Linux – Can Linux support a “Ralink corp. RT2800 802.11n PCI” (maybe a RT2860STA?) in an Asus EEE 901 netbook

OK, I know that this isn't going to be straightforward, but I'd really like to get it working.

About 18-24 months ago, my Asus EEE 901 netbook was working fine – running Ubuntu – and I let it 'upgrade' as the update manager suggested. The wi-fi subsequently failed – and, while busy with other things, fiddled and 'hosed' the OS install. The netbook stayed in a cupboard until this weekend… when I overwrote the drives using /dev/zero – then installed a completely fresh copy of Linux Mint 12.

On the fresh install, I'm still having problems with the Wi-Fi, though everything else is fine.

With the default Linux Mint install, the first indication of a problem comes from this entry in /var/log/syslog

... [5.048933] rt2800pci 0000:01:00.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 19 (level, low) -> IRQ 19
... [5.048980] rt2800pci 0000:01:00.0: setting latency timer to 64
... [5.062119] phy0 -> rt2800_init_eeprom: Error - Invalid RF chipset detected.
... [5.062134] phy0 -> rt2x00lib_probe_dev: Error failed to allocate device
... [...     ] rt2800pci 0000:01:00.0: PCI INT A disabled

Following some advice found online, I blacklisted rt2800pci by entering the following into /etc/modprobe.d/rt2800.conf

blacklist rt2800pci
blacklist rt2800lib

This left me with a working install – but no wi-fi support. I then set out to identify the correct driver. The relevant output from lshw is:

*-network UNCLAIMED
    description: Network controller
    product: RT2800 802.11n PCI
    vendor: Ralink corp
    physical id: 0
    bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
    version: 00
    width: 32 bits
    clock: 33MHz
    capabilities: bus_master cap_list
    configuration: latency=0
    resources: memory:fbef0000-febfffff

If I then use lspci to investigate further with "lspci -vs 01:00.0"

01:00.0 Network controller: Ralink corp. RT2800 802.11n PCI
        Subsystem: Ralink corp. Device 2860
        Physical Slot: eeepc-wifi
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 11
        Memory at febef0000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
        Kernel modules: rt2800pci

A little more searching online suggested that, rather than use the rt2800pci driver for a 2860 device, I needed to use the rt2860sta driver. I don't have one of those installed with the generic kernel.

I visited http://www.ralinktech.com/en/04_support/support.php?sn=501 – and downloaded "RT2860PCI/mPCI/CB/PCIe(RT2760/RT2790/RT2860/RT2890)" – and followed the instructions in README_STA.

When I used insmod to install the new driver, I got an ra0 device reported… and network-manager identified that the netbook had a wireless capability. Unfortunately, that's where things fell apart. None of the local infrastructure-mode access points were found by the network-manager… and when I tried to connect to one by explicitly giving its name… no connection was able to be established – and ifconfig gave some worrying output… The Mac address looked bogus 00:00:ff:ff:ff:ff – and thousands of 'overruns'.

So… The question: Does Linux still support the Ralink driver in my Asus EEE 901? If so, which is the correct driver to use – and how do I configure that driver?

Requests

Output of "lspci -n" (I've no idea what might be useful in this…)

00:00.0 0600: 8086:27ac (rev 03)
00:02.0 0300: 8086:27ae (rev 03)
00:02.1 0380: 8086:27a6 (rev 03)
00:1b.0 0403: 8086:27d8 (rev 02)
00:1c.0 0604: 8086:27d0 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 0604: 8086:27d2 (rev 02)
00:1c.2 0604: 8086:27d4 (rev 02)
00:1c.3 0604: 8086:27d6 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 0c03: 8086:27c8 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 0c03: 8086:27c9 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 0c03: 8086:27ca (rev 02)
00:1d.3 0c03: 8086:27cb (rev 02)
00:1d.7 0c03: 8086:27cc (rev 02)
00:1e.0 0604: 8086:2448 (rev e2)
00:1f.0 0601: 8086:27b9 (rev 02)
00:1f.2 0101: 8086:27c4 (rev 02)
00:1f.3 0c05: 8086:27da (rev 02)
01:00.0 0280: 1814:0601
04:00.0 0200: 1969:1026 (rev b0)

If I return to the default configuration – with nothing blacklisted, and run "lsmod | grep rt", I get this:

parport_pc             32114  0 
rt2800pci              18340  0 
rt2800lib              48717  1 rt2800pci
crc_ccitt              12595  1 rt2800lib
rt2x00pci              14202  1 rt2800pci
rt2x00lib              48114  3 rt2800pci,rt2800lib,rt2x00pci
mac80211              272785  3 rt2800lib,rt2x00pci,rt2x00lib
cfg80211              172392  2 rt2x00lib,mac80211
eeprom_93cx6           12653  1 rt2800pci
parport                40930  3 parport_pc,ppdev,lp

From this I don't see any obvious conflicts – advice as to what else to look for welcome.

Even more info…

I've opted to take a screwdriver to my 901, and removed the Wi-Fi card. On the back of it, there's a label that suggests it's not a 2800 series at all – but, rather, it's an RT2700E. Perhaps, if Linux is wrongly detecting it as being a 2800 series, that's the root of my troubles?