[RESOLVED] Internet connection issue / Salix 14.2 / Dell Inspiron 15

[Dennola4]

Hi guys, been awhile.

I have set up a Dell Inspiron 15 / 5000 series with Salix xfce 14.2. I can connect to my iPhone's wifi hotspot, but not to my home router. Totally stumped on this one. Any of you Salix wizards want to help me troubleshoot for old time's sake?

[mimosa]

Have you tried with Wicd? That often fixes it.

Second line of attack: boot a different Linux on the same machine, any live USB but Salix, and compare results.

As it happens I recently acquired an old Dell laptop, not sure of the model offhand. It has an annoying habit of turning wireless off altogether, and there is a button you have to press to get it back. But this doesn't sound like that.

[Dennola4]

STEPS:

1) I ran a 2017 Slacko Puppy Live CD, and it successfully connected to the router.
2) I uninstalled and reinstalled Salix 14.2; but again it didn't connect to router. (It does still connect to the iPhone hotspot).
3) I installed Wicd Network Manager, and restarted the system. I have used Wicd before, and liked it. Sadly, it wont connect to the router. It hangs at "Validating Authentication", and returns a message: "Bad password".

So, I'm really in the dark here.

[mimosa]

Are you entering the correct type of password and encryption, that is, passphrase / hex / WPA / whatever? Click on the bar above where you enter the password to select it. You know you have the actual password right because it works with Puppy ...

Sometimes it does take several goes, especially if connectivity is not good, something may get garbled in transition. How far away are you from the router when you are trying?

[Dennola4]

Are you entering the correct type of password and encryption, that is, passphrase / hex / WPA / whatever? Click on the bar above where you enter the password to select it. You know you have the actual password right because it works with Puppy ...

Sometimes it does take several goes, especially if connectivity is not good, something may get garbled in transition. How far away are you from the router when you are trying?

1) I am entering a WPA-WPA2 Personal Passphrase, which I know is correct because it is how I am connecting to my phone's wifi hotspot. Also, I have tried intentionally entering a bad password, and the behavior is different than when I enter the correct one; I am presented with an opportunity to correct my bad password, rather than simply watching several failed connection attempts.

2) I am in the same space as the router, with two other laptops and iPhones connected to it without issue (all bars). I also pulled out my old Alfa long range modem.... still nothing.

3) I have also had the experience you suggest with external switches that toggle the wifi, but this clearly isn't that.

[gapan]

What is the wireless card on that laptop? Provide the output of

Code: Select all

sudo lspci

[Dennola4]

Hey gapan. Been awhile.

I'm currently connected to the router with an old Slax Live CD I found. Here's the output of lspci:

Code: Select all

[00:00.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1566
00:01.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Device 9850 (rev 40)
00:01.1 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Device 9840
00:02.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 156b
00:02.1 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1439
00:02.2 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1439
00:02.3 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1439
00:08.0 Encryption controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1537
00:10.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 7814 (rev 11)
00:11.0 SATA controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 39)
00:12.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson USB EHCI Controller (rev 39)
00:13.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson USB EHCI Controller (rev 39)
00:14.0 SMBus: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson SMBus Controller (rev 42)
00:14.2 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson Azalia Controller (rev 02)
00:14.3 ISA bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson LPC Bridge (rev 11)
00:14.7 SD Host controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 7813 (rev 01)
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1580
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1581
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1582
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1583
00:18.4 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1584
00:18.5 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1585
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8101E/RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller (rev 07)
03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Device 08b3 (rev 83)/code]

[gapan]

Can you try setting a static IP instead of DHCP?

[Dennola4]

Apparently Cox cable doesn't offer static IP's for residential accounts, only business accounts. To make things even weirder, I just brought the puter to a coffee shop, where it is successfully connecting to their wifi..... so I'm seriously confused.

I of course tried refreshing my router with a restart. Because this computer is being set up for a friend; if it works at her house I will mark the post *RESOLVED* and move on. Freaking weird though.