1. Wireless Networking: wmaster0_rename problem


Card

Network controller: RaLink RT2561/RT61 802.11g PCI
Subsystem: SiteCom Europe BV Unknown device 90ab
Flags: bus master, slow devsel, latency 64, IRQ 22
Memory at febf8000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=32K]
Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2
Kernel driver in use: rt61pci
Kernel modules: rt61pci

Problem: wmaster0_rename

This problem seems to be caused by kernel which recognizes the 'wmaster' device as an independent device next to 'wlan'. Both have the same MAC address. As 'wlan0' is found first, the udev infrastructure will try to rename 'wmaster' during boottime, causing an unnecessary delay. After bootup an 'ifconfig' will show the following:

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:0c:f6:25:ac:0e
inet addr:192.168.1.103  Bcast:192.168.1.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
RX packets:1398 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:1976 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:556354 (543.3 KiB)  TX bytes:322993 (315.4 KiB)

wmaster0_rename  Link encap:UNSPEC  HWaddr 00-0C-F6-25-AC-0E-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

Solution: udev ignores wmaster

Add the following line to the early udev rules in /etc/udev/rules.d:

#Do nothing with wmaster virtual devices
SUBSYSTEM=="net", KERNEL=="wmaster*", OPTIONS+="ignore_device"
Now the 'wmaster' device will show up as a normal 'wmaster0'.



2. Sound: microphone of soundcard not working


Card

Audio device: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 Azalia
Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Unknown device 82bb
Flags: bus master, slow devsel, latency 64, IRQ 16
Memory at f9ff4000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel

Problem: capturing microphone input extremely soft

Microphone seems to work but sound is extremely soft. Modules loaded:

# lsmod |grep snd
snd_seq_oss            17820  0 
snd_seq_midi_event      3328  1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                26684  4 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_pcm_oss            24576  0 
snd_mixer_oss           9216  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_usb_audio          43008  0 
snd_usb_lib             8320  1 snd_usb_audio
snd_rawmidi            10624  1 snd_usb_lib
snd_seq_device          3468  3 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_rawmidi
snd_hwdep               3716  1 snd_usb_audio
snd_hda_intel         237464  5 
snd_pcm                34692  4 snd_pcm_oss,snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_intel
snd_timer              11144  3 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd                    25016  19 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_usb_audio,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore               3016  1 snd
snd_page_alloc          4488  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm

Solution:

  • Start 'alsamixer' with all devices enabled: alsamixer -V all
  • Then make sure that both 'capture' sliders are at around 75.
  • Check where your mic is plugged in: the front mic or at the back. Adjust the corresponding mic boost slider to maximum.
  • Also adjust the 'mic' slider to around 75.
  • Exit 'alsamixer' and store your settings with 'alsactl store'.


  • 3. Wine in fullscreen still shows XFCE panel


    When your Wine application runs, press ALT+F11 two times to get rid of the panel.



    4. Configuring BlueTooth for A2DP (tested with Bluez 3.26 and higher)


    1. Connect BlueTooth dongle in USB slot
    2. Make sure the kernelmodule 'bluetooth' is loaded
    3. Make sure the Bluez packages are available on the system (bluez.sourceforge.net)
    4. Setup HCI daemon configuration file '/etc/bluetooth/hcid.conf' and fill in the passkey for the headset:
    5. #
      # HCI daemon configuration file.
      #
      
      # HCId options
      options {
      	# Automatically initialize new devices
      	autoinit yes;
      
      	# Security Manager mode
      	#   none - Security manager disabled
      	#   auto - Use local PIN for incoming connections
      	#   user - Always ask user for a PIN
      	#
      	security auto;
      
      	# Pairing mode
      	#   none  - Pairing disabled
      	#   multi - Allow pairing with already paired devices
      	#   once  - Pair once and deny successive attempts
      	pairing multi;
      
      	# PIN code for the headset
      	passkey "0000";
      }
      
      # Default settings for HCI devices
      device {
      	# Local device name
      	#   %d - device id
      	#   %h - host name
      	name "MyHost";
      
      	# Local device class
      	class 0x000100;
      
      	# Default packet type
      	#pkt_type DH1,DM1,HV1;
      
      	# Inquiry and Page scan
      	iscan enable; pscan enable;
      
      	# Default link mode
      	#   none   - no specific policy 
      	#   accept - always accept incoming connections
      	#   master - become master on incoming connections,
      	#            deny role switch on outgoing connections
      	lm accept;
      
      	# Default link policy
      	#   none    - no specific policy
      	#   rswitch - allow role switch
      	#   hold    - allow hold mode
      	#   sniff   - allow sniff mode
      	#   park    - allow park mode
      	lp rswitch,hold,sniff,park;
      }
      
    6. Setup the BlueTooth audio configuration file '/etc/bluetooth/audio.service':
    7. [Bluetooth Service]
      Identifier=audio
      Name=Audio service
      Description=Bluetooth Audio service
      Autostart=true
      
    8. Setup the BlueTooth audio configuration file '/etc/bluetooth/audio.conf':
    9. # Configuration file for the audio service
      
      # This section contains options which are not specific to any
      # particular interface
      [General]
      
      # If we want to disable support for specific services
      # Defaults to supporting all implemented services
      #Disable=Control,Source
      
      # SCO routing. Either PCM or HCI (in which case audio is routed to/from ALSA)
      # Defaults to HCI
      #SCORouting=PCM
      
      # Headset interface specific options (i.e. options which affect how the audio
      # service interacts with remote headset devices)
      [Headset]
      
      # Set to true to only support HSP
      # Defaults to false
      DisableHFP=true
      
      # HFP Gateway features
      # Defaults to false
      3WayCalling=false
      EchoCancelNoiseCancel=false
      VoiceRecognition=false
      InBandRingtone=false
      VoiceTags=false
      RejectingCalls=false
      EnhancedCallStatus=false
      EnhancedCallControl=false
      ExtendedErrorResultCodes=false
      
      # Just an example of potential config options for the other interfaces
      #[A2DP]
      #SBCSources=1
      #MPEG12Sources=0
      
    10. Start the HCI daemon, use internal SDP browser: hcid -s
    11. Setup an ALSA configuration file '.asoundrc' in homedir, and fill in the BTMAC for the headset:
    12. pcm.bluetooth {
          type bluetooth
          device "00:11:22:33:44:55"
          profile "auto"
      }
      
    13. Start the 'add-passkey' program to allow pairing with the headset: add-passkey --default
      This program also may be called 'passkey-agent' or something like that.
    14. Pair the PC with the headset: hcitool cc MAC-OF-HEADSET
    15. Start Audacious or MPlayer, set the output plugin to ALSA, and put the output plugin configuration's default device to 'bluetooth'.