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Can't enable wi-fi on Linux Mint 10

12 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/cant-enable-wi-fi-on-linux-mint-10.139088/

Krow
Krow Original post #1
Apr 8, 2011 at 4:22 PM
When I right click on the network manager icon, I can't see any option to "Enable Wireless". Ubuntu 10.10 detected wireless networks out of the box, but Mint has not done that. Tried manual configuring by putting password etc, but didn't get too far. :(

Anyone help? I did try troubleshooting, and followed some links on Mint forums, but wireless is not soft or hard disabled. Can't seem to get Mint to detect wireless networks though.
Anand_Tux
Apr 17, 2011 at 11:33 PM
Did you install the wireless drivers?? If not, then install it from Administration/ Additional drivers. After installing reboot the computer, try it.
Krow
Krow #3
Apr 17, 2011 at 11:42 PM
^But don't I need to be connected to the internet for that?
baccilus
Apr 18, 2011 at 12:11 PM
You will have to connect to Internet at least once to enable WiFi. Once you get access to wired internet, first thing you should do is check for updates and then update your distributions. Most of the WiFi drivers are installed during initial update. And remember to enable additional repositories.
T
Tony.M #5
Apr 18, 2011 at 8:41 PM
Check your IP addresses also. Are you using other devices on the same wi-fi connection also ?usb scanners
Krow
Krow #6
Apr 18, 2011 at 11:13 PM
Well, the laptop I used has Windows 7 on it. I installed Mint on dual boot. The wifi works fine on Windows, but does not in Mint. Connection to wired internet is not possible, so I guess I'll just remove Mint and install Ubuntu. :)
Liverpool_fan
Apr 18, 2011 at 11:56 PM
Use Keryx to download the WiFi packages in Windows and then install them in Ubuntu, if Ubuntu doesn't support your WiFi. You can do that in Mint as well but I guess you removed it.
*keryxproject.org/
Krow
Krow #8
Apr 19, 2011 at 12:04 AM
Didn't remove it yet. Will try to download Keryx from somewhere. My wifi does not allow me to dl any single file above 10mb in size.
Anand_Tux
Apr 20, 2011 at 12:35 AM
Hello,

Can you execute the following commands in a terminal and post the output please?
Code:

lspci
sudo iwconfig


Kind regards,
Krow
Krow #10
Apr 20, 2011 at 1:01 AM
^I shall oblige soon. :)
baccilus
baccilus #11
Apr 20, 2011 at 3:53 PM
BTW, if it is not working in MINT, it might not work in Ubuntu either. i have been installing Ubuntu in lots of laaptops lately and I have had to update it before the wifi worked. That's after enabling the various restricted repositories.
One more thing, TATA photon or relience Netconnect kind of devices will also work perfectly for this purpose. So in case you can't connected to wired internet, maybe you can get photon or something for some time from someone.
Krow
Krow #12
Apr 20, 2011 at 7:13 PM
I'll see what I can do. I am posting from ubuntu and the wifi works perfectly in this. In my friend's laptop in mint the wifi does not work, but it does in windows. I have installed ubuntu in a couple of other laptops and the wifi has worked out of the box.