can't connect to wireless network

Can you post the data from lspci in the terminal?

I got the feeling your wireless or ethernet card is not free software friendly.

HI CHRIS...sorry it took so long, but what a hassle this was...
it's long so i am attaching the file, ok?

i have a Belkin wireless N router and Belkin USB adapter on that computer which is an HP A820N Pentium4 i believe.

I don't see the attachment so let me try this:


trisquel@trisquel:~$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82915G/P/GV/GL/PL/910GL Memory Controller Hub (rev 04)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82915G/GV/910GL Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 04)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #1 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #2 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #3 (rev 03)
00:1d.3 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #4 (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev d3)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FR (ICH6/ICH6R) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 03)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) IDE Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FW (ICH6/ICH6W) SATA Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 03)
02:01.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6306/7/8 [Fire II(M)] IEEE 1394 OHCI Controller (rev 80)
02:02.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
02:05.0 Communication controller: LSI Corporation V.92 56K WinModem (rev 03)
trisquel@trisquel:~$

I am still new at this so bear with me, ok? thanks.

I'm sorry. I thought this was built-in wireless you were trying to get working.

You'll need to post the output from the command:

lsusb

So your problem is that the chipset is not free software compatible. As a result it won't work on Trisquel. There are a few USB chipsets that will though: RTL8187, RTL8187B, and RTL8187L, (these USB chipsets support G) and AR9170 (supports N although I'd suggest the prior chipsets).

There is a newer AR9271 chipset that will be compatible shortly that I'd recommend. All the signatures at Atheros (the company which designed the chipset) are secured so it is just a matter of time now. Once the code is cleaned up it'll be released under the GPL.

We have some of the USB G adapters and some USB N adapters with the older chipsets still:

http://libre.thinkpenguin.com/

If you buy one Trisquel gets 25% of the profits with the above link.

Not sure how much longer our stocks will last of the older adapter though as they are dwindling fast. I think it should hold over until AR9271 is ready although we have run out of the one USB N adapter. The other N adapter we have discounted and the G adapter is still available too.

I think once the GPL firmware is available we will start making our new USB N adapter available. However it won't be compatible with Trisquel “out of the box” initially. We may be able to get Rubén to add the firmware once it is released so users will be able to utilize it sooner rather than later. I don't believe this will require a major change. It should just be a matter of adding the firmware package to the repository/ISO.

Hi SeaDevil,

Have you checked if your laptop is already in h-node (www.h-node.org)? It's a free software compatible hardware database. It would help a lot if you could report all of your devices like laptops, printers and internal components of your desktop computer to h-node and check that they are up to date if they are already reported.