Intel WiFi Link 5100/5300 WLAN controller

2011-03-16T11:04:01Z

Andyspiers: added info on how to stop wireless LED blinking

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== Intel WiFi Link 5100 and 5300 WLAN controller ==
This is a Mini-PCI Express WiFi Adapter, supported by the iwlagn driver since the 2.6.26 kernels.

== Features ==
* Chipset: Intel 5100 and 5300
* IEEE Standards: 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g ,802.11n
'''WiFi Link 5100'''
* 1x2 MIMO up to 300Mbps
* PCI ID: 8086:4237
'''WiFi Link 5300'''
* 3x3 MIMO up to 450Mbps
* PCI ID: 8086:4236
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[[image:IntelWiFiLink5x00.jpg|Intel WiFi Link Adapter]]<br/>
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=== Lenovo Partnumbers ===
'''WiFi Link 5100'''
* FRU 43Y6493

=== Models featuring this Technology ===
'''WiFi Link 5100'''
*{{R400}}, {{R500}}
*{{SL300}}, {{SL400}}, {{SL400c}}, {{SL410}}, {{SL500}}, {{SL500c}}, {{SL510}}
*{{T400}}, {{T400s}}, {{T500}}
*{{W500}}
*{{X200}}, {{X200s}}, {{X301}}
*Y430, Y450, Y530

'''WiFi Link 5300'''
*{{R400}}
*{{T400}}, {{T400s}}, {{T500}}
*{{W500}}, {{W700}}, {{W700ds}}
*{{X200}}, {{X200s}}, {{X301}}

=== External Links===
* http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/products/wireless/adapters/5000/index.htm
* http://intellinuxwireless.org/ - Intel website for Linux drivers

===Controlling the status LED===
If you find the flashing wireless LED annoying, you can change its behavior so it will be on steady whenever the radio is powered on, and off when the radio is off. Create a file /etc/modprobe.d/iwlcore.conf with the line "options iwlcore led_mode=1" to set the LED on steady, or you can set led_mode=0 to have it flash whenever there is wireless activity (default). To make changes take effect immediately do "rmmod iwlagn ; rmmod iwlcore ; modprobe iwlagn"

== Kernel 2.6.27-rc5 (as a patched kernel 2.6.26) ==

* download linux kernel 2.6.26
* download linux kernel prepatch 2.6.27-rc5

(http://kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/testing/patch-2.6.27-rc5.bz2)

* make menuconfig

Device Drivers => Network device surppot => wireless LAN
CONFIG_WLAN_80211=y
CONFIG_IWLWIFI=y
CONFIG_IWLCORE=y
CONFIG_IWLWIFI_LEDS=y
CONFIG_IWLWIFI_RFKILL=y
CONFIG_IWLWIFI_DEBUG=y
CONFIG_IWLAGN=y
CONFIG_IWLAGN_SPECTRUM_MEASUREMENT=y
CONFIG_IWLAGN_LEDS=y
CONFIG_IWL5000=y

* make && make modules_install
* cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/kernel-2.6.27-rc5

* install wpa_supplicant

* now enjoy your new wireless card :)

== alternative if you want to use your stock < 2.6.27 Kernel ==
See http://ubuntu-virginia.ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=5710211&postcount=4

== Debian with kernel 2.6.28 ==

* Get the Microcode

Download the iwlifi-5000 tarball with microcode (firmware) from [http://www.intellinuxwireless.org/?n=downloads IntelLinuxWireless]

* Extract the contents of the tarball:

tar xzf iwlwifi-5000-ucode-5.4.A.11.tar.gz
(filename could be different)

* Copy the microcode file to /lib/firmware:

sudo cp ./iwlwifi-5000-ucode-5.4.A.11/iwlwifi-5000-1.ucode /lib/firmware
(the directory name extracted from tarball could be different as well)

* Add repository

Add the following line to your <tt>/etc/apt/sources.list</tt>:
deb http://kernel-archive.buildserver.net/debian-kernel trunk main

* Update your local package index:

sudo apt-get update

* Install linux-image-2.6.28-1-686

sudo apt-get install linux-image-2.6.28-1-686

=== If you need the headers ===

Finally, if you need linux-headers-2.6.28-1-686, for instance to install propietary ATI drivers, then you'll have to satisfy the dependency of linux-kbuild-2.6.28. This package is not in the repositories, but you can build it yourself following the instructions at:

* [http://wiki.debian.org/HowToRebuildAnOfficialDebianKernelPackage Debian Wiki]

See section "How to build linux-kbuild-2.6 yourself"

== sidux 2008-03 ==
See [[How to install Intel Device 4236 under sidux 2008-03 (Ουρέα)]] for more info.

== Further resources and information ==

* [http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&Inst=Yes&ProductID=2753&DwnldID=17045&strOSs=39&OSFullName=Linux*&lang=eng Intel driver download]

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Intel WiFi Link 5100/5300 WLAN controller