New to Linux: I need help with Wireless Internet (among other things)

**kabea** · 05-23-2011

Boy do I need help.

Hey! I am new to Linux. About two weeks ago, I was another disgruntled Windows user and in a moment of rage, I transfered my files (pictures, docs, etc) to firewire and installed Ubuntu alongside Vista. I liked everything about it so I then installed Debian to replace Vista. I felt I could figure things out (I am generally great with computers)

So, about a week in I was able to get flash to work (asrdgkjjsk) on Youtube and a few other sites. (Videos won't work on some websites, like southparkstudios and classzone (which I use for school book viewing), for example). That is one of my issues.

Another issue is my iPod shuffle (which I think hiccuped because it won't play music anymore after playing with Rhythmbox and gtkpod ugh fml). I haven't even dared to plug my itouch in yet.

I do not know if anyone is able to help me with my laundry list of issues, but if I had to pick one to fix, it would be my wireless internet connection. I know how obnoxious I must be, posting a question that has been asked COUNTLESS times, but I've honestly hunted for the answer to my problem for hours and hours... and hours. I'm desperate haha.

As of now, I am plugged directly into my Wireless Router and all is good, however as you know, the star function of a laptop is MOBILITY. My connection was great in windows. I also tried to get the connection going in ubuntu, with no avail. Debian isn't working either.

Please help?

Oh and should I stop using Debian and switch to a different distribution? When I chose Debian, I made a very uneducated choice. I read it was stable so I thought, "why not?". And I would love one that just installed programs without terminal or the Software Package whatever if possible suggestions?

I feel incredibly silly and I hope you can bare with me long enough to help me figure this out.

Thank you in advance,

Addy

**rokytnji** · 05-23-2011

Lets start simple.

Code:

sudo ifconfig -a

post output in code tags in next post.

I don't think you have inxi installed but try

Code:

inxi -F

Just to see. If internal pci wireless

Code:

su -c "hwinfo --wlan"

and

Code:

su -c "hwinfo --netcard"

will be useful also.

Also

Code:

lspci -knn

will be useful to post also. What Network manager and Desktop are you using in Debian also will be helpful too.

**rokytnji** · 05-24-2011

Forgot to mention

Debian HCL; Debian GNU/Linux device driver check & report

Follow the links intructions and paste output in code tags in next post also.

**kabea** · 05-24-2011

Hello and thank you.

root@Kait:/home/addy# ifconfig -a
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:22:19:ce:52:68
inet addr:192.168.1.9 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
inet6 addr: fe80::222:19ff:fece:5268/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:718 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:570 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:311418 (304.1 KiB) TX bytes:126292 (123.3 KiB)
Interrupt:17

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:31866 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:31866 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:4397776 (4.1 MiB) TX bytes:4397776 (4.1 MiB)

pan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 76:b8:46:6c:d6:8e
BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 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)

wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:22:5f:03:73:f9
BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 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:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

root@Kait:/home/addy# inxi -F
bash: inxi: command not found

root@Kait:/# su -c "hwinfo --wlan"
bash: hwinfo: command not found

root@Kait:/home/addy# su -c "hwinfo --netcard"
bash: hwinfo: command not found

root@Kait:/home/addy# lspci -knn
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960 Memory Controller Hub [8086:2a00] (rev 0c)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: agpgart-intel
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a02] (rev 0c)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: i915
00:02.1 Display controller [0380]: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a03] (rev 0c)
Subsystem: Dell Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
00:1a.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 [8086:2834] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
00:1a.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 [8086:2835] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
00:1a.7 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 [8086:283a] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller [8086:284b] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 1 [8086:283f] (rev 02)
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
00:1c.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 2 [8086:2841] (rev 02)
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
00:1c.3 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 4 [8086:2845] (rev 02)
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
00:1c.5 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 6 [8086:2849] (rev 02)
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
00:1d.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 [8086:2830] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
00:1d.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 [8086:2831] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
00:1d.2 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 [8086:2832] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
00:1d.7 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 [8086:2836] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
00:1e.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge [8086:2448] (rev f2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation 82801HEM (ICH8M) LPC Interface Controller [8086:2815] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
00:1f.1 IDE interface [0101]: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) IDE Controller [8086:2850] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: ata_piix
00:1f.2 SATA controller [0106]: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) SATA AHCI Controller [8086:2829] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: ahci
00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) SMBus Controller [8086:283e] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus
03:01.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394) [0c00]: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C832 IEEE 1394 Controller [1180:0832] (rev 05)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: firewire_ohci
03:01.1 SD Host controller [0805]: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C822 SD/SDIO/MMC/MS/MSPro Host Adapter [1180:0822] (rev 22)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: sdhci-pci
03:01.2 System peripheral [0880]: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C843 MMC Host Controller [1180:0843] (rev 12)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: ricoh-mmc
03:01.3 System peripheral [0880]: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C592 Memory Stick Bus Host Adapter [1180:0592] (rev 12)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
03:01.4 System peripheral [0880]: Ricoh Co Ltd xD-Picture Card Controller [1180:0852] (rev ff)
09:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Broadcom Corporation NetLink BCM5906M Fast Ethernet PCI Express [14e4:1713] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 1420 [1028:01f3]
Kernel driver in use: tg3
0c:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY [14e4:4315] (rev 01)
Subsystem: Dell Wireless 1395 WLAN Mini-Card [1028:000b]
Kernel driver in use: b43-pci-bridge

