Tiny Core Linux

Tiny Core Extensions => TCE Q&A Forum => Topic started by: kfvik on December 21, 2019, 01:33:05 PM

Title: wifi help
Post by: kfvik on December 21, 2019, 01:33:05 PM: Hello all. First off, I have minimal knowledge of linux, so any info and suggestions offered will probably need to be spoonfed to me.

I'm trying to revive a 15~ year or so old laptop to a somewhat usable level, TinyCore has so far been one of the few lightweight linux distros that actually runs decently on it.
However, through my magical journey of testing various distros, I've never managed to get the wifi to work on the laptop (though internet through cable works).
I've tried looking for solutions and attempted them wherever possible, like installing various wifi .tcz, looking at the wifi setup page of the wiki etc, but there's only so much I can do when lacking any knowledge about the system.

Since nothing I've tried has worked, I've done a clean reinstall of CorePlus 10.1 with the wifi options during install enabled.
I'm hoping some kind soul is willing to guide me step by step through getting the thing connected to the net.
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: Juanito on December 21, 2019, 11:42:21 PM: First of all you need to let us know what WiFi hardware you have.

Load the pci-utils extension, issue the “lspci” command and paste the results here.
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: kfvik on December 22, 2019, 10:30:40 AM: I, uh, can't figure out how to copy the text from the terminal..
ctrl+shift+c doesn't do anything, and there's no right-click options either. Trying to find info how to do it, I either don't understand how to do it, nor if I'm even looking at the right things.

I'm using a non-english keyboard, where some of the keys don't have the same symbols at the places an english keyboard would have, in case that makes any difference.
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: Juanito on December 22, 2019, 10:35:20 AM: Highlight the text with the mouse then use the third mouse button to paste (if you don’t have a third button, press both buttons simultaneously).
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: Rich on December 22, 2019, 10:37:08 AM: Hi kfvik
Try this:
Code: [Select]
lspci > lspci.txtNow you can use an editor to open lspci.txt and copy/paste from there.
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: kfvik on December 22, 2019, 03:30:55 PM: Quote from: Rich on December 22, 2019, 10:37:08 AM
Hi kfvik
Try this:
Code: [Select]
lspci > lspci.txtNow you can use an editor to open lspci.txt and copy/paste from there.
Thanks, that worked :)

Code: [Select]
00:00.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RS480/RS482/RS485 Host Bridge (rev 10) 00:01.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RC4xx/RS4xx PCI Bridge [int gfx] 00:13.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] IXP SB4x0 USB Host Controller (rev 80) 00:13.1 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] IXP SB4x0 USB Host Controller (rev 80) 00:13.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] IXP SB4x0 USB2 Host Controller (rev 80) 00:14.0 SMBus: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] IXP SB4x0 SMBus Controller (rev 82) 00:14.1 IDE interface: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] IXP SB4x0 IDE Controller (rev 80) 00:14.2 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] IXP SB4x0 High Definition Audio Controller (rev 01) 00:14.3 ISA bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] IXP SB4x0 PCI-ISA Bridge (rev 80) 00:14.4 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] IXP SB4x0 PCI-PCI Bridge (rev 80) 00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration 00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map 00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller 00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control 01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RS482M [Mobility Radeon Xpress 200] 06:05.0 Ethernet controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR2413/AR2414 Wireless Network Adapter [AR5005G(S) 802.11bg] (rev 01) 06:06.0 CardBus bridge: ENE Technology Inc CB1410 Cardbus Controller (rev 01) 06:07.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8169 PCI Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 10)
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: Rich on December 22, 2019, 05:00:38 PM: Hi kfvik
I would start by installing wifi.tcz and firmware-atheros.tcz. Then reboot and post the result of:
Code: [Select]
dmesg > dmesg,txt
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: Rich on December 22, 2019, 07:23:59 PM: Hi kfvik
Also install rfkill.tcz.
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: kfvik on December 22, 2019, 09:23:36 PM: Quote from: Rich on December 22, 2019, 05:00:38 PM
Hi kfvik
I would start by installing wifi.tcz and firmware-atheros.tcz. Then reboot and post the result of:
Code: [Select]
dmesg > dmesg,txt
I put it on pastebin, since it's pretty huge
https://pastebin.com/ztaj1yNB (https://pastebin.com/ztaj1yNB)

I'm having trouble getting apps to load on boot (I think rfkill.cz was loaded when running dmesg though).
The FAQ mentions using Set TCE Drive in the ControlPanel, but I can't find that option. How do I go about fixing that?

