# [SOLVED] Problems with setting up wireless and connecting to

## boloobmap

Hi guys!

I've been wondering where exactly to post because I'm trying to install Gentoo and I fail at setting up internet connection. If the thread is in the wrong place, please move it. :)

I'm trying to install Gentoo from a minimal cd. I've read the handbook like 5 times before booting the installation and I thought everything will be ok and there shouldn't be purpose to post on a forum, but... :)

Well, I need to set up a wireless connection and then PPPoE connection to route it through existing wireless connection. I'm failing at setting up wireless during the installation.

My card(s):

```

$ lspci | grep -E "Net|net"

01:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 03)

05:06.0 Network controller: Ralink corp. RT2561/RT61 802.11g PCI

```

I'm not using the first "RTL8111/8168B" which is I think only for wired connections. I'm using RT2561/RT61 (PCI).

When I type into "ifconfig" I only see "(first realtek card) eth0: [...] lo: [...]" and when I try "ifconfig wlan0 up" I get:

```
SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory
```

then I try "modprobe rt61pci" and still nothing... Of course automatic network-setup don't work because it also can't set up wlan0. Network I'm trying to connect to has no encryption/password-access. I wonder if PPPoE on Gentoo can even work with wireless...

So, this is the problem, I'm currently on Ubuntu (livecd) and here it's pretty easy to do it - "ifconfig wlan0 up ; iwconfig wlan0 essid ; pppoeconf (this for my connection type)". I'm sure on Gentoo there is also easy way to do it but maybe I'm doing it not proper way...

Thank you for your answers in advice! :)Last edited by boloobmap on Fri Jan 11, 2013 11:15 am; edited 1 time in total

----------

## DONAHUE

suggest you do your install from the ubuntu livecd. no part of the install cd becomes part of the installed system so brand loyalty does not matter. with ubuntu cd booted and network connected, open a terminal, run

```
 sudo -i

mkdir /mnt/gentoo
```

 and follow the gentoo handbook from preparing the disks

----------

## ShadowCat8

Well,

Let's start with a couple quick questions: 

Have you created a link of /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 that is linked back to /etc/init.d/net.lo?

Have you installed either wireless-tools or wpa_supplicant on the system already?

Also, have you set which module to load (Either modules="wpa_supplicant" or modules="iwconfig" depending on what you are using for your wireless) in /etc/conf.d/net?

 For the PPPOE connection, have you installed "rp-pppoe"?

 Have you checked out the Wireless Networking page in the handbook?

HTH.  Let us know.

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## cach0rr0

 *boloobmap wrote:*   

> 
> 
> I'm trying to install Gentoo from a minimal cd. 
> 
> <snip>
> ...

 

these two go together like a fine wine, and napalm

the minimal iso/cd is just plain useless when it comes to wireless. Not your fault, it's one of those "undocumented" things (well, except on the forums)

DONAHUE nailed it. You simply need to use a different cd/iso to do the install. Burn it, boot it, but otherwise no deviations from the handbook. 

My own *personal* preference is sysrescuecd. Even gives you a gui, and a graphical wireless manager - it should "just work". Burn that, boot it, startx, launch a terminal from sysrescuecd's desktop, open a browser window with the desktop and hit up the handbook - easy peasy (well, until you get to the kernel config part; for that, see my signature, use one of Pappy's seeds!)

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## boloobmap

Hi guys! Sorry for no hearing from me that long.

I was looking back at this topic to complete some information and I'm sure there was another post... Anyway...:

 *ShadowCat8 wrote:*   

> Well,
> 
> Let's start with a couple quick questions: 
> 
> Have you created a link of /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 that is linked back to /etc/init.d/net.lo?
> ...

 

1. Yes, but I was still unable to get it work.

2. I'm using minimal installation CD, it's already in for configuring wireless (as it's said in handbook).

3. Is it impossible to launch wlan without it?

4. It's already on the installation CD (Roaring Penguin PPPoE v3.8)

5. Yes, but I'm stuck on just preparing connection required to installation.

 *cach0rr0 wrote:*   

>  *boloobmap wrote:*   
> 
> I'm trying to install Gentoo from a minimal cd. 
> 
> <snip>
> ...

 

I launched sysrescd and everything worked perfectly (even w/o NetManager and except few problems with connecting to access point at the first time)...

So now I'm wondering if I should just go on with sysrescd/ubu or maybe there is any chance to do that from original installation cd.

I don't know if I will need to specialy configure kernel to handle my wifi card (while I will be installing already), I found http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Ralink_RT61 - it probably can help with configuring the kernel (I just want to learn some and do it myself). Am I right with everything I mentioned and is there any reason to install Gentoo through it's "original" installation CD?

