Very Odd wireless problem

Message

code_m · #1 Post by **code_m** » Thu 04 Sep 2008, 23:05

The answer I'm looking for is probably somewhere on this forum already, but I'm not to swell at searching forums.

Anyways, I use Puppy4.00 and a Belkin G+ wireless card (laptop slot... PCI??) and when I boot with it plugged in, Puppy picks a driver as it should. Then I try to connect it finds my networks just fine, and then is able to dhcp to retrieve an IP address. Then I bring up my browser... no ping, can't load any pages.

I have tried all the normal programs on Puppy using both Open and WEP encrypted networks. All can retrieve the IP, but fail to connect.

Any Ideas?

shroomy_bee · #2 Post by **shroomy_bee** » Fri 05 Sep 2008, 17:25

Do you have another computer that is able to access the internet ok using the same router-modem / access point that the wireless card is using, or can you plug that laptop in wired (ie - using ethernet) and check if it works with a wired connection?

code_m · #3 Post by **code_m** » Fri 05 Sep 2008, 20:10

Like I said, I test on serveral networks (both Open and WEP encryption)

I can connect just fine to any network just fine using an ethernet cable. I really need wireless for mobility and possibly for school as well.

Other computers connect just fine. In fact OpenSolaris distros have connected to the network wirelessly (On a different PC because the one I run cannot handle much more than puppy).

shroomy_bee · #4 Post by **shroomy_bee** » Sat 06 Sep 2008, 15:38

Oh sorry, I thought you meant it located your internal (router/modem) IP(s) and the IP your ISP gives you; misread what you meant by it found your networks.
ie - I wasn't sure if you could get online at all, thought it was just the internal network that was showing up.

It might be about signal strength or possibly encryption. I can pick up data on wireless networks around here and I get all the information and 'connection established', but that doesn't mean any internet will work in the browser.

Does the wireless card definitely work with other OSs? Does it use the same wireless standards as your router-modem? ( a, b, g - I'm presuming you aren't using n )

There are issues with wireless cards and pcmcia slots, so probably worth having a look at the wireless forum here.

code_m · #5 Post by **code_m** » Mon 08 Sep 2008, 00:49

The card worked fine in Win98/XP.

And the signal is plenty strong.

I have no clue what the problem is.

shroomy_bee · #6 Post by **shroomy_bee** » Mon 08 Sep 2008, 15:44

Does it work in the command line?

Try that first - open the 'console' icon on the desktop and choose any linux command you want, and type in:

man (type command here)

Does it bring up the webpage manual entry for that command?

If it does then there's something funny about your browser settings I reckon.
If it doesn't connect there either, then try other commands in the console - such as ping an IP or a URL that you know accepts pings, or even better just use: 'traceroute (type URL or IP here)' and see if it is able to resolve to any internet addresses.

code_m · #7 Post by **code_m** » Tue 09 Sep 2008, 02:48

Not the browser.

I never touch my connection settings. Because I'm always mobile and live out in the country, I change connections and devices constantly.

I Can browse fine with dial up, ethernet cable, or a dock ethernet connection. Plus I tried Pidgin once, that didn't work either.

Also when I tried the "auto-connect to wireless network" program it said "Sorry, no ping"

code_m · #8 Post by **code_m** » Thu 11 Sep 2008, 03:48

Just to give an idea, here is a "connection" showing several KB sents, but 0 bytes received.

I even brought up wget to show there isn't a connection.

shroomy_bee · #9 Post by **shroomy_bee** » Thu 11 Sep 2008, 12:38

Well if the card works elsewhere then the problem isn't the card. And if the internet connection works then the problem isn't your ISP.

So I'd still go for the problem being with the drivers for the card or some configuration of it - best to repost the question or check the wireless forum (or did you do that already?). I don't know offhand what you should check and alter, as the problems tend to be specific per different cards. As said too, there are issues with pcmcia slots in Pup.

It kinda sounds like you need to specify the DNS server / IP in the card configuration, given you can send data out but you aren't getting anything back. Usually (for home connections) that would be the same IP or server name as you put on for your ISP connection.

