Ralink RT3070 USB wifi NIC wont work ("device not ready" in network manager)
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Trying to get my new Premieretek USB wifi NIC working. My built-in wifi NIC works perfectly fine, but i'm struggling with this new NIC. I've installed the latest drivers directly from Premieretek's website. The model is Powerlink pl-2814n with a Ralink RT3070 wifi chip. Its "wlan1" in the list below.
As mentioned, it shows up in network manager as "Wireless Network (Ralink 802.11n WLAN) [next line] device not ready".
iwconfig:
wlan1 IEEE 802.11bgn ESSID:off/any
Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=0 dBm
Retry long limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:on
eth0 no wireless extensions.
lo no wireless extensions.
wlan0 IEEE 802.11bgn ESSID:XXXX
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: DC:02:8E:C0:C8:DF
Bit Rate=58.5 Mb/s Tx-Power=15 dBm
Retry long limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:on
Link Quality=54/70 Signal level=-56 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:1 Invalid misc:5 Missed beacon:0
_-HP-G42-Notebook-PC:~$ sudo modprobe rt3070usb
FATAL: Module rt3070usb not found.
_-HP-G42-Notebook-PC:~$ sudo modprobe rt2800usb
_-HP-G42-Notebook-PC:~$ dmesg | grep -i rt2
[ 16.908907] ieee80211 phy1: rt2x00_set_rt: Info - RT chipset 3070, rev 0201 detected
[ 16.929025] ieee80211 phy1: rt2x00_set_rf: Info - RF chipset 0005 detected
[ 17.079346] usbcore: registered new interface driver rt2800usb
[ 17.708729] rtusb init rt2870 --->
[ 17.708903] usbcore: registered new interface driver rt2870
[ 23.688164] ieee80211 phy1: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file '/*(DEBLOBBED)*/'
[ 23.691654] ieee80211 phy1: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware
[ 24.864163] ieee80211 phy1: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file '/*(DEBLOBBED)*/'
[ 24.866279] ieee80211 phy1: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware
[ 24.867092] ieee80211 phy1: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file '/*(DEBLOBBED)*/'
[ 24.869338] ieee80211 phy1: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware
[ 458.787829] ieee80211 phy2: rt2x00_set_rt: Info - RT chipset 3070, rev 0201 detected
[ 458.816861] ieee80211 phy2: rt2x00_set_rf: Info - RF chipset 0005 detected
[ 458.859531] ieee80211 phy2: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file '/*(DEBLOBBED)*/'
[ 458.862107] ieee80211 phy2: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware
[ 458.864350] ieee80211 phy2: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file '/*(DEBLOBBED)*/'
[ 458.870319] ieee80211 phy2: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware
[ 458.870465] ieee80211 phy2: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file '/*(DEBLOBBED)*/'
[ 458.874797] ieee80211 phy2: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware
[ 912.193107] ieee80211 phy2: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file '/*(DEBLOBBED)*/'
[ 912.195680] ieee80211 phy2: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware
[ 3668.654127] ieee80211 phy3: rt2x00_set_rt: Info - RT chipset 3070, rev 0201 detected
[ 3668.683635] ieee80211 phy3: rt2x00_set_rf: Info - RF chipset 0005 detected
[ 3673.103338] ieee80211 phy3: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file '/*(DEBLOBBED)*/'
[ 3673.106511] ieee80211 phy3: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware
[ 5287.350442] usbcore: deregistering interface driver rt2870
[ 6503.925878] ieee80211 phy3: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file '/*(DEBLOBBED)*/'
[ 6503.932830] ieee80211 phy3: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware
