Category:User Documentation

This Page will take you through the steps of Downloading..Compiling..and Installing the Atheros R8162 NIC module for your Cat5 network card.

Normally every Network Interface Card know to most as NIC will come preinstalled by Salix and Slackware.. Where users find themselves installing Network Card modules are for the WiFi. Not the case for the Atheros R8162. It is newer and just is not currently offered preinstalled by Any Linun that I have checked. Including Salix, Slackware, Kubuntu, Ubuntu, Arch, Gentoo, Debian and all the spinoffs of each of the aforementioned Linuxes. ..However, don't bypass a machine that has the Atheros R8162 NIC because the module for the NIC can be obtained and Installed with little trouble.

== Just Follow these Steps ==

Here are the steps to download and compile.. Worked like a charm with the WiCD Network interface manager.

Download the Source file from here

http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/networking/alx

For the below file.. 2012-02-28 date seems to work best. Some others gave me compile errors. The driver source is one of two choices for us

compat-drivers-2013-03-04-u.tar.bz2

OR

compat-drivers-2013-03-04-p.tar.bz2

We are better off with the u

The -u postfix annotates that we have applied a driver under a unified driver

DOWNLOAD: /compat-drivers-2013-03-04-u.tar.bz2

1. Open a Terminal in Download Directory

2.. Right Click on File and Choose (Extract Here) to Auto Extract to a Dir Named the same as the Downloaded file.

3.. Next CD into (New Install DIr) with FileManager or Terminal

  cd /Downloads/compat-wireless-2012-02-28-u

Now you should be in the dir /compat-wireless-2012-02-28-u

To compile and install the alx driver you can do:

  ./scripts/driver-select alx

Become root user

  su

Enter Password Become root

  make

  make install

  make unload to unload all: wireless, bluetooth and ethernet modules
  make wlunload to unload wireless modules
  make btunload to unload bluetooth modules

  modprobe alx 

If unsure reboot.

In the end Salix should work fine with the Atheros alx module installed.