config wireless card

palmweaver · 01-26-2010, 08:34 PM

How, using the command line can I detect my wireless card and make it work under SUSE Enterprise Desktop? The wireless card works in Win XP.

EricTRA · 01-27-2010, 12:13 AM

Hello,

Look into the iwconfig command.

Code:

man iwconfig

It does what you need for wireless connections using the command line.

Kind regards,

Eric

koerner · 01-28-2010, 06:50 AM

lspci -v will list the name of the wireless card. This will help to check if the appropriate module is loaded at startup. You can check this with lsmod.

Paul

onebuck · 01-28-2010, 09:12 AM

Hi,

Welcome to LQ!

You can check to see if the device is available with 'ifconfig -a' which shows the devices even if down.

As root you can use the below to configure a static IP with encryption for your wlan on your LAN;

Code:

~#ifconfig wlan0 192.168.0.18    #<<< available IP
~#route add default gw 192.168.0.1 #<<your gateway
~#iwlist wlan0 scan #<< use information to fill in for essid & ap information
~#iwconfig wlan0 essid "Your Wireless"
~#iwconfig wlan0 key your_key_here
~#iwconfig wlan0 ap xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx #<<Your _ap_from iwlist

You should have your '/etc/resolv.conf' setup with your 'ISP DNS' nameservers.

Code:

 sample '/etc/resolv.conf';

search 192.168.0.1     

nameserver xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx   #ISP DSN 'replace xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
                             #with IP from your ISP
nameserver 4.2.2.1           #Verizon third level DNS
nameserver 4.2.2.2
nameserver 4.2.2.3
nameserver 4.2.2.4

Another way to setup static IP without encryption then do as root from cli;

Code:

~#ifconfig -a                      #get recognized devices
~#ifconfig wlan0 192.168.0.10      #set to a available IP
~#route add default gw 192.168.0.1 #set to your gateway
~#route -n                         #show the route table
~#ifconfig wlan0 up                #should be up already
~#ping 192.168.0.1                 #ping your gateway
~#ping 208.69.32.130               #google.com IP
~#ping google.com                  #test DNS, if fail then
                                   #check /etc/resolv.conf

This one assumes that your LAN/AP is setup properly for access.

BTW, make sure your '/etc/resolv.conf' has your nameservers for your 'ISP DNS'. I use the third level DNS as a fallback.

palmweaver · 02-17-2010, 07:13 PM

Paul, Gary,

Thanks so much for the info but it seems I'm a bit confused. I don't have an ip address, I log into free wifi at the cafe. How can I get iwconfig to show me the available networks and then connect to the one I select? I ran ifconfig and am attaching the result. Can either of you explain what the info means??? Thanks.

palmweaver

onebuck · 02-17-2010, 07:29 PM

Hi,

Quote:

Originally Posted by palmweaver

Paul, Gary,

Thanks so much for the info but it seems I'm a bit confused. I don't have an ip address, I log into free wifi at the cafe. How can I get iwconfig to show me the available networks and then connect to the one I select? I ran ifconfig and am attaching the result. Can either of you explain what the info means??? Thanks.

palmweaver

I don't see a 'wlan' device in the output you provided. What do you see in your 'lspic -vv' for the wireless device?

palmweaver · 02-22-2010, 11:35 PM

Gary,

I ran lspci -v and it comes up as a Broadcom wireless modem on IRQ 11. Now, I remember that when the boot up occurs, it sees the WLAN card and tries to recognize it and reports failed in the right column where everything else is 'passed'. So, I ran lsmod but I couldn't see any wireless module. I don't really know what a module is anyway. But maybe that's it. I need to load a module. Is that the same as 'drivers'? Any help much appreciated. By the way, I'm a US expat living in Australia now. From Kansas. Near you, eh?

Palm

onebuck · 02-23-2010, 07:19 AM

Hi,

Post the outputs for 'dmesg |grep -i wlan' & wireless portion of 'lspci -vv'.

schneidz · 02-23-2010, 12:00 PM

if it is the same card i got:

Code:

03:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4322 802.11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN Controller (rev 01)

this link would be helpful:
http://www.broadcom.com/support/802.11/linux_sta.php