# Please help me get my wireless Internet to work...?

## shgadwa

I searched the net and I just cannot seem to get how you install wireless internet... So, I will need your help.

For those who have seen me on other parts of this forum, I have gentoo installed again and it works SO MUCH better and faster now... I never knew this computer could be so fast... its amazing!

Anyhow, when I type in iwconfig, I get nothing. It says command not found. Also, I would like to install a network manager but I do not know how to install which one. I like the gnome one but I did not find it in portage. And besides, I think if I used that it would not automatically start up at boot (which I like). Also, I have a manual set IP address... I'm thinking whenever I am out and about though and using different network connections, it might be better to have it set to automatically configure the net....

Any help would be appreciated. I'm going to try to see if I can find anything online about this until then.

----------

## shgadwa

Let me help you guys some, if possible.

 *Quote:*   

> atlantis shawn # lspci
> 
> 00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM9
> 
> 65/GL960 Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
> ...

 

I do not remember all the other commands that you might want... I should note that that this laptop's wireless card has a past history of Linux distributions not liking it. I think Gentoo will be different.[/quote]

----------

## d2_racing

Hi, can you run this  :

```

# emerge -av net-wireless/wireless-tools

```

After that, can you post this :

```

# iwconfig

# ifconfig -a

# iwlist scan

```

```

# lspci -v

# cat /etc/conf.d/net

```

----------

## shgadwa

Thank you...

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> atlantis shawn # iwconfig
> 
> lo        no wireless extensions.
> ...

 

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> atlantis shawn # ifconfig -a
> 
> eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:1E:33:54:3D:86  
> ...

 

 *Quote:*   

> atlantis shawn # iwlist scan
> 
> lo        Interface doesn't support scanning.
> 
> eth0      Interface doesn't support scanning.
> ...

 

Also, do I have to reboot after installing the wireless tools???

----------

## shgadwa

 *Quote:*   

> atlantis shawn # lspci -v 
> 
> 00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960 Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
> 
> 	Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff64
> ...

 

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> atlantis shawn # cat /etc/conf.d/net 
> 
> # This blank configuration will automatically use DHCP for any net.*
> ...

 

----------

## Kulfaangaren!

Uhmmm...as far as I can see from your lspci output, your machine does not contain any wireless network card. Only NIC in your list is...

```
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8101E/RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller (rev 02)
```

...and that is a wired NIC.

Is your wireless network card perhaps a USB or PCIMCIA connected card ? Only thing I can say with certainty is that your kernel does not contain the proper drivers or PCIMCIA is not correctly set up to allow your NIC to register.

// Fredrik

----------

## shgadwa

Good point... I made that observation before too when I was running Ubuntu. I could never get the wireless working right. Finally after installing the latest compat wireless drivers, I got it working fairly good except whenever I would try to use skype wireless, the wireless would start acting up again. No idea why. I just have a very weird wireless card and even though it does not show up in the lspci, I know its there. odd huh?

----------

## d2_racing

Can you post this :

```

# lsusb

# lshal

```

----------

## shgadwa

 *Quote:*   

> atlantis shawn # lsusb
> 
> Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0bda:8198 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 
> 
> Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002  
> ...

 

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
>   info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_8086_284b_sound_card_0_oss_mixer__1'  (string)
> 
>   linux.device_file = '/dev/sound/mixer'  (string)
> ...

 

That is not all of the output, thats only what it was displaying in the terminal. There was more that I could not read because the list was so long.Last edited by shgadwa on Sun Mar 15, 2009 3:36 pm; edited 1 time in total

----------

## shgadwa

Its a internal wireless card... supposed to be a good one. And yes, the switch is on. And yes, the kernel is configured for wireless devices (in case anyone would ask).

----------

## d2_racing

Do you know the name of your wireless card then ?

----------

## Kulfaangaren!

...even knowing the model and brand of the computer might help us find out the info we need to help you  :Smile: 

// Fredrik

----------

## Kulfaangaren!

 *belikeyeshua wrote:*   

> Its a internal wireless card... supposed to be a good one. And yes, the switch is on. And yes, the kernel is configured for wireless devices (in case anyone would ask).

