# WIFI Doesn't work on Live DVD.

## Pepse

Hello all.  I am new here but have been a Linux user for 10 years.  I decided to try Gentoo and I have the Gentoo 11.0 DVD and 11.2.  I cannot get the WIFI in my older HP laptop to work at least through the GUI.  I am only running Gentoo in LIVE mode.  I will install it IF I can get the WIFI to work.  I have tried Live CD's of Kubuntu, Trinity, and Mepis and none will get my WIFI working; in LIVE mode.  If I need to If I need to use the Copmmand Line I need a password  for trying this in LIVE mode; "user" and "demo" don't work.  It has a Broadcom 802.11 B/G card.

Pepse.

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## Gusar

We need the output of 'lspci -nn', marketing names don't help. But just guessing, your card requires extracting firmware from the closed driver, and that's why live distros tend to not ship it.

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## Pepse

Okay, so, if I am right, I need to go to a Konsole to give you the results.  What is the password for the command line using the Live DVD?  Or do I install Gentoo first and go from that point?

Pepse.

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## Pepse

I decided to install it but there is no "Install" for the live DVD.

Pepse.

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## gcyoung

You must find out what the wireless chip/card on your laptop is, since when you compile your kernel you will need to set  it to suit the correct modem. 

The best way to find out is to run a live cd of Ubuntu, which is very good at finding and sorting out the hardware.

I suspect that if ubuntu can't find it then it wont run on linux, so you might as well forget it!

However, if it does find the modem, and you will know if it has, since you will be able to "ping" and use a browser, then you should open up a console and type : "lsmod | more". This will show all the modules which are installed, and you should be able to identify which one is running your wifi.

Additionally, if you execute lspci -v | more, you will get a listing of the  pci hardware, and the modules running it. If you make a note of this  you will find the  information useful when it comes to installing Gentoo.

I don't personally install Gentoo from a live cd, but I use a cd with "System Rescue" ( which is gentoo based) on it,  to install a modem and download a stage3 snapshot and portage from a gentoo mirror. In this way one has an up to date version straight away. I imagine one does something similar using a live cd. I don't think you will find any "Install" command.

Anyway, I think it is very important that you should open up your browser, go to gentoo's manual page and spend some time time reading it. There is also a great deal of useful information amongst the documentation about installing various parts of your system, including wireless.

The best way for a beginner to install gentoo is to proceed, step by step  through the manual doing the stages as described.

I have assumed, from you posts, that you are a "beginner", if not then I apologise for telling you what you may already know.

Just spotted that you say you are a Linux user of 10 years. !! However-- what I have written still applies.

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## Pepse

Okay, thanks for the reply.  I will read the man pages and go from there.  In a sense it will be new to me since I will be installing something I didn't realize that even with Linux it just doesn't load the software like an Ethernet port.

  Will post as soon as I can.

Pepse.

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## gcyoung

A correction-- I wrote above "you will need it to set the correct modem" . Of course, its not the "modem" you need to setup up, but the wireless card /chip itself.

Additionally, You must find out whether your hardware need "WPA_supplicant". Details of this are included in the Gentoo documentation.

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## Pepse

I knew you meant WIFI card.

Pepse.

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