• From: Norway
  • Registered: 2009-01-21
  • Posts: 25

Topic: wlan0 not working with live CD

hi,

I'm considering switching from Xubuntu to CrunchBang (a lot), but when booting the live CD it seems wlan0 is recognized as an ethernet controller?

any help would be appreciated, because I need a guarantee that wlan will be working with CrunchBang before making the switch.

here's some code for you:

eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:1b:24:77:fb:80  
          inet addr:158.39.124.53  Bcast:158.39.125.255  Mask:255.255.254.0
          inet6 addr: 2002:9e27:7d7e:4:21b:24ff:fe77:fb80/64 Scope:Global
          inet6 addr: fec0::4:21b:24ff:fe77:fb80/64 Scope:Site
          inet6 addr: fec0::8:21b:24ff:fe77:fb80/64 Scope:Site
          inet6 addr: 2002:9e27:7cb4:8:21b:24ff:fe77:fb80/64 Scope:Global
          inet6 addr: fec0::b:21b:24ff:fe77:fb80/64 Scope:Site
          inet6 addr: 2002:9e27:7c8e:b:21b:24ff:fe77:fb80/64 Scope:Global
          inet6 addr: fe80::21b:24ff:fe77:fb80/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:8397 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:2264 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:3230337 (3.2 MB)  TX bytes:335243 (335.2 KB)
          Interrupt:22 Base address:0x8000 

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:64 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:64 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:3520 (3.5 KB)  TX bytes:3520 (3.5 KB)

pan0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr ea:7d:02:99:2c:c1  
          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:0 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:1a:73:8c:eb:32  
          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)

wmaster0  Link encap:UNSPEC  HWaddr 00-1A-73-8C-EB-32-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00  
          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)
root@crunchbang:~# ifconfig wlan0 up
SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory
root@crunchbang:~# iwlist wlan0 scan
wlan0     Interface doesn't support scanning : Network is down
root@crunchbang:~$ lspci -vv|grep Network
03:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4311 802.11b/g WLAN (rev 02)
Bill Gates left his university to start Micro$oft.
Steve Jobs sold his Volkswagen bus to start Apple.
Linus Torvalds made a new thread in a forum and put a file on a ftp server.

aarolilja's Website

  • From: Gig Harbor, WA, USA
  • Registered: 2008-12-16
  • Posts: 169

Re: wlan0 not working with live CD

I'm wondering if you need to install the proprietary driver under Restricted Drivers?  My wife has a Broadcom card and it always needs the proprietary driver.

sewmyheadon's Website

  • n1ck
  • #! Member
  • Offline
  • From: Oswestry
  • Registered: 2009-01-20
  • Posts: 83

Re: wlan0 not working with live CD

30:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4311 802.11b/g WLAN (rev 01)

Is what i have, using a HP/Compaq laptop? The wireless never has worked under wlan0 - its always been shown as eth1 - i've had countless hours of messing about because of this. I have the proprietary drivers installed but it wont change the fact it think's its a ethernet connection.
I'm running xubuntu on it - and the wireless is working (thankfully), but if you try and interogate the network addr for anything it doesn't reconise it
Example, just a simple conky theme will not show you any stats for the connection even though 'ifconfig' will show you IP's and the such

Last edited by n1ck (2009-01-21 18:50:15)

Asus 4G EEE - Crunchee
Dual Core watercooled - Crunch and Xubuntu
2 x Nas with 2tb storage - FreeNas
1x Compaq hp - Xubuntu
  • From: Norway
  • Registered: 2009-01-21
  • Posts: 25

Re: wlan0 not working with live CD

hi, don't really have the time to find out this right now but here's the ifconfig of Xubuntu:

eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:1b:24:77:fb:80  
          inet addr:158.39.124.53  Bcast:158.39.125.255  Mask:255.255.254.0
          inet6 addr: fec0::8:21b:24ff:fe77:fb80/64 Scope:Site
          inet6 addr: 2002:9e27:7cb4:8:21b:24ff:fe77:fb80/64 Scope:Global
          inet6 addr: 2002:9e27:7d7e:4:21b:24ff:fe77:fb80/64 Scope:Global
          inet6 addr: fec0::4:21b:24ff:fe77:fb80/64 Scope:Site
          inet6 addr: fe80::21b:24ff:fe77:fb80/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:318692 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:166864 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:458189211 (458.1 MB)  TX bytes:11464183 (11.4 MB)
          Interrupt:20 Base address:0x4000 

eth1      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:1a:73:8c:eb:32  
          inet addr:192.168.2.102  Bcast:192.168.2.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::21a:73ff:fe8c:eb32/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:35 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:147
          TX packets:20 errors:5 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:4753 (4.7 KB)  TX bytes:4438 (4.4 KB)
          Interrupt:18 

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:98 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:98 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:4508 (4.5 KB)  TX bytes:4508 (4.5 KB)

I have a Compaq Presaro F600.

