Re: [gentoo-user] Gentoo installation, network adapter not supported

[Wang Xuerui]

2013/6/29 Zind <wzmindlog@×××××.com>:
> hi all,
> I am new to Gentoo. I came across some problems in the Gentoo installation
> process.
>
> I got a relatively new laptop: Lenovo IdeaPad Y400.
> The Gentoo iso I choose is: admincd-amd64-20130620.iso, from:
> http://distfiles.gentoo.org/releases/amd64/autobuilds/20130620/hardened/
I once failed to install Hardened Gentoo to a server using the
admincd, so I'm not sure if you can proceed much further even if the
network is working.

Since after chroot the environment of LiveCD is not important any more
(except the running kernel, of course), you could simply use the
installation CD and a hardened stage3. If you are not trying to use
SELinux, this should be enough.

> After I made the LiveUSB, disabling the UEFI boot, I finally boot into the
> Gentoo kernel. But I could not connect to the network.
> Using the `ifconfig -a` command, I can only see the loopback interface: lo.
> Using the `lspci` command, I can see the two network adapters:
> (1) the Ethernet adapter
> Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR8161 Gigabit Ethernet
> (2) the wireless adapter
> Network controller: Intel Corporation Centrino Wireless-N 2230
> Subsystem: Intel Corporation Centrino Wireless-N 2230 BGN
> (The two network adapters both work well under Windows 8.)
>
> After several times of STFW, I can confirm it's a network adapter driver
> support issue: lacks of coresponding network adapter drivers.
> For the AR8161 network adapter, it requires the alx kernal module: alx.ko.
> Previously, I thought I could at least compile this driver by myself, but
> soon I found it lacks of build-essential packages, too. :-(
The toolchain is present on the installation CD so it must be the admincd...

> For the wireless network adapter, I can find
> iwlwifi-2030-6.ucode(coresponding to Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2230 BGN
> adapter) under /lib/firmware, I tried the `modprobe iwlwifi` command, still
> doesn't work. Weird.
>
> Uh... I don't know what to do next to continue the installation.
> Any suggestion or advice is appreciated.
You can get the firmware files from the git tree of linux-firmware
project (browsable online). Then you can transfer them into the LiveCD
environment's /lib/firmware by means of a USB stick, for example,
after which you simply rmmod iwlagn && modprobe iwlagn.

Also, before you finally reboot to finish the installation make sure
you emerge linux-firmware, so that the required firmware files are
installed into the target system.

Hope this information helps~