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Installing Drivers and firmware

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 1:39 pm
by geffers
Folks,

Been using Linux for years, pretty experienced with command line etc.. 8-)

Tried GhostBSD, impressed but no wifi. My laptop has a Realtek card which I understand have been a problem with Linux in the past but seems to be fine with Linux 4.15.0-76-generic

I know what drivers and firmware my card uses so how do I install these to GhostBSD in an attempt to get it working. Ethernet works fine.

Geffers

Re: Installing Drivers and firmware

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 2:51 pm
by ouaille_aime_scier_
Hello Geffers,

You could read and try to test this doc https://gnix0.wordpress.com/2018/03/07/ ... reebsd-11/ .
In substance you have to activate the right(s) driver(s) in your /boot/loader.conf file before configuring the /etc/rc.conf with right interface commands :)

Re: Installing Drivers and firmware

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 7:09 am
by geffers
ouaille_aime_scier_ wrote: Sat Feb 15, 2020 2:51 pm Hello Geffers,

You could read and try to test this doc https://gnix0.wordpress.com/2018/03/07/ ... reebsd-11/ .
In substance you have to activate the right(s) driver(s) in your /boot/loader.conf file before configuring the /etc/rc.conf with right interface commands :)
Thank you for quick reply.

My main problem is sysctl net.wlan.devices merely returns a blank line. I'm sure some of the terminal commands are the same as Linux but not the ones I've tried to find out about my wifi driver.

Not sure where to go from there, I can of course connect via ethernet but on a laptop bit inconvenient :?

Geffers

Re: Installing Drivers and firmware

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 10:14 am
by slughorn

Re: Installing Drivers and firmware

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 10:35 am
by ouaille_aime_scier_
Check if your wireless card already appears in the FreeBSD 12.1 supported hardware list (point 3.4)

https://www.freebsd.org/releases/12.1R/hardware.html

Re: Installing Drivers and firmware

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 10:37 am
by geffers
Thanks folks, I'll try the suggestions.

Geoff

Re: Installing Drivers and firmware

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:44 pm
by geffers
slughorn wrote: Sun Feb 16, 2020 10:14 am Try some tips from the wiki: https://wiki.ghostbsd.org/index.php/WLAN
and the FreeBSD Handbook: https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/ne ... eless.html


Now those links very handy, seems my WiFi supported. Reading the handbook seems I could enter two lines on the /boot/loader.conf file - trouble is presently I'm trying out the live image so changes to the file are lost at reboot.

The commands are;
if_rtwn_pci_load="YES
if_rtwn_usb_load="YES"

Is there any way I can run these commands after boot?

Thanks for help folks 8-)

Geoff

Re: Installing Drivers and firmware

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:27 pm
by slughorn
If you use a live image, than I thing to have to restart a service. But I have to look my self which one.

Re: Installing Drivers and firmware

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:44 pm
by slughorn
Try : 11.4. Managing Services in FreeBSD https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/co ... g-rcd.html

and man pages https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?que ... ease-ports for loader.conf

I hope it that it helps

Re: Installing Drivers and firmware

Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 2:09 pm
by geffers
ouaille_aime_scier_ wrote: Sun Feb 16, 2020 10:35 am Check if your wireless card already appears in the FreeBSD 12.1 supported hardware list (point 3.4)

https://www.freebsd.org/releases/12.1R/hardware.html
Yes, indicates it is supported but I do know Realtek is quite flakey in Linux.

Geoff