Problems with Zydas USB wifi dongle (module zd1211rw)

[Dario Teixeira]

Binary package hint: linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic

Very often the kernel fails to recognise the Zydas-based USB dongle (module zd1211rw) during boot. Looking at the output of "tail -f /var/log/messages" we see something like the following: (every few seconds a new similar line shows up)

[ 108.056382] usb 5-4: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 2
[ 109.298826] usb 5-4: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 8
[ 109.785531] usb 5-4: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 10
[ 110.652097] usb 5-4: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 14
[ 111.330965] usb 5-4: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 17
[ 111.630495] usb 5-4: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 18
[ 116.997587] usb 5-4: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 46

The only solution I found for this problem is to insert the USB dongle in a different machine running a different distro/kernel, and to load the firmware. Afterwards the dongle is accepted on the original machine.

There's a chance this bug might be related to #88746. Also, I'm attaching the output of dmesg, and the output of "uname -a" is "Linux dual 2.6.24-19-generic #1 SMP Wed Aug 20 17:53:40 UTC 2008 x86_64 GNU/Linux".

Thanks!

[Dario Teixeira (darioteixeira)]

Note: the voodoo of inserting the USB dongle on a different machine was just a lucky coincidence. The only reliable solution to this problem is to remove the ehci_hcd module ("rmmod ehci_hcd"). The dongle will then be accepted, though limited to USB 1.1 speeds.

And by the way, note that updating to the Intrepid Ibex is not a viable solution, because a) other people have reported the same problem with the Intrepid Ibex kernel, and b) because Hardy is a LTS.

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

Hi Dario,

Can you try with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO CD images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/karmic . The reason I ask is that for any bug to even be considered for a Stable Release Update to any previous release it must be confirmed as fixed in the actively developed kernel. For more info refer to http://wiki.ubuntu.com/StableReleaseUpdates . However, even if this were resolved for Karmic, I'm not sure this would qualify for an SRU to Hardy based on the SRU criteria.

[Jeremy Foshee (jeremyfoshee)]

This bug report was marked as Incomplete and has not had any updated comments for quite some time. As a result this bug is being closed. Please reopen if this is still an issue in the current Ubuntu release http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download . Also, please be sure to provide any requested information that may have been missing. To reopen the bug, click on the current status under the Status column and change the status back to "New". Thanks.

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