To get WiFi up and running in Slackware

I'm new to Slackware Linux.
I cannot get my wifi up and running. I have tried everything, built a new kernel with support for my card, hacked the installation scripts and all that but no luck sofar.

1. lspci answers 'Ethernet controller Realtek RTL8101E/RTL8102E
PCI fast ethernet controller
Network controller Atheros Com Inc Device 0036 (rev 01)'

iwconfig answers 'lo no wireless extension
eth0 no wireless extension '

2 netconfig asks me to give a hostname and domainname end
then nothing happens

BTW, the shutdown command doesn't work either, I have to fire X-window up to close it all.

I'm working on a Dell inspiron, new for two weeks ago.

Who can tell me what I'm doing wrong? Thanks a lot!
J...aLuxOrg

Look for something like "Fast Ethernet Switching" in the BIOS and disable it. It's a power saving thing, that switches off the wifi if the ethernet card is configured and vice versa. You could also blacklist that module, unless you need the nic, Then see what you can get.

Hi,

Plus be sure that your wireless is on via the 'Fn+F2'. Since you did not mention the model for the Inspiron this function is the control on most new Dell laptops.

You can check 'dmesg' to see if the wireless chipset is recognized.

Slackware Doc Project is a good reference to help configure your install.

My box is a Dell Inspiron-15-3521, BIOS A07 and with windows 8 delivered as os. From start it connected my local wifi no problems. I removed windows 8 and installed Slackware 13.0, since then I cannot get wifi to fire up. What could be wrong?

Here is some info,

- lspci: Ethernet controller: Realtek RTL8101E/RTL8102
Network controller: Atheros Com Dev0036

- lsusb:
Bus003 Device002: Realtek Semiconductor RTL8188CUS 802.11n WLAN Adapter
Bus001 Device003: Atheros Communication
Bus001 Device004: Realtek Semiconductor Corp
Bus001 Device005: Microdia

- iwconfig:
wlan0 IEEE 802.11bgn ESSID: off/any
Mode:managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power = 20dBm
... and bla bla...

ping says 'network is unreacheable'

When I edit /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf and then give command netconfig my changes roll back.

If I edit rc.wireless.conf my changes doesn't bite, i e the ESSID is still off/any

After struggling a few days I bought an usb-wifi adapter, it lightens up and seems to work ok but I can still not get wifi to fire up. I installed the software that came with the adapter.

So, here is my questions:

- do I have to mount the usb-wifi-card?
- how can I figure out the devnames on the four usb-ports on my laptop?
- how do I solve the connectionproblems?

Network controller Atheros Com Inc Device 0036 (rev 01)

I suspect that this device has VendorID 0x168C and DeviceID 0x0036. It is supported by the ath9k kernel module.

BTW, the shutdown command doesn't work either, I have to fire X-window up to close it all.

Are you trying to configure this from the commandline?
It is easiest to use NetworkManager from a GUI to handle network devices.
http://docs.slackware.com/slackware:...ation_services
Note that NetworkManager works best with the networking configuration files /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf and /etc/rc.d/rc.wireless.conf as installed by default. See the mail to root headed "Welcome to Slackware" for further details.

So, here is my questions: - do I have to mount the usb-wifi-card? - how can I figure out the devnames on the four usb-ports on my laptop? - how do I solve the connectionproblems?

Just let NetworkManager do the work for you.

BTW- What protocol are you using to connect to your access point? If it is WPA/2, then from the commandline you need to use wpa_supplicant.

What does the command lspci report as your wireless chipset.

That's the most important piece of information for fixing this.

Checkout this thread: [SOLVED] Thinkpad T400 Wireless

Helped me get wireless setup. I would strongly suggest installing WICD - works fine in xfce, makes life easier.

As root #slackpkg install wicd

Try this in order to keep track of you have done.

Disconnect your DSL cable

Make sure your laptop wireless button is switched to "ON"

Reset your configuration files to their original state by running "netconfig" and enter hostname then choose loop back. Thast it.

As root make rc.wireless executable

check /etc/rc.d/rc.wireless.conf has "Pick Any Access Point Section is Uncommented. Don't put anything in config file.

vi /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf uncomment: use dhcp = yes, essid, host, wlan key, wpa supplicant
If you use a password write in the wlan key = prefixed by s:

Then just click on your wicd icon and click on your Wireless Network. See if you connect.

If you don't get a wireless connection. You can use WICD feedback to post here and figure out what is to do next. This worked for me, after days of going crazy

Originally Posted by onebuck Hi, Plus be sure that your wireless is on via the 'Fn+F2'. Since you did not mention the model for the Inspiron this function is the control on most new Dell laptops. You can check 'dmesg' to see if the wireless chipset is recognized. Slackware Doc Project is a good reference to help configure your install.

Sometimes Fn+ALT+F2 may do it.

install wicd it's in the extras directory of slackware
check the external wifi switch windoze ignores it BUT linux dose not

to check the wifi with ifconfig the command is "ifconfig -a"
but you don't need rc.wireless wicd can handle configuring the wifi card all by it self