Picuntu on T-R42 - support for LAN/WiFi

[no_spam_for_me]

What I assume you propose is to substitute the rk31-vmac.c from the first link into Linuxium's repo and re-compile the kernel.

Yes

Only to tinker and the liberation of a USB port

[mikeme]

MK902

Hi enrique66_35

Can you tell me if I can use your kernel on my MK902? I tried everything but until now I did not find any Linux with ethernet connection working. Now I have Picuntu on my MK902, wifi is ok but ethernet not.

[enrique66_35]

Hi enrique66_35

Can you tell me if I can use your kernel on my MK902? I tried everything but until now I did not find any Linux with ethernet connection working. Now I have Picuntu on my MK902, wifi is ok but ethernet not.

I'm sorry I should clarify, my kernel detects the ethernet PHY controller RTL8201F (on T-R42 and possibly others) but I have not been able to get it to function correctly. I cannot obtain an IP by DHCP (ie automatically) and when setting a static IP, it appears connected but gets reception errors and internet is not working. I have given up on it and use a USB to LAN adapter instead as my wi-fi was also not supported. I'd recommend an adapter that uses the ASIX88772 chip (thanks to no_spam_for_me for the tip-off).
The Nintendo Wii Lan Adapter works well if you can find one although much more expensive then the Chinese unbranded versions. I can confirm my kernel will support these adapters and is intended for use with Linuxium's RFSs flashed to NAND. It should also work with Picuntu but I have not tested it as I wanted a fuller OS. Hope that helps.

[no_spam_for_me]

Hi enrique66_35

Can you tell me if I can use your kernel on my MK902? I tried everything but until now I did not find any Linux with ethernet connection working. Now I have Picuntu on my MK902, wifi is ok but ethernet not.

Ask at cloudsto for a rom, tell them you have brick your MK902 LE and now you want to try to unbrick it by flashing it with the stock picuntu rom....

http://www.cloudsto.com/mk802iii-le-mini-linux-pc/mk902-le-quad-core-linux-edition-picuntu-linux-mini-pc-8gb-flash-storage-detail.html

[davy39]

Any news ?

Hi everybody,

I'm also really interested in a working kernel for my new cyx_cs918 v2_1 board which seems to have quite same hardware that T-R42 V2 (at least rtl8723as and rtl8201F).
I would like to use it as a server and, unfortunatly, I'am actually headless, means that I cannot do some building/testing until I get an internet connection working to ssh it.....

I spend my last day collecting infos about the way to find a workaround, follow the result of my research, if that could help someone to build a working kernel for us :


Ethernet :

Apparently there is a way to make RK29_VMAC working (see here)
You just need to add "CONFIG_RK29_VMAC_EXT_CLK=y" in your .config (and if there is, remove "RK29_VMAC_PLL_CLK=y")
Note : this will only work with sources that integrate the trick, as far that I've seen, only https://github.com/linux-rockchip/rockchip-3.0

Moreover, I noticed that rtl8201F was not mentionned into the file /drivers/net/phy/realtek.c
Some people report that rtl8201F module was not necessary since some generic module did the work...
However, maybe it's better with some proper module (maybe not...) so I found some code here and I made a patch that fit the 3.0 source (see here).
After patching the /drivers/net/phy/realtek.c file, don't forget to add "CONFIG_REALTEK_PHY = y" to your config.

To resume, those options should be in your config :

CONFIG_NET_ETHERNET=y
CONFIG_RK29_VMAC=y
CONFIG_RK29_VMAC_EXT_CLK=y
CONFIG_REALTEK_PHY =y

Wifi (bluetooth?) :

I looked around to find the code of rtl8723as driver... We can easily find rtl8723au one ( it will be included onto 3.15 kernel ), but it's useless as it's for USB devices.
But... It looks like it was hidden not far from our eyes !
If we have a look into rtl8188eu Makefile in some sources (omegamoon or linux-rockchip) we can see that it include much more modules than only rtl8188eu !
Maybe it's possible to copy the rtl8188eu directory to 3.0 sources to integrate the rtl8723as driver in our kernel, or maybe we could just build the single module separatly.

Have to play a little bit with the above Makefile

Disable RTL8188E : CONFIG_RTL8188E = y -> CONFIG_RTL8188E = y 
Enable RTL8723A : CONFIG_RTL8723A = n -> CONFIG_RTL8723A = y
Disable RTL8723AU -> CONFIG_USB_HCI = n
Disable RTL8723AE -> CONFIG_PCI_HCI = n

Here is a part I don't know about... Maybe someone could help with DMSG (Is our wifi is SDIO or GSPI connected ?), or maybe just test one option then the other to see if it works

CONFIG_SDIO_HCI = y
or 
CONFIG_GSPI_HCI = y

I've read that this option would be compulsary if we want a working bluetooth :

CONFIG_BT_COEXIST = y

Reading the code, I would say not to enable any CONFIG_PLATFORM, it will rename the module to 8188eu and define some strange cross_compiler link...

