Ndiswrapper loads driver, but interface won't show up

[0mull]

Hello everyone,

I searched around for this, but couldn't find anything. So I open a new topic, if duplicate please point me into the right direction.

I have the same problem with actually two wifi usb-sticks (a fritz wlan stick and a netgear WNDA3100): Ndiswrapper -l reports the driver loaded correctly and the device present, but, in the network manager, no wifi connection options are available, and sure enough iwconfig is giving me only my eth0, eth1 and lo, all of course without wireless extensions.

I'm completely stuck, and I am no expert on this stuff. No error anywhere, but both devices just don't show up. What to do, where to look? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Some system info: LM 13, Mate version (problem was present with LM 12 as well), 64 bit (problem was present for the 32 bit version of LM 13 as well, but only tested for the fritz stick as I had 32 bit drivers laying around, but not the netgear one). Fresh install, of course. Anything else of importance?

best, Georg

[0mull]

ok, I have advanced a bit, but didn't solve the problem yet. Stuck again. In case anybody has further suggestions.

dmesg shows some stuff about ndiswrapper

Code: Select all

[ 1562.983482] ndiswrapper version 1.57 loaded (smp=yes, preempt=no)
[ 1563.236184] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisQueueIoWorkItem'
[ 1563.236191] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisFreeIoWorkItem'
[ 1563.236197] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisMSetMiniportAttributes'
[ 1563.236205] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisMResetComplete'
[ 1563.236211] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisMAllocatePort'
[ 1563.236217] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisAllocateIoWorkItem'
[ 1563.236222] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisMSendNetBufferListsComplete'
[ 1563.236228] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisMDeregisterMiniportDriver'
[ 1563.236234] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisAllocateNetBufferListPool'
[ 1563.236242] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisMNetPnPEvent'
[ 1563.236250] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisMRegisterMiniportDriver'
[ 1563.236255] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisMFreePort'
[ 1563.236261] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisMIndicateReceiveNetBufferLists'
[ 1563.236268] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisMPauseComplete'
[ 1563.236273] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisFreeNetBufferListPool'
[ 1563.236279] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisCancelTimerObject'
[ 1563.236284] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisOpenConfigurationEx'
[ 1563.236290] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisSetTimerObject'
[ 1563.236295] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisFreeTimerObject'
[ 1563.236302] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisAllocateTimerObject'
[ 1563.236308] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisMIndicateStatusEx'
[ 1563.236313] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisFreeNetBufferList'
[ 1563.236325] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisMGetBusData'
[ 1563.236331] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisGetSystemUpTimeEx'
[ 1563.236336] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisAllocateNetBufferAndNetBufferList'
[ 1563.236342] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisAllocateMdl'
[ 1563.236347] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisFreeMdl'
[ 1563.236356] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisMOidRequestComplete'
[ 1563.236362] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: NDIS.SYS:'NdisAllocateMemoryWithTagPriority'
[ 1563.236373] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: WDFLDR.SYS:'WdfVersionBind'
[ 1563.236378] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: WDFLDR.SYS:'WdfVersionBindClass'
[ 1563.236382] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: WDFLDR.SYS:'WdfVersionUnbindClass'
[ 1563.236387] ndiswrapper (import:232): unknown symbol: WDFLDR.SYS:'WdfVersionUnbind'
[ 1563.236390] ndiswrapper (load_sys_files:199): couldn't prepare driver 'bcmwlhigh6'
[ 1563.236454] ndiswrapper (load_wrap_driver:121): couldn't load driver 'bcmwlhigh6'
[ 1563.236972] usbcore: registered new interface driver ndiswrapper


and in this guide, I read that the unknown symbol error could mean, that ndiswrapper just "dislikes" the driver. So I tried the Vista one, didn't work either, error is all the same.

But nevertheless, I am very surprised about this statement in the linux mint hardware compatibility list, as I can't see it to be true. Or, the support for the wlan-stick was dropped since helena, which would be strange, too, would it?

Ah yes, forgot this last time, but pretty much said it

Code: Select all

-------------------------
* I. scanning WIFI PCI devices...
-------------------------
* II. querying ndiswrapper...
bcmwlhigh6 : driver installed
   device (0846:9011) present
-------------------------
* III. querying iwconfig...
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth1      no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

-------------------------
* IV. querying ifconfig...
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:22:15:8d:6b:59 
          inet addr:192.168.1.40  Bcast:192.168.1.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::222:15ff:fe8d:6b59/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:63959 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:40118 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:83698754 (83.6 MB)  TX bytes:4105168 (4.1 MB)
          Interrupt:18

eth1      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:22:15:8d:6d:a7 
          UP BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)
          Interrupt:19

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback 
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:32 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:32 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
          RX bytes:4060 (4.0 KB)  TX bytes:4060 (4.0 KB)

-------------------------
* V. querying DHCP...
Rather than invoking init scripts through /etc/init.d, use the service(8)
utility, e.g. service smbd reload

Since the script you are attempting to invoke has been converted to an
Upstart job, you may also use the reload(8) utility, e.g. reload smbd
RTNETLINK answers: File exists
-------------------------
* VI. querying nslookup google.com...
Server:      192.168.1.1
Address:   192.168.1.1#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:   google.com
Address: 173.194.35.33
Name:   google.com
Address: 173.194.35.36
Name:   google.com
Address: 173.194.35.41
Name:   google.com
Address: 173.194.35.35
Name:   google.com
Address: 173.194.35.39
Name:   google.com
Address: 173.194.35.40
Name:   google.com
Address: 173.194.35.37
Name:   google.com
Address: 173.194.35.34
Name:   google.com
Address: 173.194.35.38
Name:   google.com
Address: 173.194.35.32
Name:   google.com
Address: 173.194.35.46


best, Georg