problem with wireless on dell d600
 

Hello. I bought a used dell d600. I initially installed debian lxde on it, and then tried to set up wicd. I was unable to get this to pick up wireless signals. So I installed the default (gnome) on it (speaking of newly installing the OS). I did manage to get this working (specifically network-manager-gnome).

I figured that I had accidentally pressed the Fn-F2 key deactivating the wireless when I was attempting to press Alt-F2 to use the run application box. So I once again re-installed the lxde option (a new install). However, this time, I was not given the option to install non-free options for the wireless hardware. This is an option during the install that I had been given in all previous installations. I had used a usb-stick with firmware files that had several debian files on it. The one that it specifically wanted was ipw2x00. So, I installed this later, but not during the initial install. I'm not sure if this makes a difference, but it seems to.

I tried to set up wicd, and this failed. In doing so, I made sure that the Fn-F2 key was allowing wireless. Failing with wicd, I got rid of it, and install network-manager-gnome in lxde. However, this too is not working, even though in a previous install I had been able to get this to work.

I'm really hoping to get wicd working, but at this point, I'll settle for getting network-manager-gnome working. Any suggestions?

PS, when I initially set up wicd, I did follow the instructions at http://wiki.debian.org/WiFi/HowToUse#Wicd

I have never seen Debian offer to install non-free soft ware on one of their install disks. Not saying it doesn't but find it hard to believe considering their removal of non-free stuff that is included in the Linux kernel.

If you have a wired connection, I assume you do as you installed the gnome package, you need to edit your sources list and install some things.

A sample of what it needs to look like;
Run as root;
and;
you should actually have the free stuff but that is a meta package depending on both the free and non-free Debian packages.

Try setting it up again and if it works mark this solved. If not try the command in terminal and post the output here. Someone that knows more about wireless than I do will undoubtedly know what to do.

You need those non-free packages first of all.

I have the packages "firmware-linux-free" and "firmware-linux-nonfree" installed. Still no luck. I also, as I mentioned, installed firmware-ipw2x00. Regarding the Debian install being "hard to believe", feel free to read about it here -- "Installation via Debian Installer". As the site mentions, it prompted me for the ipw2100-1.3.fw driver. So, I used a usb-stick with the debs from the non-free firmware tarball. This did work the first time, but as I mentioned, the installer did not give such a prompt the second time.

The result of iwconfig is this:

Okay, just to add some further information. dmesg gives the following:
I've been trying some of the suggestions at this site here. But, no luck. I guess I'll try a fresh install, and see if I have better luck this time.

1) Connect to your router using an ethernet cable
2) Enable the non-free repo.
3) Install the package "firmware-ipw2x00"
4) Reload the module

(Read the documentation for this - it's all in there: http://wiki.debian.org/ipw2200)

If the output of "iwconfig" gives you, e.g, "wlan0" then install wicd go into "preferences" and manually enter the interface name (it's always blank).

Well, I did a fresh install (gnome this time) and still no luck. I get much the same:
I have followed all the advice of the ipw2100 site, and have had no luck. All suggestions are welcome.

Don't have ethernet. I do have dial-up, though. In fact, even if I did have a wired connection, another problem with the install seems to be that the Broadcom NetXtreme BCM5700 series 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet Network Controller of the laptop was not recognized.
In fact, I tried pretty well all of the suggestions there, including reloading the module. Still no luck. Thanks for the feedback, however. All ideas are appreciated.

You've reinstalled several times... the outcome will be the same, i.e. missing firmware, so I'm not sure what you're trying to achieve with that...? Whatever desktop you install will make no difference to the wireless interface: hint the firmware is missing and thus the device is working - at all.

Have you checked output of

again? Until you can post that here showing firmware being loaded, no one is going to be able to assist you (post #4 clearly shows that the firmware fails to load). Please show that firmware is loaded and device shows up in iwconfig - don't waste your time with different desktops, wicd or network-manager until then...

There is no sense in trying to put up an interface which doesn't exist.

Hello Caravell. Here's the dmesg:
Besides desperation, the only other reason I have tried reinstalling as a possible solution is from my past experience (which I mentioned in a previous post), in that during the initial installs, the Debian Installer recognized both the Broadcom NetXtreme Network card and it recognized the Wireless LAN 2100, requesting and installing ipw2100 from my usb-stick, and wireless worked (this capability of the Debian Installer is mentioned in the site you recommended.) Contrary to Steve McIntyre's claim that "d-i will do the right thing," recently the Debian Installer has NOT done the right thing. So, I've been trying the other ideas for "established systems" from the site you suggested.

Anyway, keep the ideas coming.

Verify it's actually there, it should be in "/lib/firmware/ipw2100-1.3.fw"

Hello. Here's the result of the command you suggested, and some other exploratory commands I did:
In searching the web, I found that this site here on devices and drivers for Dell's D600 suggested tg3 for the ethernet card and ipw2200 for the wireless. So, I made sure to have the tg3 and ipw2100 and ipw2200 drivers installed. Further, some sites recommended the bnx2 and bnx2x drivers for the Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet card (rather than tg3), so I made sure to install these and modprobe them (which seemingly worked, but they don't appear in the lsmod command above -- likewise I suspect the only reason the ipw2100 and ipw2200 modules do appear is that I just recently modprobed them before doing the lsmod command -- of course it hardly matters since they're used by nothing anyway).

I had mentioned the install a while back. Interestingly, during the last install, it indicated that no network or ethernet cards were found, but gave me the chance to pick drivers to be installed from a list. So, I tried to pick tg3 (which was listed) and bnx2/x also listed, but it would not let me. I then tried to have it scan the usb-stick, which had all these files on it, but it said nothing was found. So, I continued, and it gave me an ominous warning about modules (the exact warning I can't offhand recall). Anyway, I also installed kernal headers and made sure the linux image was installed (it is). I think I'll submit a bug to the debian-install program.

Anyway, hopefully this will give some information as to what I should do. I'm not going to attempt another install. I'll just try to fix it (and if I ever get it working, I'll definitely leave it this time.)

Hating to contradict myself, but I decided that there was nothing more that I could do to try and fix it. So, instead, I just turned off the computer, left it alone for the day while I went out and socialized with actual human beings, and then came back, and had another go at installing Debian. And this time, it indicated that it found both network devices (the Broadcom and the wireless), it scanned my usb-stick with the non-free driver for the wireless, and asked if I accepted the user-agreement for the non-free driver. I accepted. It then asked if I wanted wireless or the Broadcom ethernet device to be my default network connection, and I indicated that wireless should be it. Then, it installed Debian. AND, it was able to find the wireless connections -- from my neighbours, which are blocked to me, but this means that when I go to a cafe or a pub or the library or other place with free wifi, that I'll be able to use it.

Perhaps the computer was overworked, and needed a rest. Anyway, it did work. So, this is now solved.