 Hmmm...if it is an internal card it is not USB or PCIMCIA and should therefore show up in lspci...which it doesn't. lspci doesn't care about drivers, it checks the hardware directly (through the kernel of course but what I mean is that the kernel does not need specific support for a device for it to show up in lspci). Is it possible that the card has been disconnected ?

While you are at it, run update-pciids to update the database used by lspci.

// Fredrik

----------

## shgadwa

Thats what I was thinking. I thought it was a realtek card, so I enabled the realtek drivers. Maybe its a intel though... I do not know. I will just have to enable all of the cards for wireless and then disable the ones that do not work???

----------

## Kulfaangaren!

 *belikeyeshua wrote:*   

> Thats what I was thinking. I thought it was a realtek card, so I enabled the realtek drivers. Maybe its a intel though... I do not know. I will just have to enable all of the cards for wireless and then disable the ones that do not work???

 It's not a matter of drivers in this case. There are only three ways to connect a NIC to your computer...(I've never heard of bluetooth or firewire NICs so I'll exclude them but they might exist)

1. External USB-thingy-NIC (Using USB)

2. PCIMCIA thingy-NIC (Using PCIMCIA bridge)

3. Internal NIC (Using internal PCI)

If you had a USB-device NIC it would have shown up on your lsusb.

If you had a PCIMCIA-device NIC you would have known and not said it was internal since it is a big card you slide into the computer.

If you had an internal (and working) NIC it would have shown up in lspci even if you had no support for wireless networking or any networking compiled into the kernel.

If the device doesn't register with the system, it doesn't matter how many drivers you compile or if you compile them all...it simply will not work.

Anyone with a bit more clue then me, please correct me if I'm wrong!?!?!

// Fredrik

----------

## NeddySeagoon

```
atlantis shawn # lsusb

Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0bda:8198 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 
```

IS your wireless device.

You need to choose 

```
Realtek 8180/8185 PCI support
```

in the kernel.

Read this page carefully. The driver is for both PCI and USB devices but from the name of the kernel option and the layout of the page, you might miss the USB application.

The important line is 

```
lkddb usb 0bda 8189 ...... ...... 0000 ffff :: CONFIG_RTL8180 CONFIG_RTL8187 :: drivers/net/wireless/rtl818x/rtl8187_dev.c
```

Note how the usb 0bda 8189 matches your device.

I'm not sure if your USB wireless needs firmware or not. Build the kernel and test. If it needs firmware, dmesg will tell you all about it.

----------

## shgadwa

Regardless, I know its there.... Its really odd.

And it worked good on Vista... and I got it working on Ubuntu (only after installing compat wireless drivers) and it works on Knoppix, though maybe not as good as it ought to.

I also made that observation in Ubuntu, its like the card is not there, but in the Ubuntu, It worked regardless.   :Confused: 

----------

## shgadwa

WOW.... YOU ARE GOOD. THANK YOU!!!!

----------

## shgadwa

Well, That device is available in my kernel and I did install it (after I installed the other network tools, however).

----------

## NeddySeagoon

belikeyeshua,

Lets check a few things.  I infer its not working.

Try 

```
zgrep CONFIG_RTL8180 /proc/config.gz
```

What does it say about the setting?

If  you don't have /proc/config.gz, try

```
 grep CONFIG_RTL8180 /usr/src/linux/.config
```

The zgrep, checks your running kernel, the grep, the kernel you intended to make. You need =y or =m.

If all is well, look in dmesg for errors related to firmware loading or to the wireless module being initialised.

Check 

```
uname -a 
```

look at the kernel name, is it what you expect ?

Look at the date/time. Thats when the running kernel was built. Is it the date/time of your most recent kernel build ?

Its very easy to mess up a kernel install.

----------

## Kulfaangaren!

OH MY GOD am I embarrassed now! or maybe I'm going blind ?!?!?!

The statement that it was an internal card just threw me off, never heard of an internal USB NIC. 

Sorry belikeyeshua for me misleading you.   :Embarassed: 

// Fredrik

----------

## shgadwa

 *Quote:*   

> localhost shawn # zgrep CONFIG_RTL8180 /proc/config.gz
> 
> gzip: /proc/config.gz: No such file or directory
> 
> 

  *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> localhost shawn #  grep CONFIG_RTL8180 /usr/src/linux/.config
> 
> CONFIG_RTL8180=y
> ...

