[gentoo-user] Gentoo installation, network adapter not supported

[Zind]

hi all,

I am new to Gentoo. I came across some problems in the Gentoo installation process.

I got a relatively new laptop: Lenovo IdeaPad Y400.

The Gentoo iso I choose is: admincd-amd64-20130620.iso, from: http://distfiles.gentoo.org/releases/amd64/autobuilds/20130620/hardened/

After I made the LiveUSB, disabling the UEFI boot, I finally boot into the Gentoo kernel. But I could not connect to the network.

Using the `ifconfig -a` command, I can only see the loopback interface: lo.

Using the `lspci` command, I can see the two network adapters:

(1) the Ethernet adapter

Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR8161 Gigabit Ethernet

(2) the wireless adapter

Network controller: Intel Corporation Centrino Wireless-N 2230

Subsystem: Intel Corporation Centrino Wireless-N 2230 BGN

(The two network adapters both work well under Windows 8.)

After several times of STFW, I can confirm it's a network adapter driver support issue: lacks of coresponding network adapter drivers.

For the AR8161 network adapter, it requires the alx kernal module: alx.ko.

Previously, I thought I could at least compile this driver by myself, but soon I found it lacks of build-essential packages, too. :-(

For the wireless network adapter, I can find iwlwifi-2030-6.ucode(coresponding to Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2230 BGN adapter) under /lib/firmware, I tried the `modprobe iwlwifi` command, still doesn't work. Weird.

Uh... I don't know what to do next to continue the installation.

Any suggestion or advice is appreciated.

PS.

several links which I found useful:

http://askubuntu.com/questions/165192/how-do-i-install-drivers-for-the-atheros-ar8161-ethernet-controller

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2089512

http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/iwlwifi

[Davide De Prisco]

Can you search with dmesg and find if it's nead a firmware.
Davide

[the]

Maybe this can be helpful in some way?
http://blechtog.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/gentoo-ethernet-atheros-ar8161-gigabit-ethernet-using-compat-wireless-module-alx/


--
Stop talking and start compiling.
Linux user #557897

[Randolph Maaßen]

2013/6/29 Zind <wzmi...@gmail.com>

On Sat, Jun 29, 2013 at 4:57 PM, Davide De Prisco <deprisc...@gmail.com> wrote:

Can you search with dmesg and find if it's nead a firmware.

Yes.

At the bottom of the dmesg message, I can see these lines:

request for firmware file 'iwlwifi-2030-6.ucode' failed.

request for firmware file 'iwlwifi-2030-5.ucode' failed.

no suitable firmware found!

You can try to fix this with emerging linux-firmware. I'm not sure if this firmware is in there, or what else to configure to fit it exactly, but in default the firmwares ware installed.

Ps: Welcome to Gentoo

--

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards

 

Randolph Maaßen

[Zind]

On Sat, Jun 29, 2013 at 4:57 PM, Davide De Prisco <deprisc...@gmail.com> wrote:

Can you search with dmesg and find if it's nead a firmware.

[Zind]

On Sat, Jun 29, 2013 at 4:52 PM, the <the....@mail.ru> wrote:

Maybe this can be helpful in some way?
http://blechtog.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/gentoo-ethernet-atheros-ar8161-gigabit-ethernet-using-compat-wireless-module-alx/

Thanks. It's useful.

But I didn't have Gentoo installed yet.   :-(

[the]

On 06/29/13 13:30, Zind wrote:
>
> On Sat, Jun 29, 2013 at 4:52 PM, the <the....@mail.ru
> <mailto:the....@mail.ru>> wrote:
>
> Maybe this can be helpful in some way?

> http://blechtog.wordpress.com/__2012/08/06/gentoo-ethernet-__atheros-ar8161-gigabit-__ethernet-using-compat-__wireless-module-alx/

> <http://blechtog.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/gentoo-ethernet-atheros-ar8161-gigabit-ethernet-using-compat-wireless-module-alx/>
>
>
> Thanks. It's useful.
> But I didn't have Gentoo installed yet. :-(

sorry I should have read the original post more thoroughly

[Wang Xuerui]

2013/6/29 Zind <wzmi...@gmail.com>:

> hi all,
> I am new to Gentoo. I came across some problems in the Gentoo installation
> process.
>
> I got a relatively new laptop: Lenovo IdeaPad Y400.
> The Gentoo iso I choose is: admincd-amd64-20130620.iso, from:
> http://distfiles.gentoo.org/releases/amd64/autobuilds/20130620/hardened/

I once failed to install Hardened Gentoo to a server using the
admincd, so I'm not sure if you can proceed much further even if the
network is working.

Since after chroot the environment of LiveCD is not important any more
(except the running kernel, of course), you could simply use the
installation CD and a hardened stage3. If you are not trying to use
SELinux, this should be enough.