I wish I knew how to find out what my Wireless Manager was but I bleieve my Desktop is GNOME...? Sooo I'll post what I can. As for the wireless manager... there is a Wifi Radar and Wicd Network Manager, but I downloaded those from the Software Center, and neither has worked.

As for the Driver check:

PCI ID Works? Vendor Device Driver Kernel
80862a00 Yes Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960 Memory Controller Hub intel-agp
80862a02 Yes Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller (primary) i915 v2.6.32-
80862a03 Yes Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller (secondary) intel
80862834 Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4
80862835 Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5
8086283a Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2
8086284b Yes Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller snd-hda-intel
8086283f Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 1
80862841 Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 2
80862845 Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 4
80862849 Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 6
80862830 Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1
80862831 Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2
80862832 Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3
80862836 Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1
80862448 Yes Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge i810_rng
80862815 Yes Intel Corporation 82801HEM (ICH8M) LPC Interface Controller iTCO_wdt v2.6.25-
80862850 Yes Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) IDE Controller ata_piix v2.6.25-
80862829 Yes Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) SATA AHCI Controller ahci v2.6.25-
8086283e Yes Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) SMBus Controller i2c-i801 v2.6.25-
11800832 Ricoh Co Ltd R5C832 IEEE 1394 Controller
11800822 Yes Ricoh Co Ltd R5C822 SD/SDIO/MMC/MS/MSPro Host Adapter sdhci-pci v2.6.25-
11800843 Yes Ricoh Co Ltd R5C843 MMC Host Controller sdhci-pci v2.6.38-
11800592 Ricoh Co Ltd R5C592 Memory Stick Bus Host Adapter
11800852 Yes Ricoh Co Ltd xD-Picture Card Controller r852 v2.6.35-
14e41713 Yes Broadcom Corporation NetLink BCM5906M Fast Ethernet PCI Express tg3 v2.6.25-
14e44315 Yes Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY ssb v2.6.30-

...I hope you can read that.

Thanks so much for your time, I appreciate it.

**rokytnji** · 05-24-2011

Ok. Figured inxi and hw might not be installed yet by you. No biggy though.

Code:

wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:22:5f:03:73:f9
BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 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:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

your wireless interface is wlan0.

Code:

PCI ID Works? Vendor Device Driver Kernel
             14e44315 Yes Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY ssb v2.6.30-

Code:

0c:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY [14e4:4315] (rev 01)
Subsystem: Dell Wireless 1395 WLAN Mini-Card [1028:000b]
Kernel driver in use: b43-pci-bridge

Your driver for wireless is loaded. wlan0 is showing up. You aren't connecting because of beginner errors using linux . You should have what is called Network Manager in Gnome. If wicd was installed. Then Network Manager was probably uninstalled when wicd was installed (maybe)

Code:

@Biker:~$ apt-cache policy network-manager
network-manager:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 0.8.4.0-1
  Version table:
     0.8.4.0-1 0
        500 http://ftp.ca.debian.org/debian/ testing/main i386 Packages
harry@Biker:~$ apt-cache policy wicd
wicd:
  Installed: 1.7.0+ds1-6
  Candidate: 1.7.0+ds1-6
  Version table:
 *** 1.7.0+ds1-6 0
        500 http://ftp.ca.debian.org/debian/ testing/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

as you can see. I run wicd to connect to the net instead of Network Manager. Network Manager should be in top r/h of Gnome top taskbar. If using wicd instead. Your preferences should look like mine.

screenshot.jpg

Just type in wlan0 in wireless interface box. Close it. Then hit refresh and look to see if your wireless shows up. Then connect. If running wicd. Be sure to uninstall Network-Manager as there can be a conflict running both at startup fighting each other to connect. Your driver and wireless is showing in your readouts, Just need to connect is all.

**kabea** · 05-25-2011

sorry it took me so long to reply, when I deleted Network-Manager my internet stopped working, even when plugged in... it was weird because it said it was connected. i ended up reinstalling with apt-get install. Oh, and I did change the setting in the screen shot, as you told me to.

As of now, it connects as it did before, wired with the router. Maybe I uninstalled the wrong one...?

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