  *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> localhost shawn # uname -a
> 
> Linux localhost 2.6.27-gentoo-r8 #1 SMP Sun Mar 15 02:15:15 GMT 2009 i686 Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPU T2390 @ 1.86GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux
> ...

 

 *Quote:*   

> localhost shawn # iwconfig
> 
> lo        no wireless extensions.
> 
> eth0      no wireless extensions.
> ...

 

The thing is, its supposed to say wlan in there, but it does not. Also, if it helps... I have a WEP Hex key wireless connection, not a WPA.

----------

## NeddySeagoon

belikeyeshua,

Please post your dmesg output ... all of it

----------

## shgadwa

How do I do that... I mean, what commands in specific?

----------

## NeddySeagoon

belikeyeshua,

```
dmesg
```

will put it on the screen.

```
dmesg > dmesg.txt
```

will put in the file called dmesg.txt, which you can post from another operating system or another machine.

If you have networking, you may do 

```
emerge wgetpaste

dmesg | wgetpaste
```

That will put your dmesg on the web and return the URL where it can be found.

Post the URL

----------

## shgadwa

 *Quote:*   

> localhost shawn # dmesg | wgetpaste
> 
> Your paste can be seen here: http://dpaste.com/16375/
> 
> 

 

Be Blessed.

~Shawn

----------

## shgadwa

I did a search though dmesg, and found this:

 *Quote:*   

> [    2.216095] usb 2-6: Product: RTL8187B_WLAN_Adapter 
> 
> [    2.216183] usb 2-6: Manufacturer: Manufacturer_Realtek
> 
> [    2.216275] usb 2-6: SerialNumber: 00e04c000001
> ...

 

Also, this is the menuconfig help file for the driver I am using:

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
>  CONFIG_RTL8187:                                                          │  
> 
>   │                                                                          │  
> ...

 

Thats my laptop, by the way... Toshiba Satellite Pro L300. I'm wondering though if there is some other USB thingy that needs to be enabled in the kernel. The interface is supposed to be called wlan, and it would be found in iwconfig... but its not there yet. (though you probably know that).

----------

## NeddySeagoon

belikeyeshua,

CONFIG_RTL8187 only turns on the code specific to the Realtek wireless cards.

You still need a wireless stack under 

[*] Networking support  --->

[*]   Wireless  ---> 

While you are still trying to make something work, modules are preferred over built in as modules can be removed and reloaded without a reboot

----------

## shgadwa

Hey everyone!! I figured out the problem... it was really stupid. Everytime that I reconfigured my kernel, I copied the arch/x86/boot/bzImage to the wrong directory. I did not have /boot in the beginning.

At any rate, I started with a new partition, formatted it to EXT4, and then installed the latest (2.6.29) zen-sources, and configured it. Now things are working much better.

----------

## shgadwa

I rebooted (after trying to set up my wireless)... and its still not working I'm sure its only because I have not configured it properly.

It needs to have a HEX key.

```
atlantis ~ # iwconfig

lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

sit0      no wireless extensions.

wmaster0  no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11bg  ESSID:""  

          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.412 GHz  Access Point: Not-Associated   

          Tx-Power=0 dBm   

          Retry min limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr=2352 B   

          Encryption key:off

          Power Management:off

          Link Quality:0  Signal level:0  Noise level:0

          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0

          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

```

/etc/conf.d/net 

```

# This blank configuration will automatically use DHCP for any net.*

# scripts in /etc/init.d.  To create a more complete configuration,

# please review /etc/conf.d/net.example and save your configuration

# in /etc/conf.d/net (this file :]!).

config_eth0=( "192.168.1.20 netmask 255.255.255.0 brd 192.168.0.255" )

routes_eth0=( "default via 192.168.1.254" )

# Prefer iwconfig over wpa_supplicant

modules=( "iwconfig" )

# Configure WEP keys for Access Points called ESSID1 and ESSID2

# You may configure up to 4 WEP keys, but only 1 can be active at

# any time so we supply a default index of [1] to set key [1] and then

# again afterwards to change the active key to [1]

# We do this incase you define other ESSID's to use WEP keys other than 1

#

# Prefixing the key with s: means it's an ASCII key, otherwise a HEX key

#

# enc open specified open security (most secure)

# enc restricted specified restricted security (least secure)

key_SpeedTouch1F3B15="79E2169FE7 enc open"

key_ESSID2="[1] 79E2169FE7 [1] enc restricted"

# The below only work when we scan for available Access Points

# Sometimes more than one Access Point is visible so we need to

# define a preferred order to connect in

preferred_aps=( "SpeedTouch1F3B15" )

