Module loads but fails to create interface, "rt2870: probe of 1-1.5:1.0 failed with error -1"

[ppar]

TL; DR

• After compiling the driver on Raspbian Buster (Linux 5.10.52-v7+), the driver loads but fails to create any network interfaces

Long version:

OS and driver version:

• Please see details in https://github.com/Anthony96922/mt7601u-ap/issues/31 , this was tested immediately after compiling the module there

Adapter:

Bus 001 Device 008: ID 148f:7601 Ralink Technology, Corp. MT7601U Wireless Adapter
Device Descriptor:
  bLength                18
  bDescriptorType         1
  bcdUSB               2.01
  bDeviceClass            0
  bDeviceSubClass         0
  bDeviceProtocol         0
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  idVendor           0x148f Ralink Technology, Corp.
  idProduct          0x7601 MT7601U Wireless Adapter
  bcdDevice            0.00
  iManufacturer           1 MediaTek
  iProduct                2 802.11 n WLAN
  iSerial                 3 1.0
  bNumConfigurations      1

Testing

Unplug adapter, reinsert it:

Aug 23 01:45:20 raspberrypi kernel: usb 1-1.5: new high-speed USB device number 6 using dwc_otg
Aug 23 01:45:20 raspberrypi kernel: usb 1-1.5: New USB device found, idVendor=148f, idProduct=7601, bcdDevice= 0.00
Aug 23 01:45:20 raspberrypi kernel: usb 1-1.5: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
Aug 23 01:45:20 raspberrypi kernel: usb 1-1.5: Product: 802.11 n WLAN
Aug 23 01:45:20 raspberrypi kernel: usb 1-1.5: Manufacturer: MediaTek
Aug 23 01:45:20 raspberrypi kernel: usb 1-1.5: SerialNumber: 1.0
Aug 23 01:45:20 raspberrypi kernel: usb 1-1.5: reset high-speed USB device number 6 using dwc_otg
Aug 23 01:45:20 raspberrypi kernel: mt7601u 1-1.5:1.0: ASIC revision: 76010001 MAC revision: 76010500
Aug 23 01:45:20 raspberrypi kernel: mt7601u 1-1.5:1.0: Firmware Version: 0.1.00 Build: 7640 Build time: 201302052146____
Aug 23 01:45:21 raspberrypi kernel: mt7601u 1-1.5:1.0: EEPROM ver:0d fae:00
Aug 23 01:45:21 raspberrypi kernel: ieee80211 phy2: Selected rate control algorithm 'minstrel_ht'
Aug 23 01:45:21 raspberrypi systemd[1]: Starting Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status...
Aug 23 01:45:21 raspberrypi mtp-probe[3289]: checking bus 1, device 6: "/sys/devices/platform/soc/3f980000.usb/usb1/1-1/1-1.5"
Aug 23 01:45:21 raspberrypi mtp-probe[3289]: bus: 1, device: 6 was not an MTP device
Aug 23 01:45:21 raspberrypi systemd-udevd[3290]: Using default interface naming scheme 'v240'.
Aug 23 01:45:21 raspberrypi systemd[1]: Started Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status.
Aug 23 01:45:21 raspberrypi dhcpcd-run-hooks[3307]: wlan0: starting wpa_supplicant
Aug 23 01:45:21 raspberrypi mtp-probe[3306]: checking bus 1, device 6: "/sys/devices/platform/soc/3f980000.usb/usb1/1-1/1-1.5"
Aug 23 01:45:21 raspberrypi mtp-probe[3306]: bus: 1, device: 6 was not an MTP device

Both drivers had loaded automatically at boot time (?); remove both

root@raspberrypi:~# modprobe -r mt7601u

Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi kernel: usbcore: deregistering interface driver mt7601u
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi kernel: wlan0: deauthenticating from 0a:26:XX:XX:XX:XX by local choice (Reason: 3=DEAUTH_LEAVING)
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi dhcpcd[2852]: wlan0: carrier lost
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi avahi-daemon[372]: Interface wlan0.IPv6 no longer relevant for mDNS.
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi avahi-daemon[372]: Leaving mDNS multicast group on interface wlan0.IPv6 with address fe80::dace:6c6c:6dd5:8fbe.
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi dhcpcd[2852]: wlan0: deleting address fe80::XXXX:XXXX:XXXX:XXXX
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi avahi-daemon[372]: Interface wlan0.IPv4 no longer relevant for mDNS.
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi avahi-daemon[372]: Leaving mDNS multicast group on interface wlan0.IPv4 with address 10.3.141.1.
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi avahi-daemon[372]: Withdrawing address record for fe80::XXXX:XXXX:XXXX:XXXX on wlan0.
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi avahi-daemon[372]: Withdrawing address record for 10.X.X.X on wlan0.
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi dhcpcd[2852]: wlan0: deleting route to 10.X.X.0/24
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi dhcpcd[2852]: wlan0: deleting default route via 10.X.X.X
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi systemd[1]: Starting Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status...
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi dhcpcd[2852]: wlan0: removing interface
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi systemd[1]: Started Load/Save RF Kill Switch Status.
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi dhcpcd-run-hooks[3410]: wlan0: stopping wpa_supplicant
Aug 23 01:47:01 raspberrypi vnstatd[503]: Info: Interface "wlan0" disabled.
Aug 23 01:47:06 raspberrypi systemd[1]: systemd-rfkill.service: Succeeded.

root@raspberrypi:~# modprobe -r mt7601Uap

Aug 23 01:47:49 raspberrypi kernel: usbcore: deregistering interface driver rt2870
Aug 23 01:47:49 raspberrypi kernel: rt2870: exit

Insert new driver:

root@raspberrypi:~# modprobe mt7601Uap

Aug 23 01:48:16 raspberrypi kernel: rt2870: init
Aug 23 01:48:16 raspberrypi kernel: rt2870: probe of 1-1.5:1.0 failed with error -1
Aug 23 01:48:16 raspberrypi kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver rt2870

Result:

• module is loaded, but ip link ls and iw phy do not show any new interfaces

[Anthony96922]

Please pull the latest updates. It should work now. I have tested this on My Raspberry Pi 1 with kernel 5.10.110.