wireless card??

181992 · n00b Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 21

I installed Gentoo using the networkless install and now Gentoo will not use the wireless card.

I thought that I could use ndiswrapper like I did with Ubuntu, but i cannot get it to compile and install correctly through the terminal?

Do I need to install Genkernel?

I assume since I do not have these kernel sources installed that is why ndiswrapper is not working? Any help would be great.

Thanks
Josh

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 6:09 pm Post subject:

josh22x,

You need to compile and use your own kernel, so that you have kernel sources to build external kernel modules against.
To do that you either need access to a wired network connection while you fetch the required source files or you need Sneakernet
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Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

181992 · n00b Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 21

I think it might be easier if I share the internet connection between XP and Gentoo.

Is there a online guide to accomplishing this? or

Could someone tell me how?

Thanks
Josh

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:41 pm Post subject:

josh22x,

There is a guide on how to make Gentoo into a router.
Its written as if that will be the systems sole job but it need not be. See this guide
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Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

181992 · n00b Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 21

Thanks...

Are there anymore guides, this is a little confusing for me??

Thanks
Josh

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:48 pm Post subject:

josh22x,

Explain how you want to set up your network. ASCII art or a sketch on the web would be good.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

181992 · n00b Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 21

I am trying to get my wireless card to work within my desktop computer. Of course to do this, I am going to have to use ndiswrapper and install Genkernel. However, I cannot do either one with out an internet connection.

Ideally I need to get DHCP configured on the Gentoo computer.

However, i thought that I could share the wireless connection in my XP laptop to the Gentoo computer and theirby be able to install Genkernel and get the DHCP/wireless card configured.

Is that what you need to know?
Can you help me do this?

Thanks
josh22x

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:11 pm Post subject:

josh22x,

To get any form of wireless going you are going to have to install your own kernel.
Wired networking should just work and dhcpcd should have been installed with the networkless install.
The networkless there means that the network is not needed for the install, not the networking is not supported.

Provided your network card is supported by your kernel, wired networking should just work.
Thats your first and easiest option.

If you have no access to wired networking, life gets a little harder. You can use your Windows laptop as a wireless to wired 'hop' but you will have to set up the windows end to do that and set Gentoo network up statically to match, as windows does not provide a dhcp server.
Thats a mess but it can be done. However, I don't have Windows, so I can't advise on the windows setup.
You will also need either a crossover cable or a hub/switch and two 'straight through' Ethernet cables to make the network connection.

The other alternative is to download the files you need onto your XP system then move them to your Gentoo.
You can boot the XP system with a liveCD, mount XP and copy them over the network. In this case you set both Linux systems with static network settings, which is trivial. (you still need the network interconnect)

You can also use a CD or USB drive of some sort to move the files over.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

181992 · n00b Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 21

Ok, That provides a lot of clarification.

I can get a wired connection if it will make it easier, but it is not very convenient to do so? Is there a good tutorial for setting Gentoo up for wireless connection?

If would be even easier if I could transfer the files over with a flash drive or CD, however I do not know which files I need or where to find them. What files do I need and is there a link to their location?

Thanks
so
much!
~josh22x

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 8:04 pm Post subject:

josh22x,

Reread my Sneakernet reference to discover which files you need and how to move them.
I cannot provide a list, they keep changing

The wireless setup is covered here
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

181992 · n00b Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 21

I am going to use a wired connection. What files do I need to download? Just GenKernel?

Thanks
Josh

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 1:44 pm Post subject:

josh22x,

You need to

181992 · n00b Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 21

I there a good tutorial to setting up the Kernel or is it totally self explanatory?

Thanks
Josh

181992 · n00b Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 21

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:48 pm Post subject:

josh22x,

Its a case of being able to identify the bits of the kernel you need for your hardware.
Its not difficult but it takes a few hours the fist time. I have it down under 10 minutes now, on hardware I know.

This post gives an outline of the process.
Its also briefly described in the handbook for the manual install - the one without 2007.0 in its name.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

181992 · n00b Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 21

Ok,

I was able to get a wired connection and download Genkernel, the only problem is:

half of the stuff in the configuration is greek to me. How do I know what all of the stuff in the configuration menu is talking about??

Thanks
Josh

d2_racing · Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:08 am Post subject:

Maybe this thread will help you : https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-539024.html

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 6:14 pm Post subject:

josh22x,

You don't have to get many things right first time to make a kernel that will boot.
You need four things built in as <*>

1. MSDOS Partition table support - its on by defualt and is difficult to turn off.
2. The filesystem driver for your root (/) partition
3. The high level driver for your hard drive (SCSI, IDE)
4. The low level driver for your hard drive controller.

This somewhat old post may help. The general guidance is still sound.

Be aware that if you choose to go the genkernel route, you will have to use its --menuconfig option to set up SATA support, since following some kernel changes, it usually gets SATA wrong.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.