[SOLVED] How to start wireless...where is control center?

Pacopag · posted: 2011-04-26 20:36

Hi. I just did a fresh install of antix M8 on my old Toshiba Satellite Pro 4600. Installed no problem. But I can't seem to figure out how to connect to my wireless network. The FAQs say to go

Control Center--> Network--> Connect Wirelessly (wicd) The first time it is run The Wicd Network Manager pops up with wired network as.......

But I can't seem to find the Control Center. I'm using fluxbox. I can do
Right Click --> Admin/Tools -->Mepis Admin --> Network,
But I don't have"Connect Wirelessly" etc. I'm sure that my card is working because wireless is working on my (painfully slow) windows partition. I'm not sure if Antix has the drivers, nor do I know how to view the available wireless networks and connect to one.

Any help would be great. Thanks.

anticapitalista · posted: 2011-04-26 20:44

antiX-M8 is very old, you would be better using the latest antiX-M11 in release candidate phase. It is a lot more 'user-friendly' than the older versions.

Pacopag · posted: 2011-04-26 23:20

Weird. I downloaded antix today at
========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://antix.mepis.org/index.php?title=Main_Page"
linktext was:"http://antix.mepis.org/index.php?title=Main_Page"
====================================
from one of the mirrors under the"Download" link. Antix M8 or M8.5 is what seems to be available. Do you know where I can get M11? Also, would M11 be suitable for an old laptop? P3, around 600-800 MHz CPU, 128-256 MB Ram. Can't remember the exact specs, but that's the ballpark. The Antix M8 on it right now runs like a dream.

Dave · posted: 2011-04-26 23:41

Should run no problem on your machine, just the same as M8. Just it is more up to date with the packages / there are some new packages and apps to make it more user friendly.

here is a link to the newest download

========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://www.mepisimo.com/antix/Testing/antiX-M11-rc4-686.iso"
linktext was:"antix-m11"
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download

Pacopag · posted: 2011-04-27 13:36

Cool. Thanks.
But what happened to the"Video Mode" selection on startup. Used to be F3, but now F3 let's you choose Timezone. In the F1 Help menu, it says that F3 let's you choose the screen resolution. But no dice. I tried setting the boot option: xres=1024x768 but I still get the desktop filling only part of my screen. Then even if I go to the Control Center->Session->Set Screen Resolution The highest resolution I get is 800x600.

Man. That feature (i.e. manually choosing the screen resolution) was really sweet. I tried at least a dozen linux distros, and none of them (except older antix releases) was able to make use of my whole screen out-of-the-box.

And getting back to my original problem. When I do Control Center->Network->Connect Wirelessly (wicd) Then open the Wicd Network Manager, I get"No wireless networks found". Under"Preferences" I see that"Wireless interface" is blank. So does that mean that my wireless card is not being detected?

Note that I am doing all this on a live cd session.

Thanks again for any help

anticapitalista · posted: 2011-04-27 13:56

It is supposed to auto-detect the screen size etc. Easy fix is to enable antiX to create an /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Run live, at boot menu choose the add cheats option and type (use your settings):

nomodeset xres=1024x768 vga=791

This boots into icewm-Rox desktop.

If you want to boot into fluxbox-Rox, you need to add this cheat

desktop=fluxbox

If you do not want Rox-desktop ie icons add this cheat:

noRox

Pacopag · posted: 2011-04-27 13:58

what is ROX? Do I want it?

oldhoghead · posted: 2011-04-27 14:00

use ceni instead of wicd

cheers,
ohh

anticapitalista · posted: 2011-04-27 14:01

About the wireless, try first option in antiXcc>Network->ceni.

If that doesn't work, then maybe wireless is not detected.

inxi -F in a terminal or antiXcc>Hardware-PC Information will give good options

anticapitalista · posted: 2011-04-27 14:02

Rox sets the desktop icons. Do you want them? If not, use noRox cheat.

Pacopag · posted: 2011-04-27 14:18

Using those options, the screen resolution is the same as before, 800x600.

Also, using ceni, I can see the wireless card, so I choose it an go through the configuration. I find my wireless network SSID. Enter my password. It does its thing, then says

No DHCPOFFERS received.
No working leases in persistent database - sleeping.
run-parts: ...
and some other stuff.

Internet still doesn't work.

anticapitalista · posted: 2011-04-27 14:30

nomodeset xres=1024x768 vga=791 drvr=vesa (r drvr=nv if you have an old nvidia card)

After ceni, logout login. Does that get you internet?

Pacopag · posted: 2011-04-27 23:05

The wireless works. I couldn't get the screen resolution optimized. But I downgraded to Antix M8.5, and everything works perfect. I'm happy. My old toshiba has new life and works like a charm. Thank you for all your help. AntiX rules!.

If anyone reading this has the power to do so, please include the manual video mode selection option on startup in future releases. Just a suggestion intended in the most courteous way. I really appreciate the antix distro. It has been the perfect solution for me in more than one circumstance. I'm sure it won't be long before I'm running it on all of my systems. Man, I just can't say enough good things about Antix. Sorry, I'm ranting.

Thanks again,
Cheers.

Pacopag · posted: 2011-04-28 13:02

I can't seem to figure out how to mark this thread as"Solved".

anticapitalista · posted: 2011-04-28 13:25

Just type solved in the first post subject line by clicking on edit