Absent wifi on live usb - Printable Version

Absent wifi on live usb - Printable Version

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Absent wifi on live usb - Searchernow - 08-24-2017

Hi all,

this is my first post, from a me in search of a good Linux os, after a couple of nice but unreliable Linux OSs.

I have successfully downloaded Lite to a usb and re-booted to live usb. I had matched the checksum ok. (my intention is for a dual boot with windows 7, without mounting windows partition).

I did not proceed with install because my internet connection (phone hotspot over wifi) is not there. No networks are visible. Yet when I re-boot to Windows 7 it is automatically back online in 10 seconds, as usual. I went back to live usb and re-set my phone to connect by Bluetooth, the latter utility appears to be working on Lite, the icon is there on the panel. Several attempts at pairing or even detecting device failed.

I went to Dell site and downloaded wifi driver for my Latitude E5420, i5, 4gb, and opened/extracted it within Lite-usb, but honestly I've no idea how to install it. I didn't see any .exe file, which is not to say it's not there somewhere!

I am a reasonably competent person, I hope, but I'm not a programmer, not interested in tinkering, I get more than enough complexity elsewhere in my life and am just about happy enough to copy and paste a suggested command line. I am probably Lite's target audience, but I wish the install was easier, or even possible at this stage.

A few days ago I did successfully install Zorin Ultimate from live usb, and that usb live boot-up got online automatically right away each time. (Zorin worked very nicely for a couple of days but has crashed and locked me out in the rain! Hence I still search for a reliable linux).

I bought this laptop from a major supplier as a refurbish with Win 7 installed, but I had a long and tedious manual download and installing of lots of drivers to get it working fully. I'm not willing to go through that again. I did look up the Lite hardware database and did find one other person with Lite 3x installed on same model pc as mine.

Anyway, I'd appreciate any advice.

Re: Absent wifi on live usb - firenice03 - 08-24-2017

1st off - - Welcome!!! ;D ;D

Linux doesn't install with the same file formats as windows.. EXE's won't work to install..
Depending on the files there are different formats for different Linux.. Perhaps listing the file extension (.deb etc) most can help with install..

You're on a LIVE environment, you should be able to install but know that changes made will be undone on reboot unless its been created with persistence... (No biggie just know)

Looking is appears there could various chips used https://askubuntu.com/questions/280065/need-wireless-drivers-for-dell-latitude-e5420

Typically you want to add ubuntu or even ubuntu 16.04 to your search as this is what LL is built from...
Some additional Info: https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2303763

If you can open terminal (ctrl+alt+t), run the following command and post the output it will tell what the systems configs are

Code:
inxi -Fxz

Also make sure your WiFi radio is on..
Run this from terminal:

Code:
rfkill list all

or if it doesn't work

Code:
sudo rfkill list all

If you see a "blocked" its turned off - enable by the following (may need sudo if it doesn't work)

Code:
rfkill unblock all

Re: Absent wifi on live usb - Searchernow - 08-24-2017

Thanks very much for your prompt reply.

I booted into the usb live and "rfkill list all" did give me the info that dell network was not soft or hard blocked.
I looked again at panel and no network listed, same as before.

Looking at the ubuntu help links you included just sent my stress level into the red zone, I couldn't make any sense of it - I've had what feels like a very long week of all this, I need to take a break, stick with windows for now and come back to linux when I'm refreshed.

Thanks again, I'll let you know how I get on.

Re: Absent wifi on live usb - Searchernow - 08-31-2017

Hi again,

so, the wifi problem is solved and I am very happily set up with Linux Lite which is working very very nicely for me, on my Dell Latitude E5420.

Here is what I did, based on my scribbled notes as I went along:

My phone wifi hotspot was no use without the driver for Broadcom installed, but I installed Linux Lite os from the live usb anyway.

I then enabled Bluetooth on my phone, made it discoverable, and set my phone's internet sharing (hotspot) to via bluetooth.

On Lite os I went to Menu (left end of Panel) > Settings > Bluetooth manager

on the window "Bluetooth Devices" I selected + added device (phone) ; paired ; trusted ; Setup > Connect > select "network access point" > "next" > ..... "please wait .... Device added and connected successfully"

and so I was online!

I had the "Welcome to Linux Lite" screen, which gives 4 recommended steps:

1) I installed updates

2) I installed drivers - here I was offered both a Broadcom driver and a driver for Intel cpu firmware - I selected both and they installed quickly.

at this stage I was able to connect with wifi and that has worked faultlessly since.

the rest of the set-up was as recommended.

I hope that was clear, if not please ask.

Re: Absent wifi on live usb - Searchernow - 08-31-2017

re my above post - how do I mark it SOLVED ?

Re: Absent wifi on live usb - firenice03 - 08-31-2017

(08-31-2017, 01:01 PM)Searchernow link Wrote: re my above post - how do I mark it SOLVED ?

Glad to hear its worked out!!

You can mark this post solved by, modifying your first post in the thread and select "Solved" from the drop down menu.

Re: Absent wifi on live usb - Searchernow - 08-31-2017

Thanks, got it.