TP Link TL-WN321G Wireless adapter installing driver

[Riley Van De Loo]

Hi,

I have a TP Link TL-WN321G (i believe the chipset is a ralink RT73) wireless adapter lying around my house, and i thought i'd try and use it to connect my Cubieboard to the internet. I have the Cubieboard running Fedora arm 18 https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Cubie_Board . this is built on he kernel 3.4.24.

I downloaded a driver from TP link, and in the readme file, it specifies:

Makefile.4    : Makefile for kernel 2.4 series

Makefile.6    : Makefile for kernel 2.6 series

Then the build instructions:

Build Instructions:  

====================

1> $tar -xvzf RT73_Linux_STA_Drv_x.x.x.x.tar.gz

    go to "./RT73_Linux_STA_Drv_x.x.x.x/Module" directory.

    

2> $cp Makefile.4  ./Makefile       # [kernel 2.4]

    or

   $cp Makefile.6  ./Makefile       # [kernel 2.6]

   

3> [kernel 2.4]

    $chmod 755 Configure

    $make config         # config build linux os version

4> $make all            # compile driver source code

4.1> $make install

5> $cp rt73.bin /etc/Wireless/RT73STA/    # copy firmware

 

6>  $dos2unix rt73sta.dat

    $cp rt73sta.dat  /etc/Wireless/RT73STA/rt73sta.dat       

    # !!!check if it is a binary file before loading !!!  

    

7> $load                

    #[kernel 2.4]

    #    $/sbin/insmod rt73.o

    #    $/sbin/ifconfig rausb0 inet YOUR_IP up

        

    #[kernel 2.6]

    #    $/sbin/insmod rt73.ko

    #    $/sbin/ifconfig rausb0 inet YOUR_IP up

Is this driver compatible with the linux im using? it works both on my dual boot laptop running windows 7 and the latest version linuxmint

P.s i'm very new to linux, hence still having windows on my laptop. so pleased be very specific when giving help, otherwise ill have no idea what im doing :/

Thanks!

[Roman Mamedov]

On Sat, 3 Aug 2013 23:42:28 -0700 (PDT)
Riley Van De Loo <rileyv...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi,
> I have a TP Link TL-WN321G (i believe the chipset is a ralink RT73)
> wireless adapter lying around my house, and i thought i'd try and use it to
> connect my Cubieboard to the internet. I have the Cubieboard running Fedora
> arm 18 https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Cubie_Board . this is built on he
> kernel 3.4.24.
> I downloaded a driver from TP link

The driver for rt73 is already included in the 3.4 series kernel. Is there any
specific reason you want to use the driver from TPLink and not the mainline
one?

# modinfo rt73usb
filename: /lib/modules/3.4.43-20130531.1334-s-rm1+/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rt2x00/rt73usb.ko
license: GPL
firmware: rt73.bin
description: Ralink RT73 USB Wireless LAN driver.
version: 2.3.0
author: http://rt2x00.serialmonkey.com
srcversion: BA1EBDC6832B3647CE39B13
alias: usb:v0586p3415d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0CDEp001Cd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v7167p3840d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v2019pAB50d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v2019pAB01d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0471p200Ad*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v6933p5001d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0769p31F3d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0DF6p9712d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0DF6p90ACd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0DF6p002Fd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0DF6p0027d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0DF6p0024d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v1740p7100d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v04E8p4471d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v18E8p6238d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v18E8p6229d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v18E8p6196d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0812p3101d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v148Fp2671d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v148Fp2573d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v04BBp093Dd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v1B75p7318d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0DB0pA874d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0DB0pA861d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0DB0p6874d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0DB0p6877d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0DB0p4600d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v13B1p0028d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v13B1p0023d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v13B1p0020d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v06F8pE020d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v06F8pE010d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v06F8pE002d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v1472p0009d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v1044p800Ad*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v1044p8008d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v15A9p0004d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v1740p3701d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v7392p7618d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v7392p7318d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v07D1p3C07d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v07D1p3C06d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v07D1p3C04d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v07D1p3C03d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v07AAp002Ed*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v14B2p3C22d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v1371p9032d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v1371p9022d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v178Dp02BEd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0411p0137d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0411p0119d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0411p0116d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0411p00F4d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0411p00E6d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0411p00D9d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0411p00D8d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v08DDp0120d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v1631pC019d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v050Dp905Cd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v050Dp905Bd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v050Dp705Ad*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0B05p1724d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0B05p1723d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v1690p0722d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v18C5p0002d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v0EB0p9021d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v148Fp9021d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v14B2p3C10d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v07B8pB21Fd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v07B8pB21Ed*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v07B8pB21Dd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v07B8pB21Cd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
alias: usb:v07B8pB21Bd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*
depends: rt2x00usb,rt2x00lib,crc-itu-t
intree: Y
vermagic: 3.4.43-20130531.1334-s-rm1+ mod_unload modversions ARMv7 p2v8
parm: nohwcrypt:Disable hardware encryption. (bool)

--
With respect,
Roman

[Przemysław Ciesielski]

There is an issue concerning new fedora releases and wifi usb cards. Some of them don't work even if the driver is properly loaded - they cannot find the proper firmware file (.fw)  

I  have this problem with my TP-WN721N stick. Dmesg shows that  driver ath9k_htc has problem finding firmware (htc_9271.fw).

It fails after line:

ath9k_htc: Firmware htc_9271.fw requested

First: check the /usr/lib/firmware the searched .fw file...

Marcin Juszkiewicz (Friend of a friend :)) had similar problem with 3.4 kernel on Chromebook with Fedora19.

Problem in short is that Fedora dumping the userspace firmware loading in newer versions of kernel.

Fedora 19 was released with Linux 3.9.5. Any package in the distribution may depend on functionality of that kernel version. Running F19 userspace on older kernels is not something we ever test or support.

As a workaround you have to recompile systemd with  --with-firmware-path option enabled

This should get help you get starting:

https://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/arm/2013-June/006116.html

Regards.