[ 6621.311076] Modules linked in: nls_utf8(F) isofs(F) radeon(F) ttm(F) drm_kms_helper(F) drm(F) i2c_algo_bit(F) dm_crypt(F) bnep(F) rfcomm(F) bluetooth(F) snd_hda_codec_hdmi(F) snd_hda_codec_realtek(F) snd_hda_intel(F) snd_hda_codec(F) arc4(F) ath9k(F) rt2800usb(F) rt2800lib(F) ath9k_common(F) ath9k_hw(F) snd_hwdep(F) crc_ccitt(F) snd_pcm(F) parport_pc(F) rt2x00usb(F) rt2x00lib(F) mac80211(F) ath(F) ppdev(F) snd_seq_midi(F) snd_rawmidi(F) snd_seq_midi_event(F) kvm(F) uvcvideo(F) snd_seq(F) sp5100_tco(F) microcode(F) videobuf2_core(F) edac_core(F) psmouse(F) videodev(F) snd_timer(F) cfg80211(F) edac_mce_amd(F) snd_seq_device(F) hp_wmi(F) snd(F) videobuf2_vmalloc(F) videobuf2_memops(F) i2c_piix4(F) shpchp(F) soundcore(F) sparse_keymap(F) serio_raw(F) dm_multipath(F) snd_page_alloc(F) scsi_dh(F) joydev(F) mac_hid(F) k10temp(F) lp(F) parport(F) raid10(F) raid456(F) async_pq(F) async_xor(F) async_memcpy(F) async_raid6_recov(F) async_tx(F) raid1(F) raid0(F) multipath(F) linear(F) dm_mirror(F) dm_region_hash(F) dm_log(F) btrfs(F) raid6_pq(F) xor(F) zlib_deflate(F) libcrc32c(F) hid_logitech_dj(F) hid_generic(F) usbhid(F) hid(F) ums_realtek(F) usb_storage(F) video(F) r8169(F) ahci(F) libahci(F) wmi(F) [last unloaded: rt5370sta]
[ 6621.444528] Modules linked in: nls_utf8(F) isofs(F) radeon(F) ttm(F) drm_kms_helper(F) drm(F) i2c_algo_bit(F) dm_crypt(F) bnep(F) rfcomm(F) bluetooth(F) snd_hda_codec_hdmi(F) snd_hda_codec_realtek(F) snd_hda_intel(F) snd_hda_codec(F) arc4(F) ath9k(F) rt2800usb(F) rt2800lib(F) ath9k_common(F) ath9k_hw(F) snd_hwdep(F) crc_ccitt(F) snd_pcm(F) parport_pc(F) rt2x00usb(F) rt2x00lib(F) mac80211(F) ath(F) ppdev(F) snd_seq_midi(F) snd_rawmidi(F) snd_seq_midi_event(F) kvm(F) uvcvideo(F) snd_seq(F) sp5100_tco(F) microcode(F) videobuf2_core(F) edac_core(F) psmouse(F) videodev(F) snd_timer(F) cfg80211(F) edac_mce_amd(F) snd_seq_device(F) hp_wmi(F) snd(F) videobuf2_vmalloc(F) videobuf2_memops(F) i2c_piix4(F) shpchp(F) soundcore(F) sparse_keymap(F) serio_raw(F) dm_multipath(F) snd_page_alloc(F) scsi_dh(F) joydev(F) mac_hid(F) k10temp(F) lp(F) parport(F) raid10(F) raid456(F) async_pq(F) async_xor(F) async_memcpy(F) async_raid6_recov(F) async_tx(F) raid1(F) raid0(F) multipath(F) linear(F) dm_mirror(F) dm_region_hash(F) dm_log(F) btrfs(F) raid6_pq(F) xor(F) zlib_deflate(F) libcrc32c(F) hid_logitech_dj(F) hid_generic(F) usbhid(F) hid(F) ums_realtek(F) usb_storage(F) video(F) r8169(F) ahci(F) libahci(F) wmi(F) [last unloaded: rt5370sta]
[ 6632.648947] ieee80211 phy3: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file '/*(DEBLOBBED)*/'
[ 6632.652350] ieee80211 phy3: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware
[ 6632.657491] ieee80211 phy3: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file '/*(DEBLOBBED)*/'
[ 6632.661862] ieee80211 phy3: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware
[ 6632.662016] ieee80211 phy3: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file '/*(DEBLOBBED)*/'
[ 6632.666344] ieee80211 phy3: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware
[19803.363378] ieee80211 phy3: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file '/*(DEBLOBBED)*/'
[19803.365857] ieee80211 phy3: rt2x00lib_reject_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware
Thanks
Couple important details I forgot:
1. this is in kernel 3.10.1-gnu libre
2. lsusb:
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 04f2:b1aa Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd Webcam-101
Bus 002 Device 026: ID 1a40:0101 Terminus Technology Inc. 4-Port HUB
Bus 002 Device 010: ID 148f:3070 Ralink Technology, Corp. RT2870/RT3070 Wireless Adapter
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 027: ID 046d:c016 Logitech, Inc. Optical Wheel Mouse
Bus 002 Device 028: ID 046d:c52b Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
The device is not working for a simple reason. Linux-libre blacklists all the drivers that relies on proprietary/non-free firmware files, thus even if you install the required packages, it will not work although the driver is in place.
