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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Tutorials => Topic started by: AndyFC on April 28, 2024, 01:07:20 PM
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Here are the steps I took to be able to browse using the new WiFiPi wireless network driver, and Miami DX.
Version 0.1: First version to document my experiences - still finding and fixing typos
Version 0.2 (8 May '24): Corrected grammar and added a bit more explanation to steps. Nothing fundamental has changed which alters the steps.
Version 0.3 (29 May 2024): Added DNS instructions for Miami as requested by bp500 in the comments.
Version 0.4 (12 June '24): Corrected the fact that my listed DNS server IP addresses are Virgin Media's, not Googles. Listed Google's IP addresses too.
Version 0.5 (16 August '24): updated observation about CPU usage.
Version 0.6 (23 April '25): added note about latest version of prism2v2 being incompatible
Version 0.7 (14 June '25): added link to working version of wireless manager to Downloads section
Downloads:
Emu68Tools from 23 April: https://github.com/michalsc/Emu68-tools/releases/download/nightly/Emu68-tools-20240423-75ea45.zip (this version contains the first version of the Alpha wifipi driver to support encryption; check here for later versions https://github.com/michalsc/Emu68-tools/releases)
Emu68 release 1: https://github.com/michalsc/Emu68/releases
Prism2v2: Version 2.8 is available from Pistorm discord, or https://ftp2.grandis.nu/turran/FTP/Misc/WHDUpdate/datafile/Amiga/Prism2v2.lha
MiamiDX (demo): https://aminet.net/comm/tcp/MiamiDx10cmain.lha and https://aminet.net/comm/tcp/MiamiDx10c-MUI.lha (I already had this up and running with a 3COM PCMCIA card)
The info for where to copy the files is based on Michal Schultz's post: https://www.patreon.com/posts/wi-fi-alpha-102261532
The steps probably also work for other versions of the PiStorm but I don't have the hardware to test with.
Important to note that currently this is still an Alpha version of the driver so bugs or problems can be expected.
Set up the Wireless network driver (these steps are the same for any Network stack, not just MiamiDX)
1: Unpack Emu68 tools
2: Copy file Emu68-WiFi/Devs/Networks/wifipi.device to DEVS:Networks
3: Copy the whole folder emu68/WiFi/Devs/Networks/Firmware to Devs: (so you end up with Devs:Firmware containing a series of txt, bin and clm_blob files; 14 files in the version I originally used) NOTE: I didn't have the Devs:Firmware folder to start with but some of you might)
4: Unpack Prism2v2.lha you can choose to run the installer or copy some files manually
IF MANUAL
5: Copy Wirelessmanager to C:
6: Create a text file in Envarc:sys/ called wireless.prefs
7: Add the lines
network={
ssid="<name of your wireless network>"
psk="<your network passphrase>"
}
8: Save the file
9: Reboot
IF USING THE INSTALLER:
5: Use expert mode
6: Choose 'No' when asked to install firmware for the Hermes chipset
7: Choose 'Yes' to set wireless preferences
8: Enter you wireless network name and password when prompted
9a: Choose whether or not to start WirelessManager automatically (it's up to you - see 'Observations' at the end)
9b: Finish the install and reboot
What's the difference between the Manual and the Installer set up?
The process using the installer creates an encrypted version of the wireless password and uses that instead of the open text version which is handy if you don't want your password saved in plain text on your Amiga.
My personal experience is that I couldn't connect after setting up the wireless.prefs file manually, I would just get a timeout. Users Lemaru and Shaytam on the PiStorm discord assured me it should work without the encrypted PSK, so I uncommented the plain text line and commented out the encrypted line, rebooted and it then worked. The timeout was probably not related to the setup method I used (I have an old house with thick brick internal walls and Wifi can sometimes drop).
Starting the Network
10: If you chose to use the installer and start automatically, and all being well, the wifipi.device should have been initialised on reboot. This is done silently so you won't see anything on screen to confirm it.
11: If you have chosen the manual route open up a Shell and enter 'Wirelessmanager wifipi.device' - after a few seconds you hopefully get confirmation that you are associated with a MAC address, key negotiation is completed and CTRL-EVENT-Connected ie you're connected to the access point.
Configuring MiamiDX (Note I already use MiamiDX with a PCMCIA card and copied the original settings rather than set up from scratch)
12: If not already done, install MiamiDX
13: Run Miami and open up `Hardware` > `New` to open up the 'Hardware definition' window
14: Give it a name e.g. WiFiPi (remember this for step 22)
15: `Type` should default to SANA-II driver (if not change it to that using the cycle gadget)
16: In `Driver` enter `DEVS:Networks/wifipi.device` (or browse to it) and leave `Unit` as 0
17: Open `SANA-II parameters`
18: Choose `Query Device` - the settings should auto-complete.
