How to install the development version of atk9k

2008-08-15T07:37:15Z

Kevmitch: /* Debian */

ath9k is the new open source driver for newer atheros cards including those with 11n hardware support.

At the time of writing([[User:Kevmitch|Kevmitch]] 21:21, 13 August 2008 (CEST)), [http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/ath9k ath9k] will not compile against the current kernel release 2.6.26. It is however included in the most recent release candidate [http://lkml.org/lkml/2008/8/12/457h 2.6.27-rc3]. Thus, in order to get it running, you will either need to backport ath9k to your older kernel or download and compile 2.6.27-rc3. It is expected that the latter process will be significantly easier especially now that you can download the necessary kernel source directly off the web without using git. If you have managed to backport the driver to an older kernel, please share your knowledge and add to this page.

== Preparation ==
Compiling your kernel is at a minimum going to require '''gcc''', '''make''' and the '''qt3 development libraries''' to run the x-configuration utility. The names of these packages and how to install them will vary from distro to distro. You'll also want to add yourself to the '''src''' group so that you can do most of the kernel compilation as a regular user. You will have to log out and log back in for this change to take effect.

=== Debian ===
{{cmdroot|aptitude install git-core build-essential kernel-package libqt3-mt-dev fakeroot}}
{{cmdroot|adduser <you> src}}

=== Ubuntu ===
{{cmduser|sudo aptitude install git-core build-essential kernel-package libqt3-mt-dev fakeroot}}
{{cmdroot|sudo adduser <you> src}}

== Get the kernel sources ==
Download and unzip the kernel sources

{{cmduser|cd /usr/src}} 
{{cmduser|wget http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/testing/linux-2.6.27-rc3.tar.bz2}} 
{{cmduser|tar xvjf linux-2.6.27-rc3.tar.bz2}} 
{{cmduser|cd linux-2.6.27-rc3}} 

== Kernel config ==
This is the part most people are afraid of. However, you can use your current kernel's configuration as a baseline to help ease the pain. Most self-respecting distributions keep a copy of your kernel configuration in the /boot directory alongside the kernel itself. If this is not the case, you might find a copy of the kernel config at {{path|/proc/config.gz}} (which will of course needs to be gunziped). Whatever the case, you will want to copy the the current config file to the directory of the the kernel tree you are about to compile {{path|/usr/src/linux-2.6.27-rc3/.config}}

=== Debian/Ubuntu ===
{{cmduser|cp /boot/config-`uname -r` ./.config}}

== Configure the kernel ==
Now run

{{cmduser|make xconfig}}

You'll likely see some messages in the terminal about unset or unrecognized configuration variables which should be automatically either added or removed respectively. You might want to make sure the following are enabled

{{kernelconf|CONFIG_NET_SCHED|[Y]|QoS and/or fair queueing|Networking Options|Networking||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_NET_SCH_PRIO|[M]|Multiband Priority Queueing (PRIO)|QoS and/or fair queueing|Networking Options|Networking||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_CFG80211|[M]|Improved wireless configuration API|Wireless Networking|Networking||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_NL80211|[Y]|nl80211 new netlink interface support|Improved wireless configuration API|Wireless Networking|Networking||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_MAC80211|[Y]|Wireless Extensions|Wireless Networking|Networking||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_WIRELESS_EXT|[M]|Generic IEEE 802.11 Networking Stack (mac80211)|Wireless Networking|Networking||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_MAC80211_RC_PID|[Y]|PID controller based rate control algorithm|Rate control algorithm selection|Generic IEEE 802.11 Networking Stack (mac80211)|Wireless Networking|Networking||}} 

and most importantly

{{kernelconf|CONFIG_WLAN80211|[Y]|Network Device Support|Device Drivers|||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_WLAN80211|[Y]|Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11)|Wireless LAN|Network Device Support|Device Drivers||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_ATH9K|[m]|Atheros 802.11n wireless cards support|Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11)|Wireless LAN|Network Device Support|Device Drivers||}} 

Also, unless you want to worry about creating an initrd (initial RAM disk), you're also probably best to build anything necessary to read your root filesystem into the kernel rather than as modules. This includes both filesystem (e.g. '''ext3''') and low level hardware drivers (e.g. '''libata'''). The particular drivers required will depend on your particular setup. You can try and get an idea of what you might need to include by examining the output of <code>lsmod</code>. If you see any modules in there that might be required to boot the system, you should make sure you compile these in.

Make sure you save any changes you make before you exit.

==Compilation==
Now it's time to compile your kernel. If you have NCPU cpus, the generic way to do this is

{{cmduser|make -j <NCPU+1>}} 
{{cmduser|su}} 
{{cmdroot|make modules_install}} 
{{cmdroot|cp arch/<your architecture>/boot/bzImage /boot/linux-2.6.27-rc3}}

Where <your architecture> will be x86 if you're running a 32-bit system or x86_64 if you're running 64-bit.

