can't connect to internet - Puppy linux

Discussion in 'Software' started by cipher, Apr 3, 2011.

  1. cipher

    cipher Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Have installed Puppy Linux 5.2 to a Presario F600 laptop.

    Not live CD, but full install.
    All went well. All seems to work. Except for connecting to the net.

    I have a Scientific Atlanta cable modem that connects my win7 machine just fine. i have tried to connect the laptop using USB and cat 5 cable, no luck.

    Puppy network Wizard tells me that a live connection has been detected.

    eth0 ethernet forcedeth pci nvidia ethernet controller

    Sez it appears that a network module isn't loaded, but following the wizard, no nvidia module is to be found on the list.

    I have tried a few different drivers, no luck.

    I try to do auto dhcp, and it sez OK, do I want to save (yes) but cannot connect after that...

    has anyone written a simple how to for connecting Puppy machines to the net?

    Any help appreciated...
     
  2. BoredOutOfMyMind

    BoredOutOfMyMind Picabo, ICU

    Are you trying to connect wireless? If so, you may have broadcom chipset instead of Atheros. Will running live show connection?


    This may help
     
  3. cipher

    cipher Major Geek Extraordinaire

    No hardwire. tried usb and ethernet cable... Also it is full install, no live cd. and the message is that it detects a live network. When i goo to connect, to get firefox, it sez need to connect to internet...
     
  4. plodr

    plodr Major Geek Super Extraordinaire

    Did you turn off the modem?
    The modem expects to see the Win 7 laptop. You have to power it down so it forgets the last computer attached to it. If you want to attach more than one computer and not keep powering down the modem, you attach a router or switch to the modem. Computers are hot swappable on a router or a switch but not a cable modem.
     
  5. cipher

    cipher Major Geek Extraordinaire

    I'll give that a try... thanks...
     
  6. cipher

    cipher Major Geek Extraordinaire

    No go...

    everything seems to check, yet when i go to "connect" to Dl firefox, or any other app, it sez: Please connect to the internet.

    I have read that Puppy is sometimes a problem with a full install connecting to net. Drivers seem to be very limited. Can you recommend another distro? one with a good complement of drivers and a few basic apps?

    Thanks in advance...
     
  7. ArchAngel

    ArchAngel Sergeant

    I would try OpenSuse 11.4. It uses the latest KDE desktop and includes many useful programs. You can download it free at opensuse.org

    My personal favorite is Gentoo, but that is for the geeky type.
     
  8. BoredOutOfMyMind

    BoredOutOfMyMind Picabo, ICU

    Why would a user who is trying Puppy want to install full blown KDE?
     
  9. Mimsy

    Mimsy Superior Imperial Queen of the MG Games Forum

    Was the live CD able to connect?

    Are you dead set on Puppy, or willing to try other distros that might have better wifi support? If so, what are your criteria and requirements? (Low system requirements, ease of use, etc?)
     
  10. cipher

    cipher Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Sorry have been away from computer for a bit... thanks for the replies... :)
    Did not try live CD, did full install to laptop...
    Not dead set on Puppy, however laptop has no wifi card, must be cat 5 to the cable modem. Like Puppy for fitrefox, other built in apps...
     
  11. plodr

    plodr Major Geek Super Extraordinaire

    If I were doing this, I'd try some Live CDs first to see which works the best with the laptop hardware. It also helps if you have the laptop connected to the cable modem so it can see the connection when it runs. It is easier to get it to see at the beginning than to try to fix it later.

    Remember, power down the modem so it forgets the MAC of the computer that was connected to it.

    As far as out of box working, Linux Mint has lots of drivers so normally audio and video are no problem. If you want something lighter in weight, try the LXDE desktop version
    http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php
    last listing on the page.
     