Again, only other thing I can think of that would cause that symptom is that the driver Pup selected isn't matching your actual wireless network setup.

code_m · #10 Post by **code_m** » Fri 12 Sep 2008, 03:37

Well I booted up my reference system, TinyME (PClinuxOS) and it use choice the same driver (Broadcam) and said it was missing some Windows dependency.

Weird... I wonder if it was included in puppy or not? well for sure, I can't get my hands on it (unless I was to find out how to strip the file from the Windows installer CD, of which, I've never done).

Thanks for ye help, but I think it was all in vain.

shroomy_bee · #11 Post by **shroomy_bee** » Fri 12 Sep 2008, 13:17

So the wireless card doesn't work at all anymore, or just doesn't work on PClinuxOS?

How about the openSolaris and XP you have, is it still working on them?

code_m · #12 Post by **code_m** » Mon 15 Sep 2008, 01:22

The card still works the same.

I use Open Solaris on a different computer. And I don't have a hard drive, one of the main reasons I'm still running puppy at all.

The driver Puppy uses is: BroadcamBCM43xx wireless driver

So if anyone knows of a way to make that driver work with pcmcia slots let me know.

erikson · #13 Post by **erikson** » Mon 15 Sep 2008, 13:02

code_m wrote:The driver Puppy uses is: BroadcamBCM43xx wireless driver.

There are lots of forum posts mentioning Broadcom bcm43xx lately (appears to be somewhat problematic).

I suggest you use forum search and maybe join a relevant thread.

rsadix · #14 Post by **rsadix** » Tue 16 Sep 2008, 04:19

I have been playing with puppy off and on. I still use version 3.01 since I can't get wireless to work properly with 4.0. I've tried several different laptops with working wireless configurations in winxp environments that will not work with puppy 4.0.

I have a thinkpad T30 with an internal wireless card (atheros) and a dell with a D-Link wireless card both b/g and they work flawlessly on 3.01. Whenever I try 4.0 I have to reconnect everytime as the settings will not remember and I get three network icons in the tray. I have searched the forums and asked for help, installed new pup applications, and tweaked network config files all to no avail. I'm sure it must be fixable but its beyond my current skills.

I don't know what happened to 4.0, I just live with 3.01 and hope that the next version will be better with wireless support. I would like to be able to use 3.01 networking with 4.0, but haven't figured that out either. 3.01 is still pretty impressive.

erikson · #15 Post by **erikson** » Tue 16 Sep 2008, 14:04

rsadix wrote:I don't know what happened to 4.0, I just live with 3.01 and hope that the next version will be better with wireless support.

It should be

Since a month or two, the developers and testers are working hard on the improved network wizard for Puppy 4, cfr. http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=31522

shroomy_bee · #16 Post by **shroomy_bee** » Tue 16 Sep 2008, 15:18

Well I booted up my reference system, TinyME (PClinuxOS) and it use choice the same driver (Broadcam) and said it was missing some Windows dependency.

That makes it sound like the card wasn't working on your reference system any longer, hence my asking for extra info on that.

I wasn't sure if that reference system is the same one you run OpenSolaris and XP on, which was why I asked how the card was working on them.

When you say you have no hard drive - what are you using to boot / run Pup? If you do get the wireless working, you need to save that to the open-session CD or DVD, or a USB install, or frugal if you have it installed alongside something else.......but then you wouldn't tend to have frugal w/o having a hard drive anyway.
Otherwise you're going to have to reinstall the drivers and configure the wireless on/after every bootup!

code_m · #17 Post by **code_m** » Tue 16 Sep 2008, 21:44

I'll be sure to do multiple back ups if I ever get it working.

I personally use puppy to do what it does best, live boot. I use a CD to boot and save all my file to a USB drive.

code_m · #18 Post by **code_m** » Thu 30 Oct 2008, 02:36

Well a friendly IRC guys referred me to this page...

http://www.binrev.com/forums/blog/xklaa ... owentry=40

I'm no good at understanding "How I did this" ... I would much prefer "Steps how to do this"

But I'll read it again... I always run out of time when on DSL (I have to do it while working or at school)

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Very Odd wireless problem

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