Bill Gates left his university to start Micro$oft.
Steve Jobs sold his Volkswagen bus to start Apple.
Linus Torvalds made a new thread in a forum and put a file on a ftp server.

aarolilja's Website

  • From: Lincoln, UK
  • Registered: 2008-11-20
  • Posts: 4,246

Re: wlan0 not working with live CD

sewmyheadon wrote:

I'm wondering if you need to install the proprietary driver under Restricted Drivers?  My wife has a Broadcom card and it always needs the proprietary driver.

Trouble'n'strife uses a similar Broadcom card. Set-up was fairly simple, from the Openbox menu, "System -> Restricted Device Manager" and enable to the restricted driver.

@aarolilja: please keep us updated and welcome to the forums! smile

My website | Follow me on Twitter | CrunchBang on DistroWatch

corenominal's Website

  • From: Gig Harbor, WA, USA
  • Registered: 2008-12-16
  • Posts: 169

Re: wlan0 not working with live CD

I think my wife's Compaq Presario V2000 uses the same card.  Booting with the LiveCD now for some testing.  I'll report back in a bit.

sewmyheadon's Website

  • From: Gig Harbor, WA, USA
  • Registered: 2008-12-16
  • Posts: 169

Re: wlan0 not working with live CD

Alright, I'm writing this from my wifey's laptop, which is also using a Broadcom card,  while running the LiveCD of 8.10.02.  It's not the exact same card, but similar.

crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ lspci -vv|grep Network
05:02.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02)

It was pretty easy to get working:

  • First, I booted the CD and plugged an ethernet cable into the PC.

  • As Philip said, go to System/Restricted Drivers Manager

  • Activate the Restricted driver for the Broadcom card.  It'll download the necessary packages and install

  • After installation is finished, click the Network Manager icon in the panel and see if your network shows up

  • This card doesn't support WPA2 (to the best of my knowledge), so we've got the wireless router running WPA with a very secure 50-digit key.  I paste it in from a file on a USB key and it connected immediately.

Here's what I get for ifconfig:

crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ ifconfig
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:16:36:13:63:af 
          inet6 addr: fe80::216:36ff:fe13:63af/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:6393 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:3828 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:9527936 (9.5 MB)  TX bytes:264083 (264.0 KB)
          Interrupt:18 Base address:0xa000

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback 
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:56 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:56 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
          RX bytes:3616 (3.6 KB)  TX bytes:3616 (3.6 KB)

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:14:a5:64:21:ad 
          inet addr:192.168.1.102  Bcast:192.168.1.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::214:a5ff:fe64:21ad/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:1583 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:1235 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:2102625 (2.1 MB)  TX bytes:177621 (177.6 KB)

wmaster0  Link encap:UNSPEC  HWaddr 00-14-A5-64-21-AD-31-61-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00 
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING 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)

and iwconfig:

crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

pan0      no wireless extensions.

wmaster0  no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11bg  ESSID:"oliver" 
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.412 GHz  Access Point: 00:1C:10:A7:49:53   
          Bit Rate=6 Mb/s   Tx-Power=27 dBm   
          Retry min limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr=2352 B   
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=76/100  Signal level:-43 dBm  Noise level=-72 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

I hope this helps!

sewmyheadon's Website

  • From: Portugal
  • Registered: 2008-11-25
  • Posts: 43

Re: wlan0 not working with live CD

From another point of view, on both my computers I installed #! by the alternate install with a working ubuntu, and it worked really well without changing any configurations or drivers installed.

Linux user #433931
  • From: Gig Harbor, WA, USA
  • Registered: 2008-12-16
  • Posts: 169

Re: wlan0 not working with live CD

Hey flsantos, That's a great idea - I honestly haven't tried the alt. install yet, but wondered if it might help with little compatibility issues.

sewmyheadon's Website

  • From: Portugal
  • Registered: 2008-11-25
  • Posts: 43

Re: wlan0 not working with live CD

Until now only had an issue on AAO because Ubuntu's kernel 2.6.27.11 killed my ethernet, but it's a bug, just went back to 2.6.27.10. After a while I just removed most of the previous config like nautilus, gnome-stuff, etc.
On AAO i'm getting now a 40s boot from power to desktop (auto login on gdm).

Linux user #433931