19: Choose `OK` to close the SANA-II parameters window and again to close the Hardware definition window
20: Choose `Interfaces` from the MiamiDX menu
21: Choose `New`
22: My settings are:
- Name: eth1
- Alias: WiFiPi
- Type: Ethernet
- Hardware: (whatever you called the interface in step 14)
- Priority: 10
- IP type: Static (note DHCP might work for you but my router doesn't serve DHCP to my Amiga properly)
- IP Address: something relevant to your network
- Netmask Type: Static
- Netmask: 255.255.255.0 (pretty common)
- Gateway Type: static
- Gateway: ip address of your router
- Multicasts: disabled
- Multicast pri: 0
- Control panel: ticked
- GUI default: unticked
(I don't have any Auto-connect/disconnect settings or Manual routes/aliases)
Select `TCP/IP settings` and in the `Interface TCP\IP settings` screen::
- Use ICMP: ticked
- Fake IP: unticked
- Get dynamic hostame, priority: 0
- Get dynamic DNS servers: Ignore
- Preferred offline state: Suspended
- Get time: unticked
- DHCP Enable: Ticked
- Send hostname in request: Ticked
- Host Name: Something you want to identify your Amiga on if looking in your router interface
23: Select `OK` to close the `Interface TCP/IP Settings` window and again to close the `Interface definition` window
24: Go to `Databases` from the left hand menu
25: Use the cycle gadet at the top to get to `DNS servers`
26: Select `Add` and enter an IP address of a DNS server* in the `IP address field`, press enter (mine is set to 194.168.4.100, which is Virgin Media's)
27: Optionally repeat 26 to add a backup (mine is set to 194.168.8.100)
28: Right-click and choose 'Save' from the Settings menu
*Google's DNS servers are 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. Others are available if you search.
Now to test:
29: In MiamiDX, and the `Interfaces` section, select your newly created Interface and select 'Online'
Observations:
I Use Tinymeter and as soon as I run wirelessmanager the CPU drops to around 30%-33% free, so I'm going to continue to run this manually for now, only when I want to go online. Discussion on Discord says this is because direct polling, not DMA is used. There's still more than enough free CPU to run web tools like IBrowse, FTP programs etc and not get noticeable slowdown.
UPDATE: I have a new router from my ISP and connecting to the 5G WiFi signal results in negligible CPU usage. The Amiga won't connect to the 2.4 G signal so I don't know if the difference is due to the new router or the choice of signal.
If you make any changes to the wireless.prefs file reboot for them to take effect.
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NOTE: I didn't have the Devs:Firmware folder to start with but some of you might)
I can attach the package with the firmware and such, but remind me to remove it once it gets to release state.
This is still considered ALPHA, folks. ;)
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Thanks for this nice, clear guide on setting up the new PiStorm wifipi.device - worked just fine. I will link this thread on my video review today
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I can’t figure out what I am missing. Diligently followed these steps for my caffeine build but when I point Miami to wifidevice , nothing. It is in devs -networks. Even wirelessmanager in shell finds nothing.
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devs:networks/wifipi.device?
Are you running "Wirelessmanager wifipi.device" before trying to configure it in Miami?
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Thanx a lot this gave me more than enough info to get it working.
Followed the first part, didn't need the second part as I previously configured Miami to work with a ne2000 PCMCIA card... I just changed the device and then queried it.
I don't have the network auto starting I just put "Wirelessmanager wifipi.device" in a batch file, added an project icon, left it out, then changed the default tool to iconx and added "WINDOW=CON:0/50//80/WiFi/AUTO/WAIT/CLOSE" as a tooltype. So I can run it when I need, iconify it, online, do network stuff, offline, un-iconify & then press ctrl+c to close wirelessmanager.
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executing command (wirelessmanager wifipi.device) gets failed to initialize driver.
Why do all the other devices get recognized as files in the networks folder, such as cnet.device but the wifipi.device shows as a folder?
inside folder there is no .device to access.
Sorry for my crude explanation of my problem but I'm sure it's elementary. It's almost as if I am missing a file in folder.
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executing command (wirelessmanager wifipi.device) gets failed to initialize driver.
Why do all the other devices get recognized as files in the networks folder, such as cnet.device but the wifipi.device shows as a folder?
inside folder there is no .device to access.
