No Network Connection (Ubuntu)

dhawk · 08-31-2010, 09:15 AM

I just installed Ubuntu on my 2009 HP netbook, which has a Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN. It is now a dual boot, with Win XP, which is still able to connect to my Sprint 3g/4g mobile hotspot. My iMac also has no problem connecting to the hotspot.

How do I configure Linux to detect the wireless network? I copied the Broadcom driver (while in XP) to a flash drive, but I can't open it in Linux.

Thanks,

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 08-31-2010, 05:16 PM

The first thing to do is go to: System--> Administration then select Hardware Drivers. See if Ubuntu will download and install the driver for you.

Kenny_Strawn · 08-31-2010, 05:29 PM

Actually, no. Is it a source package or a binary package? If it's the latter (.deb format), double-click on it and GDebi Package Installer will launch. If you get errors, that means that the package depends on other packages. Download those other packages first, installing them one-by-one, and then try installing the Broadcom driver.

If it is a source package (.tar.gz format) you have no choice but to compile the source code. See if there are any build instructions on the Broadcom website.

dhawk · 09-01-2010, 04:58 PM

Thank you for responding.

The driver is installed, now (although, nothing seems certain at this point), but the network or device is still disabled. The wifi signal is good, and the device works when I go to the Win XP side, but the blue light (on/off switch) turns red, every time i log back into Ubuntu). Also, I can't access the hardware drivers. When I click on the icon, it claims to be 'loading' for a few seconds and then, nothing happens. Maybe I need to reinstall the driver - or a bigger boat.

Could it be a faulty or incompetent driver (like me)? How else can I enable the wifi device? What about IP settings or something like it? There is a ton of info 'out there', and in Linux help, I've tried a few things... but it's a tough nut so far.

Thanks

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

doha@ubuntu:~$ sudo lshw -c network
[sudo] password for doha:
*-network
description: Network controller
product: BCM4312 802.11b/g
vendor: Broadcom Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
version: 01
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=b43-pci-bridge latency=0
resources: irq:16 memory:feafc000-feafffff
*-network
description: Ethernet interface
product: 88E8040 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller
vendor: Marvell Technology Group Ltd.
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0
logical name: eth0
version: 00
serial: 00:24:81:67:b5:f8
capacity: 100MB/s
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd autonegotiation
configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=sky2 driverversion=1.25 firmware=N/A latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=twisted pair
resources: irq:26 memory:febfc000-febfffff ioport:ec00(size=256)
*-network DISABLED
description: Wireless interface
physical id: 1
logical name: wlan0
serial: 00:24:2c:91:3b:3c
capabilities: ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bg
doha@ubuntu:~$ iwlist scan
lo Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0 Failed to read scan data : Network is down [/SIZE][/FONT]

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 09-01-2010, 05:47 PM

It looks good so far.

1. Left click the network icon in the systray, see if any networks are listed.

2. If 'yes' click on your network to initiate a connection.

3. If you don't see anything, right click the network icon and select Edit Connections. When the box appears you will see a wireless tab. Select that then, select Add. Input the requested details.

Now go from step 1 again. If non of this works please post the output of: iwconfig.

dhawk · 09-02-2010, 10:42 AM

When I move the pointer to the Network icon, there is a "No Network Connection" (black flag) before I click on it. With a right click, I see the top three options have been enabled, with a check next to each.

On to the Network Connection screen, "Wireless" tab, I've tried it with and without the name "Overdrive-221" which is the name of the 3G/4G hotspot. What other information should I input, and where do I get it? I wonder if this is necessary, since my iMac picked up the signal (Overdrive-221 and others in range) automatically. The Wifi device (switch) is always red in Linux, but turns blue (on) if I restart the netbook and log in to Win XP.

It seems like the first problem is to enable the hardware device first, so that it might then search for available networks in range. The "Hardware Drivers" icon still doesn't work. Could it be part of the problem? "iwconfig" yields the same result as before. Thank You

dohaubuntu:~$ iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extentions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11bg ESSID

ff/any
Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=0 dBm
Retry long limit:7 RTS thr

ff Fragment thr

ff
Power Management

ff

dohaubuntu:~$

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 09-02-2010, 02:41 PM

Try this: sudo ifconfig wlan0 up then do: sudo iwlist wlan0 scan. Post the output.

dhawk · 09-03-2010, 06:18 AM

The first command returned an error, so I deleted the last word and retried it. The network is not "down" (according to my iMac). Thanks

doha@ubuntu:~$ sudo ifconfig wlan0 up
SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory
doha@ubuntu:~$

doha@ubuntu:~$ sudo ifconfig wlan0
[sudo] password for doha:
wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:24:2c:91:3b:3c
BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

doha@ubuntu:~$ sudo iwlist wlan0 scan
wlan0 Interface doesn't support scanning : Network is down

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 09-03-2010, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhawk

The first command returned an error...

