Wifi? Im lost [SOLVED|

[sunwatt]

Hi, Ive been playing with LMDE today, and cant figure out how to activate wifi.

Its connected via ethernet cable for now, I did all the updates.

My computer is a Dell Mini 9.

My wifi is a Belkin.

It was very simple to activate wireless with Mint 9, but this new Debian edition seems worth some extra effort.

Thanks

Jim

[ShexNivis]

Please open up a terminal and type "lspci | grep Network" and post here the output. So we can help you installing the driver.

If you want to figure out for yourself http://wiki.debian.org/WiFi
good luck

[sunwatt]

cowthink: Could not find small cowfile!
jim@Mini9-laptop ~ $ lspci | grep Network
03:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY (rev 01)
jim@Mini9-laptop ~ $

[ShexNivis]

Ok so here what you have to do on the terminal:
$ sudo -i
type your password
# aptitude update
# aptitude install module-assistant wireless-tools
# m-a a-i broadcom-sta
# update-initramfs -u -k $(uname -r)
# modprobe -r b44 b43 b43legacy ssb
# modprobe wl

You might have to reboot now for it to work.

source and more information on what every line does:
http://wiki.debian.org/wl#Squeeze

[Gramps50]

cowthink: Could not find small cowfile!
jim@Mini9-laptop ~ $ lspci | grep Network
03:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY (rev 01)
jim@Mini9-laptop ~ $

Read my 1st ipressions, there are also directions for getting your Broadcom 4312 working with LMDE
viewtopic.php?f=141&t=10267&start=640#p313931

[swirling_vortex]

I wouldn't recommend using the wl driver because on a rolling release for testing, you'll have to go back and recompile it with module-assistant. You could get around it if you could hook it into dkms, but that's too much work in my opinion. Since I have the same card, it's actually very easy to get it running.

First, you'll need to hook up your computer to a wired connection. There's no way around this because you'll need it for the second step.

Next, do a system update. Issue the usual aptitude update; aptitude full-upgrade commands. Reboot the machine.

Finally, install the firmware-b43-lpphy-installer package. Reboot again.

If Network Manager doesn't show your device, you'll have to add yourself to the netdev group. In a prompt, simply type:

Code: Select all

sudo adduser <your_username> netdev

Where <your_username> is the alias you login with.

[sunwatt]

Ok so here what you have to do on the terminal:
$ sudo -i
type your password
# aptitude update
# aptitude install module-assistant wireless-tools
# m-a a-i broadcom-sta
# update-initramfs -u -k $(uname -r)
# modprobe -r b44 b43 b43legacy ssb
# modprobe wl

You might have to reboot now for it to work.

source and more information on what every line does:
http://wiki.debian.org/wl#Squeeze

OK, I tried to do this, it took my password, then I pasted the next 6 lines of code, rebooted, still no wifi. Im pasting the text from terminal below, all of it, including my embarrassing errors.

thanks

Jim

________________________________________
( "Well - tell you a secret - I can )
( answer because I make good searches, I )
( find what others don't" )
( )
( Husse Nov 11 2007 )
----------------------------------------
o
o
___
{~._.~}
( Y )
()~*~()
(_)-(_)
jim@Mini9-laptop ~ $ $ sudo -i
$: command not found
jim@Mini9-laptop ~ $ jim@Mini9-laptop ~ $ $ sudo -i
jim@Mini9-laptop: command not found
jim@Mini9-laptop ~ $ $: command not found
$:: command not found
jim@Mini9-laptop ~ $ jim@Mini9-laptop ~ $
jim@Mini9-laptop: command not found
jim@Mini9-laptop ~ $ sudo -i
[sudo] password for jim:

______________________________________
/ The ripest fruit falls first. \
| |
\ -- William Shakespeare, "Richard II" /
--------------------------------------
\
\ \_\_ _/_/
\ \__/
(oo)\_______
(__)\ )\/\
||----w |
|| ||
Mini9-laptop ~ #
Mini9-laptop ~ # # aptitude update
Mini9-laptop ~ #
Mini9-laptop ~ # sudo # aptitude update
usage: sudo -h | -K | -k | -L | -V
usage: sudo -v [-AknS] [-p prompt]
usage: sudo -l[l] [-AknS] [-g groupname|#gid] [-p prompt] [-U username] [-u
username|#uid] [-g groupname|#gid] [command]
usage: sudo [-AbEHknPS] [-C fd] [-g groupname|#gid] [-p prompt] [-u
username|#uid] [-g groupname|#gid] [VAR=value] [-i|-s] [<command>]
usage: sudo -e [-AknS] [-C fd] [-g groupname|#gid] [-p prompt] [-u
username|#uid] file ...
Mini9-laptop ~ # # aptitude update
Mini9-laptop ~ # # aptitude install module-assistant wireless-tools
Mini9-laptop ~ # # m-a a-i broadcom-sta
Mini9-laptop ~ # # update-initramfs -u -k $(uname -r)
Mini9-laptop ~ # # modprobe -r b44 b43 b43legacy ssb
Mini9-laptop ~ # # modprobe wl

