How to view available networks Solved

[Sobill]

I just finished installing Mint and when I open box to connect to the internet it doesn't show available networks. It wants a "bssid" which I don't know. Is there a "Windows" type interface that shows available networks from which to select. Thanks, Bill

[Hoser Rob]

Hmmm ... I've had connection problems with Linux before but I could always just click on the network manager icon in the notificaiton area to get a list of avalable connections ... but first you need to post some useful system details. Copy/paste this into the terminal and copy/[paste the text output here:

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inxi -Fxz

[Sobill]

Copy n paste in terminal produced quite a list of "stuff" but I'm on another computer (that connects to internet) so copy n paste not an option. When I left click on the icon I get a fly-out box with following options:

Ethernet Network (grey txt)
disconnected (grey)
VPN Connections (black with options to connect or disconnect)
Enable Networking (black n checked)
Connection Information (grey)
Edit Connections (black) This produces the box leading to Wi-Fi box which wants info like SSID, Mode, BSSID, Device, Cloned MAC addy and MTU

I hope this helps you. To copy n paste I need a txt editor in Linux to paste to, then somehow get back to windows, find the file and then come back here to send it to you..... BTW does "control C" work after highlighting terminal txt.
Thank you for your response, Bill

[Neil Edmond]

The two most important pieces of info needed in this case are: Which Mint? And, the model number of the wifi chip (it's likely one of the not very well supported ones). The full output of inxi -Fxz will tell us those things...and more. And, yes, you can copy the terminal info to a text editor and carry the file to the other computer.

[Cosmo.]

In the terminal ctrl-shift-c does copy (and ctrl-shift-v does paste).

[Sobill]

Thanks guys. Here's terminal info. Stumbling around a lot in Linux, but nothings caught on fire yet

sobill@sobill-Precision-M2400 ~ $ inxi -Fxz
System: Host: sobill-Precision-M2400 Kernel: 4.4.0-53-generic i686 (32 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
Desktop: Xfce 4.12.3 (Gtk 2.24.28) Distro: Linux Mint 18.1 Serena
Machine: System: Dell (portable) product: Precision M2400
Mobo: Dell model: 0HT029 Bios: Dell v: A06 date: 10/10/2008
CPU: Dual core Intel Core2 Duo T9400 (-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB
flags: (lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 10107
clock speeds: max: 2535 MHz 1: 1600 MHz 2: 1600 MHz
Graphics: Card: NVIDIA G98GLM [Quadro FX 370M] bus-ID: 01:00.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: nouveau (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: 1440x900@60.00hz
GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on NV98
GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 11.2.0 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card Intel 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.0-53-generic
Network: Card-1: Intel 82567LM Gigabit Network Connection
driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: efe0 bus-ID: 00:19.0
IF: enp0s25 state: down mac: <filter>
Card-2: Broadcom BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY
driver: b43-pci-bridge bus-ID: 0c:00.0
IF: N/A state: N/A mac: N/A
Drives: HDD Total Size: 500.1GB (1.6% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST500LT012 size: 500.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 154G used: 4.5G (4%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda5
ID-2: swap-1 size: 3.21GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda6
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 47.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 59.0
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 186 Uptime: 5 min Memory: 290.8/3016.3MB
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
Client: Shell (bash 4.3.461) inxi: 2.2.35
sobill@sobill-Precision-M2400

[Sobill]

I've come to the conclusion that "Xfce" is the wrong version of 18.1 to use on a computer that travels. I seems to be intended for use with Ethernet or a local WiFi. I installed "Cinnamon" on a different computer and had no problem connecting; it went as expected. Part of the problem selecting which version of Mint 18.1 to install is that I wasn't able to find any info on what the difference is between them. Lots of "Glowing" descriptions of each of them, but not any mention of what the differences were. Have I missed it here? Does it exist anywhere? Thanks, Bill

[phd21]

Hi "Sobill",

Welcome to the wonderful world of Linux Mint and its excellent forum !

I just read your post and the good replies to it. Here are my thoughts on this as well.

One console terminal command that has helped me before with this kind of issue is to restart the "Network Manager". After a little time, it will restart, then click the Network Manager icon to see if it now sees the various available networks... This only needs to be done once usually.

