no network

fbe2 · n00b Joined: 23 May 2015 Posts: 12

Hello,
I'm just installing Gentoo for the first time. I have it all installed with the exception of the network. I have gone through the wifi networking pages on the gentoo.org handbook. First some specific questions:
There are two states that my installation has: the first is the LiveCD and the second is the root I created with the harddrive on my computer. The LiveCD had a networking setup that works fine. The second is not working. If I run ifconfig on the second it says that I only have the "lo" interface. So: what are the files that need to be setup so that the wifi is working. Do I need the eth0 to be installed first? Why isn't the handbook working?

Thanks

The Doctor · Moderator Joined: 27 Jul 2010 Posts: 2678

Welcome to Gentoo!

Networking is one of the hardest things to understand because they have a steep learning curve. First, try ifconfig -a as the command you used only returns active interfaces which isn't necessarily helpful here.

Networking requires 2 or 3 things. First, a kernel driver. You may have missed this step, ifconfig -a will tell. Second, you may need firmware. Not all cards require this, but some do and it will keep networking from working. Third, you need the appropriate network tools. This is usually dhcpcd for wired and additionally wpa_supplicant for wireless.

I would check the kernel first (using ifconfig) and install linux-firmware if the kernel checks out. You may need to repeat the chroot steps on the live CD to do this. You do NOT need to reinstall.

Just repeat the mounting, network setup, copying reslov.conf, and chrooting steps and you should be able to use emerge.

If you need help finding the right kernel options, we can help with that too.
_________________
First things first, but not necessarily in that order.

Apologies if I take a while to respond. I'm currently working on the dematerialization circuit for my blue box.

fbe2 · n00b Joined: 23 May 2015 Posts: 12

Thanks Doctor. a few questions. What will ifconfig -a reveal? I noticed that it will repeat the variables in /sys/class/net. ifconfig -a says there are two variables: "lo" and "sit0". Does this mean that wlan0 is not in the kernel? If so, how do I get itin there? I don't think that info is in the handbook.

Thanks

krinn · Watchman Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 7470

fbe2 · n00b Joined: 23 May 2015 Posts: 12

Krinn,
Thanks for the reply and the help. Your first link: I'm a 1d. My OP is:

01:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8101E/RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller (rev 7)
Subsystem : Dell Device 05ec
02:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 7260 (rev 73)
Subsystem: Intel Corporation Wireless-N 7260

I went through the rest of the "for Dummies" just to see if it worked, but I think my problem was 1d. (incidentally, in my system there is a /etc/init.d/net.lo instead of "net")

As for your second link there is no "iwconfig" . I think I have that figured out, so I thought I'd ask you how to get eth0 into the kernel. I have a driver cause it works (the network) with the LiveCD.

Thanks

fbe2 · n00b Joined: 23 May 2015 Posts: 12

Krinn,

I went back over the kenel install and I found the line, "Don't forget to include support in the kernel for the network cards."

I must have missed this the first time.

So I'm assuming that the reason I don't have a wireless up is I don't have the wireless card listed.
Right now I just have the ethernet.

Thanks

Bev

charles17 · Advocate Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 3664

krinn · Watchman Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 7470

fbe2 · n00b Joined: 23 May 2015 Posts: 12

charles17 and krinn,

So the problem is that my kernel doesn't have the proper driver. Now, do I look for another kernel or try to download the driver? I'm a little confused on that point.

Here's a related problem that I have. I thought I fixed it, but Id didn't. The only way that I have the network running is to use the LiveCD. When I chroot to my harddrive I can't "emerge --ask blah...". It fails to resolve the DNS. I have the google DNS in the proper resolv.conf, so I don't know what the problem is. If I try and get the firmware stuff or the net-tools stuff via the network in the original root of the LiveCD it doesn't go to the proper place on my hd.

Thanks

Bev

charles17 · Advocate Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 3664

krinn · Watchman Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 7470

That user (you know the one from the thread i have point you to twice time, well, ok third now) was having similar problem with you, and of course his next questions were the same as you ; and you didn't think it could had help you to read the whole thread?

fbe2 · n00b Joined: 23 May 2015 Posts: 12

Charles17,

Thanks. I followed your instructions and got some interesting results. First, ifconfig had all the proper interfaces listed (lo, wlp2s0, enp3s0). This was a big step. Next, from inside the LiveCD I was able to download the necessary net-tools and firmware by rewriting the resolv.conf. That was a big step too as I was then able to use iwconfig etc.

Now it seems like everything is working except one thing. There is the wrong IP. For some reason it is overwriting resolv.conf every time it boots, and it is assigning the IP 10.0.1.?? to the interface. This last time it also overwrote wpa_supplicant.conf and assigned it two network (similar) variables.

Right now I'm trying to figure out which scripts are responsible for overwriting those scripts,and any help would be appreciated.

Thanks again

Bev

fbe2 · n00b Joined: 23 May 2015 Posts: 12

charles17 · Advocate Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 3664