> After I made the LiveUSB, disabling the UEFI boot, I finally boot into the
> Gentoo kernel. But I could not connect to the network.
> Using the `ifconfig -a` command, I can only see the loopback interface: lo.
> Using the `lspci` command, I can see the two network adapters:
> (1) the Ethernet adapter
> Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR8161 Gigabit Ethernet
> (2) the wireless adapter
> Network controller: Intel Corporation Centrino Wireless-N 2230
> Subsystem: Intel Corporation Centrino Wireless-N 2230 BGN
> (The two network adapters both work well under Windows 8.)
>
> After several times of STFW, I can confirm it's a network adapter driver
> support issue: lacks of coresponding network adapter drivers.
> For the AR8161 network adapter, it requires the alx kernal module: alx.ko.
> Previously, I thought I could at least compile this driver by myself, but
> soon I found it lacks of build-essential packages, too. :-(

The toolchain is present on the installation CD so it must be the admincd...

> For the wireless network adapter, I can find
> iwlwifi-2030-6.ucode(coresponding to Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2230 BGN
> adapter) under /lib/firmware, I tried the `modprobe iwlwifi` command, still
> doesn't work. Weird.
>
> Uh... I don't know what to do next to continue the installation.
> Any suggestion or advice is appreciated.

You can get the firmware files from the git tree of linux-firmware
project (browsable online). Then you can transfer them into the LiveCD
environment's /lib/firmware by means of a USB stick, for example,
after which you simply rmmod iwlagn && modprobe iwlagn.

Also, before you finally reboot to finish the installation make sure
you emerge linux-firmware, so that the required firmware files are
installed into the target system.

Hope this information helps~

[Michael Orlitzky]

On 06/29/2013 04:16 AM, Zind wrote:
> hi all,
> I am new to Gentoo. I came across some problems in the Gentoo
> installation process.
>

> ...

>
> After several times of STFW, I can confirm it's a network adapter driver
> support issue: lacks of coresponding network adapter drivers.
> For the AR8161 network adapter, it requires the alx kernal module: alx.ko.
> Previously, I thought I could at least compile this driver by myself,
> but soon I found it lacks of build-essential packages, too. :-(
>

You can try to use SystemRescueCD[1] (based on Gentoo) instead of the
minimum install CD. The instructions are identical, but sometimes the
SystemRescueCD is more up-to-date.


[1] http://www.sysresccd.org/

[Stroller]

On 29 June 2013, at 09:16, Zind wrote:
>
> After I made the LiveUSB, disabling the UEFI boot, I finally boot into the Gentoo kernel. But I could not connect to the network. ...

>
> After several times of STFW, I can confirm it's a network adapter driver support issue: lacks of coresponding network adapter drivers.
> For the AR8161 network adapter, it requires the alx kernal module: alx.ko.

If I'm understanding correctly, that it's the LiveCD that can't connect to the network (rather than the installed system) then there are various ways to work around this.

Two alternatives that spring to mind are:

1. Many USB network adaptors are supported by LiveCDs, try one of those. Some wired USB ethernet are available new for as little as $10 or so, or you could probably find a secondhand wifi 802.11b or g adaptor that cheap. Or borrow one, or something.

2. For each emerge command in the installation guide, run `emerge -fp package-name` first, and redirect the output into a textfile. Then copy this textfile onto a USB key, take it to another machine with working internet access, use `wget -i file` to download the packages and then transfer them back to the machine on which you're installing Gentoo.

Stroller.

[Gregory Shearman]

In linux.gentoo.user, you wrote:
> 2013/6/29 Zind <wzmi...@gmail.com>

>>
>>> Can you search with dmesg and find if it's nead a firmware.
>>
>> Yes.
>> At the bottom of the dmesg message, I can see these lines:
>> request for firmware file 'iwlwifi-2030-6.ucode' failed.
>> request for firmware file 'iwlwifi-2030-5.ucode' failed.
>> no suitable firmware found!
>>
>

> You can try to fix this with emerging linux-firmware. I'm not sure if this
> firmware is in there, or what else to configure to fit it exactly, but in
> default the firmwares ware installed.

I can confirm that these firmware files are in the linux-firmware
package.

--
Regards,
Gregory Shearman.

[Neil Bothwick]

On Sat, 29 Jun 2013 10:47:04 -0400, Michael Orlitzky wrote:

> You can try to use SystemRescueCD[1] (based on Gentoo) instead of the
> minimum install CD. The instructions are identical, but sometimes the
> SystemRescueCD is more up-to-date.

The alx ethernet driver is in kernel 3.10.0. System Rescue CD is updated
frequently so I would expect a release that supports this device to be
out before the end of the week.


--
Neil Bothwick

Vital papers will demonstrate their vitality by moving to where you
can't find them.

[Zind]

Thanks to all of you, guys. It's really kind of you.

I should have replied the e-mail in time, but I was busy with work recent days, sorry.

I will try your suggestions, and continue the installation very soon.

