Using ndiswrapper to install Linksys AE2500 wireless adapter

Asked by Julianloui

I am interested in using the Windows-specific Linksys AE2500 wireless-n adapter with Ubuntu 12.04. As I understand ndiswrapper is an ideal tool in this case for making a Windows-only adapter work with Linux. I have downloaded and extracted the package in the proper directory, namely /usr/src and would like to know how to proceed from this point. I also have the original AE2500 installation CD.

1. Do I need to install this CD on my Ubuntu computer?
2. What commands do I enter at this point?
3. At what point should I plug in the AE2500 adapter?

Thanks very much.

Julianloui

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Mark Rijckenberg (markrijckenberg) said :
#1
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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said :
#2

What is the output of:

sudo lshw -C network; lsb_release -a; uname -a; lspci; lsusb

Thanks

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Julianloui (julianloui) said :
#3

Hi, Mark,
Thank you very much for your good advice. Indeed, last night I myself came
across the same webpage covered by your first link, which has brought me
arrive where I am.
But I need just a little more information in order to continue as I have
indicated.
Julianloui

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Mark Rijckenberg" <email address hidden>
Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 7:21 AM
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: [Question #224141]: Using ndiswrapper to install Linksys
AE2500wireless adapter

> Your question #224141 on unity-2d in Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unity-2d/+question/224141
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Mark Rijckenberg proposed the following answer:
> A quick Google search gives this result:
>
> http://www.grailbox.com/2012/05/installing-cisco-linksys-ae2500
> -wireless-adapter-in-linux/
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unity-2d/+question/224141/+confirm?answer_id=0
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unity-2d/+question/224141
>
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.

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Mark Rijckenberg (markrijckenberg) said :
#4

Answers to your questions:

1. Do I need to install this CD on my Ubuntu computer? No
2. What commands do I enter at this point? Follow the instructions in the link I gave you
3. At what point should I plug in the AE2500 adapter? Keep it plugged in all the time.

I suggest installing the ndisgtk Ubuntu package to help you install the Windows XP drivers in Ubuntu.

Revision history for this message
Mark Rijckenberg (markrijckenberg) said :
#5

This link may help as well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk8g1vr2kpA

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Fernando Pan (fernandopan) said :
#6

I followed the instructions below and it worked:

I had the exact same problem tonight but I was able to get it up and running...Below you will find how I did this

1) Go to http://sourceforge.net/projects/ndiswrapper/files/ and download the ndiswrapper-1.57.tar.gz
2) Download the AE2500 Driver for WINDOWS XP at http://homesupport.cisco.com/en-us/s...dapters/AE2500
3) UNZIP the AE2500 Driver ZIP package from CISCO and then transfer the unzipped folder and ndiswrapper-1.57.tar.gz to a thumbdrive
4) Mount said thumbdrive in your System, bring up terminal and find your thumbdrive (we will say it mounted as MYDRIVE)
*************************EXAMPLE****************** ********
*you@yourputer:/media/MYDRIVE$*********************
***************END EXAMPLE****************************
5) Extract your file ndiswrapper-1.57.tar.gz file
**********************************EXAMPLE********* ***************************
*you@yourputer:/media/MYDRIVE$tar zxvf ndiswrapper-1.57.tar.gz*
*********************************END EXAMPLE*******************************
6) Navigate to the new directory where ndiswrapper-1.57.tar.gz was unzipped to and run make uninstall followed by the make command, finally run the make install command
**********************************EXAMPLE********* ***************************
*you@yourputer:/media/MYDRIVE$cd ndiswrapper-1.57 *************
*you@yourputer:/media/MYDRIVE/ndiswrapper-1.57$make uninstall*
*******BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH********************************************
*******BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH********************************************
*******BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH********************************************
*you@yourputer:/media/MYDRIVE/ndiswrapper-1.57$make **********
*******BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH********************************************
*******BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH********************************************
*******BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH********************************************
*you@yourputer:/media/MYDRIVE/ndiswrapper-1.57$sudo make install**
*********************************END EXAMPLE*******************************
7) After this gets done executing we are ALMOST ready to make the driver work on Ubuntu we need to find the folder where the .inf and .sys files are (for the WINDOWS XP drivers)...lets assume on the Thumb drive under a folder named XP...navigate to that folder. Once there run the ndiswrapper -i driver.inf command. Then run ndiswrapper -l command, you should see your driver
**********************************EXAMPLE********* ***************************
*you@yourputer:/media/MYDRIVE$cd xp *************
*you@yourputer:/media/MYDRIVE/xp$sudo ndiswrapper -i bcmwlhigh5.inf*
*you@yourputer:/media/MYDRIVE/xp$ndiswrapper -l *
*********************************END EXAMPLE*******************************

8) FINALLY you will complete this last step to load your driver. Run the modprobe ndiswrapper command
**********************************EXAMPLE********* ***************************
*you@yourputer:/media/MYDRIVE/xp$sudo modprobe ndiswrapper****
*********************************END EXAMPLE*******************************

After completing step 8 my USB Adapter started working and I had a list of networks to connect to, connected to my home network and immediately posted my solution here for you to see. I hope this solution works for you, best of luck.

I took this from:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1805830&page=9

Revision history for this message
Fernando Pan (fernandopan) said :
#7

It worked, as I mentioned on my comment above.
However, it worked only as wireless G and not as wireless N. Any ideas?

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said :
#8

Some wifi adapters don't work at n speed under Linux.

