[SOLVED] Inspiron 1545 network controller

davcefai · 02-26-2022, 02:53 AM

I inherited an elderly but pristine Dell Inspiron 1545 laptop with Windows 7 on board.

I immediately zapped Windows and installed Debian from a NetInst CD. The laptop was connected via cable to my DSL modem.

The laptop was only used when my toddler granddaughter stayed with us. She watched Netflix and Youtube over wifi. Consequently I am not really familiar with the machine.

Recently Netflix stopped supporting 32-bit Linux. As far as I can tell the laptop will support 64-bit and I tried to install this.

However it does not seem to have a wired Ethernet Controller. although there is an RJ-45 socket. All my googling landed me on Wireless controllers.

In the BIOS setup there is a section to enable/disable a NIC but toggling this does not have any effect.

lspci only shows the wireless card.

Question: Does this model have a NIC? Is there some magic incantation to make it appear?

Arnulf · 02-26-2022, 05:33 AM

Dell Inspiron 1545 is equipped with an "Intel Mobile Core2 Duo". This processor supports x86_64.
Dell Inspiron 1545 is equipped with a "Marvell 88E80XX" 100Base-TX NIC.
Consider that NIC may be broken due to age of Dell Inspiron 1545.

Enable NIC in BIOS and boot with a x86_64 live linux e.g. Knoppix or grml.
Post output of lspci -v here.

syg00 · 02-26-2022, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davcefai

I immediately zapped Windows and installed Debian from a NetInst CD. The laptop was connected via cable to my DSL modem.

Well, it certainly appears to have had a working NIC back then.
Stick the netinst CD back in and see what driver it is using for the NIC - then try and work out why it isn't present in the 64-bit system you have now. With luck, might be just a matter of modprobe.

Note - never been a Debian user,

davcefai · 02-26-2022, 06:38 AM

Thanks. I'd done this already but FWIIW here's the output.

Quote:

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Memory Controller Hub (rev 07)
Subsystem: Dell Mobile 4 Series Chipset Memory Controller Hub
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
Capabilities: [e0] Vendor Specific Information: Len=0a <?>

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: Dell Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16
Memory at f6c00000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
Memory at e0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
I/O ports at efe8 [size=8]
Expansion ROM at 000c0000 [virtual] [disabled] [size=128K]
Capabilities: [90] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 3
Kernel driver in use: i915
Kernel modules: i915

00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)
Subsystem: Dell Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
Memory at f6b00000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1M]
Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 3

00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
Subsystem: Dell 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 20
I/O ports at 6f60 [size=32]
Capabilities: [50] PCI Advanced Features
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd

00:1a.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
Subsystem: Dell 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 21
I/O ports at 6f80 [size=32]
Capabilities: [50] PCI Advanced Features
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd

00:1a.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #6 (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
Subsystem: Dell 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 22
I/O ports at 6fa0 [size=32]
Capabilities: [50] PCI Advanced Features
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd

00:1a.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 03) (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
Subsystem: Dell 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 22
Memory at fed1c400 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]
Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
Capabilities: [58] Debug port: BAR=1 offset=00a0
Capabilities: [98] PCI Advanced Features
Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci

00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)
Subsystem: Dell 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 28
Memory at f6afc000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
Capabilities: [60] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
Capabilities: [70] Express Root Complex Integrated Endpoint, MSI 00
Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel
Capabilities: [130] Root Complex Link
Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel

00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 24
Bus: primary=00, secondary=0b, subordinate=0b, sec-latency=0
I/O behind bridge: 00002000-00002fff [size=4K]
Memory behind bridge: 80000000-801fffff [size=2M]
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 0000000080200000-00000000803fffff [size=2M]
Capabilities: [40] Express Root Port (Slot+), MSI 00
Capabilities: [80] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
Capabilities: [90] Subsystem: Dell 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 1
Capabilities: [a0] Power Management version 2
Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel
Capabilities: [180] Root Complex Link
Kernel driver in use: pcieport

00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 25
Bus: primary=00, secondary=0c, subordinate=0c, sec-latency=0
I/O behind bridge: 00003000-00003fff [size=4K]
Memory behind bridge: f6900000-f69fffff [size=1M]
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 0000000080400000-00000000805fffff [size=2M]
Capabilities: [40] Express Root Port (Slot+), MSI 00
Capabilities: [80] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
Capabilities: [90] Subsystem: Dell 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 2
Capabilities: [a0] Power Management version 2
Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel
Capabilities: [180] Root Complex Link
Kernel driver in use: pcieport