That is strange. You shouldn't get an error. Did you use a zero and not a capital 'O'?

Try some of the stuff mentioned here:

Quote:

Using network-admin, the GUI Network Tool

As mentioned before Ubuntu ships with a fantastic GUI network tool called network-admin. It can be run from a terminal but it is also readily available under the system menu. (System)->(Administration)->(Networking).

Once it is launched you'll be presented with a list of network adapters that are available on your system. You should see an entry that named "Wireless connection" and just beneath it it may say "The interface wlan0 is not active". Your setup may not say "wlan0" however it should match the device name that we looked up in iwconfig above.

Since your card is listed in network-admin you can easily setup the network configuring. In network-admin select the Wireless connection entry and then click the Properties button.

This is where you actually specify the network to connect to. You should type the ESSID that you have assigned to your router into the box that says "Network Name (ESSID):". If we have disabled WEP at remote wireless router we can leave the WEP Key field blank. Normally Configuration can be left as Automatic (DHCP). Chances are you have set up your wireless router as a DHCP Server, if not do so (refer to Router documentation). Click on OK.

To test your new WiFi connection we should temporarily disable other network interfaces. Select the eth0 network and click on Deactivate button (if you have one - basically deactivate all Network cards other than the WiFi). Then select wlan0 (or whatever your wireless card is called) and click on the Activate button. You should end up with the checkbox under Active for wlan0 checked and the others not checked. You can now fire up a web browser and see if you can browse the web. Alternatively the best way of checking if you have a working internet connection is to use ping which checks that a domain exists and can be reached (think SONAR ping, but for networks).

If you want the rest of this info, it's available here: WiFi HowTo

Soadyheid · 09-03-2010, 12:13 PM

As per {BBI}Nexus{BBI}

Quote:

The first thing to do is go to: System--> Administration then select Hardware Drivers. See if Ubuntu will download and install the driver for you.

Though remember to connect to your router via a wired connection to allow Ubuntu to find a Broadcom driver. Once it's found and loaded you should be able to revert to WiFi.
Sometimes you can't beat a bit of CAT5!

Play Bonny!

dhawk · 09-15-2010, 11:00 AM

Thank you for your assistance.

Nothing so far. Maybe I need a different driver. I don't have a wired internet connection. The WiFi hotspot works with my iMac and XP (on the netbook), so I can download the driver on this (iMac) pc, save it to flash, and reinstall it to Linux. Which driver?

I guess my recent interest was, more so, fueled by the Rob Pegoraro (Washington Post) article this past 5/30, which suggested that a Linux conversion (from XP to Ubuntu 10.04) was something most of us could handle now. There was no mention of Wifi malfunctions. Maybe I did the installation wrong. The "Hardware Drivers" icon still doesn't work. Should I delete Ubuntu and start over again - or wait until the next version of Linux? I am not a programmer, but I've tried more commands in the last two weeks than in the previous decade... I may be causing more harm than help.

How do I ascertain if it's a driver or another software mismatch (for the Broadcom Wifi device)? Did I buy the wrong netbook? Jump ship? Please advise.

Thanks..........

damgar · 09-15-2010, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhawk

doha@ubuntu:~$ sudo ifconfig wlan0 up
SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory

My laptop does this sometimes in Ubuntu, essentially it's as if the hardware no longer exists in the machine. In my case however this happens after I've connected/disconnected to several wireless networks. I don't have this problem in Slackware. I have to remove the battery to get it back when it happens in Ubuntu. This probably has 0 bearing on your actual problem.

hughetorrance · 09-15-2010, 11:37 AM

Soadyheid's advice is good... if you boot up the live Ubuntu CD is it have the same... Puppy linux live distro has wicd which is an easy to use wifi set up,have you tried a few good live distros to see if its a hardware thing or not...good luck and welcome to LQ

Soadyheid · 09-16-2010, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Nothing so far. Maybe I need a different driver. I don't have a wired internet connection. The WiFi hotspot works with my iMac and XP (on the netbook), so I can download the driver on this (iMac) pc, save it to flash, and reinstall it to Linux. Which driver?

Goodness knows what you'd have to download, or how you'd find it. Ubuntu will AUTOMATICALLY download the driver but you MUST have a connection to the internet first. You need a Cat5 patch cable between your system's RJ45 network connection and a port on your router... Er...

You only have a wireless hotspot, right?

Ahh...

OK, OK, Have you a friend with a router you could connect to via patch cable? If so, try that.
As mentioned, once you've downloaded the driver using Ubuntu's "Hardware Driver" option under System > Administration, you should be good to go.

Oh! I'm not sure of this, maybe someone else could comment, but... If your WiFi was turned off via the Fn buttons or whatever, BEFORE you installed Ubuntu, the "Hardware Driver" option may not be able to identify it.

Good Luck and Play Bonny!