Trisquel is my new main OS :3
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Hello everyone, I've been a Ubuntu user for years now and lately I decided to pass on Fedora because of the new desktop environment of Ubuntu. But when I saw ( don't really remember how, I wasn't looking for a OS) Trisquel, I had to install It !
The idea of making Ubuntu into a free software OS It's just amazing. Right now the only thing is not working on my computer It's the external wifi which is a RaLink 802.11 bg WLAN usb (probably needs proprietary software). Anyway, the rest works perfectly !!
You're awesome. Welcome aboard.
Welcome, jacktek92.
If you need to check hardware compatibility https://h-node.org/home/index/en is a good site to search.
Just read that is not working for the reason I thought . It needs proprietary drivers. the model is "Ralink Technology, Corp. RT2501/RT2573 Wireless Adapter" if anyone can help me install the drivers ...
From 'Trisquel Community Guidelines'
https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/trisquel-community-guidelines
"Our community's resources --the forum, documentation, etc-- are for free software only. Please do not distribute, recommend, or support non-free software here."
So I just have to trash the external wifi antenna ? I'm completely in favor of open source, but in this case I already own the thing...
There's always the off-chance the manufacturer will free the driver. Not likely though.
The Trisquel community is not in favor of open source. It is in favor of free software: https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html
It make all the difference here. Our recommendation simply is to acquire a Wifi device that Linux-libre (hence Trisquel) can drive. The easiest way is to buy a USB adapter at http://libre.thinkpenguin.com (using this link, 25% of the benefits on your purchase will be donated to the Trisquel project) or at http://tehnoetic.com
Those are the only two vendors that guarantee that their hardware work with Linux-libre. If the vendor indicates the chipset, the second-hand market is an option as well. Other shops, even physical ones, are useless because the chipset (what matter) is never indicated and a same model can be sold with different chipsets. That even is why the chipset is not written on the wrapping.
>> It needs proprietary drivers. the model is "Ralink Technology, Corp. RT2501/RT2573 Wireless Adapter" if anyone can help me install the drivers ... <<
Nobody here will help you do that. As stated by Magic Banana, pure software freedom is more important to them than a working computer (no offence intended, every activist and community has the right to decide their own priorities). Keep in mind that the underlying problem here is proprietary hardware companies who refuse to free their drivers, or provide the community with the specs needed to write one. The long-term solution is libre hardware designed by open source communities and manufactured by a wide range of vendors.
If you are economically privileged enough you can buy new hardware as suggested. I solved the problem on my second-hand Fujitsu LifeBook by dual-booting Mint for when I need to use the internet. The thing is, almost everything a modern computer does needs the internet, even if only for software updates, so I find myself using Mint on that laptop most of the time, and only using Trisquel on an older laptop whose internet wi-fi is supported by linux-libre.
I am certainly not recommending the installation of proprietary firmware but I completely fail to see in what way your "solution" is better. Like you wrote: you end up using Mint (and its proprietary software) most of the time.
Hardware on ThinPenguin and Tehnoetic is expensive (but supporting those companies is good). You can search for the chipset elsewhere on the Web (like the second-hand market) if it is prohibitive for you. I found http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-WiFi-Wireless-N-Adapter-Wi-Fi-Dongle-6dBi-High-Gain-Antenna-Atheros-Chipset-/121707772019 (with the AR9271 chipset, that Linux-libre supports) in a matter of seconds. It costs AU$ 8.50 = US$ 6.25 (+ shipping costs I guess).
Good call! There are some wifi recommendations here https://www.fsf.org/resources/hw/endorsement/respects-your-freedom
This is only 5 Euros (in Berlin). TP Link TL-WN722N
and according to h-node, it works with Trisquel,
https://h-node.org/wifi/view/en/357/Atheros-Communications-Inc--AR9271-802-11n
On Debian, which I used prior to Trisquel, it was trivial to enable non-free firmware. I have a Broadcomm chip that understandably is non-functional now that I switched over to a free libre distribution. My temporary workaround is TP-Link TL-MR3020 wifi router with an Ethernet connection. It's not a particularly elegant way to enable wifi but satisfies the needs I have right now and I had purchased the router before I made the switch to trisquel.
The router has a firmware and other stuff that might be proprietary, but I didn't put it there in the first place. It's a device more than a computer, although it can be hacked and used as a server.
An Android phone can do USB tethering but again this workaround makes use of software that is possibly non-free.
https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/penguin-wireless-n-usb-adapter-gnu-linux-tpe-n150usb
You can get this to fix your WiFi. Its $25.
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