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Topic: [SOLVED] Trying to connect to wifi during installation, no interface named wlan0 (Read 1757 times) previous topic - next topic
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[SOLVED] Trying to connect to wifi during installation, no interface named wlan0

Hi there!
I want to install artix-base-runit on my HP laptop.

As the title says, I want to connect to WiFi, but there's no interface named wlan0. ip a shows only ethernet connection, and not wlan0. ls /sys/class/net shows only eth0 and lo.

lspci gives my network controller named Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8821CE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter.

But in the output of lsmod there's no rtw88_8821ce(i.e. the name of kernel module of my controller that I got from lspci -knn)

I guess that's a firmware module so it can't detect? So do I need to install a firmware module? But the problem is I can't connect to internet, I don't have any ethernet cable, so is there a way to solve this problem(if the problem is what I think?) without getting an ethernet cable?

Re: Trying to connect to wifi during installation, but no interface named wlan0

Reply #1 –
Have you tried modprobe rtw88_8821ce?

It seems you need rtl8821ct-dkms driver from AUR for this particular WiFi card. I remember that several years ago I had some difficulties installing drivers for Realtek WiFi card in Debian, I even have saved drivers (a couple of *.bin files), but IDK how I can attach them here in the forum.

UPD. I managed to attach them. Try to put files from the archive into /lib/firmware/rtlwifi directory (where I took them from) on the install media and see if the module works.

Re: Trying to connect to wifi during installation, but no interface named wlan0

Reply #2 –
edited:
here are 2 different configurations of the 8821ce. rfe0 and rfe2 (other antenna configuration, probably associated with BT). rfe0 is a supported kernel and should work with the rtw88_rr21ce driver (since kernel 5.9), whereas rfe2 is not a supported kernel (patch exists but has not yet been accepted into the mainstream). i have rfe2 configuration and 8821ce works for me out-of-box

so you can use
Code: [Select]
modprobe rtw_8821ce
firmware for in rtw_8821ce linux-firmware package, if you have rfe0 it should works,
or install https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/rtl8821ce-dkms-git/ and add
Code: [Select]
blacklist rtw_8821ce
to
Code: [Select]
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
. kernel's driver for 8821ce  'rtw_8821ce' is still not complete and don't works, RTL8821CE is one of newer wifi cards by realtek. 

Code: [Select]
09:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8821CE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 831a
...     
        Kernel modules: rtw88_8821ce, 8821ce
 

Re: Trying to connect to wifi during installation, but no interface named wlan0

Reply #3 –
Quote from: VictorBrand – on
Have you tried modprobe rtw88_8821ce?

It seems you need rtl8821ct-dkms driver from AUR for this particular WiFi card. I remember that several years ago I had some difficulties installing drivers for Realtek WiFi card in Debian, I even have saved drivers (a couple of *.bin files), but IDK how I can attach them here in the forum.

UPD. I managed to attach them. Try to put files from the archive into /lib/firmware/rtlwifi directory (where I took them from) on the install media and see if the module works.
I don't know where you have attached them, but I have downloaded the relevant .bin file, and put it to hard drive, then take that file, put it to /lib/firmware/rtlwifi directory(where bunch of similar files live, so I believe this is the right location) in LiveCD. Then I wasn't sure what to do in order to get `wlan0` in `/sys/class/net`.

About this one
Quote from: alium – on
edited:
here are 2 different configurations of the 8821ce. rfe0 and rfe2 (other antenna configuration, probably associated with BT). rfe0 is a supported kernel and should work with the rtw88_rr21ce driver (since kernel 5.9), whereas rfe2 is not a supported kernel (patch exists but has not yet been accepted into the mainstream). i have rfe2 configuration and 8821ce works for me out-of-box

so you can use
Code: [Select]
modprobe rtw_8821ce
firmware for in rtw_8821ce linux-firmware package, if you have rfe0 it should works,
I guess you have mistyped the module name, it should have been `rtw88_8821ce`, because `rtw_8821ce` gives me not found error. So I did
Code: [Select]
modprobe rtw88_8821ce
, it ran without errors, then checked `lsmod | grep rtw` and there was `rtw88_8821ce`(before there wasn't). So I assume it has detected my controller? But even if it has I am still not sure what to do in order to get `wlan0` interface, because it is still not there.

