pre-up wpa_supplicant -d -Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -B

/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
ap_scan=1
network={
ssid="my network"
proto=RSN
key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
pairwise=CCMP TKIP
group=CCMP TKIP
psk="blah blah blah"
}

Well, there's plenty of people who've had the same problem and I'm not sure it can be done but I did find this.

Code: Select all

If the SSID is hidden, add the following option to the block: 
scan_ssid=1

Found that here https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/WPA_supplicant. Whether it works or not I've no idea. And there is a lot of stuff on the internet about hidden ssid's saying basically it's pointless and others saying it can actually be a bad thing to do.

MrEngman

Thanks MrEngman,

the hidden SSID can be easily found (inssider, for example), but does offer an extra barrier.

I have tried the scan_ssid=<various numbers> with no success. The wpa_supplicant code works fine when the SSID is broadcast. I presume this is a driver issue, as iwlist scan finds the hidden access point easily.

Regards, Joe