```

Also, sometimes I need to take my laptop somewhere else (cafe or friend's house)... especially when we travel overseas. I would need to be able to easily hook up wireless or wired wherever I am... how can I do that? Should I use DHCP, or could I use manual here and DHCP when out and about? Sometimes DHCP did not work at boot, thats why I prefer manual. But maybe I should have a network manager installed???  :Confused:   :Confused: 

EDIT:

```
atlantis ~ # iwlist scan

lo        Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

sit0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

wmaster0  Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0     Interface doesn't support scanning : Network is down

```

I assume the interface is down   :Laughing: .... so I try to start it.... like so

```
atlantis ~ # /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 start

bash: /etc/init.d/net.wlan0: No such file or directory

```

I'm doing something wrong.

Here is some parts from dmesg:

```
[    0.384717] Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Driver - version 7.3.21-k3-NAPI

[    0.384807] Copyright (c) 1999-2006 Intel Corporation.

[    0.384941] e1000e: Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Driver - 0.3.3.3-k6

[    0.385030] e1000e: Copyright (c) 1999-2008 Intel Corporation.

[    0.385196] e100: Intel(R) PRO/100 Network Driver, 3.5.23-k6-NAPI

[    0.385285] e100: Copyright(c) 1999-2006 Intel Corporation

[    0.385498] sky2 driver version 1.22

[    0.385709] r8169 Gigabit Ethernet driver 2.3LK-NAPI loaded

[    0.385812] r8169 0000:02:00.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16

[    0.385922] r8169 0000:02:00.0: setting latency timer to 64

[    0.386006] r8169 0000:02:00.0: irq 27 for MSI/MSI-X

[    0.386112] r8169 0000:02:00.0: Missing EEPROM signature: 0000

[    0.387341] eth0: RTL8102e at 0xf805a000, 00:1e:33:54:3d:86, XID 34a00000 IRQ 27

[    0.389397] usbcore: registered new interface driver asix

[    0.389520] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_ether

[    0.389644] usbcore: registered new interface driver net1080

[    0.389764] usbcore: registered new interface driver rndis_host

[    0.389885] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_subset

[    0.390004] usbcore: registered new interface driver zaurus

[    0.390168] usbcore: registered new interface driver rtl8187

[    0.390293] usbcore: registered new interface driver rndis_wlan

[    0.390423] usbcore: registered new interface driver zd1201

[    0.390553] console [netcon0] enabled

[    0.390638] netconsole: network logging started
```

```
[    2.902917] usb 2-6: default language 0x0409

[    2.916169] usb 2-6: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=8198

[    2.916271] usb 2-6: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3

[    2.916378] usb 2-6: Manufacturer: Manufacturer_Realtek

[    2.916468] usb 2-6: SerialNumber: 00e04c000001

[    2.916606] usb 2-6: uevent

[    2.916697] usb 2-6: usb_probe_device

[    2.916699] usb 2-6: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice

[    2.917541] usb 2-6: adding 2-6:1.0 (config #1, interface 0)

[    2.927795] usb 2-6:1.0: uevent

[    2.927925] rtl8187 2-6:1.0: usb_probe_interface

[    2.927927] rtl8187 2-6:1.0: usb_probe_interface - got id

[    3.000285] Clocksource tsc unstable (delta = -282404691 ns)

[    3.214956] rtl8187: 8187B chip detected.

[    3.215190] wmaster0 (rtl8187): not using net_device_ops yet

[    3.216068] phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'minstrel'

[    3.216350] wlan0 (rtl8187): not using net_device_ops yet

[    3.217239] phy0: hwaddr 00:21:63:28:99:c3, RTL8187BvE V0 + rtl8225z2

[    3.218124] drivers/usb/core/inode.c: creating file '002'

[    3.218228] hub 7-0:1.0: state 7 ports 2 chg 0000 evt 0002

[    3.218238] uhci_hcd 0000:00:1d.2: port 1 portsc 0880,00

[    3.218241] hub 7-0:1.0: over-current change on port 1
```

