Internal wireless not detected: ISL3890/ISL3886 chipset

[Randall Ross]

No internal wireless detected (cannot find firmware).

--

lspci:
00:06.0 Network controller [0280]: Intersil Corporation ISL3890 [Prism GT/Prism Duette]/ISL3886 [Prism Javelin/Prism Xbow] [1260:3890] (rev 01)

from dmesg:
Jan 18 09:02:01 lynx kernel: [ 29.590139] p54pci 0000:00:06.0: Cannot find firmware (isl3886pci)
Jan 18 09:02:01 lynx kernel: [ 29.590197] p54pci 0000:00:06.0: firmware: requesting isl3886

ProblemType: Bug
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: randall 1539 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'M5455'/'ALi M5455 with ALC202 at irq 9'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC202 rev 0'
   Components : 'AC97a:414c4740'
   Controls : 37
   Simple ctrls : 23
Date: Mon Jan 18 09:49:29 2010
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=e80974cf-1545-4952-975c-508081602c09
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" - Alpha i386 (20100113)
Lsusb:
 Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
MachineType: SHARP Corporation PC-MM20 Series
Package: linux-image-2.6.32-10-generic 2.6.32-10.14
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   3.3V 32-bit PC Card
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-10-generic root=UUID=413ddaa2-ae4b-4f5f-b8a7-8546e8ff57b9 ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_CA.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-10.14-generic
Regression: Yes
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.28
Reproducible: Yes
RfKill:
 0: phy1: Wireless LAN
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
SourcePackage: linux
Tags: lucid needs-upstream-testing regression-potential
TestedUpstream: No
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-10-generic i686
dmi.bios.date: 02/24/2004
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies LTD
dmi.bios.version: 6.00 ;1.04.00U;0D-03-01-01-03-00
dmi.board.name: PC-MM20 Series
dmi.board.vendor: SHARP Corporation
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.type: 14
dmi.chassis.vendor: SHARP Corporation
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologiesLTD:bvr6.00;1.04.00U;0D-03-01-01-03-00:bd02/24/2004:svnSHARPCorporation:pnPC-MM20Series:pvr1.0:rvnSHARPCorporation:rnPC-MM20Series:rvr1.0:cvnSHARPCorporation:ct14:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: PC-MM20 Series
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: SHARP Corporation

[Tim Gardner (timg-tpi)]

linux-firmware (1.29) lucid; urgency=low

  * Added firmware for prism54 kernel >=2.6.29
    -LP: #509265

 -- Tim Gardner <email address hidden> Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:18:25 -0700

[Randall Ross (randall)]

Still haven't seen this fix appear in Lucid Lynx a3. Any estimates when this will be pulled in?

[Chase Douglas (chasedouglas)]

@Randall Ross:

Have you installed linux-firmware-nonfree-1.6? The firmware files are listed in the package contents: http://packages.ubuntu.com/lucid/all/linux-firmware-nonfree/filelist

[Randall Ross (randall)]

@Chase:

Thank you. I have installed linux-firmware-nonfree-1.6 and confirm that
the internal wireless is now detected and (mostly) functional.

A couple of observations:
1) In Ubuntu 9.10 the ISL3890/ISL3886 did not require the nonfree package.
2) The driver contained in linux-firmware-nonfree-1.6 does not report
signal strength accurately. All networks appear at 100% signal strength.
I already have an open bug on this issue for 9.10 and will amend it to
include 10.04a3 as well. See https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/441780

[Chase Douglas (chasedouglas)]

@Randall:

In Karmic, the firmware was incorrectly left in linux-firmware. It should have been moved to linux-firmware-nonfree. Thus, we've fixed this in Lucid.

[Lou Ruppert (louferd)]

I wouldn't really call that a fix. You fixed the licensing, but you broke the customers. Which is more important? :)

[Chase Douglas (chasedouglas)]

@Lou Ruppert:

Legally, if we don't have a proper license we can't redistribute it as part of the Ubuntu distribution. The linux-firmware-nonfree package is a compromise. It's the best we can do. The real fix would be to get the manufacturer to release the firmware under a redistributable license. Some manufacturers have been receptive, others haven't. I would encourage you to make your voice heard to manufacturers of firmware you use, and state that you think it's in everyone's best interest to have the firmware redistributable. Until we have such a license though, our hands are tied.

We empathize with you, and we have to deal with it on our systems as well. I hope you can understand that we just can't put the firmware in the main Ubuntu distribution due to convenience.

Thanks

[Alkis Georgopoulos (alkisg)]

Is it possible to have jockey notify us that this proprietary driver is available?
Because right now, googling was the only way to find out that I needed to install linux-firmware-nonfree for the card to work...