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dcore:wireless_set-up [2015/05/19 14:09] – [Configure wireless network] sm8psdcore:wireless_set-up [2017/09/18 16:19] (current) – [Configure wireless network] sm8ps
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-======Setting up Wireless======+====== dCore Wireless======
  
 A network connection is necessary for down-loading extensions from within dCore. If the computer only has wireless connection then one must set that up from the command line as first thing. Once one has a functional graphical desktop the tools are more comfortable to use. A network connection is necessary for down-loading extensions from within dCore. If the computer only has wireless connection then one must set that up from the command line as first thing. Once one has a functional graphical desktop the tools are more comfortable to use.
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 ====Assumptions==== ====Assumptions====
  
-We assume a basic dCore installation, notably with already set-up tce-directory 'tce/' (cf. sample [[dcore:welcome#installations|installations]]).+We assume a basic dCore installation, notably with already set-up tce-directory 'tce/' (cf. sample [[dcore:installations|installations]]).
  
 ====Import extensions==== ====Import extensions====
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 Setting up dCore on a computer without Ethernet connection, wireless extensions must be "side-loaded" into the tce-directory, that is the down-load must be performed from another installation. Setting up dCore on a computer without Ethernet connection, wireless extensions must be "side-loaded" into the tce-directory, that is the down-load must be performed from another installation.
  
-Down-load all the 'wireless*' files from the 'sce/'-folder at the [[http://tinycorelinux.net/dCore/x86/release/ub-dCore-trusty/sce/|download repository]] into 'tce/sce'. If you need [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NDISwrapper|NDISwrapper]] for using Windows-drivers then also down-load those files.+Down-load all the 'wireless*' files from the 'sce/'-folder at the [[http://tinycorelinux.net/dCore/x86/release/dCore-trusty/sce/|download repository]] into 'tce/sce'. If you need [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NDISwrapper|NDISwrapper]] for using Windows-drivers then also down-load those files.
  
 //wireless-<KERNEL>-tinycore.sce// consists of drivers for wireless radios whereas //wireless// consists of the necessary utilities like 'iwconfig' etc. //wireless-<KERNEL>-tinycore.sce// consists of drivers for wireless radios whereas //wireless// consists of the necessary utilities like 'iwconfig' etc.
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 ==From within dCore== ==From within dCore==
  
-If you have a function network connection then launch ''sce-import'' for //wireless//, //wireless-<KERNEL>-tinycore// and, if applicable, //ndis-wrapper-modules-<KERNEL>-tinycore//.+If you have a functional network connection then launch ''sce-import'' for //wireless//, //wireless-<KERNEL>-tinycore// and, if applicable, //ndis-wrapper-modules-<KERNEL>-tinycore//.
  
  
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 ====Configure wireless network==== ====Configure wireless network====
  
-<IF> stands for the wireless interface name (e.g. "wlan0"); it can be determined by issueing ''iwconfig''. The recommended way to go about establishing a wireless network connection is by using 'wifi.sh'; only more complex situations should necessitate the manual calling of 'wpa_supplicant'.+Let <IF> denote the wireless interface name (e.g. "wlan0"); it can be determined by issueing ''iwconfig''. The recommended way to go about establishing a wireless network connection is by using 'wifi.sh'; only more complex situations should necessitate the manual calling of 'wpa_supplicant'.
  
 === Using 'wifi.sh' === === Using 'wifi.sh' ===
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   *Optional step for determining the available wireless networks: issue ''sudo iwlist scanning | less'' and search for "ESSID"   *Optional step for determining the available wireless networks: issue ''sudo iwlist scanning | less'' and search for "ESSID"
-  *Create a file '/etc/wpa_supplicant /wpa_supplicant.conf' to contain the following and ''chmod'' it to 600-permissions.+  *Create a file '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf' to contain the following and ''chmod'' it to 600-permissions.
 <code> <code>
 network={ network={
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 } }
 </code> </code>
 +
 +Alternatively, one may use 'wifi.sh' which will create the file with the password hashed. The clear-text password is commented out and may be deleted.
  
 == Set-up key file by use of WPA-cli== == Set-up key file by use of WPA-cli==
  
 +Alternatively, the key file may be generated by use of the configuration tool WPA-cli. 
 Following the excellent presentation in the [[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/WPA_supplicant|Archlinux wiki]], this procedure will automate the writing of the configuration file by use of the semi-interactive tool 'wpa_cli'. It has quite an impressive list of features and probably can be helpful in many kinds of situations; ''wpa_cli --help'' gives a complete list of available commands. Following the excellent presentation in the [[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/WPA_supplicant|Archlinux wiki]], this procedure will automate the writing of the configuration file by use of the semi-interactive tool 'wpa_cli'. It has quite an impressive list of features and probably can be helpful in many kinds of situations; ''wpa_cli --help'' gives a complete list of available commands.
  
-In order to use WPA-cli, a control interface must be specified for WPA-supplicant, and it must be given the rights to update the configuration. Do this by creating a minimal configuration file '/etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf' with 600-permissions.+In order to use WPA-cli, a control interface must be specified for WPA-supplicant, and it must be given the rights to update the configuration. Do this by creating a minimal configuration file '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf' with 600-permissions.
  
