Wireless laptop

13 respostas [Última entrada]
StevinDM
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Joined: 01/01/2014

My wireless laptop with Windows 7 finds all available wireless signals just fine. I booted the latest 64 bit CD and while booting up Trisquel saw the available wireless signals but then couldn't see them when fully booted up. At first I thought I just didn't know the Linux word for the wireless connections but I pretty much tried everything. I did find the servers window screen but didn't see any wireless signals like I did while booting up. I'm not really sure I want to install Trisquel without knowing whether I can uninstall it and revert back to Windows 7.

onpon4
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Joined: 05/30/2012

I find your question confusing... what do you mean "fully booted up"? I don't think you have an opportunity to connect to wireless networks until you've logged in.

bmw2qs
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Joined: 12/20/2013

Freedom asks a high price -- knowledge.

Knowledge can help you a great deal in life, or it can make you so depressive you might find life ain't worth living. Knowledge, apart these risks, comes with quite a high price too -- time and energy.

Or you can cheat and pay your way in by buying a Trisquel preinstalled computer.

The choice is yours.

Magic Banana

I am a member!

I am a translator!

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Joined: 07/24/2010

You know you can install Trisquel alongside Windows, right? You would then have a menu to choose the OS when powering up the computer.

labour
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Joined: 01/04/2014

I think @StevinDM was trying to point at an issue similar to the one I've got. During installation, Trisquel was able to connect to wireless, but once I booted Triquel the normal way (via Grub), AND logged in, Trisquel acts just as if it doesn't recognize my wireless hardware.
I've been trying a lot of command, but jump to the conclusion my harware might be too recent and no driver is already available in a linux-libre environment.

Does somebody have a clue ?

lembas
Desconectado
Joined: 05/13/2010

Strange all right. What kind of a wifi do you have? Open a terminal and input

lspci

(You can filter out anything but the wifi if you can figure out which one it is.)

Since you say it's new, perhaps it would be worth while to try a new Linux-libre kernel, e.g. from http://jxself.org/linux-libre/

labour
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Joined: 01/04/2014

Hi everyone, hi lembas.
I complety forgot that I posted there, and got used to Ubuntu for working purpose. Still, I'd like to use Trisquel instead of the fraud that Ubuntu and its Amazon ad appears to be.
So I retrieved the info you asked for, lembas (cf. screenshots). Few more elements : the icon on the rigth corner remains "unconnected" even if I manually configure a connection.
About kernel : how to update it on another OS while running Ubuntu ? I couldn't the answer on the link you gave me.

Thanks a lot for helping me (despite my terrible english)

Screenshot from 2014-04-01 17:03:40.png Screenshot from 2014-04-01 17:04:01.png Screenshot from 2014-04-01 17:04:13.png
lembas
Desconectado
Joined: 05/13/2010

Hello labour.

Looks like you have an intel wifi (centrino advanced-N 6235). I believe those are not supported because they require a firmware binary blob.

I believe it might've worked because you had booted to windows or some Linux flavor which contains the said blob to initiate the hardware. Or something, anyways.

So, if you want to use Trisquel and wireless, you're looking at getting a working wifi adapter, internal or external (USB). One option is to buy from Thinkpenguin, those are guaranteed to work and they donate part of their profits to Trisquel. There's a banner ad in the right hand side column -->

I think your English is fine. (I'm not native speaker either.)

labour
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Joined: 01/04/2014

If I'm getting you correct, it means the wireless hardware initialized when I first boot on Windaube (Win-"shit", in french), and kept working since then ? That would explain why green light is always on at the front slice of my laptop, next to the word "Wireless"... even when I turn it down in Ubuntu ? (I erased totally Windaube from my disk, but somewhere in BIOS, it's wrote down "compatible with Windaube" ?) Can't the BIOS be configurated to enable wireless with another driver than the "binary blob" you mentionned ?

Thanks again

alguien
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Joined: 03/27/2014

Unfortunately, there is nothing the CMOS/BIOS can do to resolve the issue with your wireless adapter's firmware. If only it were that easy! Trisquel uses the linux-libre kernel, which in principle only supports software and firmware whose code is open and not proprietary. Your wireless adapter uses firmware that the free software community cannot legally use or examine, without doing things like signing NDAs with the manufacturer or incorporating the firmware as it is, in its nonfree, closed state. In short, it would be against Trisquel's ethics to support nonfree software or firmware.

What you can do is replace your wireless card with one that is compatible. This is done either by opening up the case (do not, unless you know what you are doing) and replacing the card. Or, by plugging in a USB wifi adapter. ThinkPenguin sells such cards and USB adapters.

I had to do this with my laptop, but buying the mini-PCIe card was cheap enough, and I have some training in dealing with the innards of computers, so I did it myself... And once that was done, things have been running great! :D Just don't do it yourself unless you really (really!) know what you are doing, else you will break something. You can always get it done at the shop. Takes 10 minutes.

Legimet
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Joined: 12/10/2013

No, that's incorrect. The kernel loads the blobs at boot time. And the BIOS has nothing to do with drivers. You have to get a wireless pci card or usb adapter. ThinkPenguin has some of those.

labour
Desconectado
Joined: 01/04/2014

Thanks a lot guys. I know what remains to be done. I've already opened up my former laptop (Dell inspiron 1510), but the Vaio I'm running is more compact, and seems harder to manage. I'm gonna do some searchs.

Thanks again : loving such a reactive community !

alguien
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Joined: 03/27/2014

Just friendly reminders in case (or for anyone else reading). Make sure to verify which size PCI card you need. You might be able to find motherboard documentation if you search for your model #, or you might find a YouTube video demonstrating disassembly of your model.

Generally the older ones use bigger cards and the newer ones use smaller cards, but verify before you buy!

Unplug and remove the battery before opening, and don't forget to wear your wrist strap to avoid shorting components with ElectroStatic Discharge. :) If you have an anti-static mat to lay your laptop on, that will help but is not mandatory.

And careful not to lose any screws. You can fold a strip of tape on the table and stick them on there so they don't go flying.

I could say more. But if anyone has questions, ask me.

tdlnx

I am a member!

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Joined: 04/09/2014

Just wanted to add to this post.

If you buy a "half size" PCI card, adapters are available on eBay for ~$3-4 and they will allow you to fit your half-size card in a full size slot.

Here's a link to one I've been using (works great!):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/331161237621?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

Hopefully the info is helpful to somebody!

Edit: I just realized this particular one only ships to USA, so if you live someplace else you'll have to find one that ships to you.