Then you'll have to set your bootloader to load the new kernel. If you're using grub, you'll add this to /boot/grub/menu.list or /etc/grub.conf or whatever

<pre>
title Linux kernel 2.6.27-rc3
root (hd#,#)
kernel /boot/linux-2.6.27-rc3 root=/dev/<your root device> ro
</pre>

You're going to have to set (hd#,#) and root=/dev/<your root device> to reflect your boot device configuration. The best bet is probably to just copy and modify an existing entry.

{{NOTE|If you compiled the drivers needed to access your root device (filesystem and hardware driver) as modules rather than building them directly into the kernel, you're going to have build an initrd, using something like mkinitramfs and add the resulting initrd to the above grub stanza as follows:
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-rc3
}}

Now reboot into your new kernel.
===Debian/Ubuntu===
Debian has a system to help you build kernels as Debian packages. If NCPU is the number of CPUs you have,

<code>$ CONCURRENCY_LEVEL=<NCPU+1> fakeroot make-kpkg --append-to-version=.mykernel linux_image</code> 
{{cmduser|su}} 
{{cmdroot|dpkg -i /usr/src/linux-image-2.6.27-rc3.mykernel_2.6.27-rc3.mykernel-10.00.Custom_amd64.deb}} 

or if you're running 32-bit i386

{{cmdroot|dpkg -i /usr/src/linux-image-2.6.27-rc3.mykernel_2.6.27-rc3.mykernel-10.00.Custom_i386.deb}} 

Again it is recommended that you build what you need into your kernel. However, if aren't sure what is needed to read your root file system and so can't just build it into your kernel, you can create an initrd using update-initramfs

{{cmdroot|update-initramfs -k 2.6.27-rc3.mykernel -c}}
{{cmdroot|update-grub}}

== Ok, now see if it worked ==
Once you have your kernel compiled and install, reboot and choose it from your grub or lilo menu. Hopefully it boots Ok, and you can open a command line and
{{cmdroot|modprobe ath9k}} 
{{cmdroot|iwconfig}} 
The first command should hopefully generate no errors and the second is purely diagnostic and should show you a working wireless device. You can then proceed to use wpa_supplicant or network manager or iwconfig to setup your wireless networking.

How to install the development version of atk9k

2008-08-15T07:36:54Z

Kevmitch: /* Debian */

ath9k is the new open source driver for newer atheros cards including those with 11n hardware support.

At the time of writing([[User:Kevmitch|Kevmitch]] 21:21, 13 August 2008 (CEST)), [http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/ath9k ath9k] will not compile against the current kernel release 2.6.26. It is however included in the most recent release candidate [http://lkml.org/lkml/2008/8/12/457h 2.6.27-rc3]. Thus, in order to get it running, you will either need to backport ath9k to your older kernel or download and compile 2.6.27-rc3. It is expected that the latter process will be significantly easier especially now that you can download the necessary kernel source directly off the web without using git. If you have managed to backport the driver to an older kernel, please share your knowledge and add to this page.

== Preparation ==
Compiling your kernel is at a minimum going to require '''gcc''', '''make''' and the '''qt3 development libraries''' to run the x-configuration utility. The names of these packages and how to install them will vary from distro to distro. You'll also want to add yourself to the '''src''' group so that you can do most of the kernel compilation as a regular user. You will have to log out and log back in for this change to take effect.

=== Debian ===
{{cmdroot|aptitude install git-core build-essential kernel-package libqt3-mt-dev fakeroot}}
{{cmdroot|adduser <you> src}}

=== Ubuntu ===
{{cmduser|sudo aptitude install git-core build-essential kernel-package libqt3-mt-dev fakeroot}}
{{cmdroot|sudo adduser <you> src}}

== Get the kernel sources ==
Download and unzip the kernel sources

{{cmduser|cd /usr/src}} 
{{cmduser|wget http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/testing/linux-2.6.27-rc3.tar.bz2}} 
{{cmduser|tar xvjf linux-2.6.27-rc3.tar.bz2}} 
{{cmduser|cd linux-2.6.27-rc3}} 

== Kernel config ==
This is the part most people are afraid of. However, you can use your current kernel's configuration as a baseline to help ease the pain. Most self-respecting distributions keep a copy of your kernel configuration in the /boot directory alongside the kernel itself. If this is not the case, you might find a copy of the kernel config at {{path|/proc/config.gz}} (which will of course needs to be gunziped). Whatever the case, you will want to copy the the current config file to the directory of the the kernel tree you are about to compile {{path|/usr/src/linux-2.6.27-rc3/.config}}

