gsky wifi install

[Chuck_N]

running an old Dell Latitude. works fine with ethernet.

I have a GSKY modem I'd like to install and use. Can't figure out the steps. I have the Driver/User Guide CD that came with it.
Tried Searching, but found little help.

-Chuck

[DrHu]

If it came with a CD of drives + other programs, it will most likely be an windows OS only or possibly windows & Apple, but not likely Linux driver
https://www.linuxquestions.org/question ... ux-858144/
--check the info on this link, you may be able to use drivers other than the one being used on your driver CD..

It would also help to have some hardware data: such as your modem info
In a terminal, get..

Code: Select all

inxi -F

--should get the modem info. if seen under Linux or detected in any way

And if the OS cannot see it, simply list the complete manufacturer's name and model numbers ?

If you have a windows OS driver, then ndiswrapper can be an option..

[Chuck_N]

I bought the GSKY a couple years ago when I was running Ubuntu on a different Dell Latitude. It worked fine.
it is model 1A-7PA

here is my inxi information:

chuck@chuck-Latitude-C640 ~ $ inxi -F
System: Host chuck-Latitude-C640 Kernel 3.0.0-12-generic i686 (32 bit)
Desktop LXDE (Openbox 3.5.0) Distro Linux Mint 12 LXDE
Machine: System Dell (portable) product Latitude C640
Mobo Dell model N/A Bios Dell version A10 date 01/12/2004
CPU: Single core Mobile Intel Pentium 4 - M CPU (-UP-) cache 512 KB flags (sse sse2) clocked at 1200.00 MHz
Graphics: Card: ATI Radeon Mobility M7 LW [Radeon Mobility 7500]
X.Org 1.10.4 drivers ati,radeon unloaded: fbdev,vesa Resolution 1400x1050@60.2hz
GLX Renderer Mesa DRI R100 (RV200 4C57) x86/MMX/SSE2 TCL DRI2 GLX Version 1.3 Mesa 7.11
Audio: Card Intel 82801CA/CAM AC'97 Audio Controller driver Intel ICH Sound: ALSA v: 1.0.24
Network: Card 3Com 3c905C-TX/TX-M [Tornado] driver 3c59x
IF: eth0 state: unknown speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: 00:0b:db:a4:c9:8a
Drives: HDD Total Size: 30.0GB (13.3% used) 1: /dev/sda IC25N030ATMR04 30.0GB
Partition: ID:/ size: 27G used: 3.8G (15%) fs: ext4 ID:swap-1 size: 0.67GB used: 0.07GB (11%) fs: swap
Sensors: Error: You do not have the sensors app installed.
Info: Processes 111 Uptime 3:05 Memory 330.7/622.5MB Client Shell inxi 1.7.7
chuck@chuck-Latitude-C640 ~ $

[AlbertP]

Is this a USB wifi device? I can't find much informations on the 1A-7PA on the internet. Devices on the GSKY website use model names starting with GS.

If it is a USB device please run lsusb and post the output. inxi does not list the device.

[Chuck_N]

chuck@chuck-Latitude-C640 ~ $ lsusb
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 058f:9254 Alcor Micro Corp. Hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 045e:0083 Microsoft Corp. Basic Optical Mouse
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 046d:c31c Logitech, Inc. Keyboard K120 for Business
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0bda:8187 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8187 Wireless Adapter

[Chuck_N]

Is this a USB wifi device? I can't find much informations on the 1A-7PA on the internet. Devices on the GSKY website use model names starting with GS.

If it is a USB device please run lsusb and post the output. inxi does not list the device.

it is a GS-27USB

[AlbertP]

Ok, it's a RTL8187 device, which should just work. Do you see anything when clicking the network icon in the tray?

[Chuck_N]

Ok, it's a RTL8187 device, which should just work. Do you see anything when clicking the network icon in the tray?

