How to Install the Driver for a Ra Link (2400) Wireless Card on Ubuntu

This is the procedure I used to install my ASUS WiFi@Home card AKA a RT2400 from RaLink.

Note: The process is almost identical to the one available on the Ubuntu wiki for RT2500 cards just exchange rt2500 with rt2400. This install guide shows u the simple basics via command line (less bloat I hope).

1. Before you start

You’ll need Ubuntu installed check the Ubuntu website www.ubuntu.org for help with that.

Also note command input and command output colors are the used here.

2. Install Card(Physically) and check its detected

After you have installed the card open a terminal and type:

lspci | grep RaLink

0000:02:0d.0 Network controller: RaLink Wireless PCI Adpator RT2400 / RT2460

If it doesn’t appear as in the second line there is a problem, try moving the card to a different PCI slot, first check you typed the command correctly (including case).

3. Connect to the internet using Ethernet/Modem

If you cant you will have to download the packages manually to a CD or something before proceeding. (Connecting the computer to the net would be much much easier!)

4. Install Compilers and Linux Headers

In a terminal type:

sudo apt-get install build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r)

After you type your password compilers and Linux headers for your Ubuntu should install should then download and install.

5. Download Driver Source

Download the driver source from http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/rt2400/ to an easy to remember directory (/home/yourusername). If you type the following command to grab the driver with wget (though you might want to check for a new driver version):

wget http://internap.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/rt2400/rt2400-1.2.2-b3.tar.gz

There are a number of versions, pick the latest stable build (I used beta version 1.2.2-b3).

6. Extract Tarball/Archive

Move to the directory where you saved the driver you downloaded.

To unzip/extract it enter in the command line:

tar –xvzf rt2400-1.2.2-b3.tar.gz

7. Compile Driver

Move to the Module folder in the extracted directory.

cd /rt2400-1.2.2-b3/Module

Then in the command line:

make

The driver should then compile. No errors should occur should end with leaving directory message.

8. Check the driver works

Load the driver module into the kernel (no recompiling J) and check it worked by typing the following in a console:

sudo insmod rt2400.ko

ifconfig ra0 up

ifconfig ra0

ra0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:00:00:00:00:00

inet6 addr: fe80::20e:a6ff:fe74:16bb/64 Scope:Link

UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:41 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000

RX bytes:5729 (5.5 KiB) TX bytes:930 (930.0 b)

Interrupt:21 Base address:0x8000

9. Install it permanently

First deactivate the card:

sudo ifdown ra0

Copy the module to the systems module folder:

sudo cp rt2400.ko /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/

Make ubuntu look for the card on boot:

echo “alias ra0 rt2500” | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/rt2500

Rebuild module dependencies:

sudo depmod

 

 

10. Auto-config on start

If you want to have your IP address etc automagically set on boot add the following to your /etc/network/interfaces file with your own settings.

auto ra0
iface ra0 inet static
wireless-essid youraccesspointname
        address 192.168.0.5
        netmask 255.255.255.0
        network 192.168.0.0
        broadcast 192.168.0.255
        gateway 192.168.0.1

And add the following to your /etc/resolv.conf file (add your own settings again, your gateway is usually your dns on home network routers).

nameserver 192.168.0.1

11. More Information/References

Driver

Project Website: http://rt2x00.serialmonkey.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Project Source Forge Page: http://sourceforge.net/projects/rt2400

Other Guides

For RT2500 but most relevant guide: https://wiki.ubuntu.com//Rt2500WirelessCardsHowTo/

http://www.methods.co.nz/doc/ralink-2400.html

http://www.linux-militia.net/howtos/asus/asuswifi.html

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