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Railink R2071 Wireless USB Dongle

thomastt37

Tue Jan 31, 2012 10:52:31 am

Hi I have just installed Zorin to dual boot with Ubuntu 12.04,which it does ok.One problem I have with zorin o/s is that although I can connect to the Web through a wired connection,I cannot connect wirelessly as when I enter my password for the WEP key I am getting the symbol of the moon rotating round the earth? at the bottom of the desktop for around a minute then wireless disconnected?.I am not a novice and have not had this problem with Ubuntu/Kubuntu 11.04 Linux Mint Fedora 16 etc.I am using WEP security..All Users Box ticked etc New Connection set up? Is there something special I shoul be doing with this o/s? as I can connect ok when booting Ubuntu 12.04!connects instantly. michael

Wolfman

Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:52:02 pm

Hi Michael,

make sure that you have a tick in the box "Connect Automatically"and "All Users", I cannot work out whether you said that you had or not!!.

Do you have wireless enabled??, right click on the network icon and see!!.

Are you booting with the dongle already inserted?, you should so it can intergrate with the system!!.

Regards Wolfman :D

madvinegar

Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:14:18 pm

Long shot but try this.

In the menu that appears when you enter your password, the box just below refers to security.
I think there are two types of Wep Security (40/128 and 128). Try both of them to see if the password will be accepted.
This can also be altered at "edit connections" of the wireless network (last tab).

Also, please ensure in the "edit connections" of your network that the Ip4v settings are set to automatic.

thomastt37

Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:34:30 pm

wolfman..thanks for your reply.I did actually say the all users box is ticked,and wireless is definately enabled but is showing as disconnected.The RalinkR2071 dongle is inserted of course and works perfectly with the same settings/password when I select Ubuntu 12.04 to boot instead of Zorin!!!!!!!!!!! Michael

thomastt37

Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:42:23 pm

madvinegar..Wap security for this dongle is set up for 40/128 and works perfectly when I choose to boot into Ubuntu 12.04 with the same settings I am using for zorin.In fact I haven't had any problems with any other Linux based o/s connecting to the web.I haven't had to load any drivers as the o/s has always automatically detected the Ralink Dongles.I have 6 pcs running various flavours of Linux and Windows 7 and its only Zorin that won't connect Wirelessly..HeyHo!! Michael

Wolfman

Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:47:21 pm

Michael,

as MV said, I would give both WEP settings a go, I used to use WEP and always stuck with 128!!.

Regards Wolfman :D

madvinegar

Tue Jan 31, 2012 4:22:44 pm

thomastt37 wrote:madvinegar..Wap security for this dongle is set up for 40/128 and works perfectly when I choose to boot into Ubuntu 12.04 with the same settings I am using for zorin.In fact I haven't had any problems with any other Linux based o/s connecting to the web.I haven't had to load any drivers as the o/s has always automatically detected the Ralink Dongles.I have 6 pcs running various flavours of Linux and Windows 7 and its only Zorin that won't connect Wirelessly..HeyHo!! Michael




The fact the the dongle works in ubuntu 12.04 probably means that the specific drivers required for the dongle to work are pre-installed in ubuntu. Probably, the specific drivers are pre-installed in Gnome 3, while zorin still uses Gnome 2. (Gnome 3 will be used for Zorin6 probably).

I suppose that you have done all necessary upgrades in zorin (upgrade all the packages in synaptics package manager) so as they are all up to date? The last kernel in zorin is 2.6.38-13, so please ensure that you are coping with that.

On the other hand, I have installed zorin in 6 or more pcs/laptops and I had no issues with the wifi (in two of them I have wifi access through a dongle and a pcmci card). In order to get these two laptops to connect to the wifi I had to follow the following proccess.

I had to find the XP drivers of the dongle and copy them (the whole set) somewhere in my laptop (i.e. in downloads). One file of these drivers ends in .inf (I suppose that a CD of drivers is accompaning your wifi dongle so it would not be hard to trace the XP drivers).
Then go to system->administration->windows wireless drivers, browse and select this specific .inf file and apply it.

Give that a try an let us know.

Wolfman

Wed Feb 01, 2012 8:19:37 am

Another point re: WEP, make sure you have put in the WEP password correctly, it is very easy to miss-type the password, double check the input!!.

Regards Wolfman :D

thomastt37

Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:00:17 am

Thanks to Wolfman and Madvinegar for the help.I tried logging in to WEP with 128 but didn't work so finally I switched dongles to a Zyxel dongle and this was installed immediately,so I now have a strong wireless connection,which works for Ubuntu 12.04 as well..Michael

madvinegar

Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:49:55 am

I suspect that for sure there was a way to get the Railink dongle working however, since you found an alternative to do your job, all is well! :D