Hardkernel Wifi Module 5B not working (Odroid-N2+)

[Portisch]

Please anyone make a dmesg | paste with this adapter with CoreELEC 19.2_rc3.

@bluecheese

Sorry I am not sure what you mean?

Your log link shows funhouse_2026.6 (9.2), not CE-19.
The log link is case sensitive, so maybe you had a typo.

[ninodee]

I’m looking to get the same setup of odroid N2+ and the wifi module 5b. I’ll do a fresh install with the latest stable build. Is this a known issue with the current build? Will it likely be fixed in the near future?

[ryllz]

Hi Portisch,

Thanks for your help - I’m still fairly new to this so hopefully the below log is what you’re expecting and helps:

dmesg 19_09_21 - Pastebin.com

EDIT: To clarify, I’ve applied the usb-modeswitch fix which works great, but still have the same boot delay + no bluetooth as the previous poster.

[ninodee]

Sorry, new to this all…from what I can see the module 5b is not fully supported and needs some tweaking to work which causes a boot delay and the bluetooth doesn’t work. I am yet to buy the Odroid N2+ and wifi module 5b but will do so soon.

I’ll be shipping from Australia so wanted to make the right choice and buy it all together to save on shipping. I need wifi but not bluetooth. I like the look of the module 5b as it is quite cheap and seems fast enough but worried about the issues mentioned above.

Having not bought one yet would you recommend that I avoid it and buy another wifi adaptor? If so what is a cheap wifi adaptor that is 100% confirmed to work with Odroid N2+?

Thanks for the help

[Portisch]

Dear all with this adapter: please try again with CE-19 nightly!

There is a fix included:
Implemented RTL8821A revision C Bluetooth device

Bluetooth: btrtl: Add RTL8821C Bluetooth device

The log shows clear the last nightly wasn’t used and it can not work:

[   83.563106@5] usbcore: registered new interface driver btusb
[   83.574527@3] Bluetooth: hci0: rtl: examining hci_ver=08 hci_rev=000c lmp_ver=08 lmp_subver=8821
[   83.574533@3] Bluetooth: hci0: rtl: loading rtl_bt/rtl8821a_config.bin
[   83.574656@3] bluetooth hci0: Direct firmware load for rtl_bt/rtl8821a_config.bin failed with error -2
[   83.574659@3] Bluetooth: hci0: Failed to load rtl_bt/rtl8821a_config.bin
[   83.574661@3] Bluetooth: hci0: rtl: loading rtl_bt/rtl8821a_fw.bin
[   83.657409@3] Bluetooth: hci0: rom_version status=0 version=1
[   83.657427@3] Bluetooth: cfg_sz 0, total size 17428
[   84.048680@1] usbcore: registered new interface driver rtl8821cu

So again for the users:
Before report issues, try fresh/clean install. Try last nightly if it is already fixed. If still not working please post logs:

How to post debug logs

Please follow new CoreELEC Wiki https://wiki.coreelec.org/coreelec:debuglogs Before posting a error Did you try a clean install? How the error can be reproduced? If your issue is not solved by a clean install: Please follow this guide to retrieve a debug log of the system: Enable debug logging in Kodi settings. Reboot your device, reproduce your issue and then follow the steps below. Settings CoreELEC System Upload latest ... [Post_log] You will get a http://ix.io URL with your debug…

[ninodee]

Thanks! Just wondering, would there be an expected timeframe for this fix to be included in the stable build? Just that I am ordering a N2+ for myself and another person so didn’t want to install a nightly for them.

[Portisch]

Then you need to wait before you can use the hardware.
The release is waiting for TK what do have 3 months overdue:

Matrix 19.2 Milestone · xbmc/xbmc

[e2zippo]

Anyone using WiFi Module 5B – ODROID on their N2+? It is working well?

[Portisch]

Please use forum search function:

Hardkernel Wifi Module 5B not working (Odroid-N2+)

Dear all with this adapter: please try again with CE-19 nightly! There is a fix included: Implemented RTL8821A revision C Bluetooth device The log shows clear the last nightly wasn’t used and it can not work: [ 83.563106@5] usbcore: registered new interface driver btusb [ 83.574527@3] Bluetooth: hci0: rtl: examining hci_ver=08 hci_rev=000c lmp_ver=08 lmp_subver=8821 [ 83.574533@3] Bluetooth: hci0: rtl: loading rtl_bt/rtl8821a_config.bin [ 83.574656@3] bluetooth hci0: Direct firmware…

[e2zippo]

I did, I guess I didn’t do a good job with the search though. Thanks!

Edit: So I just received my Odroid N2+ with the 5B adapter and I can’t seem to get it working, I can’t see any wireless settings in CE.

I’m running the latest nightly from 20211005 and I did a clean install.
Do I need to do something to get it working?