All the Ralink NICs (without exception) relies on firmware blobs, whose source code was never released by the manufacturer. You need to look for only those, which meet one of the following requirements:
- free driver that does not require/relies on firwmare files
- free driver + free firmware combo
The only free software compatible NICs used inside external wireless USB adapters that are able to meet these requirements are the following (sorted by generation, oldest to newest):
- Realtek RTL8187L/B + RTL8225 (rtl8187) - old, only the IEEE 802.11b/g standard is supported, which is limited to 54Mbps - list of supported adapters
- Atheros AR9170 + AR9101/2/4 (carl9170) - draft-n standard era, there can be problems with these chips - list of supported adapters
- Atheros AR9271 or AR7010+AR9280/7 (ath9k_htc) - final-n, this is your best bet when choosing what to buy - list of supported adapters
So first you need to sell your recently bought adapter, then buy a free software supported one. The best price/performance, or price/quality ratio can be achieved with adapters from TP-Link (depending on model). A very popular one is the TL-WN722N, but since you need some outdoor model, you need to look through the provided lists. If you doesn't find one, take a look at the TL-WN822N V2 model (FCC ID: TE7WN822NV2), which has two external non-detachable antennas and provides up to 300Mbps internet connection with wide signal range.
Other thing you need to know is that Trisquel is different from Windows in a way, that you should never install wireless driver packages on the system, even if they are available from the manufacturer. Trisquel already includes everything you need pre-installed, and if you plug in your adapter, it should work immediately (plug-and-play design :). The only exception is the March release of the ath9k_htc firmware, in which case you need to update your kernel (Update Manager is sufficient for this), and install the required firmware files that does not come pre-installed. So after you buy a new adapter, download this driver package, install it, and you're good to go.
NOTE: There is a WikiDevi called page, whose purpose is to catalog as many wireless devices as possible (think of it like Wikipedia, but just for wireless devices). Since your adapter (Premiertek Powerlink PL-2814N) is not in the database yet, it will be great if you will provide some informations before selling it:
- some photos of the device (preferably front+back), especially the backside sticker, and optionally the packaging (box, manual, CD, etc.)
- upload the output file (PL-2814N_lsusb.log) of this command:
sudo lsusb -v -d 148f:3070 &>PL-2814N_lsusb.log
I will then create the wiki page myself, if you give me the permission to do so.
Thank you in advance.
EDIT: It looks like your device can be turned into a free software compatible one quite easily, by replacing its mainboard with the one from ALFA Network AWUS036NHA (same as ThinkPenguin TPE-N150USBL) adapter. Here are the pictures:
The wireless adapter from ALFA Network can be bought from here, and here.
That's a lot of good information, thanks.
The driver that i've installed IS indeed free (as in libre) software (see the rest of this post).
Correct me if I'm wrong. You're saying that there is non-free firmware blobs built into the device that make it a non-free device regardless of the driver software (free in this case) that is used?
Depending on what that firmware could possibly be doing I may or may not care about it. This appears to be one of, if not the best wifi antenna on the market in its price range/class. I'd rather not downgrade to a lesser performing antenna if it can be practically avoided. Not to mention the hassle of selling this antenna and buying a new one.