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sudo service network-manager restart

There are 4 main wonderful editions of Linux Mint: Cinnamon, Mate, KDE, & "Xfce" (32-bit and 64-bit depending upon the computer's CPU processor). And anyone can create a DVD or USB flash drive stick of each one, boot to it and try it out, test drive it. You may find that one edition works better for your hardware and that you like more. Mate is the most hardware compatible.

The results of the "inxi -Fxzd" show that you are using a 32-bit edition and version of Linux Mint, when I think your computer has a 64-bit CPU processor, which means you should download and use a 64-bit version of Linux Mint...

CPU: Dual core Intel Core2 Duo T9400 (-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB
flags: (lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3 vmx)

Also, after you decide on which edition and version of Linux Mint you want to use, install the correct video driver for your Nvidia video card.
Install the Nvidia driver (great website) with instructions, see below...
https://sites.google.com/site/easylinuxtipsproject/12

Graphics: Card: NVIDIA G98GLM [Quadro FX 370M] bus-ID: 01:00.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: nouveau (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: 1440x900@60.00hz
GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on NV98
GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 11.2.0 Direct Rendering: Yes

To install the Nvidia video driver for your computer using the PPA method, open a console terminal, type in, or copy & paste, each line below one by one, and restart your computer:

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sudo add-apt-repository ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa

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sudo apt-get update

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sudo apt-get install nvidia-340

Hope this helps ...

[JeremyB]

For wireless, download https://www.dropbox.com/s/7exlzch25ap6uha/b43.zip and transfer it to the Mint desktop, then in terminal

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cd Desktop

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unzip b43.zip

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sudo mkdir /lib/firmware/b43

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sudo cp ~/b43/* /lib/firmware/b43/

reboot

[Sobill]

phd21, JeremyB: Thanks for all the GREAT info. It will keep me busy for quite awhile. My original plan was to have a look at the different version of mint, but that came to a halt when I couldn't find uninstall info so I could get rid of Xfce. So I installed 64 bit Cinnamon on a different machine. BTW how do I uninstall Mint.
I finally found a place that had some good info on the different versions of mint and a nice tutorial with copy/paste instructions for suggested post install features and software. [https://sites.google.com/site/easylinuxtipsproject/Home] The guy that wrote it is very definitely a Mint fan too. Thanks again for the help, Bill

[phd21]

Hi "Sobill",

You are welcome...

That link you referred to is the same one I gave you on how to install your Nvidia video drivers, and it is a great website for Linux users.

As with all computer operating systems, to uninstall it, you can:

1.) Use a hard drive partition manager, like a bootable "gparted live" DVD/USB stick, or a Linux Mint installation test drive DVD/USB Stick, etc... to delete the partition(s) created when you installed Linux Mint, or any other operating system.

2.) Just install a new operating system, like another version of Linux Mint, onto that partition thus overwriting the old one with a new one.

Hope this helps ...

[Sobill]

phd21:
I first tried to install the new version over the previous one but couldn't do it. So I went to Window disk manager and erased the partion data. Unfortunately this caused "Grub" to hijack the reboot, and it stopped with a grub prompt. I searched for a solution, but all of them required a Windows XP boot disk which I don't have. I found an XP repair disk called "Easy Recovery Essentials" for $20 that fixed the problem. So I'm now searching for software, which is a bewildering task because of the variety of Linux versions and compatibility. Probably the only good thing I have to say about Windows is, almost all software works on XP thru 10. From what I've learned your KDE version is the most compatible of the Mint flavors so I might end up with that.

I think this thread can be considered "solved" when I can figure out how to do it. Thanks again for all your help. Bill

[phd21]

Hi "Sobill",

You are welcome.

There are two excellent free utilities to create bootable CD's/DVD's or USB flash drive sticks from that can help with boot issues, which I have just in case of emergencies.

For boot-up problems: You could try the great "boot-repair-cd" program, and or the great "super grub2 rescue disk". You have to download the ".iso files and burn a CD or DVD or USB flash drive, then reboot to either one and run it. You can also boot up to your live DVD of Linux Mint and repair it that way, from console terminal prompt, type in: sudo update-grub

boot-repair-cd (disk) - easiest boot repair program
http://sourceforge.net/projects/boot-repair-cd/files/

Super Grub2 and Rescatux programs - Super Grub2 allows you to boot into your system even with a corrupt Grub or MBR boot issue(s), usually.
http://www.supergrubdisk.org/

gParted Live
http://gparted.org/download.php

Hope this helps ...