How To Get D-link DWA-131 Wireless-N Nano USB Adapter Work On CentOS 7?

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Getting a D-link DWA-131 Wireless-N Nano USB Adapter to work on CentOS 7 can be a challenging but rewarding endeavor. Many users, particularly those new to Linux or CentOS, may encounter difficulties with wireless adapters that are not natively supported by the operating system. This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to successfully install and configure your D-link DWA-131 Wireless-N Nano USB Adapter, specifically the Hardware Revision E1, on CentOS 7. We will cover everything from downloading the necessary drivers to compiling and installing them, and finally, configuring your network interface to connect to your Wi-Fi network. By following these steps, you will be able to unleash the full potential of your wireless adapter and enjoy seamless connectivity on your CentOS 7 system.

Understanding the Challenge

The primary reason why wireless adapters, like the D-link DWA-131, may not work out-of-the-box on CentOS 7 is due to the drivers. CentOS, like many Linux distributions, relies on kernel modules (drivers) to interact with hardware. If the driver for your specific wireless adapter isn't included in the kernel or available in the standard repositories, you'll need to manually install it. This often involves downloading the driver source code, compiling it for your kernel version, and then installing the resulting module. This process, while seemingly complex, is a common practice in the Linux world, allowing users to support a wide range of hardware. For the D-link DWA-131 Revision E1, the drivers are often available from D-link's support website or FTP servers, but they need to be compiled specifically for your system. This guide will walk you through each step, ensuring you can get your wireless adapter up and running.

Prerequisites

Before diving into the installation process, it’s essential to ensure your system meets certain prerequisites. This will help streamline the installation and prevent common errors. Here’s what you need to have in place:

  1. CentOS 7 Installation: You should have a working installation of CentOS 7. This guide assumes you have basic familiarity with the command line and administrative privileges (i.e., you can use sudo).
  2. Internet Connection (Temporary): You'll need a temporary internet connection to download necessary packages and drivers. If your wireless adapter isn't working yet, you might need to use a wired Ethernet connection or tether your phone via USB.
  3. Kernel Development Packages: These packages are essential for compiling drivers from source. They include the kernel headers and build tools necessary to create kernel modules.
  4. D-link DWA-131 Driver: Download the driver source code for the D-link DWA-131 Revision E1. As mentioned, this is often available on D-link's FTP server. Make sure you download the correct version for your hardware revision.
  5. Understanding of Basic Linux Commands: Familiarity with commands like cd, ls, tar, make, and sudo is crucial. If you are new to Linux, taking some time to learn these basics will be beneficial.

Installing Kernel Development Packages

The kernel development packages are a crucial component for compiling drivers on CentOS 7. These packages provide the necessary headers and tools that allow you to build modules that interface with the kernel. Without these, you won't be able to compile the D-link DWA-131 driver. To install these packages, you will use the yum package manager, which is the standard package management tool on CentOS. Open your terminal and execute the following command:

sudo yum install kernel-devel kernel-headers gcc make

This command does the following:

  • sudo: Executes the command with superuser privileges, which are required to install software.
  • yum: Invokes the Yellowdog Updater, Modified (yum) package manager.
  • install: Tells yum to install the specified packages.
  • kernel-devel: Installs the kernel development package, which includes headers and other files needed to build kernel modules.
  • kernel-headers: Installs the kernel headers, which are C header files that define the kernel's interfaces.
  • gcc: Installs the GNU Compiler Collection, which includes the C compiler (gcc) needed to compile the driver source code.
  • make: Installs the make utility, a build automation tool that reads a Makefile and compiles the source code accordingly.

After running this command, yum will prompt you for your password. Enter your password, and yum will proceed to download and install the necessary packages. Once the installation is complete, you'll have the essential tools needed to compile the D-link DWA-131 driver.

Downloading the D-link DWA-131 Driver

Obtaining the correct driver for your D-link DWA-131 Wireless-N Nano USB Adapter is a critical step. The drivers are typically available on D-link's support website or via their FTP servers. For the Hardware Revision E1, you can often find the drivers in a compressed archive, such as a .tar.gz file. Here’s how you can download the driver:

  1. Identify the Correct Driver: Navigate to D-link's support website or FTP server. Look for the drivers specifically for the DWA-131 Revision E1. Ensure that the driver version is compatible with your CentOS 7 kernel.