Hi David, It's possibly something to do with the archive and what tool you're using to unpack it; occasionally I have problems with .Zip files where they don't unarchive correctly e.g. I'll use one tool and the tooltypes aren't set correctly or a folder is seen as a file, but unpacking using another utility will work.
The unpacked archive should contain the following file structure (just concentrating on the WiFi files):
Emu68-WiFi (folder)
- Devs (folder)
|- Networks (folder)
|- wifipi.device (file)
|- Firmware (folder)
|- cyfmac43455-sdio.clm_blob (file)
|- brcmfmac43436s-sdio.bin (file)
|- brcmfmac43436-sdio.clm_blob (file)
|- cyfmac43455-sdio.bin (file)
|- brcmfmac43456-sdio.txt (file)
|- brcmfmac43436-sdio.txt (file)
|- brcmfmac43430-sdio.txt (file)
|- brcmfmac43456-sdio.bin (file)
|- brcmfmac43455-sdio.txt (file)
|- cyfmac43430-sdio.clm_blob (file)
|- brcmfmac43436-sdio.bin (file)
|- cyfmac43430-sdio.bin (file)
|- brcmfmac43456-sdio.clm_blob (file)
|- brcmfmac43436s-sdio.txt (file)
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Thanks @10MARC. In return, I'm linking to your video. I've learnt some things from it, like `shownetstatus`.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDvz9euZ-fg
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Thanks Andy. Redownloaded and use a different unzip package. Shall see if it helps.
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Seems no matter what I do the wifipi.device always transfers over as a folder.
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Seems no matter what I do the wifipi.device always transfers over as a folder.
Whats the info say, are you able to change it from a folder to say a project if that is case?
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changed to project in information. no luck
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Can you unpack it on Linux/Windows/Mac and copy it across?
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I have unpacked it from windows with two different type of unzip files.
Right now I am attempting to setup on two different boot cards. One caffeine build and my own custom from scratch 3.2 OS
It appears my wifipi.device shows as a project now.
Place the file in devs/networks
installed prism2 on both and wireless manager is resident in C
my router and password settings are done from prism install.
Emu firmware folder placed in Devs
Done this on both. go to shell and enter wirelessmanager wifipi.device
failed to initialize driver
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Can you try unpacking from within AmigaOS? Doing it on Windows may change some of the file properties because it doesn't recognise Amiga ones.
I don't use Caffeine but I imagine it has file extraction for zips built in. Someone with experience of it will be able to confirm.
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Did unpack in Amiga , no change
I’m pretty sure I have the correct compatible files but it looks hopeless for this little endeavor.
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https://youtu.be/nWyapZRtn6Q (https://youtu.be/nWyapZRtn6Q)
Some idiot fumbling around for 7 and a half minutes trying to do it from memory on a fresh CaffeineOS 916 install... maybe you'll spot something you did differently...?
PiStorm32 Lite, RPi3B
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Exactly how i have done it numerous times.
I have downloaded a few times and configured differnlty the wifipi.device and always a failure.
Wirelessmanager doesnt see it as afile, project or tool.
3.2 system or Caffeine same results ad infinitum.
One time, briefly on caffeine some activity happened when i executed wirelessmanager wifipi.device
Started getting data briefly, never to be recreated again.
Why do I continue? I probably will never use my system for going online anyways.
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Latest version 9275 (IIRC) of CaffeineOS supports wifipi out of the box bringing up a GUI wirelessmanager when you have wifipi.device selected in your stack
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All the sites show download taken down. Where can i get the latest. I assume this is a total image and can not just update my current version without losing my data.
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Somebody just shot me a link on Discord. Downloading now.
now later with new Caffeine. Wifi works fine. From here I may copy wifipi.device and use on my 3.2 pistorm setup and try to get it working there.
Thanks for all the help and input.
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Caffeine 916 is very old, WiFi needs the 1.0.x release to work best.
So newest Caffeine is a better choice.
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Many thanks to AndyFC for this tutorial!
The scripts of the CaffeineOS 925 build did not work for me but following the guide and doing everything manually worked fine.
I would suggest to also add a few instructions about the configuration of the DNS server in Miami.
I think it may come useful for those that do not know their way around Miami (that's definitaly me) since its really not that obvious where that option is!
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Not sure if this may help some still having trouble, but I remember mucking about with this on CoffinOS and had to make sure that I used the full path names ie. "C:WirelessManager DEVS:Networks/wifipi.device" to get it to work...