00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 5 (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 26
Bus: primary=00, secondary=0d, subordinate=0e, sec-latency=0
I/O behind bridge: 0000d000-0000dfff [size=4K]
Memory behind bridge: f6600000-f68fffff [size=3M]
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 00000000f0000000-00000000f01fffff [size=2M]
Capabilities: [40] Express Root Port (Slot+), MSI 00
Capabilities: [80] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
Capabilities: [90] Subsystem: Dell 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 5
Capabilities: [a0] Power Management version 2
Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel
Capabilities: [180] Root Complex Link
Kernel driver in use: pcieport

00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
Subsystem: Dell 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 20
I/O ports at 6f00 [size=32]
Capabilities: [50] PCI Advanced Features
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd

00:1d.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
Subsystem: Dell 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 21
I/O ports at 6f20 [size=32]
Capabilities: [50] PCI Advanced Features
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd

00:1d.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
Subsystem: Dell 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 22
I/O ports at 6f40 [size=32]
Capabilities: [50] PCI Advanced Features
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd

00:1d.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 03) (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
Subsystem: Dell 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 20
Memory at fed1c000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]
Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
Capabilities: [58] Debug port: BAR=1 offset=00a0
Capabilities: [98] PCI Advanced Features
Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci

00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev 93) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=03, subordinate=03, sec-latency=32
I/O behind bridge: [disabled]
Memory behind bridge: [disabled]
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: [disabled]
Capabilities: [50] Subsystem: Dell 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge

00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation ICH9M LPC Interface Controller (rev 03)
Subsystem: Dell ICH9M LPC Interface Controller
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0
Capabilities: [e0] Vendor Specific Information: Len=0c <?>
Kernel driver in use: lpc_ich
Kernel modules: lpc_ich

00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 82801IBM/IEM (ICH9M/ICH9M-E) 4 port SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 03) (prog-if 01 [AHCI 1.0])
Subsystem: Dell 82801IBM/IEM (ICH9M/ICH9M-E) 4 port SATA Controller [AHCI mode]
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 27
I/O ports at 6e70 [size=8]
I/O ports at 6e78 [size=4]
I/O ports at 6e80 [size=8]
I/O ports at 6e88 [size=4]
I/O ports at 6ea0 [size=32]
Memory at fed1c800 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=2K]
Capabilities: [80] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/16 Maskable- 64bit-
Capabilities: [70] Power Management version 3
Capabilities: [a8] SATA HBA v1.0
Capabilities: [b0] PCI Advanced Features
Kernel driver in use: ahci

00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 03)
Subsystem: Dell 82801I (ICH9 Family) SMBus Controller
Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 18
Memory at f6afbf00 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
I/O ports at 1100 [size=32]
Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus
Kernel modules: i2c_i801

0c:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY (rev 01)
Subsystem: Dell Wireless 1397 WLAN Mini-Card
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 4
Memory at f69fc000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3
Capabilities: [58] Vendor Specific Information: Len=78 <?>
Capabilities: [e8] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
Capabilities: [d0] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
Capabilities: [13c] Virtual Channel
Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 55-6e-a1-ff-ff-ba-70-f1
Capabilities: [16c] Power Budgeting <?>
Kernel modules: ssb

Arnulf · 02-26-2022, 11:41 AM

Your lspci -v output indicates a hardware problem with wired NIC:

NIC is deactivated by BIOS or by vendor. Toggle BIOS settings for wired NIC and try it again.
NIC is absent. Think about using another computer due to age of Dell Inspiron 1545.
NIC is broken. Think about using another computer due to age of Dell Inspiron 1545.

davcefai · 02-26-2022, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arnulf

Your lspci -v output indicates a hardware problem with wired NIC:

Quote:

NIC is deactivated by BIOS or by vendor. Toggle BIOS settings for wired NIC and try it again.

It's shown in the BIOS. I've toggled the settings to no avail.

Quote:

NIC is absent.

Unless it grew legs this didn't happen!

Quote:

NIC is broken.

Most likely.

Quote:

Think about using another computer due to age of Dell Inspiron 1545.

I bought a new laptop but I am reluctant to junk this one. I'm going to get a USB to Ethernet adapter for now. It's tempting to consider fixing and upgrading this machine.
I can get a M/B, faster CPU and RAM for about €100 from ebay.

My thinking is

1. Why not?
2. If I'm to have fruit juice spilled on a laptop better this one than a new one!

Thanks for all the help everyone. I'm going to mark this as SOLVED and might reopen it if/when I repair/upgrade.