Very confusing :-(
I see in modinfo, what makes me think it uses rtl8192cfw:
firmware: rtlwifi/rtl8192cfwU_B.bin
firmware: rtlwifi/rtl8192cfwU.bin
firmware: rtlwifi/rtl8192cfw.bin
With a clean install of Ubuntu 12.04, upgraded to kernel 3.2.0-54, wireless does not work: error in dmesg "Failed to request firmware!"
There are a quite a lot of differences with your output, you are right that the problem lies at ubuntu packaging. While testing this, I noticed that rtl8192cfwU_B.bin and rtl8192cfwU.bin where missing and requested by the driver. Copying those in from the Realtek website makes the wifi work again :-).
missing in the Ubuntu installation:
rtl8188efw
rtl8188eufw
rtl8192cfwU_B
rtl8192cfwU
rtl8192cufw_A
rtl8192cufw_B
rtl8192cufw_TMSC
different:
rtl8192defw
rtl8192sefw
rtl8712u
the same:
rtl8192cfw
rtl8192cufw
rtl8723fw_B
rtl8723fw
test@test-Intel-powered-classmate-PC:/lib/firmware$ modinfo rtl8192ce
filename: /lib/modules/3.2.0-54-generic-pae/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8192ce/rtl8192ce.ko
firmware: rtlwifi/rtl8192cfwU_B.bin
firmware: rtlwifi/rtl8192cfwU.bin
firmware: rtlwifi/rtl8192cfw.bin
description: Realtek 8192C/8188C 802.11n PCI wireless
license: GPL
author: Larry Finger <email address hidden>
author: Realtek WlanFAE <email address hidden>
author: lizhaoming <email address hidden>
srcversion: DA52BF758B7683607AFCB85
alias: pci:v000010ECd00008176sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v000010ECd00008177sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v000010ECd00008178sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v000010ECd00008191sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends: rtlwifi,rtl8192c-common,mac80211
intree: Y
vermagic: 3.2.0-54-generic-pae SMP mod_unload modversions 686
parm: swenc:Set to 1 for software crypto (default 0)
(bool)
parm: ips:Set to 0 to not use link power save (default 1)
(bool)
parm: swlps:Set to 1 to use SW control power save (default 0)
(bool)
parm: fwlps:Set to 1 to use FW control power save (default 1)
(bool)
parm: debug:Set debug level (0-5) (default 0) (int)
Very confusing :-( rtl8192cfwU_ B.bin rtl8192cfwU. bin rtl8192cfw. bin
I see in modinfo, what makes me think it uses rtl8192cfw:
firmware: rtlwifi/
firmware: rtlwifi/
firmware: rtlwifi/
but: description: Realtek 8192C/8188C 802.11n PCI wireless
With a clean install of Ubuntu 12.04, upgraded to kernel 3.2.0-54, wireless does not work: error in dmesg "Failed to request firmware!"
There are a quite a lot of differences with your output, you are right that the problem lies at ubuntu packaging. While testing this, I noticed that rtl8192cfwU_B.bin and rtl8192cfwU.bin where missing and requested by the driver. Copying those in from the Realtek website makes the wifi work again :-).
missing in the Ubuntu installation:
rtl8188efw
rtl8188eufw
rtl8192cfwU_B
rtl8192cfwU
rtl8192cufw_A
rtl8192cufw_B
rtl8192cufw_TMSC
different:
rtl8192defw
rtl8192sefw
rtl8712u
the same:
rtl8192cfw
rtl8192cufw
rtl8723fw_B
rtl8723fw
Details of test machine: Intel-powered- classmate- PC:/lib/ firmware$ md5sum rtlwifi/* b5b1929bb6c7fc5 37 rtlwifi/ rtl8192cfw. bin 30b8152d7aad91d 2e rtlwifi/ rtl8192cufw. bin b22f892ece80209 94 rtlwifi/ rtl8192defw. bin 70f101a60736b40 04 rtlwifi/ rtl8192sefw. bin 79ae8679555dec3 f0 rtlwifi/ rtl8712u. bin e9e14bdb315a4b2 8a rtlwifi/ rtl8723fw_ B.bin f1b89c25290e19b 2e rtlwifi/ rtl8723fw. bin Intel-powered- classmate- PC:/lib/ firmware$ ls -l rtlwifi/
test@test-
748944fbffd3b08
943e9b714a926e6
7a3b61dbd72e0ef
bccf9bf22766217
8e6396b5844a3e2
ce50dfe07dbb1bf
69ccaffbe94cc0e
test@test-
totaal 308
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 13540 dec 11 2012 rtl8192cfw.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 16014 dec 11 2012 rtl8192cufw.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 20526 dec 11 2012 rtl8192defw.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 88856 dec 11 2012 rtl8192sefw.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 129304 dec 11 2012 rtl8712u.bin
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 22996 jul 11 14:43 rtl8723fw_B.bin
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 11662 jul 11 14:43 rtl8723fw.bin
test@test- Intel-powered- classmate- PC:/lib/ firmware$ modinfo rtl8192ce 3.2.0-54- generic- pae/kernel/ drivers/ net/wireless/ rtlwifi/ rtl8192ce/ rtl8192ce. ko rtl8192cfwU_ B.bin rtl8192cfwU. bin rtl8192cfw. bin 07AFCB85 0008176sv* sd*bc*sc* i* 0008177sv* sd*bc*sc* i* 0008178sv* sd*bc*sc* i* 0008191sv* sd*bc*sc* i* rtl8192c- common, mac80211 generic- pae SMP mod_unload modversions 686
filename: /lib/modules/
firmware: rtlwifi/
firmware: rtlwifi/
firmware: rtlwifi/
description: Realtek 8192C/8188C 802.11n PCI wireless
license: GPL
author: Larry Finger <email address hidden>
author: Realtek WlanFAE <email address hidden>
author: lizhaoming <email address hidden>
srcversion: DA52BF758B76836
alias: pci:v000010ECd0
alias: pci:v000010ECd0
alias: pci:v000010ECd0
alias: pci:v000010ECd0
depends: rtlwifi,
intree: Y
vermagic: 3.2.0-54-
parm: swenc:Set to 1 for software crypto (default 0)
(bool)
parm: ips:Set to 0 to not use link power save (default 1)
(bool)
parm: swlps:Set to 1 to use SW control power save (default 0)
(bool)
parm: fwlps:Set to 1 to use FW control power save (default 1)
(bool)
parm: debug:Set debug level (0-5) (default 0) (int)
*-network UNCLAIMED
description: Network controller
product: RTL8188CE 802.11b/g/n WiFi Adapter
vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
physical id: 0
version: 01
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress cap_list
configuration : latency=0
resources: ioport: 2000(size= 256) memory: 80100000- 80103fff
bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0