I will definitely look into buying that "libre" pcb main board for the antenna if it offers any real advantages for my needs and has a reasonable price.
The driver:
Its the fifth driver from the top of the list. This is the same driver version thats on the premieretek website:
http://www.mediatek.com/_en/07_downloads/01_windows.php?sn=501
Driver download page:
From "http://www.mediatek.com/_en/07_downloads/01-1_windowsDetail.php?sn=5016":
"
This program is free software. You can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
MediaTek Inc.
Address : 5F., No.5, Tai-Yuan 1st St., Jhubei City,
Hsinchu County 302,Taiwan, R.O.C.
(c) Copyright 2002-2013, MediaTek Inc."
> The driver...IS indeed free (as in libre) software
Yes, the driver can be free, but that is pretty common, and it doesn't mean anything. My Intel Centrino N-6200 network card have a free driver too, and it's still free software incompatible, because it requires a firmware blob, in order to be functional. Your output it the best proof of the reliance on the firmware blob.
> The driver that i've installed
No, you doesn't. The driver is an integral part of the kernel and cannot be installed separately. You probably installed the firmware blob (these files have usually .fw or .bin extensions, and resides in /lib/firmware folder), but since the driver was blacklisted during compilation, that will not work anyway.
> You're saying that there is non-free firmware blobs built into the device
I never said that, but anyway, it's true. The firmware is built into ROM of the SoC.
> ...that make it a non-free device regardless of the driver software (free in this case) that is used?
The problem is not in hardware, but in software. Ralink does not provide source code for the firmware, thus making the device useless. You can do some reverse-engineering, and rewrite a new firmware (source) code yourself, but I doubt that you want to venture into that, nor that you have the ability to write some working code.
> Depending on what that firmware could possibly be doing I may or may not care about it.
You cannot know, since the source code is not available. That's the problem!
> Not to mention the hassle of selling this antenna and buying a new one.
You should first consult with choosing an appropriate model here, and now not crying over a poor choice.
> I will definitely look into buying that "libre" pcb main board for the antenna if it offers any real advantages for my needs and has a reasonable price.
That can be the only way to have a libre adapter with these parameters. But before you switch the PCBs, make sure the ALFA adapter is working correctly with your Trisquel installation! Just follow the instructions I posted before.
> The driver:
There is no download link on either of the pages you provided. Maybe the link is subscribe based (download is granted only after I provide my name and e-mail address).
Per the link i posted above:
"MediaTek is very active in the Linux community, and provides source code for many of its client drivers to developers. You can find our LINUX DRIVERS and supporting information below"
Unless they are wrong then I did install a linux driver. Sure, a similar version may have already been integrated into the kernel, but that doesn't mean you can't install a driver/s yourself.
If any of the files were blacklisted then why didnt I get a message in the terminal indicating that I was installing blacklisted software? I didn't receive any error message from the terminal during the "make && make install" process.
"There is no download link on either of the pages you provided. Maybe the link is subscribe based (download is granted only after I provide my name and e-mail address)."
It doesn't verify any of the input so you can put whatever values you want in it and still receive the download prompt.
If I just wanted to get this adapter working first then what would I need to do? I don't see anything in the blacklist file that seems to be blocking me. I just want to test this adapter out before I spend any more money on it.
Anyone?
The firmware isn't free.
Right, but isn't there anything I can do to get it working? Isn't there a way to bypass whatever is blocking me from using it?
Nobody here will "help" you to have proprietary firmware running on your system. We indeed consider it is not helping you to make you run proprietary software and give up your freedoms. mYself listed adapters that Linux-libre (hence Trisquel) handles.
I agree that it does not help to anyone using non-libre software, but, if you don't want to explain how the blocking process works, you are aligning yourself with the private software concept. The OS internals should be documented so to know what the software really does and let the people choose what they want to do. It is great that Trisquel developers take FSF seriously, but please publish the corresponding documentation for all of this.
This was a reply to the previous post made by Magic Banana.
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