About installing driver from AUR:
The problem is I don't have internet connection when I am in the LiveCD. So I don't have any AUR helper, even if I made the package with `makepkg -si`, it wouldn't be able to pull the source code and dependencies(if they are not in my system, because I don't think there's `linux-headers` in livecd).

Edit:
`dmesg | grep rtw` gives me
Code: [Select]
rtw_8821ce   : Firmware version 24.5.0, H2C version 12
rtw_8821ce   : rfe 2 isn't supported
rtw_8821ce   : failed to setup chip efuse info
rtw_8821ce   : failed to setup chip information
not sure why is this happening.

Re: Trying to connect to wifi during installation, but no interface named wlan0

Reply #4 –
Yes I mistyped..
But read carefully  my topic again!

"here are 2 different configurations of the 8821ce. rfe0 and rfe2 (other antenna configuration, probably associated with BT). rfe0 is a supported kernel and should work with the rtw_8821ce driver (since kernel 5.9), whereas rfe2 is not a supported kernel (patch exists but has not yet been accepted into the mainstream). i have rfe2 configuration and 8821ce works for me out-of-box.

Hint: You used driver from kernel, but this kernel works only with rfe0. Because you have Rfe2, as said your dmesg output - see the error,  you need 8821ce driver from AUR.... Yeap , so easy is it  ;)

my package with driver from AUR you find here: https://github.com/alium/share/raw/master/rtl8821ce-dkms-git-1.0.5.r116.g14b536f-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst
our kernel and kernel-headers you find here: https://archive.artixlinux.org/packages/l/linux/

you can download corresponding  version of linux-headers and all save on your driver. ISO is offline installer, so you need no internet connection. After you install and configure artix, you can install headers and driver.

Another option: you say me which version of kernel you use (or is used in ISO) and i prepare for you pre-compiled package (no dkms version) for that specific kernel (what you can install inside ISO = artix must not be installed before) .

Or just use temporarily a cable from your router to your computer

Re: Trying to connect to wifi during installation, but no interface named wlan0

Reply #5 –
Uh sorry but I'm not sure how to actually finalize the installation? Let's say I have kernel headers and itself. But what about the actual operating system? I mean the `base` package, in order to install the artix I need the base package group right? And it is not included in ISO file, when I do `basestrap`, I'm pulling those packages with pacman. So I'm not sure what you mean by "ISO is an offline installer".

The version of kernel in ISO file is 5.9.14-artix1-1

About the last part... if I had an ethernet cable I wouldn't go through this pain...

Re: Trying to connect to wifi during installation, but no interface named wlan0

Reply #6 –
here are 2 packages with 8821ce driver:

1. this package works ONLY with linux-5.9.14-artix1! You can install it in your ISO with "pacman -U" and after modprobe 8821ce (yes, driver have name 8821ce). then you will be able to set up your network inside ISO session.
https://github.com/alium/share/raw/master/rtl8821ce-1.0.5.r116.g14b536f-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

2. this package you must use outside ISO - in basetrap (in your fresh installed system) because after upgrade your kernel to another version above mentioned non-dkms package WILL NOT works anymore.
https://github.com/alium/share/raw/master/rtl8821ce-dkms-git-1.0.5.r116.g14b536f-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

good luck...

Re: Trying to connect to wifi during installation, but no interface named wlan0

Reply #7 –
Man, it just worked! You are the best! Thank you for your time and patience!

Re: [SOLVED] Trying to connect to wifi during installation, no interface named wlan0

Reply #8 –
support for rfe2 in kernel will come with kernel 5.11