[Zind]

On Sun, Jun 30, 2013 at 12:50 PM, Stroller <stro...@stellar.eclipse.co.uk> wrote:

If I'm understanding correctly, that it's the LiveCD that can't connect to the network (rather than the installed system)

Yes.

 

Two alternatives that spring to mind are:

1. Many USB network adaptors are supported by LiveCDs, try one of those. Some wired USB ethernet are available new for as little as $10 or so, or you could probably find a secondhand wifi 802.11b or g adaptor that cheap. Or borrow one, or something.

Use an external network adapter, uh... I never thought of that.

AFAIK, many USB netwok adapters won't work correctly with Linux. Previously, I bought a Mercury MW300U USB network adapter, unfortunately, it doesn't work properly with Ubuntu 12.04. Then, that USB network adapter was left in the corner of my room. :-(

So I didn't expect the USB netwok adapter to work with the LiveCD.

 

2. For each emerge command in the installation guide, run `emerge -fp package-name` first, and redirect the output into a textfile. Then copy this textfile onto a USB key, take it to another machine with working internet access, use `wget -i file` to download the packages and then transfer them back to the machine on which you're installing Gentoo.

IIRC, the LiveUSB is a read-only file system. So, I'm afraid that I could not redirect the required package information to a text file.

[Zind]

On Mon, Jul 1, 2013 at 2:15 PM, Gregory Shearman <zek...@gmail.com> wrote:

I can confirm that these firmware files are in the linux-firmware
package.

What confuses me is that iwlwifi-2030-6.ucode and iwlwifi-2030-5.ucode do EXIST in the LiveUSB.

But they just couldn't be loaded properly. :-(

[Stroller]

On 3 July 2013, at 17:28, Zind wrote:
> ...

> Use an external network adapter, uh... I never thought of that.
> AFAIK, many USB netwok adapters won't work correctly with Linux.

My experience has been the opposite, that even the cheapest USB network adaptors have worked.

Maybe I've just been lucky and this is not the norm, but from what I've seen "USB network adapters don't work with Linux" is the sort of thing that might have been true 10 years ago.

> Previously, I bought a Mercury MW300U USB network adapter, unfortunately,
> it doesn't work properly with Ubuntu 12.04. Then, that USB network adapter
> was left in the corner of my room. :-(

Again, based on my experience, I might be wrong, the only thing I can guess is that this USB NIC featured a very recent chipset at the time Ubuntu 12.04 was packaged or released.

>> 2. For each emerge command in the installation guide, run `emerge -fp
>> package-name` first, and redirect the output into a textfile.
>

> IIRC, the LiveUSB is a read-only file system. So, I'm afraid that I could
> not redirect the required package information to a text file.

Well, the LiveUSB is a read-only file system, but you're installing Gentoo onto some kind of writable filesystem - an SSD or hard-disk.

When I say "for each emerge command in the installation guide", these are the commands which compile packages and save the files on the hard-disk. So as a temporary measure you could save the textfile in the root directory of the new install; the computer probably supports USB flash-drives, which you can write to from the LiveCD - use another tmux window or virtual terminal if necessary.

Gentoo installation is really flexible - the whole process is basically about writing a bunch of files to the hard-drive. With an appreciation of that, it doesn't matter how you get those files on the hard-disk - you can use any alternate way you can think of.

Stroller.

[Thomas Mueller]

Excerpt from Stroller:

> My experience has been the opposite, that even the cheapest USB network adaptors have worked.

> Maybe I've just been lucky and this is not the norm, but from what I've seen "USB network adapters don't work with Linux" is the sort of thing that might have been true 10 years ago.

Are you talking about an adapter that plugs into a USB port at one end and has an Ethernet port at the other end?

Or are you talking about a cable or DSL router with a USB connection?

I have a cable modem and router, the router can connect by either Ethernet or USB; I always used the Ethernet and never used the USB.

But I had a DSL modem/router before the switch to cable, had both USB and Ethernet connectors. I failed to get the USB network connection to work, though the Ethernet worked OK.

Tom

[Stroller]

On 5 July 2013, at 07:48, Thomas Mueller wrote:
>
>> My experience has been the opposite, that even the cheapest USB network adaptors have worked.

> ...

>> Maybe I've just been lucky and this is not the norm, but from what I've seen "USB network adapters don't work with Linux" is the sort of thing that might have been true 10 years ago.
>
> Are you talking about an adapter that plugs into a USB port at one end and has an Ethernet port at the other end?

Like this: http://www.cnesmart.com/plus/view.php?aid=139

I can't say that's the exact same model as one of the ones I've used, with the same chipset and all, but it looks just the same.

I see that page says the NIC is supported by Windows 2000, so I would be surprised if no Linux driver has been developed by now.

Searching my computer it appears, although I can't say for sure, that I paid less than $10 for this adaptor.

Stroller.