Tiny Core Linux
Tiny Core Base => CorePlus => Topic started by: newtotinycore on March 02, 2017, 07:38:02 PM
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Just downloaded CorePlus 7.2 for the WiFi tools. Added apps and remastered to USB.
Wifi on DVD and USB work fine on Asus X540S.
No WiFi from USB drive on Dell Inspiron 3000 series, which is several years older than the Asus (no optical drive on the Dell).
Trying to follow the "Re: Need WiFi connection" post.
However, the post is over my head.
Added additional tools before remastering:
wifi.tcz (later added to onboot.lst)
wireless-4.2.9-tinycore64.tcz
wicd.tcz (doesn't seem to help on either machine)
firmware-rtlwifi.tcz (installed later and added to onboot.lst)
firmware-rtlwifi.tcz.dep is recommended in the "Need Wifi..." post, but I don't see it in my Apps selection.
On the Dell, the Wifi icon will not list the available Wifi connections.
sudo wifi.sh gives no access points, just "no devices found".
iwconfig shows no wireless connections.
tce-status -i seems to show all needed files, including:
wpa_supplicant
wireless-4.2.9-tinycore64
wireless-4.2.9-tinycore
wireless_tools
wl-modules-4.2.9-tinycore
libiw
wicd
wifi
openssl
libnl
dmesg | -20 on the asus lists 7 references to ath: and 6 references to wlan0
which are not listed after running dmesg | -20 on the Dell.
If you want output from dmesg, what is the best way to copy the output from the other machine?
Thanks
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Hi newtotinycore
dmesg | tail -20
running the above dmesg will usually point towards the issue. I'm guessing the correct firmware file is missing, so look for the file name listed in dmesg output.
If the system complains of a missing file use APPS on an internet connected pc to search for the file, download and install the extension containing the missing file then add to onboot.lst
to copy the dmesg output to a file, use this from a command line
dmesg | tail -20 > ~/dmesgout.txt
copy the file from your home directory to a USB drive and transport to a connected PC then upload the output here
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That was a quick response coreplayer2!
The text from dmesg is attached.
The output doesn't mean much to me.
Google mentions something about a possible driver mismatch?
Thanks.
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There was no mention of any wifi driver being loaded.
So, please try again after loading the WiFi extension which should also load all required dependencies (assuming they are installed).
open a terminal at "tce/optional" directory and enter:
tce-load -i wifi
then post the ouput of dmesg again
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Not quite sure about the meaning of "after loading the WiFi extension."
Anyway after booting, (wifi.tcz has been added to onboot.lst), ran 'tce-load -i wifi'.
Got message 'wifi is already installed!'
Dmesg2 is attached.
Seems similar to first output.
Thanks.
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Seriously? That is all you get from dmesg?
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Seriously, that is it ( on the Dell. On the Asus, dmesg gives references to wlan0 and drivers).
As coreplayer2 mentioned, wifi drivers don't seem to be getting loaded on the Dell Inspiron.
Attached are outputs from iwconfig and tce-status -i.
[attachment deleted by admin]
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Update of previous attached files.
iwconfig justs gives no wireless extensions.
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Maybe someone can spot something if you post the output of dmesg without | tail -20 .
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Hi Misalf,
Here is dmesg -500.
I couldn't figure out how to pipe all dmesg output.
Tell me if you want more.
Thanks.
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My apologies to Gerald Clark for not making it clear that I was only saving the last 20 lines of dmesg.
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No pipe necessary, just do "dmesg > dmesg.txt" and post it.
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Gerald Clark,
Thanks for the tip.
Here's dmesg in its entirety, (I think).
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Hi newtotinycore
You don't by any chance have the wifi adapter disabled in the BIOS?
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Hi Rich,
Don't actually see a way to enable/disable wifi in Bios.
However, MX-16 (debian based) works fine with WiFi on the Dell Inspiron.
FWIW, although Tinycore on the Asus does scan the available networks, it can't directly connect to
my current hotel wifi (which has 3 names separated by spaces).
I have to use my phone to set up a wifi connection (only 1 name).
The Dell can't even scan available networks (with Tinycore).
