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Old 03-29-2017, 08:22 AM   #16
Habitual
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You mentioned wireless during the install?
Or after?
Is there Internet before you "installed"?
An Internet connection is almost mandatory these days to install Linux.

Last edited by Habitual; 03-29-2017 at 08:43 AM.
 
Old 03-29-2017, 08:48 AM   #17
Neville Hillyer
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Originally Posted by Habitual View Post
You mentioned wireless during the install?
Or after?
Is there Internet before you "installed"?
An Internet connection is almost mandatory these days to install Linux.
Sorry - forgot to mention history.

Bought laptop a few months ago for £30

Just before purchase Windows 10 was installed and tested - everything worked except the optical drive which is still intermittent

I probably played too much with Windows and the wireless stopped working

Wireless connectivity is an issue at my house because I try not to use DHCP and my router IP is 172.18.17.17 with a 255.255.255.240 mask

Not an issue with Macs but some versions of Windows refuse to connect unless I enable DHCP.

Since I bought the laptop to use with Linux I removed the Windows hard disk and installed Ubuntu 9.1 on a spare blank hard disk via an external CD drive.

I used 9.1 several years ago and preferred it to later OTT versions.

The laptop did not have a network connection during or after the install - from memory this version of Ubuntu originally worked without a network - my earlier experience was without the need for wireless - it was probably updated over the network (wired) a few days later. Could the laptop be short of critical components?
 
Old 03-29-2017, 09:58 AM   #18
ondoho
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neville Hillyer View Post
To which "hardware" do you refer when you mention "poor linux support", the computer or wireless card?
the wireless.
search term: "linux rtl8187b".
but the links provided by ardvark start early 2008, which suggests that the device is at least that old.
you should really have a good read with these links, the ubuntuforums thread is marked [solved], so that's good, no?
 
Old 03-29-2017, 10:22 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by ondoho View Post
the wireless.
search term: "linux rtl8187b".
but the links provided by ardvark start early 2008, which suggests that the device is at least that old.
you should really have a good read with these links, the ubuntuforums thread is marked [solved], so that's good, no?
There was some confusion - I originally thought posts were saying the laptop was too old but I agree the wireless module is old - probably gave good service with Windows but fails to work with 64 bit Ubuntu.

My original post said: "I see that some use Windows drivers but I am interested to know which versions of Linux are known to work with their 'normal' drivers" so I discounted the link to which you refer as the only fully working solution I can find in its 13 pages uses a Windows driver.

Since there appears to be few other alternatives I may eventually decide to use this driver - now where do I find a method to do this without an internet link?
 
Old 03-29-2017, 01:42 PM   #20
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oops - sorry - now working on DHCP - I had not noticed that my routers's limited DHCP range used for a few problem PCs had all its IPs reserved.

I don't know why static IPs failed to work but it may be the same issue I have had with a few PCs which would not allow wireless to be set up with static IPs - I will investigate further later.

There is circumstantial evidence that setting up initially from the Panel icon and not Network Connection Preferences is faster and more reliable - delete any preferences first.

I may have given the wrong processor information before. The speed appears to be 2 GHz but I am not sure if there are 2 or 4 cores in total.

Does Ubuntu have a way to display the laptop model name?
 
Old 03-29-2017, 01:46 PM   #21
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probably: http://askubuntu.com/questions/25892...k-model-number
 
Old 03-29-2017, 05:42 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by pan64 View Post
On the bottom it says:

Made in China by Clevo
Model M77SU
Product code M771SU

Another label says:
Manufactured in the UK by Novatech Ltd

I suspect Novatech only rebrand but I am unable to discover which model they called this one or what its specification is.
 
Old 03-29-2017, 06:32 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neville Hillyer View Post
On the bottom it says:

Made in China by Clevo
Model M77SU
Product code M771SU

Another label says:
Manufactured in the UK by Novatech Ltd

I suspect Novatech only rebrand but I am unable to discover which model they called this one or what its specification is.
Hi...

Although not a Novatech model, this guy here?

The only thing I'm seeing for the Novatech model are parts and requests for help. Found a driver page for an almost identical model here.

Regards...

Last edited by ardvark71; 03-29-2017 at 06:45 PM. Reason: Added information and links.
 
Old 03-30-2017, 04:30 AM   #24
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Originally Posted by ardvark71 View Post
Hi...

Although not a Novatech model, this guy here?

The only thing I'm seeing for the Novatech model are parts and requests for help. Found a driver page for an almost identical model here.

Regards...
Looks the same but mine has a Xeon. I suspect he has the same problem and does not know the Novatech model name.

I have written to Novatech and perhaps they will tell me.

I am surprised the name is not either on the case or in non-volitie memory.

Thanks for all your help.
 
Old 03-30-2017, 11:20 AM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neville Hillyer View Post
now working on DHCP
does that mean that the wireless is working now?
 
Old 03-30-2017, 11:41 AM   #26
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For what it's worth I've been looking at a few laptop battery teardown videos on YouTube after having replaced a screen on one of mine using one as a guide. From what I can gather the WiFi chip is usually just clipped to the motherboard and to the antenna wires so it may well be possible to swap it just by buying another model with the same interface (likely USB). Luckily I don't need to do this so havn't priced it up for my machines but if there's something that looks right going cheap on eBay (or wherever people buy things nowadays) might be worth a shot if you're not afraid of a few screws and clips.
 
Old 03-30-2017, 12:03 PM   #27
ondoho
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^ good point. esp. old laptops are somewhat more user-friendly in that respect, often there's even a convenient hatch specially for the wifi chip.
and replacing one crappy old wifi with another one with better linux support could be a zero investment, if you have the hardware lying around.
but beware: bios vendor lock-in might be present.
 
1 members found this post helpful.
Old 03-30-2017, 02:26 PM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ondoho View Post
but beware: bios vendor lock-in might be present.
+1

Important point!

Regards...
 
Old 03-30-2017, 02:27 PM   #29
ardvark71
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neville Hillyer View Post
Thanks for all your help.
You're welcome

Regards...
 
Old 03-30-2017, 04:26 PM   #30
Neville Hillyer
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Originally Posted by ondoho View Post
does that mean that the wireless is working now?
Yes - I should have made this clearer
 
  


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