# Networking not working after install

## dataking

Not sure whether this belongs here or or in the kernel forum, but since it is ultimately a networking issue, I'll got for here.

I've read many posts on these forums regarding Broadcom NICs not working with various 2.6.x kernels, but have yet to find any with the 3.x kernels.  I have an older Dell D610 laptop that I'm trying install gentoo on. The laptop has the Broadcom BCM5751 ehternet NIC and the Broadcom BCM4309 wireless NIC.  For reasons unknown to me, the gentoo-sources 3.10.17 seems to only let me build modules because of dependencies.

lsmod shows that the (tg3, b43) modules are loaded, but if I run ifconfig or attempt "/etc/init.d/net.eth0 start", both fail complaining that the device doesn't exist.  I've recompiled the kernel multiple times (tweaking the networking and device driver options each time) to no avail.

Both interfaces work on the liveCD (but the "net-setup wlan0" only wants WEP, which I don't use).

I'm compiling the kernel with genkernel as I was under the impression that would provide an environment similar if not identical to the liveCD.

If this current kernel build doesn't work, I'm going to try vanilla-sources, but those are at a different version, so I don't know if that will be a factor.

Would appreciate any help or guidance.

TIA

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## mir3x

for wireless u use iwfonfig

just run

check interface - probably some wlanX ( u can use iwconfig to configure your net but only for open or wep, but dont do it anyway, 

there is also command iw but I guess it wont help conencting to wpa-psk)

then might try starting again via net.wlanX , but I guess it wont work ...

cause u must first configure it ... use some wpa_supplicant or some graphical interface

for starting via wpa_supplicant use /etc/init.d/wpa_supplicant start

here u have some easy conf for wpa_supplicant.conf ( in /etc/wpa_supplicant dir)

ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=wheel 

network={

ssid="your SSID"

scan_ssid=1

key_mgmt=WPA-PSK

psk="YOUR PASSWORD"

}

then just add wpa_supplicant to start 

via rc-update ( or maybe via systemd if u use it)

( as far as I remember wpa_supplicant will find correct inerface alone, also u can use wpa_gui to create config file and conenct

 I suggest to run wpa_cli after starting wpa_supplicant manually first time to check if everything is correct )

or u can use some graphical configurator from gnome or kde or something else ... ( network will start then after X)

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## dataking

I don't have a window manager installed yet (or any graphics, for that matter).  Planning to go with KDE.  Was hoping to get this resolved before installing KDE so I could do so from the base environment rather than the liveCD chroot environment.

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## mir3x

ok, just emerge wpa_supplicant and use it

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## dataking

Emerging wpa_supplicant now.  It'll take a while with all the dependencies that haven't yet been installed.

iwconfig doesn't exist yet on the system, and "equery belongs iwconfig" doesn't tell me what package I need to install to get it.

Maybe one of the dependencies of wpa_supplicant will bring that to the table?

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## mir3x

iwconfig is from wireless-tools

'equery belongs X 'finds only from installed packages, for rest google is needed  :Very Happy: 

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## mir3x

hmm, I forgot, after using /etc/init.d/wpa_supplicant start

u will need to run 

dhcpcd wlanX also to get IP

( u can add then dhcpcd - or some other dhcp client - to start via rc-update,

or I guess /etc/init.d/net.wlanX might do it, idk)

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## dataking

wpa_supplicant isn't going to solve the issue with the ethernet NIC, will it?

I need to get this resolved or I'll have to hop distros.

I just don't understand why it works with net-setup on the liveCD, yet doesn't work in the installed environment.

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## krinn

Check in dmesg if your nic name is still really eth0 or ifconfig -a

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## dataking

 *krinn wrote:*   

> Check in dmesg if your nic name is still really eth0 or ifconfig -a

 

"ifconfig" just shows interface lo.

Why would the name change?

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## dataking

 *krinn wrote:*   

> Check in dmesg if your nic name is still really eth0 or ifconfig -a

 

Good call on the NIC renaming.  Maybe udev is just playing with me or something.  On the liveCD it's eth0, but on the installed system it's enp2s0.  Go figure.  Now I just have to pray that the wifi will work.

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## dataking

 *mir3x wrote:*   

> ok, just emerge wpa_supplicant and use it

 

wpa_supplicant won't start because it doesn't detect any wireless interfaces.

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## dataking

 *dataking wrote:*   

>  *mir3x wrote:*   ok, just emerge wpa_supplicant and use it 
> 
> wpa_supplicant won't start because it doesn't detect any wireless interfaces.

 

I just remembered I still have yet to install b43-firmware for this instance.  Once I have the ability to do that, maybe it'll help with the built-in wifi NIC.  But I just connected my ALFA Atheros 036NHA card and it isn't recognized either, though I know the kernel modules are built.  I may need to modprobe them.  To be explored.  Any advice welcome.   :Wink: 

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## mir3x

How its possible that module is loaded and there is no interface ??

Check dmesg, maybe there is some message about failed firmware loading ?

If yes then emerge linux-firmware package or do make firmware_install in kernel source directory 

( or u might need to pass some custom option/config to genkernel to do that, but it should do it by default,

I dont use genkernel so no idea ... )

And check ifconfig -a, not ifconfig

if wired interface is down then just do ifconig ethX up, and dhcpcd ethX to get network

EDIT: probably b43 firmware is in linux-firmware package also and maybe even newer

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## dataking

Wired interface is not down, fortunately.  I believe any issue with the wired interface to be resolved.  The issue(s) now are to get the wireless interfaces working.

Unfortunately, I'm stuck for a while emerging the newest updates to KDE, as well as some other updates and recompiles.  I know b43-firmware is a distinct package, so that may be required for the built-in interface.  I don't believe the Atheros card requires firmware.  linux-firmware is something else entire, I think.  genkernel builds the firmware into the kernel by default, so I'm likely to believe that linux-firmware is more related to the kernel, than the NIC, and in this case, isn't needed.  We'll see.

Also, for the Atheros, I said the module was built, not loaded.  I guess I need to play around with that some more.

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## dataking

I've managed to make some progress, but am still stuck with the wireless interface.  The OS can now see the interface as wlan0, but is unable to bring it up to pair with the AP.  wpa_supplicant says that the drivers are unsupported.  I've tried "b43", "b43legacy", "wl", and "wext".  wpa_supplicant doesn't complain about an unsupported driver with "wext", but complains that "wext" is unable to bring up the interface.

I'm seeing now in `dmesg` that the kernel (I assume) is complaining that the firmware is too old.  So I'm going to try to update that.  In the meantime, any advice would be appreciate.

TIA

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## dataking

After much research and trying basically everything under the sun, I'm able to bring the wlan0 interface up.  However, it doesn't appear to associate with my home AP, and dhcpcd doesn't pull and ip address.  wpa_supplicant reports that the interface is up but inactive.  Once I get that message, I can assign it an IP with ifconfig, and I appear to be "good to go".

What do I need to do to get wlan0 to auto-associate with my home AP and pull an address from DHCP?

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