Messages

1

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / Enabling Existing Drivers

« on: July 27, 2010, 12:05:27 am »

IIRC the Netwalker uses wicd as network manager. You probably have to change its configuration as it normally looks for eth0, the internal WiFi. You have to change that to ra0 instead, options defining which interface to use as wired/wireless are in its settings.

Ok, I disabled NetworkManager and installed wicd

it does create ra0 (ifconfig) and I do see it transmitting, but I do not RX anything or see any networks.

I did rebuild the driver to use ralink legacy mode.

I may need to rebuild switching one more option...

anyone use ralink legacy mode? (likely not, most use built-in wifi )

tom
------------------
Ok I had the wrong driver 2870 vs 3070 I also had to switch to WICD - Thanks for the tip!

2

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / Enabling Existing Drivers

« on: July 26, 2010, 03:29:47 pm »

IIRC the Netwalker uses wicd as network manager.

Odd my system says NetworkManager Applet 0.7.0.100 and a link to NetworkManager

3

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / Enabling Existing Drivers

« on: July 26, 2010, 01:38:13 pm »

IIRC the Netwalker uses wicd as network manager. You probably have to change its configuration as it normally looks for eth0, the internal WiFi. You have to change that to ra0 instead, options defining which interface to use as wired/wireless are in its settings.

Since I did compile the driver from scratch, maybe I should change RA0 to ETH0 !

I never did find out if it was possible to use the /lib/firmware/rt2870.bin file that Sharp installed on the system.

I'll report back how it goes...

I am trying this because I saw eth0 in a lot of config files (dhcp, samba etc) and I figure why not fix the problem at the source?

tom

4

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / Enabling Existing Drivers

« on: July 26, 2010, 07:48:23 am »

Cross posted to Ubuntu Forums

Is it possible I have enough on the system to complete the generation of the needed file to enable this device?

Well I took the driver from the chipset manufacturer and compiled it.
The Netwalker not surprisingly has gcc and full linux headers installed on it.

I have gotten the device to install and after discovering that the USB ID of my device was missing from the source
(added USB_DEVICE() to a table)

it is now seen and comes up as ethernet device ra0

the network manager does not see it, so I may need to configure it by hand.
Which would really stink when I change access points.

tom

5

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / Enabling Existing Drivers

« on: July 24, 2010, 10:09:50 pm »

Cross posted to Ubuntu Forums

I have a i.MX51 (arm) based system. Sharp PC-Z1 and I am
trying to get a USB Dongle WIFI working.
(The internal one died)

The usb stick is a RT2870 device and the system does have
/lib/firmware/rt2870.bin

It also has /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-15-araneo/drivers/staging/rt2870

Makefile and Kconfig

but that is all. no rt2870sta.ko etc

Is it possible I have enough on the system to complete the generation of the needed file to enable this device?

It's Ubuntu 9.04

tom

6

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / .jar And Mplayer Problem About Netwalker,give Me Your Hand.

« on: July 23, 2010, 07:36:35 pm »

See here Tips and Tricks

sudo apt-gt install default.jre

tom

7

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / Mini-usb As Lan Connection

« on: July 19, 2010, 08:00:56 am »

The Netwalker's mini USB port is a standard host port, used to connect any USB device with the right connector (or an adaptor).

You can try to establish a USB TCP/IP connection using either port, but I don't think the Netwalker will do this automatically.

I did "try" but since it (obviously) does not occur automatically, it did not work.

I was hoping for some suggestions on some less obvious steps in the "try" step.

I don't mean to sound harsh, but I was looking for something more than "Yea that might work"

Maybe I just needed more days in my weekend

tom

8

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / Mini-usb As Lan Connection

« on: July 17, 2010, 10:27:24 pm »

Can the mini-USB port be used as a networking port?

