I Need a Kindle Dx WiFi Hack

[spleen]

I've bought a AR5B half-mini pci wifi card
wich has atheros chipset
I've installed on my kindle DXg, then make a reboot, but if I type lspci it didn't recognise it
I don't know if there's a bios block like for hp o IBM notebook on wifi card (on hw pid)
athk5 it's supported by kernel 2.6.26 (kindle 3 kernel)

../gplrelease-3.1/linux-2.6.26/drivers/net/wireless/ath5k

AR61026 it's only for embedded

[yifanlu]

Originally Posted by spleen

I've bought a AR5B half-mini pci wifi card
wich has atheros chipset
I've installed on my kindle DXg, then make a reboot, but if I type lspci it didn't recognise it
I don't know if there's a bios block like for hp o IBM notebook on wifi card (on hw pid)
athk5 it's supported by kernel 2.6.26 (kindle 3 kernel)

../gplrelease-3.1/linux-2.6.26/drivers/net/wireless/ath5k

AR61026 it's only for embedded

You still need to recompile the linux kernel for Kindle (and add that module for support via menuconfig). It only comes with modules for stuff it has.

And FYI: When you recompile the kernel, you need to copy over all modules (not just the new ones), that's how I bricked my first Kindle.

[spleen]

Originally Posted by yifanlu

You still need to recompile the linux kernel for Kindle (and add that module for support via menuconfig). It only comes with modules for stuff it has.

And FYI: When you recompile the kernel, you need to copy over all modules (not just the new ones), that's how I bricked my first Kindle.

there's a way to unbrik a kindle?

thanks

[hawhill]

Hm, but it should show up in lspci even if the Wifi driver isn't provided. lspci just scans the bus. So the PCI (-E) bus might be a bit picky about what devices it will accept (the "BIOS" block you mentioned, spleen)....

I'd be also veeeery interested in the outcome since here in Germany there's not much to gain from just 3G. A combined bluetooth/wifi card would be a lot better (even if I have to hack the config frontend myself...)

[Jethro]

Any update on this? I'm very interested, I have a Kindle Dx in denmark, and the whispernet only works for shop and wikipedia, so if i could install a pci card for WiFi instead, that would be awesome. I've messed around with it a bit my self, put an intelWM3945ABG wireless card in my kindle, but i dont know enough about Linux to be able to get the proper drivers working...

[pashlit]

Me toooooo. Pretty interesting hack. Subscribed.

[troyme]

Just give up
the kernel source code doesn't support wifi card we commonly used.

[Jethro]

What if the drivers were installed through doukan instead?

[yifanlu]

Originally Posted by Jethro

What if the drivers were installed through doukan instead?

What? Duokan is software that runs on the Kindle's OS (Linux). You install drivers into the Kernel, which loads Linux, which loads Kindle Framework or Duokan. The ONLY way to do wifi support is to recompile the kernel (which is not hard, I've done it literally 17 times now).

[mark03]

Don't forget that the mini pcie slot defines both USB and PCIe signals. Some cards only use USB, others PCIe, so if your new gizmo doesn't show up in lspci, try lsusb instead.

I think someone said the 3G in the Kindle 3 is a USB device. It wouldn't surprise me if those were the only signals active on the connector. I'd have to look at the i.MX535 datasheet again, but it may not even feature a PCI bus. In which case, if your shiny new WiFi card *does* have a PCIe interface, you're out of luck.

[Jethro]

Originally Posted by yifanlu

What? Duokan is software that runs on the Kindle's OS (Linux). You install drivers into the Kernel, which loads Linux, which loads Kindle Framework or Duokan. The ONLY way to do wifi support is to recompile the kernel (which is not hard, I've done it literally 17 times now).

Okay. I've read your guide: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91862

I'm just a bit wary about doing it. If I get something wrong, won't i brick the device? And on a slightly related note, is there any chance that you could help me with the question i posted about restoring my 3.g after i screwed it up;
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...58#post1635258

Thank you

[yifanlu]

Originally Posted by Jethro

Okay. I've read your guide: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91862

I'm just a bit wary about doing it. If I get something wrong, won't i brick the device? And on a slightly related note, is there any chance that you could help me with the question i posted about restoring my 3.g after i screwed it up;
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...58#post1635258

Thank you

That's why you should always have the serial recovery port ready.

[kranu]

What WiFi technology does the K3 use?

Couldn't people just buy one and put it in the KDX (and install FW3.1)

[yifanlu]

Originally Posted by kranu

What WiFi technology does the K3 use?

Couldn't people just buy one and put it in the KDX (and install FW3.1)

It's a chip soldered to the main-board.

[hawhill]

Originally Posted by mark03

I think someone said the 3G in the Kindle 3 is a USB device. It wouldn't surprise me if those were the only signals active on the connector. I'd have to look at the i.MX535 datasheet again, but it may not even feature a PCI bus. In which case, if your shiny new WiFi card *does* have a PCIe interface, you're out of luck.

I just checked and you're right that the anycom module is coupled via the USB pins on the mini-PCIe connector. And I also don't see a PCIe bridge in the Freescale documentation either, just the USB OTG and USB Host (the latter is probably coupled with the PCIe).

Toggling WAN state via the kindle FW does enable the USB bus, as it seems (not just switching device state).

Hopefully, tomorrow the postman will deliver a USB-based mini-PCIe Wifi card to my house. I'm planning to really give this a try :-) (well, I'll have to fiddle a bit with the antenna part, I guess)