debian-live-10.2.0 amd64 standard nonfree install

[prthorsenjr]

Hi folks,

I'm very new to the Debian distribution but not new to Linux. As the subject says above, I have downloaded the "debian-live-10.2.0 amd64 standard nonfree image" and have gotten it to install with no issues. I've got the disk partitioned the way I want it and the end result is exactly what I want -- A plain Debian system without any window managers. The issue that I am having is that the software that I need to get it on the wifi network isn't installed. Specifically, networkmanager, wireless-tools and wpa_supplicant. If I had those three packages installed I think that I could get it installed like I did on Arch Linux. How do I get those packages installed using the image I downloaded (above) with the graphical installation?

Any and all help appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Pete

[arochester]

1) Have you added the wifi firmware?

2) When you say

A plain Debian system without any window managers.

Do you mean that you have not installed any Desktop Environment or Windows Manager - so you are only operating in Terminal mode?

[prthorsenjr]

I'll answer 2) first. Yes, I want to operate in Terminal Mode and then build the installation on that. As for 1), no, I have not added it. Can you point me to instruction on where I can get the wifi firmware and how I can add it?

Thanks,

Pete

[arochester]

What is the output from (as Root)

Code: Select all

lspci |grep Network

and/or

Code: Select all

lsusb

[prthorsenjr]

For the lspci | grep Network command:

12:00.0 Network controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI Express) (rev 01)

For the lsusb command:

Bus 002 Device 003: ID 045e:0745 Microsoft Corp. Nano Transceiver v1.0 for Bluetooth
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0020 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0bda:58c0 Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0020 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 16db:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

[prthorsenjr]

So, I tried a few other things and this is how I got it to work. I did the debian-live-10.2.0 amd64 standard nonfree install using the ethernet. After the installation I rebooted with the ethernet still connected. From there I was able to install the network-manager package and configure the wireless network. I disconnected the ethernet and rebooted the system and it came up with the wireless network.

While this works, I may not always have access to an ethernet port and want to configure the wireless network post-installation. So, the question now is, during the debian-live-10.2.0 amd64 standard nonfree install, how do I make sure that network-manager is installed so that I can configure the wireless network post-installation?

Also, I know that there aren't many people that want to do what I am trying to do here. However, it's how I learn and adapt with the different distributions that I want to learn about. Perhaps what I find here may help others in the future.

Thanks,

Pete

[Head_on_a_Stick]

during the debian-live-10.2.0 amd64 standard nonfree install, how do I make sure that network-manager is installed so that I can configure the wireless network post-installation?

Select the laptop option in tasksel, this will install ip, iw & wpa_supplicant along with ifupdown so you can use /etc/network/interfaces to connect.

See also https://wiki.debian.org/WiFi/HowToUse#W ... d_WPA2-PSK

[prthorsenjr]

Thanks for that suggestion. Post installation, I ran the tasksel command. The laptop option had a * in it, I selected OK and I assume it did what it needed to do. The command did not come back with anything saying it did anything. So, I assume that it was already installed or completed successfully. However, during the install using the debian-live-10.2.0 amd64 standard nonfree install image that I burned to DVD, there is no where in the install process to initiate the tasksel command that was selected. It just installs the standard packages. Therein lies the problem. There's no way that I know of while in the installation process to add the network-manager package. How do I do that?

Pete

[prthorsenjr]

Okay, I'm writing to say that I was able to get the laptop on the wireless network and I have been able to reproduce my results.

More on that in a minute.

First, I want to thank @arochester and @Head_on_a_stick for their initial help that they tried to give to me early on.

Now, I did a little reading and found that the only way that the network-manager package gets installed is with an install that includes a desktop environment or window manager. That isn't what I am attempting to do here at this time. I want to install a standard system with no desktop environment or window manager. Why? Simple. I want to install the desktop environment and window manager myself.

So, having found out that network-manager won't be installed using the standard install image that I am using, I went back and looked at what @Head_on_a_stick told me to do. Specifically, read the debian wiki on WiFi -- "https://wiki.debian.org/WiFi/HowToUse" -- look at the section named WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK. If you follow these instructions you can get the wireless to work.

I did.

Lesson learned -- No matter how badly I want to get this working, I need to remember to stop, relax and take a deep breath. After calming down, read what people are telling you and comprehend what it is that you're reading. Had I initially done that when @Head_on_a_stick told me to, I would have saved myself a lot of time and energy and be further along than I am right now.

This thread can be closed.

Thanks guys for your help.

Pete

[arzgi]

This thread can be closed.

Thanks guys for your help.

Pete

Great you got it working!

You (or I) can't close the thread, better if you edit your first post's header in the thread, and add [SOLVED] to the front of it.
It would show anyone browsing that this thread does not require more actions, or someone with similar problem could see possible solution.

[prthorsenjr]

This issue has been solved.

[arzgi]

Edit the header, please!