Trisquel wireless problem

7 réponses [Dernière contribution]
Battery
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 06/14/2013

Hello Trisquel users,

I am a novice Trisquel user. I have just installed Trisquel 6.0 (dual boot with Windows). I am not very knowledgable about software or computers, but I am interested in GNU/Linux operating systems and free software.

If you have any spare time, I would like you to help me with a certain problem. I have discovered that I cannot connect to my wireless network when I am using Trisquel. However, I can connect to the internet when I am using Windows. I am certain that this is not a hardware problem.

I have attached a log file from Trisquel with this message. You can download it and read it.

Thank you for your attention.

Best Regards,

Battery

Pièce jointeTaille
Syslog Trisquel.odt33.68 Ko
icarolongo
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 03/26/2011

Trisquel has only free software. Probably you have one wireless card that requires non-free firmware or non-free driver.

Search about "wireless", "wi-fi" here in the Trisquel website (top bar) and learning more about this issue.

Sachin
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 06/02/2012

On Friday 14 June 2013 09:21 PM, name at domain wrote:
> Hello Trisquel users,
>
> I am a novice Trisquel user. I have just installed Trisquel 6.0 (dual
> boot with Windows). I am not very knowledgable about software or
> computers, but I am interested in GNU/Linux operating systems and
> free software.
>
> If you have any spare time, I would like you to help me with a
> certain problem. I have discovered that I cannot connect to my
> wireless network when I am using Trisquel. However, I can connect to
> the internet when I am using Windows. I am certain that this is not a
> hardware problem.
>
> I have attached a log file from Trisquel with this message. You can
> download it and read it.
>
> Thank you for your attention.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Battery
>
how did you try to configure your wi-fi connection?

lembas
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 05/13/2010

Looks like you have an unsupported Broadcom wifi card.

Solution would be to purchase hardware that can be operated with free software. This vendor gives 25% of its profits to Trisquel http://trisquel.info/sites/countclick.php?url=http://libre.thinkpenguin.com

Battery
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 06/14/2013

Hello,

To be honest, I do not know how to manually set up a new wireless connection in Trisquel. When I use Windows, all I have to do is select a Wireless connection from a list, enter the Wifi password and let the computer connect automatically. I assumed that Trisquel will be able to connect automatically like Windows. Maybe I was wrong.

Why is Trisquel not supported by my wifi card? Is it possible that my laptop's hardware manufacturer intentionally made the laptop's hardware incompatible with non-Windows operating systems?

Is there a way to resolve this problem without buying new hardware?

For additional information, here is a list of my network adapters.

1. Atheros AR8152/8158 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller (NDIS 6.20)

2. Broadcom 802.11n Network Adapter

3. Microsoft Virtual Wifi Miniport Adapter

4. TAP-Win32 Adapter OAS

5. TAP-Windows Adapter V9 #2

My laptop is Toshiba Satellite L645. It was pre-installed with Windows 7.

Thank you very much,

Battery

Chris

I am a member!

Hors ligne
A rejoint: 04/23/2011

Not exactly. They didn't make it impossible to use intentionally. They did it for financial reasons. In either case the result is it doesn't work with Trisquel.

With compatible hardware you will be able to connect just like you do in MS Windows.

The problem with your laptop is it uses a Broadcom wifi card and this company is not willing to develop drivers or cooperate with the free software community on support. GNU/Linux relies on companies to cooperate. If they don't things won't work well and may not work at all. What makes it worse is that Toshiba, Dell, HP, and Lenovo/IBM are actively working to restrict your freedoms. They implement digital restrictions in the BIOS that prevent you from even replacing the wifi card. So it is unlikely you will be able to replace this card with a supported non-Broadcom card.

There is a solution to the problem although it isn't as desirable as replacing the card inside the laptop. The solution is to get a USB wireless adapter that is compatible.

At the moment the easiest solution is to buy a USB wifi card with a RTL8187/RTL8187L/RTL8187B chipset. If that is not possible you could also try plugging in a physical network cable.

As the other poster mentioned it's easier to get hardware which is compatible with Trisquel and works better with GNU/Linux in general today. This is mainly because of a company I founded several years ago. As another poster said we donate 25% to the Trisquel project when users purchase hardware through the following URL: http://libre.thinkpenguin.com

The card you would need if bought from us is the Penguin Wireless G USB Adapter for GNU / Linux.

You can get cards elsewhere although it's a bit problematic. Basically adapters / models frequently change. What was once in a particular adapter is not what is in them today. You never know if a recommended card is actually going to work.

I hope that sums up the problem in a way you can understand it.

lembas
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 05/13/2010

>When I use Windows, all I have to do is select a Wireless connection from a list, enter the Wifi password and let the computer connect automatically.
This is what you do in Trisquel too.

>Is it possible that my laptop's hardware manufacturer intentionally made the laptop's hardware incompatible with non-Windows operating systems?
They have not released a free driver+firmware so it will not work in Trisquel which consist wholly of free software.

Battery
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 06/14/2013

To All,

Thank you for your explanations and suggestions. I shall consider buying a Wireless USB Adapter. It is a pity that the transition from Windows 7 to GNU/Linux is not as smooth as I expected. I am afraid that hardware issues like this might discourage some people from switching to GNU/Linux. Nevertheless, I will persevere.

Best Regards,

Battery