Here are the flags used for 3188 platform, one have to test which one work but I don't think we need the -DCONFIG_PLATFORM_ANDROID :

EXTRA_CFLAGS += -DCONFIG_LITTLE_ENDIAN -DCONFIG_PLATFORM_ANDROID -DCONFIG_PLATFORM_ROCKCHIPS -DCONFIG_MINIMAL_MEMORY_USAGE
EXTRA_CFLAGS += -DRTW_SUPPORT_PLATFORM_SHUTDOWN
EXTRA_CFLAGS += -DRTW_USE_CFG80211_STA_EVENT

----------

That's it for my actual thoughts... I hope that someone will have time to test it, as I've no screen to get DMSG... I really need a config out of the box to run linux + network + ssh on my board !

If someone is interessed by a quick test, I can to setup my computer to try to build the wifi modules.

Best regards,

[aibohraz]

Apparently there is a way to make RK29_VMAC working (see here)
You just need to add "CONFIG_RK29_VMAC_EXT_CLK=y" in your .config (and if there is, remove "RK29_VMAC_PLL_CLK=y")
Note : this will only work with sources that integrate the trick, as far that I've seen, only https://github.com/linux-rockchip/rockchip-3.0

Yes, you're right.

Moreover, I noticed that rtl8201F was not mentionned into the file /drivers/net/phy/realtek.c
Some people report that rtl8201F module was not necessary since some generic module did the work...
However, maybe it's better with some proper module (maybe not...) so I found some code here and I made a patch that fit the 3.0 source (see here).
After patching the /drivers/net/phy/realtek.c file, don't forget to add "CONFIG_REALTEK_PHY = y" to your config.

... and it will not work. %) I did it too. Everything you need is allready in sources you mention above. There is no need to patch anything.

Wifi (bluetooth?) :

... I think you make it more complicated, than it really is. =/
Have you tried https://github.com/lwfinger/rtl8723au (wifi) and https://github.com/lwfinger/rtl8723au_bt (bt)?
Build it out of tree with the kernel https://github.com/linux-rockchip/rockchip-3.0
and CONFIG_RTL8723AS=y in .config of course.

[davy39]

Need help !

Hi Aibohraz,

Thanks for confirming that we can get linux with ethernet on our T-K42 boxes
Hopefully it gonna work on my board as well !

For wifi, for sure I'll try to build and test modules from lwfinger source as soon as I will be able to boot on linux with my board and connect to it with ssh (no screen and no plan to get one soon...). I though that rtl8723au and 8723as need different drivers... Have you succeed to make wifi working ?

I'm actually experiencing some difficulties to build a working kernel from 3.0 sources with a Picuntu based config file... Could you please share your config file or even directly a working kernel ?

Thanks for your help !

[aibohraz]

I own a k-r42 box (rtl8188eu wifi and no bt), and I have everything working well, except audio - it has noises in hdmi and tvout.
I tried and had no luck building https://github.com/linux-rockchip/rockchip-3.0 with CONFIG_RTL8723AS=y
Radxa rock https://github.com/linux-rockchip/ro...dxa-rock/linux branch is building fine. But you have to enable some other wireless module alongside with CONFIG_RTL8723AS=y , otherwise it won't build, I don't know why =\. (unlike rockchip-3.0, here kernel configuration allows multiple wireless selection) You may give it a try on your hardware.
Here is my config for k-r42 and rockchip-3.0 kernel http://www.sendspace.com/file/1znmk7

[enrique66_35]

Sorry to revive an old thread but felt I needed to give a final update.

I dug out my T-R42 which was pretty much unused for the last 6 months or so and decided to flash wassers kit-kat rom (http://www.freaktab.com/showthread.p...-Android-4-4-2) to see if it was better than the android I remembered.

IT REALLY IS! Disable wireless and ethernet comes up right away with no config necessary and works at full speed. His rom comes preloaded with XBMC but I've been streaming sports useing Acestream & Sopcast and both work excellently. If you're struggling with Linux on this box I'd highly recommend you revert to android now that a much better cleaner and generally "just works" rom is available for this troublesome box.

PS the reason the box was unused was even though the USB-LAN adapter got me a working internet connection, I couldn't get it to stream any video and occasionally after a few minutes of just general browsing the display would go sideways and become unusable - clearly this box was just not meant to run full Linux!

[bthoven]

Just to let you guy know. I can run ubuntu on T-R42 with Linuxian MK809III image on my 8GB class 10 microsd.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+IanMORRISON/posts/P6TNn3sisa2?cfem=1

I runs ok with following exception:
- ethernet works, but wifi don't
- for some unknown reason, it can see only 1GB ram