Need help to setup my USB wifi interface (zd1211)

Did you do it from the Debian packages?

apt-get install zd1211-firmware

If you have, then you need to find out where the driver expects to find the firmware (and what name it expects). Sometimes this is controlled by a startup script in /etc/init.d. Other times it is compiled directly into the driver. If it is compiled into the driver, you can get some idea by:

cd /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/zd1211rw

strings zd1211rw.ko | less

I think I have the answer to your problem. I have the same wireless chipset, and by following the directions on this how-to in ubuntu solved my problem for both ubuntu and debian on my laptop. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Device/
Belkin_F5D7050_ver_4000_%28ZyDas_zd1211b_driver%29?highlight=%28WifiDocs%2FDevice%29
Just follow this step by step, and then go to desktop, administration, and then click on networking to configure you wireless usb and click on activate. hope this solves your problem.

I'm sorry I forgot something really important. You have to install the package subversion apt-get install subversion and get the driver from this webpage http://zd1211.wiki.sourceforge.net/VendorBasedDriver. Just follow the other page i gave you, but to get the driver you must follow directions under this webpage.

I also would do a modprobe -v zd1211b to make sure both drivers are activated.

It should work. However, i would just try using ubuntu. The zd1211rw driver works right away with feisty without any configuring.

hi

make sure you modprobe -r zd1211rw then modprobe -v zd1211, and modprobe -v zd1211b. You shouldnt have to activated your ethernet eth0. Go to networking(network manager) and start testing it maybe your wireless usb is eth0. Remember you have to click on whatever your network card is called then go to configure, enable this device, type in your network name, type in your net password (if you have one), click either dhcp (try this first just to see if it works), or static ip (type in your address). click ok. click on device you just configured then activate. I pretty sure you know all of this, but i am just making sure. tell me how it works

Hi again!
Well, good news and bad... Good ones first:
Somehow, after recompiling the driver AGAIN, I have loaded both modules to the kernel (zd1211 and zd1211b) and blacklisted the zd1211rw and, heck! one of the 2 lights has started to blink!!!
This would be a great piece of news but, the downside: it still doesn't receive signal from the router via DHCP.

Anyway, after some doing some tests and manual config with IWCONFIG comm, I finally got the LINK led to stop blinking (it has 2, a LINK led and a ACT led) and stayed on, but still, no connection...

Wow, this is really disappointing, since at boot time, all of the setup I did with IWCONFIG just whoosh! disappears.. and back at one.

Suggestion:
Could it be because my processor is AMD?? is it uncompatible with this driver??...

(note: I use my Winxp partition to connect to Internet and post comments, therefore, it's starting to be a bit boring to reboot and test constantly... I wish I could just use Debian and not Windows for this!)
)

Ok guys, I'm back with more feedback
After adding some modules to /etc/modules (for boot sequence), but I still can't get an IP lease via dhcp.
Here is the result from the IWCONFIG command:

# iwconfig eth1
eth1 802.11b/g NIC ESSID:"xxxxxxx"
Mode:Ad-Hoc Frequency=2.462 GHz Cell: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
Bit Rate:11 Mb/s
Retry:off RTS thr=2432 B Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:****-****-****-****-****-****-** Security mode:open
Power Management:off
Link Quality=96/100 Signal level=86/100 Noise level=0/100
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:36808
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

I don't really understand what's happening. See, I actually get a MAC address from the Router but when it comes to acquiring an ip address, dhcp just runs out of time attempting to find one!! Any idea on the cause??

Hello all

First of all, thank you for spending your time helping me configure my wifi usb stick, I really appreciate it, and I also understand it's very hard to get something to work without from the distance. Thanks again.

Buuut, I have good news! I finally got it working... for a few minutes anyway :-(
Somehow, I connected it to another free usb port and voila!! The connection came up at boot time... wonderful! Trial and error is the way to go sometimes ha??
Not all is good news though. I started to reconfigure some stuff (like the wirelss mode) and now I've ruined it. I get ocassional connections (ip releases via dhcp) but when I try to open a website, no transfers are made... dunno why??¿?¿

Could you give me one last tip please??

Thanks pinniped, but how to I disable Ipv6???

You can disable ipv6 typing 'nano /etc/modprobe.d/bad_list'. Then paste this into this command 'alias net-pf-10 off'. Don't worry if there is nothing in this file.

Sorry for the delay. I've been a bit busy...

Thanks again for this last guide on disabling IPv6 EMO.

Thanks to pinniped as well for the help...

There is a different to disable this I would try I think it is a better way. nano /etc/modprobe.d/aliases. Find the line alias net-pf-10 ipv6 and change to alias net-pf-10 off. Then save and reboot.