=== Debian/Ubuntu ===
{{cmduser|cp /boot/config-`uname -r` ./.config}}

== Configure the kernel ==
Now run

{{cmduser|make xconfig}}

You'll likely see some messages in the terminal about unset or unrecognized configuration variables which should be automatically either added or removed respectively. You might want to make sure the following are enabled

{{kernelconf|CONFIG_NET_SCHED|[Y]|QoS and/or fair queueing|Networking Options|Networking||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_NET_SCH_PRIO|[M]|Multiband Priority Queueing (PRIO)|QoS and/or fair queueing|Networking Options|Networking||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_CFG80211|[M]|Improved wireless configuration API|Wireless Networking|Networking||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_NL80211|[Y]|nl80211 new netlink interface support|Improved wireless configuration API|Wireless Networking|Networking||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_MAC80211|[Y]|Wireless Extensions|Wireless Networking|Networking||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_WIRELESS_EXT|[M]|Generic IEEE 802.11 Networking Stack (mac80211)|Wireless Networking|Networking||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_MAC80211_RC_PID|[Y]|PID controller based rate control algorithm|Rate control algorithm selection|Generic IEEE 802.11 Networking Stack (mac80211)|Wireless Networking|Networking||}} 

and most importantly

{{kernelconf|CONFIG_WLAN80211|[Y]|Network Device Support|Device Drivers|||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_WLAN80211|[Y]|Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11)|Wireless LAN|Network Device Support|Device Drivers||}} 
{{kernelconf|CONFIG_ATH9K|[m]|Atheros 802.11n wireless cards support|Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11)|Wireless LAN|Network Device Support|Device Drivers||}} 

Also, unless you want to worry about creating an initrd (initial RAM disk), you're also probably best to build anything necessary to read your root filesystem into the kernel rather than as modules. This includes both filesystem (e.g. '''ext3''') and low level hardware drivers (e.g. '''libata'''). The particular drivers required will depend on your particular setup. You can try and get an idea of what you might need to include by examining the output of <code>lsmod</code>. If you see any modules in there that might be required to boot the system, you should make sure you compile these in.

Make sure you save any changes you make before you exit.

==Compilation==
Now it's time to compile your kernel. If you have NCPU cpus, the generic way to do this is

{{cmduser|make -j <NCPU+1>}} 
{{cmduser|su}} 
{{cmdroot|make modules_install}} 
{{cmdroot|cp arch/<your architecture>/boot/bzImage /boot/linux-2.6.27-rc3}}

Where <your architecture> will be x86 if you're running a 32-bit system or x86_64 if you're running 64-bit.

Then you'll have to set your bootloader to load the new kernel. If you're using grub, you'll add this to /boot/grub/menu.list or /etc/grub.conf or whatever

<pre>
title Linux kernel 2.6.27-rc3
root (hd#,#)
kernel /boot/linux-2.6.27-rc3 root=/dev/<your root device> ro
</pre>

You're going to have to set (hd#,#) and root=/dev/<your root device> to reflect your boot device configuration. The best bet is probably to just copy and modify an existing entry.

{{NOTE|If you compiled the drivers needed to access your root device (filesystem and hardware driver) as modules rather than building them directly into the kernel, you're going to have build an initrd, using something like mkinitramfs and add the resulting initrd to the above grub stanza as follows:
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-rc3
}}

Now reboot into your new kernel.
===Debian===
Debian has a system to help you build kernels as Debian packages. If NCPU is the number of CPUs you have,

<code>$ CONCURRENCY_LEVEL=<NCPU+1> fakeroot make-kpkg --append-to-version=.mykernel linux_image</code> 
{{cmduser|su}} 
{{cmdroot|dpkg -i /usr/src/linux-image-2.6.27-rc3.mykernel_2.6.27-rc3.mykernel-10.00.Custom_amd64.deb}} 

or if you're running 32-bit i386

{{cmdroot|dpkg -i /usr/src/linux-image-2.6.27-rc3.mykernel_2.6.27-rc3.mykernel-10.00.Custom_i386.deb}} 

Again it is recommended that you build what you need into your kernel. However, if aren't sure what is needed to read your root file system and so can't just build it into your kernel, you can create an initrd using update-initramfs

{{cmdroot|update-initramfs -k 2.6.27-rc3.mykernel -c}}
{{cmdroot|update-grub}}

== Ok, now see if it worked ==
Once you have your kernel compiled and install, reboot and choose it from your grub or lilo menu. Hopefully it boots Ok, and you can open a command line and
{{cmdroot|modprobe ath9k}} 
{{cmdroot|iwconfig}} 
The first command should hopefully generate no errors and the second is purely diagnostic and should show you a working wireless device. You can then proceed to use wpa_supplicant or network manager or iwconfig to setup your wireless networking.