Hardware Database question

[eikelein]

Hi all;
I apologize up front for the question but the Hardware database I found liists only relatively few computers.

Is there a hardware database that can be queried?

For example search for "RTL8187" to see if there are drivers anywhere for either a Realtek RTL8187B or the RTL8187SE wireless laptop adapters?

I have a Gateway M-1617 (model W650A) laptop and LL does not detect the wireless NIC. Ethernet is working perfectly and, as I expected, Gateway is more of a problem  than help.

TIA in advance
Eike
???

[Wirezfree]

First thing,
Have you checked the WiFi Switch/Key combination to switch WiFi ON/OFF
Example on my HP Laptop I have to press F12 to toggle WiFi on/off

[rokytnji]

Hardware data base I use are a few

http://kmuto.jp/debian/hcl/

http://www.linux-drivers.org/

To be honest. I do not sweat worrying if a certain distro supports my hardware or not because hardware support starts at kernel level anyways.
Like I cannot expect a DSL (Damn Dmall Linux) 2.4 kernel to support

Code:

$ inxi -N
Network:   Card-1: Marvell 88E8040 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller driver: sky2
           Card-2: Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express)
           driver: ath9k

Because this hardware on this laptop was built after the 2.4 kernel was made.
Hope that teaches you something new and alleviates your worries on hardware support.

Now. Give us these terminal readouts in your next post.

Code:

inxi -Fxx

when that is done type in next

Code:

rfkill list

Mine for example

Code:

$ rfkill list
0: hci0: Bluetooth
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: no
1: phy0: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: no
2: samsung-wlan: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: no

[eikelein]

Have you checked the WiFi Switch/Key combination to switch WiFi ON/OFF

Yes, I have. But you gave me the idea to check in Win7 (dual boot), THANKS.
Crazy that I need the nudge from you.

[eikelein]

@rokytnji:
Thank you for the detailed instructions. I will keep them for the future.

Fate (or the age of the machine?) have decided: Today the Ethernet connection died as well. I will have the baby checked out by a hardware person and if it gets too expensive then the machine goes to the computer graveyard.

[eikelein]

@Wirezfree:

Thank you.

Yep, I have, in Windoze even. No luck.

And I believe in LL it would not work anyway because the special keyboard driver that is used in Windows in not available for Linux/Unix.

[Wirezfree]

Hi,

Just a thought, assuming you have USB on the Laptop, other options:

USB - Ethernet Adapter:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1...pter+linux

USB - WiFi Adapter:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0...pter+linux

[eikelein]

Thanks Wirezfree;

I know about these guys and in the past  have used some on other occasions.

With LL my "problem" is that ya never know if it will work under LL. But you are right, it is worth a try - and if it doesn't  work I can keep around for the Windows customer who wants to go "wirez free" - if yo permit that pun.

[Wirezfree]

Hi,


No prob's with the pun...
I thought it maybe a "cheaper" option than getting the Laptop repaired.