The power light is on on the GSKY adapter.

okay, under Preferences/Network Connections/Wired I have Ethernet under the Wireless tab, I had nothing

On the network icon in the tray, I found NetGear11 and Belkin3d.4 (with strength bars in front of them) and Wired Connection 1 and Disconnect and
Connect to Hidden Wireless Network and VPN Connections and Create New Wireless Network

I chose Netgear11 (my modem) and it asked me for my password I put that in and it started downloading got to 72 of 78 packages and got hung up.
Message:

Could not download all repository indexes
The repository may no longer be available or could not be contacted because of network problems. If available an older version of the failed index will be used. Otherwise the repository will be ignored. Check your network connection and ensure the repository address in the preferences is correct.
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/lis ... tion-en_US Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http:
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/lis ... slation-en Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http:
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/lis ... tion-en_US Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http:
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/lis ... slation-en Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http:
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/lis ... tion-en_US Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http:
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/lis ... slation-en Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http:
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/lis ... tion-en_US Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http:
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/lis ... slation-en Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http:
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/lis ... tion-en_US Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http:
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/lis ... slation-en Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http:
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/lis ... tion-en_US Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http:
Failed to fetch http://packages.linuxmint.com/dists/lis ... slation-en Unable to connect to packages.linuxmint.com:http:
Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.


Then I got an error message indicating some files could not be found to be downloaded. Now Netgear 11 appears under the wireless tab; when I choose it and put in
my password, nothing happens.

I rebooted without ethernet. A prompt came up for Netgear11 password whether I enter my passsword or just enter, nothing happens.



Every 10 minutes or so an Authentication request pops up for wireless, but I can't get past that. The Network icon now shows another wifeless option down the block....

[Chuck_N]

okay, I am running now with the gsky adapter and the ethernet is unplugged.

but everything operates in extreme slow motion. It takes a couple minutes to call up a new time, Google, and a minute or two to do a search.

I will reboot and see if things get better.

oh yes, everything came up okay.............seems to run faster than it did on ethernet...................

[AlbertP]

You could try updating the driver using this package: http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/ ... 1-3.tar.xz
After extracting the XZ file, go to the folder where you extracted it, right-click > Open in Terminal, then run these commands to install it:

Code: Select all

./scripts/driver-select rtl818x
make
sudo make install

If they finish without errors then you don't need to post the output. Please reboot when it's done.

[Chuck_N]

You could try updating the driver using this package: http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/ ... 1-3.tar.xz
After extracting the XZ file, go to the folder where you extracted it, right-click > Open in Terminal, then run these commands to install it:

Code: Select all

./scripts/driver-select rtl818x
make
sudo make install

If they finish without errors then you don't need to post the output. Please reboot when it's done.

actually it's running so good I can't help thinking "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". But I'll try to do that driver update.

[Chuck_N]

okay, I downloaded the package compat-drivers......tar.xz into Downloads folder
created a folder GSky driver updates moved the file there
right-click and choose OPEN WITH and I have lots to choose from, but don't know what to pick to unzip the file........??????????????

[AlbertP]

You can just double-click the file and choose Extract at the top (it is a kind of ZIP file). It will put a compat-drivers-3.7.1-3 folder in the chosen location. Then inside that compat-drivers-3.7.1-3 folder you can right-click > Open in Terminal and run the commands.

[Chuck_N]

You can just double-click the file and choose Extract at the top (it is a kind of ZIP file). It will put a compat-drivers-3.7.1-3 folder in the chosen location. Then inside that compat-drivers-3.7.1-3 folder you can right-click > Open in Terminal and run the commands.

yeah, but no. if I double-click (or right-click and choose Open or Open With..... ), I get a box wich asks what I choose to open the file with. In order words, I don't have an assignment yet on what to do with a xz file. Remember, I'm a newbie here. I'm like a mosquito at a nudist camp; I know what I'd like to do, I just don't know where to begin............

I searched on XZ and it says that's too common a word to search on.
I searched on How to Unpack a XZ file and I get lots of results but none has XZ in it. They talk about unpacking a tar-ball, which I assume this ........tar.xz file is.

[Chuck_N]

too confusing for me. I'm running in circles trying to update the driver but it's working fine.

Thanks Albert for your help. I must move on to other things..........

[AlbertP]

If you're asked how to open it, can you choose 'Archive Manager'?