Here’s a log.

http://ix.io/3AWd

[vpeter]

Did you use usb_modeswitch program to put device from usb storage mode to wifi adapter mode?

[e2zippo]

Not sure what that means, so no

How do I do that?

Edit: Never mind, I solved it, it’s working now.
Added the autostart.sh script above and installed system tools.

[Portisch]

What @vpeter mean is your answer is found by using the search function:

Working USB Wifi/Ethernet adapters for CoreELEC

Hi I bought a few of these thinking they were the same as the ones I had previously bought. They are Cheep about US$4 These did not work automatically when I plugged them in. After a little investigation I found they detect as a 16M usb drive and you need usb_modeswitch to get them to switch to being a wifi adapter. To make them work install Addons > System Tools This adds the usb_modeswitch command to coreelec. Then add the following to the autostart.sh in the config directory #!/bin/sh …

Your log shows:
New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=1a2b

[Norse3]

Hello, I have simillar issue with wifi ( dont care about bluetooth) and fix it by autostart.sh.

But, I use coreelec 19.3, so my first question is why this improvement wasnt added to this release?

And second issue, which I have, is, that when I shutdown tv and power on it back, after that there is again no wifi. After restart everyrhing is ok, but it is very unpleasant behaviour, restart take few minutes:(

Thanks for the answer

[wlk]

Hi,

Also using CE 19.3 with an ODROID USB wifi module 5B (RTL8821CU).
WIFI and bluetooth are fine after using usb_modeswitch in autostart.sh, however, it still has two issues:

• longer boot (90-120 seconds), compared to <30 seconds when module is unplugged.
• suspend/resume breaks the wifi (tried to play with sleep.d script to raise the dongle, but without much success).

Is it technically possible to have this dongle natively supported (without requiring usb_modeswitch) ?
If yes, how likely it will happen, and any tip how I could help/contribute ?

Thanks.

[vpeter]

@wlk

Is it technically possible to have this dongle natively supported (without requiring usb_modeswitch) ?

I doubt that because it just works as storage device by default. And needs to be put in wifi mode with usb_modeswitch.

Why the operation takes so long is beyond my knowledge (I never tested such stick). I just guess it should proceed much faster.

[wlk]

It seems the “Looking for active drivers” step is the one consuming all the wait, and it is not consistent between multiple attempts.
Not sure if I can manage to skip it somehow…

Access device 003 on bus 001
Get the current device configuration ...
Current configuration number is 1
Use interface number 0
 with class 8
Use endpoints 0x0b (out) and 0x8a (in)

USB description data (for identification)
-------------------------
Manufacturer: Realtek
     Product: DISK
  Serial No.: not provided
-------------------------
Sending standard EJECT sequence
Looking for active drivers ...  <======= This step can wait up to 60 seconds
 OK, driver detached
Set up interface 0
Use endpoint 0x0b for message sending ...
Trying to send message 1 to endpoint 0x0b ...
 Sending the message returned error -7. Try to continue
Read the response to message 1 (CSW) ...
 Response successfully read (13 bytes), status 0
Trying to send message 2 to endpoint 0x0b ...
 OK, message successfully sent
Read the response to message 2 (CSW) ...
 Response successfully read (13 bytes), status 1
Trying to send message 3 to endpoint 0x0b ...
 OK, message successfully sent
Read the response to message 3 (CSW) ...
 Response successfully read (13 bytes), status 0
Trying to send message 4 to endpoint 0x0b ...
 Sending the message returned error -1. Try to continue
Read the response to message 4 (CSW) ...
 Response reading failed (error -1)
 Device is gone, skip any further commands
-> Run lsusb to note any changes. Bye!

[vpeter]

Can you do me one test if possible? But you would need cable connection.

Boot with ethernet cable and without wifi adapter. Run command

lsmod | paste

Then attach adapter and do command

lsusb -vv | paste
lsmod | paste
dmesg | paste

then run usb_modeswitch command to put adapter in wifi mode. And again run

lsusb -vv | paste
lsmod | paste
dmesg | paste

And post all the links you get.

[wlk]

1/ without adapter
lsmod
2/ attached adapter
lsusb -vv
lsmod
dmesg
3/ after usb_modeswitch
lsusb -vv
lsmod
dmesg

[wlk]

This seems to work:

CoreELEC:~/.config/udev.rules.d # cat 90-rtl8188gu_cdrom_mode.rules
SUBSYSTEM==“usb”, ACTION==“add”, ATTR{idVendor}==“0bda”, ATTR{idProduct}==“1a2b”, RUN+=“/storage/.kodi/addons/virtual.system-tools/bin/usb_modeswitch -KW -v 0bda -p 1a2b”

for some reason if the modeswitch is run asap when plugged, it seems to be faster.