Hope I'm not confusing the issue.
Anyway, the wifi on the Dell is working with MX-16.
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Hi newtotinycore
However, MX-16 (debian based) works fine with WiFi on the Dell Inspiron.
Then I recommend you boot up MX-16 and attach a copy of dmesg from that. That may provide a clue as to what's missing.
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Here's the dmesg from MX-16 connected directly to hotel WiFi.
If it is relevant, i can get a dmesg from MX-16 connected by way of my phone.
Anyway, the attached dmesg seems to show wlan0 data missing from the Tinycore dmesg.
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You could try to use some quotes around the ssid for the wifi.
Like this:
"SSID WITH SPACE"
'SSID WITH SPACE'
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That is a good idea, Patrikg.
Using the WiFi icon, I couldn't see how to do that.
I tried going through the Tinycore wikis and the 'Into the Core' book to find the proper
command line input. Still looking.
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Do you have the file wifi.db in your directory ?
cd
ls
You could test to just edit that file, and change the line with the ssid with spaces, add the quotes.
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According to the MX16 dmesg wlan0 is:
Broadcom BCM4365 802.11 Hybrid Wireless Controller
using wl driver
(but I'm not sitting at a tinycore machine to get the required extension names at the moment..)
Update: "wl-modules-4.2.9-tinycore.tcz" doesn't appear to have suitable drivers according to the info file
update2: turns out the BCM4365 is a model number for both wifi and bluetooth. One way to find out the wifi component for sure is running
lspci -vnn
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You probably need to install firmware-broadcom_bcm43xx,tcz and wl-modules-KERNEL .
Be sure to read the info files.
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Gerald Clark,
The firmware-broadcom_bcm43xx.tcz file is already installed in /mnt/sda1/tce/optional/.
Should I add it to onboot.lst or somewhere else?
The wl-modules-4.2.9-tinycore.tcz file is also in /mnt/sda1/tce/optional.
I assumed CorePluscurrent was 32 bit; my assumtions frequently get me into trouble.
Should I add wl-modules-4.2.9-tinycore64.tcz to /mnt/sda1/tce/optional?
The info file for the wl-modules-4.2.9-tinycore.tcz mentions blacklisting some items.
Do I need to do that (I believe the wl-modules-4.2.9-tinycore.tcz was added during remastering)?
Coreplayer2,
Attached is the output of lspci -vnn.
I see a mention of BCM43142, which kind of seems like too many digits to be covered by bcm43xx, but I really don't have a clue.
Thanks-
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Patrikg,
Good suggestion.
I tried changing the wifi.db file from my phone hot spot to the hotel 3 word name bracketed with quotes. But when I tried to connect by using the Tinycore WiFi icon, still no connection; have to tether to the phone, but it's no problem (just interesting).
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hello newtotinycore
AIUI, BCM4365 is the model number and ID of your hybrid wifi/bluetooth device, whereas BCM43142 is the model number of the wifi device within it.
It appears BCM43142 is supported in the latest broadcom wl driver. whether the device is supported in our current wl extension you will have to try it to find out, but my money is with this solution.
Should I add wl-modules-4.2.9-tinycore64.tcz to /mnt/sda1/tce/optional?
not if you're only booting tinycore 32bit
you should use APPS to add these extensions to onboot list
GotTo: APPS > Maintenance > OnBoot Maintenance then add
wifi.tcz
wl-modules-4.2.9-tinycore.tczto the list.
Note: remove any other wifi related extensions accidentally added previously to this list
wifi dependencies will be loaded automatically when wifi.tcz is loaded (if deps are installed to tce/optional)
you will need to blacklist the original broadcom modules, add this to the boot config file
blacklist=bcma,ssb,b43
Example:
LABEL TinyCore
MENU LABEL TinyCore
TEXT HELP
Boot tc
ENDTEXT
KERNEL /tce/boot/vmlinuz
APPEND initrd=/tce/boot/rootfs.gz,/tce/boot/modules.gz loglevel=3 tce=sda2 opt=sda2 home=sda2 blacklist=bcma,ssb,b43
then reboot
and run
sudo wifi.sh note any error messages
You may nee to enclose your SSID with "" as mentioned below.
