[SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

kaligne · 2014-10-02 14:13:27

Hello

I am trying to install Arch Linux using Wifi only. While I have no issue connecting the internet via ethernet, I fail at doing so with my Wifi. The truth is I stumble across the very first step of the Beginner's Guide, to scan my wireless interface. Indeed, the iw command does not exist :

$ iw dev
 -bash : iw : commnd not found

I tried the following commands :

$ ip link

I get listed 'lo' and 'enp0s3' (which I take refers to the ethernet).

$ dmseg | grep firmware

I get no output at all.

$ lspci -k

I can see my ethernet controller, but no Network controller which is currently "Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM43228 802.11a/b/g/n " under Ubuntu.

Which further steps should I take to solve this issue?

Thank you!

------------
Edit:
------------

Of course I tried

$ sudo pacman -S iw

It tries to first connect to the list of mirror links, which inevitabli fails for each one of them.

I am running the latest Arch Linux image (archlinux-2014.10.01-dual.iso).

Last edited by kaligne (2014-10-14 18:38:32)

teckk · 2014-10-02 19:56:50

See if the wiki helps.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Wi … figuration
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/broadcom_wireless

Trilby · 2014-10-02 20:17:35

Is this from the installation iso, or from your installed system? The installation iso should have the relevant packages for wireless connections - if you only installed 'base' group, then your newly installed system will not. If this is the case and you don't have access to a wired network (even temporarily), then the best solution is to boot again into the installation iso, connect to the wireless network, mount your partitions, then use pacman --root /mnt to install wireless_tools and any other wireless packages/drivers you'll need.

kaligne · 2014-10-03 13:58:09

Thank you for your replies.

Trilby you are right, I did `pacstrap base` but forgot to use `pacstrap base-devel`. Then I tried to use iw which was missing.
So I tried installing Arch from scratch, still without ethernet since I want to connect with wireless. I first created and formatted my partitions.

Then I checked my network controller was detected :

$ lspci -k 
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor DRAM Controller (rev 09)
	Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 072d
	Kernel driver in use: ivb_uncore
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v2/3rd Gen Core processor PCI Express Root Port (rev 09)
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
	Kernel modules: shpchp
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller (rev 09)
	Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 0774
	Kernel driver in use: i915
	Kernel modules: i915
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family USB xHCI Host Controller (rev 04)
	Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 072d
	Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd
	Kernel modules: xhci_hcd
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04)
	Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 072d
	Kernel driver in use: mei_me
	Kernel modules: mei_me
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 (rev 04)
	Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 072d
	Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci
	Kernel modules: ehci_pci
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)
	Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 072d
	Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
	Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev c4)
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
	Kernel modules: shpchp
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 3 (rev c4)
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
	Kernel modules: shpchp
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 4 (rev c4)
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
	Kernel modules: shpchp
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 (rev 04)
	Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 072d
	Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci
	Kernel modules: ehci_pci
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation HM77 Express Chipset LPC Controller (rev 04)
	Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 072d
	Kernel driver in use: lpc_ich
	Kernel modules: lpc_ich
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series Chipset Family 6-port SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 04)
	Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 072d
	Kernel driver in use: ahci
	Kernel modules: ahci
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller (rev 04)
	Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 072d
	Kernel modules: i2c_i801
01:00.0 3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation GF117M [GeForce 610M/710M/820M / GT 620M/625M/630M/720M] (rev a1)
	Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] GeForce 710M
	Kernel driver in use: nouveau
	Kernel modules: nouveau
03:00.0 Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 5289 (rev 01)
	Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 5289
	Kernel driver in use: rtsx_pci
	Kernel modules: rtsx_pci
03:00.2 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 0a)
	Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 0123
	Kernel driver in use: r8169
	Kernel modules: r8169
04:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM43228 802.11a/b/g/n
	Subsystem: Lite-On Communications Inc Device 6603
	Kernel driver in use: bcma-pci-bridge
	Kernel modules: bcma

Following I checked my net controller is supported by b43, which seems to be the case :

$ lspci -vnn | grep 14e4
04:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM43228 802.11a/b/g/n [14e4:4359]

On the installation image, iw is indeed present but gives my no ouptut :

$ iw dev

I tried installing any package :

$ mount /dev/sdaX /mnt
$ pacman --root /mnt -S b43-fwcutter
error: failed to initialize alpm library (could not find or read directory)

Then I tried using pacstrap to initialize the arch folders :

$ pacstrap /mnt base base-devel
==> Creating install root at /mnt
==> Installing packages to /mnt
:: Synchronizing package databases...
error: failed retrieving file 'core.db' from mirror.gnomus.de : Could not resolve host: mirror.gnomus.de
error: failed retrieving file 'core.db' from [url=ftp://ftp.tku.edu.tw]ftp.tku.edu.tw[/url] : Could not resolve host: [url=ftp://ftp.tku.edu.tw]ftp.tku.edu.tw[/url]
[...]
error: failed to update community (download library error)
error: failed to update community (download library error)
error: failed to synchronize any databases
error: failed to init transaction (download library error)
error: failed to synchronize any databases
error: failed to init transaction (download library error)
==> ERROR: Failed to install packages to new root
==> ERROR: Failed to install packages to new root

So it seems that a this point an internet connexion is needed for pacstrap, but that is just what I am trying to set up!
Anyway, pacstrap still created some folders in /mnt. I then retried installing some package :

$ pacman --root /mnt -S b43-fwcutter
warning: database file for 'core' does not exist
warning: database file for 'core' does not exist
warning: database file for 'extra' does not exist
warning: database file for 'extra' does not exist
warning: database file for 'community' does not exist
warning: database file for 'community' does not exist
error: target not found: b43-fwcutter
error: target not found: b43-fwcutter

I get the same output when trying to install b43, b43-legacy, or iw, even though those packages are located in the instalation iso :

$ find / -name "iw"
/usr/bin/iw

What do you suggest I try next?