  2. Download the Driver: You can use a web browser to download the driver, or if you're comfortable with the command line, you can use wget. For example, if the driver is located at ftp://files.dlink.com.au/products/DWA-131/REV_E/Drivers/DWA-131_driver.tar.gz, you can use the following command:

    wget ftp://files.dlink.com.au/products/DWA-131/REV_E/Drivers/DWA-131_driver.tar.gz

    This command will download the DWA-131_driver.tar.gz file to your current directory.

  3. Verify the Download: After downloading the driver, it's a good practice to verify the integrity of the downloaded file. You can do this by checking the checksum (e.g., MD5 or SHA256) provided by D-link. If the checksum matches, you can be confident that the file was downloaded correctly.

Once you have the driver downloaded, you can proceed to the next step, which involves extracting the driver source code and preparing it for compilation. Make sure to keep the downloaded file in a convenient location, such as your home directory or a dedicated directory for drivers.

Compiling and Installing the Driver

With the kernel development packages installed and the D-link DWA-131 driver downloaded, the next step is to compile and install the driver. This process involves extracting the driver source code, navigating to the source directory, and using the make utility to build the driver module. Here’s a detailed walkthrough:

  1. Extract the Driver Source Code: Use the tar command to extract the contents of the driver archive. Assuming you downloaded the driver to your home directory, you can use the following command:

    tar -xzvf DWA-131_driver.tar.gz

    This command does the following:

    • tar: Invokes the tar archiving utility.
    • -x: Specifies the extract operation.
    • -z: Specifies that the archive is compressed with gzip.
    • -v: Enables verbose mode, which displays the files being extracted.
    • -f: Specifies the archive file name.

    After running this command, a new directory will be created containing the driver source code. The directory name will typically be similar to the driver version or the adapter model.

  2. Navigate to the Driver Source Directory: Use the cd command to change your current directory to the driver source directory. For example:

    cd DWA-131_driver

    You may need to adjust the directory name based on the actual name of the extracted directory.

  3. Compile the Driver: Inside the driver source directory, you'll typically find a Makefile. This file contains instructions for the make utility on how to compile the driver. Use the following command to compile the driver:

    make

    This command will read the Makefile and compile the driver source code. If there are any errors during compilation, you'll see error messages in the output. Make sure to address any errors before proceeding. Common errors include missing dependencies or incorrect kernel headers.

  4. Install the Driver: After successfully compiling the driver, you need to install it. This involves copying the compiled module to the appropriate directory in the kernel module tree and updating the module dependencies. Use the following command to install the driver:

    sudo make install

    The sudo command ensures that the installation is performed with superuser privileges. The make install command will typically copy the compiled module (.ko file) to a directory like /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/ and update the module dependencies.

  5. Update Module Dependencies: After installing the driver, it's essential to update the module dependencies. This ensures that the kernel knows about the newly installed module and can load it correctly. Use the following command to update the module dependencies:

    sudo depmod

    This command scans the kernel modules and updates the module dependency database.

  6. Load the Driver Module: Finally, you need to load the driver module into the kernel. You can do this using the modprobe command. Use the following command, replacing <module_name> with the actual name of the driver module (e.g., 8192cu):

    sudo modprobe <module_name>

    If the module loads successfully, you won't see any output. If there are errors, you'll see error messages indicating why the module couldn't be loaded.

After completing these steps, the D-link DWA-131 driver should be installed and loaded into the kernel. You can now proceed to configure your network interface to connect to your Wi-Fi network.

Configuring the Network Interface

Once the D-link DWA-131 driver is successfully installed and loaded, the next crucial step is to configure your network interface. This involves bringing up the wireless interface, scanning for available Wi-Fi networks, and connecting to your desired network. CentOS 7 uses NetworkManager as its default network management tool, which provides a convenient way to configure network interfaces. Here’s how you can configure your wireless interface:

  1. Identify the Wireless Interface: First, you need to identify the name of your wireless interface. You can use the ip command to list all network interfaces. Open your terminal and execute the following command:

    ip link

    This command will display a list of network interfaces. Look for an interface that is labeled as