The entire dmesg can be found here:

http://dpaste.com/17926/

----------

## d2_racing

Ok, try that now :

```

# ifconfig wlan0 up

# iwconfig

# iwlist scan

# /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 start

```

----------

## NeddySeagoon

belikeyeshua,

```
bash: /etc/init.d/net.wlan0: No such file or directory 
```

is because Gentoo does not create  /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 for you. It needs to be a symbolic link to /etc/init.d/net.lo

```
cd /etc/init.d

ls -s net.lo net.wlan0
```

will create the link

----------

## shgadwa

Thank you, that helps a lot. It still is not working however. I thought it was starting to work at first but then I restarted and it does not work. I did add the net.wlan0 to the default runlevel.

```
atlantis ~ # iwconfig

lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

sit0      no wireless extensions.

wmaster0  no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11bg  ESSID:"SpeedTouch1F3B15"  

          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.412 GHz  Access Point: Not-Associated   

          Tx-Power=27 dBm   

          Retry min limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr=2352 B   

          Encryption key:79E2-169F-E7   Security mode:open

          Power Management:off

          Link Quality:0  Signal level:0  Noise level:0

          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0

          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

```

```
atlantis ~ # iwlist scan

lo        Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

sit0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

wmaster0  Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0     Scan completed :

          Cell 01 - Address: 00:90:D0:4C:1B:44

                    ESSID:"SpeedTouch1F3B15"

                    Mode:Master

                    Channel:1

                    Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)

                    Quality=64/100  Signal level:-39 dBm  

                    Encryption key:on

                    IE: Unknown: 00105370656564546F756368314633423135

                    IE: Unknown: 010882848B962430486C

                    IE: Unknown: 030101

                    IE: Unknown: 2A0100

                    IE: Unknown: 2F0100

                    IE: Unknown: 32040C121860

                    IE: Unknown: DD060010180204F0

                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s

                              24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s

                              12 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s

                    Extra:tsf=000000868d2a818f

                    Extra: Last beacon: 6ms ago

          Cell 02 - Address: 00:11:F5:5D:4B:4E

                    ESSID:"AF"

                    Mode:Master

                    Channel:8

                    Frequency:2.447 GHz (Channel 8)

                    Quality=22/100  Signal level:-60 dBm  

                    Encryption key:on

                    IE: Unknown: 00024146

                    IE: Unknown: 010882848B9624B0486C

                    IE: Unknown: 030108

                    IE: Unknown: 2A0100

                    IE: Unknown: 2F0100

                    IE: Unknown: 32048C129860

                    IE: Unknown: DD06001018020000

                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s

                              24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s

                              12 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s

                    Extra:tsf=000004674b2f660c

                    Extra: Last beacon: 240ms ago

```

Also, I posted my /etc/conf.d/net file, maybe you should look at that.

Thank you for your help.[/code]

----------

## shgadwa

I think its got to be something wrong with my conf.d/net file.... the neat little netork icon in my panel says "wireless networks not found in range."

Quick question... will a network manager (like WiCD) help, or is that only a disadvantage with possibly not being able to start nets at boot???

EDIT:

Maybe this might help:

```
atlantis ~ # ping 192.168.1.254

PING 192.168.1.254 (192.168.1.254) 56(84) bytes of data.

From 192.168.1.20 icmp_seq=37 Destination Host Unreachable

From 192.168.1.20 icmp_seq=38 Destination Host Unreachable

From 192.168.1.20 icmp_seq=39 Destination Host Unreachable

From 192.168.1.20 icmp_seq=41 Destination Host Unreachable

From 192.168.1.20 icmp_seq=42 Destination Host Unreachable

From 192.168.1.20 icmp_seq=43 Destination Host Unreachable

```

----------

## shgadwa

Hey... thank you all for your help. I got it working  :Smile:  I asked my computer geek cousin for help   :Laughing: 

And took the time to figure it out. It was not working becuase I needed the right name servers. I added the proper one and now its gold and silver.... well, not quite. Thanks again.

Be Blessed.

~Shawn

----------

## d2_racing

Nice  :Razz: 

----------