 <code> <code>
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 <code> <code>
-sudo wpa_supplicant -B -i <IF> -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf+sudo wpa_supplicant -B -i <IF> -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
 sudo wpa_cli sudo wpa_cli
 </code> </code>
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 set_network 0 psk "<YOUR_PASSWORD>" set_network 0 psk "<YOUR_PASSWORD>"
 </code> </code>
 +NB: the hyphens around the strings are mandatory!
 +
 Connect to the network and save the configuration Connect to the network and save the configuration
  
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 ==Connect to the network== ==Connect to the network==
 <code> <code>
-sudo wpa_supplicant -i <IF> -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf &+sudo wpa_supplicant -i <IF> -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf &
 </code> </code>
-connects to the network (possibly a driver has to be specified; try ''-D wext'' if the command should fail with an error message about the standard driver nl80211;  cf. ''wpa_supplicant --help''). ''iwconfig'' will then show the connection.+connects to the network. ''iwconfig'' should then show the connection.
  
 <code> <code>
-sudo udhcpc -b -i <IF> -x hostname <HOSTNAME> -p /var/run/udhcpc.wlan0.pid'+sudo udhcpc -b -i <IF> -x hostname <HOSTNAME> -p /var/run/udhcpc.<IF>.pid'
 </code> </code>
-acquires a DHCP-lease. 'ifconfig' will then show the IP-address as "inet addr". +acquires a DHCP-lease. 'ifconfig' should then show the IP-address as "inet addr". 
  
 Pinging any IP-address should work now.  Pinging any IP-address should work now. 
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 ==Persistence== ==Persistence==
  
-The configuration file can be made persistent by adding "/etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf" to '/opt/bootlocal.sh' and issue ''backup''.+The configuration file can be made persistent by adding "/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf" to '/opt/.filetool.lst' and issueing ''backup''.
  
 Note that the folder '/etc/wpa_supplicant' will be mounted from the wireless extension as an overlay-filesystem, though that does not interfere with the configuration file. Note that the folder '/etc/wpa_supplicant' will be mounted from the wireless extension as an overlay-filesystem, though that does not interfere with the configuration file.
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 <code> <code>
-/sbin/wpa_supplicant -B -i <IF> -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf +/sbin/wpa_supplicant -B -i <IF> -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf 
-/bb/udhcpc -b -i <IF> -x hostname $(hostname) -p /var/run/udhcpc.wlan0.pid+/bb/udhcpc -b -i <IF> -x hostname $(hostname) -p /var/run/udhcpc.<IF>.pid
 </code> </code>
 If Syslog is running, one may want to add the option ''-s'' for WPA-supplicant and ''-S > /dev/null 2>&1'' for UDHCP-client. If Syslog is running, one may want to add the option ''-s'' for WPA-supplicant and ''-S > /dev/null 2>&1'' for UDHCP-client.
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 Once a graphical desktop is available, the installed extensions (//wireless//, //wireless-<KERNEL>-tinycore// and, if applicable, //ndis-wrapper-modules-<KERNEL>-tinycore//) provide a menu item (for instance in Wbar and the entry "Wifi" in the applications section of the Flwm-menu). It will launch 'wifi.sh' in a terminal window, while accessing the same database of credentials in '~/wifi.db'. Once a graphical desktop is available, the installed extensions (//wireless//, //wireless-<KERNEL>-tinycore// and, if applicable, //ndis-wrapper-modules-<KERNEL>-tinycore//) provide a menu item (for instance in Wbar and the entry "Wifi" in the applications section of the Flwm-menu). It will launch 'wifi.sh' in a terminal window, while accessing the same database of credentials in '~/wifi.db'.
 +
 +===== Trouble-shooting =====
 +If ''wifi.sh'' takes a long time trying to connect to the network, it will eventually hit a time-out and then continue with ''udhcpc'' which won't succeed either, naturally.
 +A useful first step for localizing the cause of trouble is the manual configuration as outlined above. ''wpa_supplicant'' prints out debug-messages with the ''-d'' option (or even ''-dd'').
 +
 +==== Driver of wpa_supplicant ====
 +For older wireless hardware (e.g. Intel PRO/Wireless 2100), the modern driver nl80211 (user space, i.e. the one of wpa_supplicant, not the kernel driver) may need to be replaced. Try ''-D wext'' if the command should fail with an error message about the standard driver nl80211 (cf. ''wpa_supplicant –h'' or also the [[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/WPA_supplicant#nl80211_driver_not_supported_on_some_hardware|respective section]] of the Archlinux-Wiki).
 +
 +=== Persistence ===
 +Unfortunately, there is no way to specify the  driver in 'wpa_supplicant.conf'. Thus one has to either manually call 'wpa_supplicant' with the ''-D wext'' option; or one may patch the file 'wifi.sh'. For the latter, follow these steps:
 +  - Load the ''wireless'' extension
 +  - Copy the file '/tmp/tcloop/wireless/usr/local/bin/wifi.sh' aside
 +  - Re-boot
 +  - Do //not// load the ''wireless'' extension yet!
 +  - Move 'wifi.sh' to '/usr/local/bin/'.
 +  - Add the option ''-D wext'' to line 113 containing the call to 'wpa_supplicant'
 +  - Add "usr/local/bin/wifi.sh" to '/opt/.filetool.lst'
 +  - Issue ''backup''
 +From then on, 'wifi.sh' will call 'wpa_supplicant' with the desired driver.
 +
 +**[[http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/dcore:welcome|> Return to the dCore Wiki Welcome page]]**
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