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I just installed linux lite on my laptop. I can't connect to the wifi network in the building where I live. I do not know how to configure linux for a wifi network. I thought linux lite would set up the available wifi networks automatically, but I guess not. I am disappointed so far. I am new to linux.
Location: Montreal, Quebec and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia CANADA
Distribution: Arch, AntiX, ArtiX
Posts: 1,363
Rep:
Hi johnny306.
Depending on the version of linux ("distro") you are using, configuration of wifi can be more manual than what you may be used to with Windows, MAC or iOS.
I am absolutely unfamiliar with linux-lite. Could you provide a few details ? What desktop environment does it use ? What network configuration utility (if any) does it use ? Do you know the make and model of your computer's wireless adapter (important for making sure the proper module is installed and active in linux ... a module is like a driver in Windows ...).
Linux lite is based on the Ubuntu environment I have been told. My laptop is an older Dell. I believe the wifi card adapter is a real tech. I do not see a configure utility in linux lite. I am not good at manually configuring wifi networks.
Distribution: Debian testing/sid; OpenSuSE; Fedora; Mint
Posts: 5,524
Rep:
You probably would use network-manager. It should be an icon on the task bar. You just have to enable wireless and select the access point. Linux doesn't automatically connect wireless, because that would be a privacy hazard.
Last edited by AwesomeMachine; 04-28-2017 at 05:51 PM.
there's an icon on the lower right of the Desktop for network configuration where you can enable wireless, add or edit a connection with the access point and passphrase information you get from your building manager or whoever set it up.
The crucial bit of information here is what wireless chipset is installed in your computer. Some wireless manufacturers provide better Linux support than others. Broadcom and Realtek, in particular, can be challenging, but they can be got working.
You can determine the chipset by issuing the command lspci in a terminal. If you are still having difficulties, post the portion of the output concerning the wireless, being sure to surround it with "code" tags, which become available when you click the "Go Advanced" button at the bottom of the "compose post" window.
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