# WiFi not working

## elomaniak

Hi

I finally got my Gentoo up and running with XFCE

however my WiFi isnt working.

lspci -l lists the wifi

```
01:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8188CE 802.11b/g/n WiFi Adapter (rev 01)

```

in make menuconfig i added the corresponding option in Device Drivers --> Ethernet --> Wireless

still nothing

right now i downloaded the driver for linux from realtek.

but right now I do not know how to install this driver through the terminal

can somebodz help me how to install an external driver permanently into gentoo??

thx in advance

----------

## BillWho

elomaniak,

Did you set this   :Question: 

CONFIG_RTL8192CE:                                                                                                                                                                                      │  

  │                                                                                                                                                                                                        │  

  │ This is the driver for Realtek RTL8192CE/RTL8188CE 802.11n PCIe                                                                                                                                        │  

  │ wireless network adapters.                                                                                                                                                                             │  

  │                                                                                                                                                                                                        │  

  │ If you choose to build it as a module, it will be called rtl8192ce                                                                                                                                     │  

  │                                                                                                                                                                                                        │  

  │ Symbol: RTL8192CE [=n]                                                                                                                                                                                 │  

  │ Type  : tristate                                                                                                                                                                                       │  

  │ Prompt: Realtek RTL8192CE/RTL8188CE Wireless Network Adapter                                                                                                                                           │  

  │   Defined at drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/Kconfig:1                                                                                                                                                    │  

  │   Depends on: NETDEVICES [=y] && WLAN [=y] && MAC80211 [=y] && PCI [=y]                                                                                                                                │  

  │   Location:                                                                                                                                                                                            │  

  │     -> Device Drivers                                                                                                                                                                                  │  

  │       -> Network device support (NETDEVICES [=y])                                                                                                                                                      │  

  │         -> Wireless LAN (WLAN [=y])                                                                                                                                                                    │  

  │   Selects: FW_LOADER [=y] && RTLWIFI [=n] && RTL8192C_COMMON [=n]                                                                                                                                      │  

  │

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## elomaniak

hi BillWho

yes i did set it in menuconfig, not as a module but built in

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## derk

what are you using to interface with the wireless nic?     wpa_supplicant ? wicd ? networkmanager?

also which version of udev are you using?

also have you set   rfkill/rf subsystem under networking and selected the standard  wireless protocols? in your kernel?

----------

## elomaniak

The Problem is that the wifi is not listed under iwconfig

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## joekickass

What is the output of lspci -v?

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## BillWho

elomaniak,

I see CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE in the Selects section. Check dmesg if there are any errors related to firmware loading.

Did you set:

CONFIG_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL=y

CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE='your required stuff'

CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE_DIR='/lib/firmware'

 :Question: 

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## derk

make sure you have in kernel config

under networking ->  wireless ->  Common routines for IEEE802.11 drivers  selected ..

I just noticed this on one of my own machines and fixed it and the device is now detected and was not without it for the rtl8180 driver