[ShexNivis]

I see you are new to using the terminal.
When you see in the terminal "yourname@yourcomputer~$" that means that all commands you type in will be done under the user yourname.
When you type sudo -i you will change to the user root(the Administrator if you want to see it like that). When you are as root the terminal will show a '#' instead of a '$'.
So, when I typed a command with a '$' it means that you are supposed to run it with a regular user and '#' means that you are supposed to use it as root. You are not supposed to type the symbols they are there just so you know what commands you need to be root(administrator) for them to work.
Try now again and post the feedback.
Good luck

[Teucca]

Ok so here what you have to do on the terminal:
$ sudo -i
type your password
# aptitude update
# aptitude install module-assistant wireless-tools
# m-a a-i broadcom-sta
# update-initramfs -u -k $(uname -r)
# modprobe -r b44 b43 b43legacy ssb
# modprobe wl

You might have to reboot now for it to work.

source and more information on what every line does:
http://wiki.debian.org/wl#Squeeze

Thanks ShexNivis! This fix my connection

[sunwatt]

OK, this time I got pretty far along before a problem stopped me. Terminal is not my strong point, but I try and learn. Thanks to these forums I manage.

Mini9-laptop ~ # update-initramfs -u -k $(uname -r)
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-5-686
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl8168d-2.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl8168d-1.fw for module r8169
Mini9-laptop ~ #

I only had a couple lines of code left and this seemed to stop me, I entered the next line and here is what happened.

Mini9-laptop ~ # update-initramfs -u -k $(uname -r)
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-5-686
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl8168d-2.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl8168d-1.fw for module r8169
Mini9-laptop ~ # modprobe -r b44 b43 b43legacy ssb
Mini9-laptop ~ #

Any ideas?

Thanks

Jim

[sunwatt]

I see you are new to using the terminal.
When you see in the terminal "yourname@yourcomputer~$" that means that all commands you type in will be done under the user yourname.
When you type sudo -i you will change to the user root(the Administrator if you want to see it like that). When you are as root the terminal will show a '#' instead of a '$'.
So, when I typed a command with a '$' it means that you are supposed to run it with a regular user and '#' means that you are supposed to use it as root. You are not supposed to type the symbols they are there just so you know what commands you need to be root(administrator) for them to work.
Try now again and post the feedback.
Good luck

I only got part of the way through that code, as I said in my previous post. But what the heck, I rebooted, and now Im on my wifi!

Should I do those last couple of lines of code? Or as its not broke, dont fix it?

Thanks!

Jim

[ShexNivis]

Yep you are done. That error is not really a problem.
and for CO2 you are welcome : )

[Teucca]

Here is Mint Instructions with screenshots http://linuxmint-fi.info/lmde-wlan-wifi/

[sunwatt]

Thank you, Im sure that will help the other Ubuntu refugees (like me) get the wifi going.

The Debian install is allot harder than Ubuntu or Mint 9.

But thank goodness for these forums, you got it going for me. And now I can do it myself.

I also had allot of trouble setting up my hard drive partitions with LMDE.

I wish there was a website like you just posted for that part of the install process.

thanks to all

Jim

[MrD]

Ok so here what you have to do on the terminal:
$ sudo -i
type your password
# aptitude update
# aptitude install module-assistant wireless-tools
# m-a a-i broadcom-sta
# update-initramfs -u -k $(uname -r)
# modprobe -r b44 b43 b43legacy ssb
# modprobe wl

You might have to reboot now for it to work.

Thanks, after rebooting that made wifi work for my Dell Inspiron 1520.

However, ethernet does not appear to be recognised anymore, so it appears I only have wifi now. I don't really use ethernet though, except the rare occasion I am in my university, in a blind spot for wifi, and I rip the ethernet cable out of the back of one of their slow and stupid desktops to use with my laptop, so I can deal with that inconvenience.

[TomRone]

Ok so here what you have to do on the terminal:
$ sudo -i
type your password
# aptitude update
# aptitude install module-assistant wireless-tools
# m-a a-i broadcom-sta
# update-initramfs -u -k $(uname -r)
# modprobe -r b44 b43 b43legacy ssb
# modprobe wl

You might have to reboot now for it to work.

source and more information on what every line does:
http://wiki.debian.org/wl#Squeeze

Great concise solution! Someone should write a script to do this for people until the Mint devs include a nicer utility.