Which PCIe WiFi card works on x86 LEDE?

Hardware Questions and Recommendations
#1

Hi,

I have successfully deployed x86 LEDE distro of on Partaker B5 Fanless mini PC (this one: https://downloads.lede-project.org/releases/17.01.4/targets/x86/64/) . Unfortunately, supplied WiFi card (Intel WiFi Link 5100) is not detected by x86 LEDE.

I wonder if there is LEDE-compatible n-card with two antennas which I can purchase and use instead?

Thank you.

Openwrt x86 AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express)
#2

Well,you need iwlwifi driver and firmware enabled

#3

Go for an ath9k card, those are best supported.

2 Likes
#4

Does this mean that it is eventually possible to get existing Intel WiFi Link 5100 card working as well? If yes, how do I download and install driver?

Thanks!

#5

Enable it in make menuconfig

#6

I would pick Atheros, as some other chips do not perform AP mode.

#7

Sorry, this is a bit above my knowledege.

Can log onto router with SSH and download iwlwifi as a package or do I need to recompile complete LEDE to make this work?

Thanks!

#8

You can try installing it using opkg update and then opkg install iwlwifi.
Also,I think that firmware is needed,it should be in kmod-iwlwifi-firmware-iwl5000

1 Like
#9

thanks! it was called "kmod-iwlwifi". I have just installed it. Will reboot and check whether it works!

#10

You also need kmod-iwlwifi-firmware-iwl5000

#11

Hmm, it is not available via opkg. Do you think it possible to download and install it manually?

#12

Sure,you can get from linux-firmware
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git/tree/iwlwifi-5000-5.ucode

And copy it into /lib/firmware

#13

Hmm, this file already exists in /lib/firmware and is identical in size. Is there anything else I need to do to "turn it on"? kmod-iwlwifi is already installed.

Million thanks for your help!

#14

Kernel log says:

[   11.522360] Intel(R) Wireless WiFi driver for Linux
[   11.522923] Copyright(c) 2003- 2015 Intel Corporation
[   11.533450] PPP generic driver version 2.4.2
[   11.534212] NET: Registered protocol family 24
[   11.535396] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0: loaded firmware version 8.83.5.1 build 33692 op_mode iwldvm
**[   11.536466] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0: failed to load module iwldvm (error -2), is dynamic loading enabled?**
#15

Can you try manually modprobe iwldvm
It should have been started with iwlwifi,but who knows.
I would suggest building 18.06 with both firmware and driver included

#16

"iwldvm is already loaded"

#17

Config file "wireless" looks like this:

config wifi-device 'radio0'
	option type 'mac80211'
	option channel '11'
	option hwmode '11g'
	option path 'pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.2/0000:03:00.0'
	option htmode 'HT20'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio0'
	option device 'radio0'
	option network 'lan'
	option mode 'ap'
	option ssid 'LEDE'
	option encryption 'none'
#18

Hm,why is it complaining then.
Like I suggested,build 18.06 with both the driver na firmware included

#19

output from lspci: "03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation WiFi Link 5100"

Now Linux seems to find it, but I cannot configure SSID in LuCi?.

#20

Are you certain that the card is capable of Access Point mode?