I imagine same issue for rtl8192 perhaps even though it is still in stageing

----------

## elomaniak

Output of lspci -v

```
00:00.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 14h Processor Root Complex

   Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 14h Processor Root Complex

   Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 64

00:01.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Wrestler [Radeon HD 6320] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])

   Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21f0

   Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 11

   Memory at e0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]

   I/O ports at 4000 [size=256]

   Memory at f0300000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256K]

   Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]

   Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 3

   Capabilities: [58] Express Root Complex Integrated Endpoint, MSI 00

   Capabilities: [a0] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+

   Capabilities: [100] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=010 <?>

00:01.1 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Wrestler HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 6250/6310]

   Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Wrestler HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 6250/6310]

   Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 43

   Memory at f0344000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]

   Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 3

   Capabilities: [58] Express Root Complex Integrated Endpoint, MSI 00

   Capabilities: [a0] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+

   Capabilities: [100] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=010 <?>

   Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel

00:05.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 14h Processor Root Port (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])

   Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0

   Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=0

   I/O behind bridge: 00003000-00003fff

   Memory behind bridge: f0200000-f02fffff

   Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 3

   Capabilities: [58] Express Root Port (Slot+), MSI 00

   Capabilities: [a0] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+

   Capabilities: [b0] Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1234

   Capabilities: [b8] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping Enable+ Fixed+

   Capabilities: [100] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=010 <?>

   Kernel driver in use: pcieport

00:06.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 14h Processor Root Port (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])

   Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0

   Bus: primary=00, secondary=02, subordinate=02, sec-latency=0

   I/O behind bridge: 00002000-00002fff

   Memory behind bridge: f0100000-f01fffff

   Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 3

   Capabilities: [58] Express Root Port (Slot+), MSI 00

   Capabilities: [a0] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+

   Capabilities: [b0] Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1234

   Capabilities: [b8] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping Enable+ Fixed+

   Capabilities: [100] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=010 <?>

   Kernel driver in use: pcieport

00:07.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 14h Processor Root Port (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])

   Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0

   Bus: primary=00, secondary=03, subordinate=03, sec-latency=0

   I/O behind bridge: 00001000-00001fff

   Memory behind bridge: f0000000-f00fffff

   Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 00000000f0400000-00000000f06fffff

   Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 3

   Capabilities: [58] Express Root Port (Slot+), MSI 00

   Capabilities: [a0] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+

   Capabilities: [b0] Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1234

   Capabilities: [b8] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping Enable+ Fixed+

   Capabilities: [100] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=010 <?>

   Kernel driver in use: pcieport

00:11.0 SATA controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (prog-if 01 [AHCI 1.0])

   Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21f0

   Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 19

   I/O ports at 4118 [size=8]

   I/O ports at 4124 [size=4]

   I/O ports at 4110 [size=8]

   I/O ports at 4120 [size=4]

   I/O ports at 4100 [size=16]

   Memory at f034a000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]

   Capabilities: [70] SATA HBA v1.0

   Capabilities: [a4] PCI Advanced Features

   Kernel driver in use: ahci

00:12.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller (prog-if 10 [OHCI])

   Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21f0

   Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 18

   Memory at f0349000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]

   Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd

00:12.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller (prog-if 20 [EHCI])

   Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21f0

   Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 17

   Memory at f034a500 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]

   Capabilities: [c0] Power Management version 2

   Capabilities: [e4] Debug port: BAR=1 offset=00e0

   Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd

00:13.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller (prog-if 10 [OHCI])

   Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21f0

   Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 18

   Memory at f0348000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]

   Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd

00:13.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller (prog-if 20 [EHCI])

   Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21f0

   Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 17

   Memory at f034a400 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]

   Capabilities: [c0] Power Management version 2

   Capabilities: [e4] Debug port: BAR=1 offset=00e0

   Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd

00:14.0 SMBus: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SBx00 SMBus Controller (rev 42)

   Flags: 66MHz, medium devsel

00:14.2 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA) (rev 40)

   Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21f0

   Flags: bus master, slow devsel, latency 64, IRQ 16

   Memory at f0340000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]

   Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2

   Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel

00:14.3 ISA bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 LPC host controller (rev 40)

   Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21f0

   Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 0

00:14.4 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI SBx00 PCI to PCI Bridge (rev 40) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])

   Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 64

   Bus: primary=00, secondary=04, subordinate=04, sec-latency=64

00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 12h/14h Processor Function 0 (rev 43)

   Flags: fast devsel

00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 12h/14h Processor Function 1

   Flags: fast devsel

00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 12h/14h Processor Function 2

   Flags: fast devsel

00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 12h/14h Processor Function 3

   Flags: fast devsel

   Capabilities: [f0] Secure device <?>

00:18.4 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 12h/14h Processor Function 4

   Flags: fast devsel

00:18.5 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 12h/14h Processor Function 6

   Flags: fast devsel

00:18.6 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 12h/14h Processor Function 5

   Flags: fast devsel

00:18.7 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 12h/14h Processor Function 7

   Flags: fast devsel

01:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8188CE 802.11b/g/n WiFi Adapter (rev 01)

   Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 8195

   Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17

   I/O ports at 3000 [size=256]

   Memory at f0200000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]

   Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3

   Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+

   Capabilities: [70] Express Endpoint, MSI 00

   Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting

   Capabilities: [140] Virtual Channel

   Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 01-91-81-fe-ff-4c-e0-00

   Kernel driver in use: rtl8192ce

02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR8151 v2.0 Gigabit Ethernet (rev c0)

   Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21f0

   Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 44

   Memory at f0100000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256K]

   I/O ports at 2000 [size=128]

   Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3

   Capabilities: [48] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+

   Capabilities: [58] Express Endpoint, MSI 00

   Capabilities: [6c] Vital Product Data

   Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting

   Capabilities: [180] Device Serial Number ff-8e-b1-d1-04-7d-7b-ff

   Kernel driver in use: atl1c

03:00.0 Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5209 PCI Express Card Reader (rev 01)

   Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21f0

   Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 5

   Memory at f0000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]

   Expansion ROM at f0400000 [disabled] [size=64K]

   Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3

   Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+

   Capabilities: [70] Express Endpoint, MSI 00

   Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting

   Capabilities: [140] Device Serial Number 00-00-00-01-00-4c-e0-00

