# Can't connect wifi

## IamPenguin

First of all, sorry for my bad english XD

Anyway, I installed gentoo, and it boot fine and everything, but I can't connect wifi. When I run ifconfig or iwconfig I don't see wireless interface at all, like it doesn't exists. I downloaded driver and loaded the iwlwifi module, but it doesn't seems to work. Oh and I set my AP in /etc/conf.d/net(WEP security)

My Wireless card is Intel N-7260.

I'm totally at a loss about what I'm suppose to do to fix it S:

~I think this is the right place to post it, but if not move it to anywhere I'd needed to post it~

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## charles17

Check your output of  *Quote:*   

> $ lspci -k

 and look if the wireless network controller got its driver.

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Wifi and 

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Complete_Handbook/Configuring_the_system#Networking_information might help.

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## IamPenguin

 *charles17 wrote:*   

> Check your output of  *Quote:*   $ lspci -k and look if the wireless network controller got its driver.
> 
> https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Wifi and 
> 
> https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Complete_Handbook/Configuring_the_system#Networking_information might help.

 

lspci -k:

 *Quote:*   

> Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 7260 (rev 73)
> 
> Subsystem: Intel Corporation Wireless-N 7260
> 
> 

 

I'd followed those guides and still nothing was changed...

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## charles17

[quote="IamPenguin"] *charles17 wrote:*   

> lspci -k:
> 
>  *Quote:*   Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 7260 (rev 73)
> 
> Subsystem: Intel Corporation Wireless-N 7260
> ...

 Option -k should have shown the driver.  Here I get

```
$ /usr/sbin/lspci -k

08:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)

        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection

        Kernel driver in use: iwl3945

        Kernel modules: iwl3945
```

Have you checked the kernel options?  Did you install the firmware?

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## IamPenguin

[quote="charles17"] *IamPenguin wrote:*   

>  *charles17 wrote:*   lspci -k:
> 
>  *Quote:*   Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 7260 (rev 73)
> 
> Subsystem: Intel Corporation Wireless-N 7260
> ...

 

I installed the firmware and I think the kernel set fine. Maybe there're things that need to change, but I really don't know what is going on there and what I need to looking for. I used genkernel so I didn't work with the kernel options.

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## charles17

As long the driver is not mentioned by lspci you don't have it.  Guess you need CONFIG_IWLWIFI

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## IamPenguin

 *charles17 wrote:*   

> As long the driver is not mentioned by lspci you don't have it.  Guess you need CONFIG_IWLWIFI

 

OK. As a module or built-in?

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## NeddySeagoon

IamPenguin,

 *IamPenguin wrote:*   

>  ... I used genkernel so I didn't work with the kernel options.

 

Oops.  genkernel is a dumb script all genkernel kernels are the same unless you work with the kernel options.  genkernel has a -menuconfig option for that.

There are several things genkernel leaves to the user, WiFi and 3D video acceleration being two of them.

So we know from your quote that you don't have WiFi support in your kernel.

Modules are preferred - it makes fimware loading so much easier.

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## charles17

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> Modules are preferred - it makes fimware loading so much easier.

 Could you please drop some more words why the module driver does easier firmware loading than a built-in driver?

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## NeddySeagoon

charles17,

There are four possible combinations for a module that needs fimware.

The module and firmware can both be in the kernel - that works

The module can be in /lib/modules and the firmware in /lib/firmware - that works too.

The other two combinations fail.

A built in driver cannot load its firmware from /lib/firmware as root is not yet mouted.

A loadable module cannot get its firmware from inside the kernel as its no longer available.

The wart on the face of both being in the kernel is that its not always clear at kernel build time which firmware you need.

Its then a kernel rebuild to fix it, after you read dmesg to find out the firmware file name you really need.

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## charles17

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> charles17,
> 
> There are four possible combinations for a module that needs fimware.
> 
> The module and firmware can both be in the kernel - that works
> ...

 Thanks for those clear words of explanation.  Guess they could be very helpful for folks new to linux.

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