[EDIT]: Attached dmesg.txt. Rich
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: Rich on December 22, 2019, 09:57:21 PM: Hi kfvik
Run rfkill. You should see a listing for phy0 that shows its unblocked like this:
Code: [Select]
ID TYPE DEVICE SOFT HARD 0 bluetooth hci0 unblocked unblocked 1 wlan phy0 unblocked unblocked
Run iwconfig. You should see something similar to this:
Code: [Select]
wlan0 IEEE 802.11 ESSID:off/any Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Retry short limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off Power Management:on
If you got this far, run:
Code: [Select]
sudo wifi.shand follow the directions.
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: kfvik on December 22, 2019, 10:20:01 PM: Running rfkill via the application launcher does nothing. Running it via the terminal gives me this:
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Usage: rfkill [options] command Options: --version show version (0.4) Commands: help event list [IDENTIFIER] block IDENTIFIER unblock IDENTIFIER where IDENTIFIER is the index no. of an rfkill switch or one of: <idx> all wifi wlan bluetooth uwb ultrawideband wimax wwan gps fmusing rfkil list wlan:
Code: [Select]
0: phy0: Wireless LAN Soft blocked: no Hard blocked: noBut I don't even know if this is the right command to use here.

-
iwconfig:
Code: [Select]
wlan0 IEEE 802.11 ESSID:off/any Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=20 dBm Retry short limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off Power Management:off
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: Rich on December 22, 2019, 10:23:03 PM: Hi kfvik
Looks good so far. Now run:
Code: [Select]
sudo wifi.sh
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: kfvik on December 23, 2019, 06:19:37 AM: Still coming up empty, sadly
Code: [Select]
Select Wifi Network ESSID Enc Qual Channel Type Enter selection ( 1 - 0 ) or (q)uit:
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: Juanito on December 23, 2019, 07:45:02 AM: What do the last twenty or so lines in dmesg say after you run "sudo wifi.sh"?

Code: [Select]
$ dmesg | tail -20
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: Rich on December 23, 2019, 10:00:40 AM: Hi kfvik
I read about someone with your hardware having problems because their router was using features their card did not support:
Quote
1. I found out that my wifi network was using a 'bgn' type while the wifi card was supporting a 'bg' only. So, firstly, I change that in the wifi settings of the usb wifi router.
2. I changed the encryption type to AES only
3. Figured out my network was broadcasting on the 13th channal, while the card was supported less channels (11 or 12, don't remember). I switch network to the 11th channel.

Found here:
https://askubuntu.com/questions/992550/no-wifi-with-atheros-qualcomm-ar5005gs-802-11bg-on-lubuntu-17-10
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: kfvik on December 23, 2019, 01:41:01 PM: Damn, that's a shame. The laptop was going to be used elsewhere, potentially multiple locations, and I can't go around changing router settings at every location. Looks like I'll have to scrap this project.

Thanks so much for all the help and patience from you guys though, it's really appreciated :)
And have a merry christmas :D
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: Rich on December 23, 2019, 01:51:07 PM: Hi kfvik
I just mentioned that as a possibility I read about. Are you sure your router is causing any of the issues mentioned?
Title: Re: wifi help
Post by: curaga on December 23, 2019, 02:24:10 PM: You can get an usb or pcmcia wifi card that supports more features? Old wifi cards not working on current networks affects even old game consoles, Nintendo DS and Wii can't connect to current standards.