Maybe it is a more basic question of making my PC's USB port act like a Ethernet Device (Network Device)

I already can use my cell phone as an Internet connection on the full size USB, I'd like to be able to use the same cable (USB - mini-USB) to my PC to do the same thing.

Tom

9

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / Replace Netwalker Lcd Or Battery (pc-z1)

« on: July 17, 2010, 09:34:32 am »

Well I have learned more and may have killed my WiFi

After I removed the Y Screws I was able to unsnap the lid cover.
BTW those Y Screws also screw into the LCD Unit



I'd feel a lot better if this was my SECOND unit and not my only one

tom

10

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / Replace Netwalker Lcd Or Battery (pc-z1)

« on: July 17, 2010, 09:07:49 am »

That is very interesting!

The instructions only talks about replacing the lcd. Then how about the battery? Is it truly replaceable, like changing the cells inside the battery? If so then there is a possibility to throw in a biggest possible cell and make the Z1 king of the hill!

Yes it is Replaceable, there are to cables coming off of it (1 - 2 wires and the other maybe 4 wires)
There is a connector on each one that gets pressed on the surface of the board. No picture, sorry.

As far as if the individual cells can be replaced, that is a task for someone with a DEAD Battery!
(or a spare)

I would not suggest changing the voltage of the battery, since there is other sensing circuits (extra cable)

tom

11

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / Support Options?

« on: July 16, 2010, 11:26:05 am »

Yep great store

Yes and he was very helpful, but I am venturing into new territory.

I may be opening it up in a few minutes...

Assuming the Y-screwdriver I got fits...

tom

12

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / Support Options?

« on: July 16, 2010, 07:18:51 am »

Well I only know one in Germany

I may have spoken to them... who?

13

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / Keyboard Assembly Details

« on: July 16, 2010, 07:18:00 am »

Where I am interested is how to replace the harddrive.

There is no Hard Drive per se. The storage is comprised of 2 NAND FLash chips (like a Pen Drive).

See here NetWalker Internals

There is a third location for a NAND FLash, so you may be able to add more and/or replace the existing chips.

I would not try that until I was able to build ubuntu from scratch for it, so the flash drivers could be reconfigured.

I did see one thread someplace where someone used the 16GB SDHC card slot to mount the /home partition
and by doing this all the really active writing occurred on the removable memory because once the on board NAND Flash
starts to get failures it will need to be replaced.

tom

14

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / Support Options?

« on: July 15, 2010, 05:13:56 pm »

Well so far the options seem to involve sending it to someone I know in Japan.

15

Sharp PC-Z1 NetWalker / Keyboard Assembly Details

« on: July 10, 2010, 06:47:55 pm »

Once you have the NetWalker open (like in my other post to change battery / LCD) here are some pictures of the Keyboard.

If you remove the keyboard

[img]http://moulton.us/NetWalker/PC-Z1-RemoveKeyboard.jpg\" border=\"0\" class=\"linked-image\" /]

There are four springs that keep it floating

[img]http://moulton.us/NetWalker/PC-Z1-KeyboardSpringLocations.jpg\" border=\"0\" class=\"linked-image\" /]

They will likely all pop out, I was lucky one stayed in.
They are tapered and the narrow end goes down.

[img]http://moulton.us/NetWalker/PC-Z1-KeyboardSpring.jpg\" border=\"0\" class=\"linked-image\" /]

Like so

[img]http://moulton.us/NetWalker/PC-Z1-KeyboardSpringInserted.jpg\" border=\"0\" class=\"linked-image\" /]

The battery cover also hold down the top edge of the keyboard, so it is very likely it will come off while you are handling it.

So best to remove it and save the springs so they do not get lost!

Put the keyboard back on and then put the battery cover on right away.

The Screw plugs come in two sizes. The 2 bigger ones have a "3" in them

[img]http://moulton.us/NetWalker/PC-Z1-ScrewPlugs.jpg\" border=\"0\" class=\"linked-image\" /]

More as I learn...

Tom