Last edited by kaligne (2014-10-03 22:07:11)

jasonwryan · 2014-10-03 18:23:53

Please edit your post to use code tags when pasting to the boards https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fo … s_and_Code

Trilby · 2014-10-03 18:27:10

kaligne,

First, while base-devel is very useful it will also not include all the tools needed for wireless connections. Also, your card is not actually yet supported by b43 - it will be in kernel 3.17 which is not yet in the repos, nor do I think it is yet in testing, but an upsream release candidate is available.

kaligne · 2014-10-03 22:27:48

Thanks jasonwryan for pointing this link out. I successfully formatted my chunks of code.

In Ubuntu I am currently using a proprietary driver for my Broadcom wireless device, which says its driver source comes from "bcmlw-kernel-source".
Is there an Arch equivalent to this package or can I directly use it in Arch? I will try to look into that.

Trilby · 2014-10-03 22:47:02

Checking on what's available in ubuntu, I'm guessing that was a typo and you mean bcmwl not bcmlw, right? wl is avaible in arch (in the AUR) and is recommended for that card until 3.17 is out.

WonderWoofy · 2014-10-04 03:20:50

Trilby wrote:

Checking on what's available in ubuntu, I'm guessing that was a typo and you mean bcmwl not bcmlw, right? wl is avaible in arch (in the AUR) and is recommended for that card until 3.17 is out.

Just for clarity, the wl module for the standard Arch kernel is provided by the broadcom-wl package.

I have been using a kernel built from the git sources to test the b43 module with my BCM43228, and it works wonderfully. It appears as though both the 2.4 and 5GHz bands work properly, and things actually seem more stable than the proprietary driver.

I was excited to have an untainted kernel, but unfortunately it still is tainted since you end up using the proprietary firmware pulled from the STA (wl) sources.

kaligne · 2014-10-11 23:18:07

Hey I am sorry for the delay I could not access my computer for one week.
Trilby, indeed I mistyped "bcmwl".

I tried both packages. First I downloaded the broadcom-wl package from the AUR and put it into a usb stick. Then I booted from the bootable arch usb stick.

I first mounted the OS partition

$ mount /dev/sda2 /mnt

Then I mounted the usb stick containing the broadcom-wl package

$ mount /dev/sdb /mnt2
$ cd /mnt2/
$ tar -zcvf broadcom-wl.tar.gz
$ cd broadcom-wl
$ makepkg --asroot PKGBUILD
warning: database file for 'core' does not exist
warning: database file for 'extra' does not exist
warning: database file for 'community' does not exist
==> ERROR: Cannot find the strip binary required for object file stripping.

What is going on here? For the three databases mentioned above in the warnings, I still need an internet connexion using pacstrap.

Then I just tried installing bcma or b43 from my bootabe usb

$ modprobe bcma

or

$ modprobe b43

I understand from the arch wiki that "modprobe" installs the relevant ko.gz package. However I don't know what to do once one of them is installed.

The iw command still gives me no ouput:

$ iw dev

I hope I am getting closer to a solution.

kaligne · 2014-10-14 17:34:26

SOLVED

I think the thread has been solved, I will open new one to ask my latest question.

jasonwryan · 2014-10-14 17:51:44

Please include some detail as to how you solved your issue: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fo … way_Street

Remember to mark your thread as [Solved] by editing your first post and prepending it to the title.

kaligne · 2014-10-14 18:37:38

Thank you, it is done.

The original issue was about the `iw` command which was missing. Trilby asked me the right question in return ,so I realized that : `iw` was not missing form the installation iso but from my new installed system. The reason is I did create the `base` group but forgot to create the `base-devel` group which contains `iw`. I typed this command :

$ pacstrap -i /mnt base

where I should have used this command :

$ pacstrap -i /mnt base base-devel

Last edited by kaligne (2014-10-14 18:38:01)

burakcosk · 2019-02-23 08:44:17

Trilby wrote:

Is this from the installation iso, or from your installed system? The installation iso should have the relevant packages for wireless connections - if you only installed 'base' group, then your newly installed system will not. If this is the case and you don't have access to a wired network (even temporarily), then the best solution is to boot again into the installation iso, connect to the wireless network, mount your partitions, then use pacman --root /mnt to install wireless_tools and any other wireless packages/drivers you'll need.

I was in the same situation, while installing i had wifi tools, iw etc. after installation I didn't. I did exactly you suggested and now I am connected to the Internet on installed system.

Thanks

V1del · 2019-02-23 13:13:49

Glad to hear, however please pay attention to the dates, and don't necrobump old topics.

Closing.

Arch Linux

#1 2014-10-02 14:13:27

[SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

#2 2014-10-02 19:56:50

Re: [SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

#3 2014-10-02 20:17:35

Re: [SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

#4 2014-10-03 13:58:09

Re: [SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

#5 2014-10-03 18:23:53

Re: [SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

#6 2014-10-03 18:27:10

Re: [SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

#7 2014-10-03 22:27:48

Re: [SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

#8 2014-10-03 22:47:02

Re: [SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

#9 2014-10-04 03:20:50

Re: [SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

#10 2014-10-11 23:18:07

Re: [SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

#11 2014-10-14 17:34:26

Re: [SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

#12 2014-10-14 17:51:44

Re: [SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

#13 2014-10-14 18:37:38

Re: [SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

#14 2019-02-23 08:44:17

Re: [SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

#15 2019-02-23 13:13:49

Re: [SOLVED] Arch installation with Wifi - iw missing.

Board footer