PS.

```

# lsmod | grep rt61

rt61pci            19261 0

rt2x00pci           4332 1 rt61pci

rt2x00lib          29100 2 rt61pci, rt2x00pci

eeprom_93ex6        1839 1 rt61pci

```

(if that helps something)Last edited by boloobmap on Wed Dec 05, 2012 9:47 am; edited 1 time in total

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## DONAHUE

All that is needed to install gentoo is a running linux system that supports chroot and is of the same bitness as the intended install.

sysresccd is a better choice than minimal as both are gentoo based, nothing from the install cd becomes part of the final installed system, the only change needed from the handbook is: use elinks instead of links, you can boot sysresccd to xfce GUI open the handbook in midori browser and copy and paste from handbook to terminal, sysresccd works and minimal doesn't.

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## boloobmap

Thank you for the answer and detailed explanation, I succesfully installed Gentoo as I wanted (from sysrescuecd).

But... I still have got problem with networking (on new Gentoo installation).

I hope you can help me. :)

Okay, so the basic information is that before I booted to the new system I had emerged these packets: wireless tools, ppp and dhcp deamon

Just after boot; everything should work but when I try 'ifconfig wlan0 up':

```
SIOCSIFFLAGS: Operation not possible due to RF-kill
```

I googled a while and found possible solution 'rfkill unblock wifi; rfkill unblock all', in fact, I can't use it because of that the 'rfkill' command doesn't exist in my system.

I found that due to kernel configuration this command must be defined, but I do have options about "RFKILL" enabled:

```

cat .config | grep -i kill

CONFIG_RFKILL=y

CONFIG_RFKILL_LEDS=y

CONFIG_RFKILL_INPUT=y

```

I completed more informations:

iwconfig:

```

wlan0     IEEE 802.11bg  ESSID:off/any  

          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=off   

          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off

          Encryption key:off

          Power Management:off

```

ifconfig:

```

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  

          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0

          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host

          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1

          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 

          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

```

dmesg (I filtered it myself for info about networking):

```

[...]

[    3.129186] phy0 -> rt61pci_validate_eeprom: EEPROM recovery - NIC: 0xff80

[    3.129189] phy0 -> rt61pci_validate_eeprom: EEPROM recovery - RSSI OFFSET BG: 0x0000

[    3.129190] phy0 -> rt61pci_validate_eeprom: EEPROM recovery - RSSI OFFSET A: 0x0000

[    3.129193] phy0 -> rt2x00_set_chip: Info - Chipset detected - rt: 2561, rf: 0003, rev: 000c.

[    3.129249] ieee80211 phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'minstrel_ht'

[    3.129378] Registered led device: rt61pci-phy0::radio

[    3.129389] Registered led device: rt61pci-phy0::assoc

[    5.686720] PPP generic driver version 2.4.2

[...] /* some msgs about filesystems */

[    7.120325] phy0 -> rt2x00lib_request_firmware: Info - Loading firmware file 'rt2561s.bin'.

[    7.121582] phy0 -> rt2x00lib_request_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware.

```

So according to this log it seems like driver firmware cannot be loaded, I don't really know if I should obtain it from Ralink website or configure kernel differently...

lsmod says that rt61pci, rt2x00 and rt2x00lib modules are loaded.

Here is the config from RT61 page on Gentoo wiki (http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/RT61):

```

CONFIG_MAC80211=y

CONFIG_RT2X00=m 

CONFIG_RT2X00_LIB=m 

CONFIG_RT2X00_LIB_PCI=m 

CONFIG_RT2X00_LIB_FIRMWARE=y 

CONFIG_RT61PCI=m

```

Mine is exactly the same (except CONFIG_RT2X00* options, they are not present in current kernel version but I think they depend on CONFIG_RT61PCI so they are anyway).

Here are the modules I load at boot:

cat /etc/conf.d/modules:

```

modules="rt61pci sha256_generic sha512_generic michael_mic ppp-generic"

```

I have no idea about this cryptographic alorithms, but PPP/PPPoe client page on Gentoo Wiki requested it (michael_mic) (As I said, I need PPPoE connection after setting up wlan [I know I'm probably wrong with terminology...]): http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/PPP_Client, http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/PPPoE_Client

Again, sorry for my non-professional terminology, as you can see I'm not advanced user, I just wanted to keep everything clear. If there is need of more info, I will post it.

Thanks in advance for any replies. :)

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## cach0rr0

rfkill utility is available in portage

```

[I] net-wireless/rfkill

     Available versions:  0.4

     Installed versions:  0.4(18:08:48 11/23/11)

     Homepage:            http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Documentation/rfkill

     Description:         Tool to read and control rfkill status through /dev/rfkill

```

RT61 firmware, which includes rt2561s.bin is in portage as well

```

* net-wireless/rt61-firmware

     Available versions:  (~)1.2

     Homepage:            http://www.ralinktech.com/ralink/Home/Support/Linux.html

     Description:         Firmware for Ralink rt61-based PCI/PCMCIA WiFi adapters (rt61pci module)

```

emerge these, and that should be it

as a side note, i tend to build everything wireless - including rfkill - as modules rather than built-ins. It tends to make things much easier, such that one can simply unload modules if something goes wrong, rather than having to reboot. My iwlwifi crashes a few times a day, and the only way to recover is to rmmod and modprobe again, then restart my wifi - i could not do this if it were a built-in, i would have to reboot

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