  12. cipher

    cipher Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Thanks, plodr, will give this a try :)
     
  13. chizzengeek

    chizzengeek Private E-2

    Linux distro with KDE or GNOME desktop libraries are usually bloated (for 512mbRAM and below), and so have auto-configuration for most hardware, e.g. Ubuntu(kde), OpenSuSe (kde & gnome), fedora (gnome? kde) alls left is to enter provider's APN username and password. Small distro like puppy are lighter thus run faster on smaller-spec rigs, but are mostly plug-n'-pray: -->might not make sensi to install kde libraries on puppy even if its possible it bloats out of sense and looses speed advantages. So you are stuck with getting pup to connect.

    I use a usb stick, but I think same principle applies to connect various hardware. Install puppy (full please, which you did), install devx 400.sfs (if you are using pup4.0 use 412.sfs or higher by renaming to 400.sfs), install kernel libraries specific to your pup. You need to know the specific linux driver/module for your hardware; mine is option module, hardware huawei-e220 usb. So I first create nodes for mounting my hardware in /dev, load usb controller & port modules, and then the hardware modules:

    code:
    mknod /dev/ttyUSB0 c188 0 //to create a node ttyUSB0 in /dev dir
    mknod /dev/ttyUSB1 c188 1 //repeat up to seven to cover all six ports, see yours
    rmmod usbserial //it clashes with the preferred option module prevents it from loading, so I unload it manually
    rmmod acm or other //if it were loaded it would also prevent option from loading, but usually neither acm nor option loads since usbserial loads by default?
    rmmod uhci //it loads by default, but i want ohci so I remove it too
    modprobe ohci //ohci,uhci,ehci are the modules for the usb controller for the usb ports
    modprobe usbcore //the core module, I guess?
    modprobe usb-storage
    modprobe option //the module for my huawei stick

    That's it with the modules, though as a side-note, there are patches and updates for modules and connection software, and configuration scripts for the software. For instance I have to use usb-modeswitch-0.95.pet (disables the 'cd-drive' way windows views the modem since linux wont need/install the mobile-partner setup.exe stored in the stick), wvdial-1.53-3.pet (the updated version for the native wvdial/pupdial connection software), usbview-1.0-patched_gtk2.pet, pppoeconf-pup-1.17.pet (script app for configuring pupdial), modemstats-1.0.1.pet, hotplug(so I can remove and reattach stick without having to modprobe or reboot). Consult google for your specific hardware set of apps, even for other distro then look for their .pets .pups. By now you've rebooted rig severally.

    Plug in device, check in /proc if it has been recognized and loaded correct modules. By reading through /proc/bus/usb/devices a bit I see my stick recognized with the ohci controller module & options module, and also on which node it got hooked onto, mostly USB0 (but sometimes USB 1-6 as per textbook). I configure /etc/wvdial.conf as sposed (copying code from clicking the wvdial config help button on pupdial inserting my APN detains with phone-number *99#, user-name web or ppp, password web or data or ppp). Install latest Firefox and JavaRE.pup and flashgot so I use wget to download youtube, and leave winetricks/playonlinux to do its download thing overnight... bliss.

    Then in setup>bootmanagerconfig check blacklist module to see which modules are loaded and remove the unwanted, and load modules for new/preferred ones. That way you wont have to rrmod/modrobe everytime you reboot.

    Now you have to adapt the above for your serial-port device, say figure how to create/use nodes for serial modem (usually already created?), load appropriate serial controller module(s), and modem module(s), then necessary connection configuration. I bet you'll still use pupdial which is configured for serial modem by default. I used the same principle to figure out my soundcard and network card on linux (this required installing and compiling a new updated kernel version since the old one didn't have the current driver modules for the soundcard, also necessary to disable unnecessary modules bloating the system).

    I really hope you'll get the drift.

    *~*~*~*~*~*~*
    I need to nail it without screwing up; I'll go get the right tool.
     
  14. Bugballou

    Bugballou MajorGeek

    May be the machine itself (Presario F600 laptop). Have used Puppy many times, mainly do to the simplicity of connecting to the net via wire or wireless. Try another OS or distro, Linux can be very forgiving, even with faulty hardware.
     

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