```

@derk

is checked, still no Wifi

----------

## derk

do you have linux-firmware installed?  seems you might need that .. also if you do and it still does not load you can build the firmware into the kernel ..

----------

## elomaniak

i dont know if i have it installed

how can i check it? or even install it?

----------

## derk

emerge -av linux-firmware

----------

## WvR

The support for Realtek cards is not very good, in my opinion. I have a laptop with a RTL8192 and I never managed to get it working properly, no matter how hard I tried. In the best case, the card works for 10 minutes and then I get a kernel panic. So, my advice: get a cheap USB WiFi dongle (look for Ralink chips). These have excellent support and work very reliably in linux.

----------

## elomaniak

Well after the emerge of linux-firmware i at least have the wlan0 listed in ifconfig and ifconfig -a

How do i activate it to use it?

I have wicd installed but it doesnt show any reaction when clicking in it

//edit

ok wicd added with rc-update and it starts, but it cant find any wireless network

sitting next to the router

any suggestion??

----------

## wcg

wicd is a high-level interface, right? It does not need any wifi related

scripts in /etc/init.d/ to be added to the bootup scripts with rc-update,

because it will start anything it needs from there itself. But it still needs

something like wpa_supplicant or iwconfig to handle the lower level

wireless connections between installed wifi network interfaces and

external access points. If using wpa_supplicant, as recommended in

/usr/share/doc/openrc-[version]/net.example.bz2, then wpa_supplicant

still neeeds to be configured in /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf,

even if there is no mention of it or of wlan0 in /etc/conf.d/net and you

did not add /etc/init.d/wpa_supplicant to the boot scripts with rc-update.

You can tell wpa_supplicant what wpa_supplicant wifi driver

you want to use in /etc/conf.d/wpa_supplicant.

edit:

Actually I do not know if that last part is true. Does

wicd use the /etc/init.d/wpa_supplicant script to start

wpa_supplicant? If not, wpa_supplicant might not see

any command line options (like which wpa_supplicant

driver to use) in /etc/conf.d/wpa_supplicant. Wicd itself

might have wpa_supplicant related options in its own

config file where you can specify that.

----------

## rmzelnick

If you have a wpa security encryption use wpa_supplicant. If not just use wireless-tools (but I prefer wpa since most houses have wpa encryption instead of wep).

Please follow the guide bellow:

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?style=printable&part=4&chap=4

----------

