Dabbling with Linux and as I have a Ubuntu disc that’s what I’ve installed. Ultimately the project I have in mind will go on a Raspberry Pi but until that turns up an old laptop is what I’m using.

Install went fine but for the life of me I can’t setup a WiFi connection. Laptop is a Dell Inspiron which was new enough to come with Windows 7 installed when I got it so not ancient.

Can someone please explain what I need to do?!

Probably the wifi drivers Drivers

I’ve got 1 pi b+ with XBMC on and I am currently wrestling with PWNPi on another b+. I cant’ wait for my Pi 2 to turn up.

Do you have access to a wired internet connection?

You may need to download some drivers/firmware for the wired connection, it may even offer to do it automatically.

Failing that, google probably has a step by step guide as Ubuntu is a pretty popular flavour of linux.

EDIT: ^ The Pi2 is so much faster, it’s a massive step up.

Last time i installed Ubuntu I sorted the wifi by plugging directly into the router then downloading the relevant drivers.

Plug directly into router and go to “additional drivers”, as above.

What wifi card? Some aren’t supported or not well supported and work intermittently, including many Dell ones*.

lspci will tell you.

Generally easy enough to swap out net cards, and cheap too. I’d recommend something intel.

*i work with linux, and dell machines.

so not ancient.

Ancient would actually be more likely to be better supported in this case…

Generally using Google and
“Dell Inspiron [Model Number] Wifi Driver Ubuntu” will bring up a solution

I did a couple of ubuntu runs on inspirons with no problems, using a wired connection should get you through it and the adding additional/restricted drivers etc. may solve it in one click.

Also can you see the wireless icon in the top bar? and networks?

Welcome to linux, as said some wireless cards aren’t well supported out of the box as not all manufacturers release the information to allow drivers to be written for Linux, so it takes longer to get kernel support.

Ubuntu is well used and there are always solutions even if you need to use the Windows drivers and install Ndis wrapper.

Or you could get a usb wifi card that will work with the pi as well? Check the HCL for the pi and Ubuntu. Get the right one and its plug and play.

Bout a tenner.

Thanks all for your help.

Now working.

Sent from my Ubuntu powered Dell Inspiron…

If your just starting in Linux this is worth looking at.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOWcZ6Wicl-1N34H0zZe38w

What you’re supposed to do is go onto linux forums asking questions about this and then be prepared to be shot down in flames for not personally reverse engineering the wifi and writing your own driver then releasing it open source free of charge even though it’s taken you months of effort. Then get no praise as people criticise the work you’ve done. Oh and then you have to provide ongoing support, free of charge also.

😉

@dk – and that is exactly why I asked here 🙂

Far more civilised bunch on here plus I wouldn’t dare admit I didn’t know something as simple as that on a Linux forum!