if unable to connect post the dmesg again
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My bad, a small correction:
AIUI, BCM4365 is the model number and ID of your hybrid wifi/bluetooth device, whereas BCM43142 is the model number of the wifi device within it.
better to link you to the source https://www.broadcom.com/products/wireless/wireless-lan-bluetooth/bcm43142 (https://www.broadcom.com/products/wireless/wireless-lan-bluetooth/bcm43142)
4365 is the ID
regardless, this device Broadcom BCM43142 (PCI ID 14e4:4365) should be supported by wl-modules-4.2.9-tinycore.tcz
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Thanks for the detailed advice coreplayer2!
"GotTo: APPS > Maintenance > OnBoot Maintenance then add
Code: [Select]
wifi.tcz
wl-modules-4.2.9-tinycore.tcz
to the list."
There were 2 copies of wifi.tcz in onboot.lst; removed 1 copy.
1 copy of wl-modules-4.2.9-tinycore.tcz in onboot.lst; left it in.
"Note: remove any other wifi related extensions accidentally added previously to this list"
As far as I know, I only added wifi.tcz and firmware-rtlwifi.tcz to onboot.lst. Removed both files.
Attached is onboot.lst, in case anybody notices other files that need to be removed.
"you will need to blacklist the original broadcom modules, add this to the boot config file"
Uh Oh. I checked "into the Core" and the tc wiki (I really did), but I'm still not sure which is the
boot config file. Would that be /mnt/sda1/tce/boot/vmlinuz or maybe /mnt/sda1/tce/boot/
extlinuz/extlinuz.conf? Or maybe /opt/bootlocal.sh? /opt/.filetool.lst?
The first 2 files appear similar to your example; neither has any blacklisting.
Thanks-
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Hi newtotinycore
"you will need to blacklist the original broadcom modules, add this to the boot config file"
Uh Oh. I checked "into the Core" and the tc wiki (I really did), but I'm still not sure which is the
boot config file. Would that be /mnt/sda1/tce/boot/vmlinuz or maybe /mnt/sda1/tce/boot/
extlinuz/extlinuz.conf? Or maybe /opt/bootlocal.sh? /opt/.filetool.lst?
Open the extlinux.conf file and add it to the APPEND line. You might need to use sudo to edit the file.
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Blacklisting those 3 items got the Dell online.
The first time I booted, Opera locked up, the caps lock key started flashing, and I had to shut down.
The second time, I opened chromium and opera and pulled the thumb drive.
Chromium wouldn't pull up web pages, but Opera would.
I spent 1/2 hour trying to write this post on the Dell, but had very little control of trackpad or typing.
Manage to complete post, but then "Request Time-out server timeout waiting for the HTTP request from the client" error message.
Clearly these problems are not connected to Tinycore.
Maybe, there never was any problem with Tinycore.
Thanks for all the help.
You guys are doing a tremendous job helping people who are having ongoing "computer problems".
Thanks again.
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You notebook doesn't appear to be very old, so why not try the latest Firefox?
firefox_getLatest.tcz will download and install the latest and will keep it updated
getFlash.tcz will also download and install the latest version and keep it updated
??
:D
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Good advice coreplayer2,
I actually did install the firefox_getLatest.tcz before remastering.
Tried to go back to the Apps info before writing this post (to try and sound informed).
The Dell has no trouble getting online now (thanks to the help of you and your colleagues).
But just trying to open Apps, locked up the screen until the computer shut itself down (no browser opened).
Usually, I run off read only DVD live systems (no installed hard drives).
Optical drives seem to be going out-of-style.
That is the motivation to try to go to an OS running in RAM from a USB.
The difficulty is that if I leave the USB inserted after I get online, then problems arise.
Tinycore is not the problem; Tinycore is a possible solution.
It's just a matter of finding away to run an OS that is appropriate to one's personal security needs.
Thanks again-
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FWIW, a system without wired access can be USB tethered to a smartphone.
Then the phone's WiFi access can be used to download by "ethernet" to the laptop.
This is probably self-evident to most people here, but it wasn't to me.