Revision history for this message
Julianloui (julianloui) said :
#9

Hi, Mark, Andrew and Fernando,

Thank you all for your good advice. Andrew's suggested use of "lshw -c network" comes in handy.

Finally I succeeded in installing the AE2500 adapter's (Windows) driver with Ndiswrapper and connecting my computer to my wireless-g home network under Ubuntu 12.04, using Fernando's suggestion. Because I had previously downloaded and installed Ndiswrapper-1.58 on my machine, I just used it instead of the 1.57 version to extract the AE2500's Windows driver. After that, the adapter quickly connected my Wubi machine under Linux to the Internet

As a matter of fact, using the procedure, I subsequently converted two other Windows wireless-adapter drivers to Linux, one for the Linksys WUSB11v4 and one for the D-Link DWL-G122. The WUSB11v4 is having trouble in making the connecting, seemingly mainly due to a hardware problem, but it normally performs very well under Windows XP on the same computer. When I discovered that the D-link adapter has 2001:3704 as its physical ID, different from the 2001:3703 ID shown by the driver, I used Ndiswrapper to cover the 2001-3704 adapter with the 2001-3703 driver. The actual code I used was

Sudo ndiswrapper -i 2001:3704 prisma02.inf

Even though everything went well with this command, the adapter never lit up when it was mounted on the computer. So
I switched to the Windows XP side of the computer and tried to install the original driver only to find that there was an
entry point software problem. Thus the failure was due to the original driver and not Ndiswrapper.

I have learned much from this experience and owe you all very much. By the way, I have yet to use the AE2500 or the Linux-Windows-OSX IOGEAR GWU625 adapter in wireless-n mode . The consider the latter far better than the former in terms of
human and mechanical engineering. I have ordered the AE2500 in a hurry without much thought.

Julianloui

Revision history for this message
Julianloui (julianloui) said :
#10

>>>>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please DISREGARD my write-up in Item # 9. I am a victim of Launchpad's unforgiving policy of not allowing its users a chance to review and edit their writing before finalizing it. Not everyone is good in spelling, typing or writing!! Please fix this DOWNRIGHT SHAMEFUL practice ASAP even though I endorse everything else you do. I beg you respectfully. I am deeply embarrassed with my awful writing. By the way, I'll soon be 80 years of age.
>>>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi, Mark, Andrew and Fernando,

Thank you all for your good advice. Andrew's suggested use of "lshw -c network" comes in handy.

Finally I succeeded in installing the AE2500 adapter's (Windows) driver with Ndiswrapper and connecting my computer to my wireless-g home network under Ubuntu 12.04, using Fernando's suggestion. Since I had previously installed Ndiswrapper-1.58 on my machine, I just used it instead of the 1.57 version to extract the AE2500's Windows driver. After that, the adapter quickly connected my Wubi machine under Linux to the Internet

I subsequently converted two other Windows wireless-adapter drivers to Linux, one for the Linksys WUSB11v4 and one for the D-Link DWL-G122. The WUSB11v4 is having trouble in making the connecting, seemingly due to a hardware problem, but it normally performs very well under Windows XP on the same computer. When I discovered that the D-link adapter has 2001:3704 as its physical ID, different from the 2001:3703 ID shown by the driver, I used Ndiswrapper to include the 2001:3704 adapter with the 2001-3703 driver. The actual code I used was

Sudo ndiswrapper -a 2001:3704 prisma02.inf

Even though everything went well with this command, the adapter never lit up when it was mounted on the computer. So
I switched to the Windows XP side of the computer and tried to install the original driver only to find that there was an
entry-point software problem. Thus the failure was due to the original driver and not Ndiswrapper.

I have learned much from this experience and owe you all very much. By the way, I have yet to use the AE2500 or the Linux-Windows-OSX-compatible IOGEAR GWU625 adapter in wireless-n mode . I consider the latter far better than the former at
least in terms of human and mechanical engineering. I regret having ordered the AE2500 in a hurry without much thought.

Julianloui

Revision history for this message
Julianloui (julianloui) said :
#11

2013-04-06: Happy News on D-Link DWL-G122 Wireless-G Adapter :
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About 1 week after I submitted my last report, I was elated when I found this adapter's installation CD
(for Windows) somewhere in the house. It included a prisma02.inf file which specifies devices with the following IDs: 2001:3701, 2001:3703, 2001:3704, 2001:3705. Thus it clearly applies to my particular DWL-G122 adapter whose physical ID is 2001:3704. So I used this correct .inf file together with the previously-obtained prisma02.sys file to re-create the adapter's Linux driver through ndiswrapper. I am
happy to report that this adapter has been working very well ever since under Ubuntu 12.04.

I hope this information will be of use to someone.

Julianloui

Revision history for this message
TC Nguyen (tctheman6820) said :
#12

Fernando,

Thanks Fernando! I followed the steps you posted above and I was able to configure my USB AE2500 wireless adapter to work on my Ubuntu 12.04. Few things to mention here, though: (1) ndiswrapper did not work well with Ubuntu 12.04 64-bit, this may be the AE2500 driver is XP 32-bit, I re-installed the 32-bit version, (2) the AE2500 driver downloaded from http://homesupport.cisco.com/en-us/s...dapters/AE2500 did NOT work. Fortunately, I used the XP driver in the CD that came with the AE2500 adapter. I kept getting the error message "invalid driver", but the one from the CD work great.

For those who do not want to manually load the driver every time you restart, do the following:

sudo su
# echo ndiswrapper >> /etc/modules
exit

next time you restart your machine, the wireless driver loaded automatically.

TC