[SOLVED]How to activate WiFi dongle during installation?

ArchGoon · 2014-05-21 02:02:25

I am in possession of a Linksys N900 WiFi USB adapter/dongle. After I configured it, I plugged it into my desktop before booting the Arch install iso, hoping I could use it to get an internet connection. Naturally, it was not activated/detected by the install iso, so when I

 ping -c 3 www.google.com

it returned an unknown host error.

I've no idea how to manually activate it, but if someone could point me in the right direction I would appreciate it.

Thank you.

Last edited by ArchGoon (2014-05-24 15:57:42)

ewaller · 2014-05-21 02:23:16

What is the output of ip link ?
Did you try wifi-menu ?

2ManyDogs · 2014-05-21 02:23:58

Welcome to Arch. What installation guide are you using, and what have you done to try to configure your network connection? Have you followed the instructions in the Beginner's Guide? https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Be … e#Wireless

ArchGoon · 2014-05-21 13:45:59

ewaller wrote:

What is the output of ip link ?
Did you try wifi-menu ?

I am out and cannot access my machine right now, but I will post the output and try wifi-menu as soon as possible.
Just to clarify, I should use ip link with the dongle connected to a USB port, yes?

2ManyDogs wrote:

Welcome to Arch. What installation guide are you using, and what have you done to try to configure your network connection? Have you followed the instructions in the Beginner's Guide? https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Be … e#Wireless

I am using the Beginners Guide instructions. I originally tried manually loading my wireless module as per the guides instructions on networking, but to no avail. So, I bought a WiFi dongle instead to get a wireless connection.

So far, I have not tried configuring my WiFi dongle during the installation, because I don't know where to begin and I couldn't find anything in the guide about it.

ewaller · 2014-05-21 14:44:42

ip link will show you a list of all of the "Interfaces" available on your system, both physical and logical. You are likely to have a localhost, maybe a wired connection, and (I hope) a wireless connection. That is the first step, that the kernel sees the USB dongle. Next, it might need some firmware. For now, just ensure that the NIC shows up in the output of ip link. After that, we are going to take a leap of faith and see if the wireless just works. If the interface does not show up in ip link, we need to take one path. If it just works with wifi-menu, we take an optimized path, if it shows up, but does not work, we will take the third path.

So far, I have not tried configuring my WiFi dongle during the installation, because I don't know where to begin and I couldn't find anything in the guide about it.

I think you missed it

ArchGoon · 2014-05-21 20:50:49

ewaller wrote:

ip link will show you a list of all of the "Interfaces" available on your system, both physical and logical. You are likely to have a localhost, maybe a wired connection, and (I hope) a wireless connection. That is the first step, that the kernel sees the USB dongle. Next, it might need some firmware. For now, just ensure that the NIC shows up in the output of ip link. After that, we are going to take a leap of faith and see if the wireless just works. If the interface does not show up in ip link, we need to take one path. If it just works with wifi-menu, we take an optimized path, if it shows up, but does not work, we will take the third path.
So far, I have not tried configuring my WiFi dongle during the installation, because I don't know where to begin and I couldn't find anything in the guide about it.
I think you missed it

Ok. As for the guide, I didn't know that section applied to WiFi USBs. Sorry for my ignorance haha.

Anyway, I ran ip link and came up with:

1: lo: <LOOPBACK, UP, LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN mode DEFAULT group default
        link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
2: enp6s0: <NO-CARRIER, BROADCAST, MULTICAST, UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast state DOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
        link/ether e8:40:f2:95:a2:f5 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
3: wlp5s0: <BROADCAST, MULTICAST> mtu 1500 qdisc noop state DOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
        link/ether 20:10:7a:48:dd:da brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
4. wlp0s29u1u6: <BROADCAST, MULTICAST> mtu 1500 qdisc noop state DOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
        link/ether c8:d7:19:2d:77:ee brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff

To my knowledge, number 2 is my Ethernet module, 3 is my normal WiFi module, and 4 is the USB device I just inserted. I suppose it is detected, so I will follow the guide's instructions again and edit this post when I get stuck.

EDIT: Well, for the USB dongle, the guide's instructions worked. I still don't know why the instructions failed for my actual WiFi module. I apologize for making this seemingly pointless thread, but I did not know that those instructions applied to WiFi dongles.

Last edited by ArchGoon (2014-05-21 20:53:32)

ewaller · 2014-05-21 20:58:38

ArchGoon wrote:

EDIT: Well, for the USB dongle, the guide's instructions worked. I still don't know why the instructions failed for my actual WiFi module. I apologize for making this seemingly pointless thread, but I did not know that those instructions applied to WiFi dongles.

Great! And no worries. After you get Arch installed and booting, we can look at the built in wireless. Just go ahead and start a new thread when you are ready. In the mean time, if this is solved, please edit your first post and and [SOLVED] to the beginning of the title.

Thanks.

Arch Linux

#1 2014-05-21 02:02:25

[SOLVED]How to activate WiFi dongle during installation?

#2 2014-05-21 02:23:16

Re: [SOLVED]How to activate WiFi dongle during installation?

#3 2014-05-21 02:23:58

Re: [SOLVED]How to activate WiFi dongle during installation?

#4 2014-05-21 13:45:59

Re: [SOLVED]How to activate WiFi dongle during installation?

#5 2014-05-21 14:44:42

Re: [SOLVED]How to activate WiFi dongle during installation?

#6 2014-05-21 20:50:49

Re: [SOLVED]How to activate WiFi dongle during installation?

#7 2014-05-21 20:58:38

Re: [SOLVED]How to activate WiFi dongle during installation?

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