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[SOLVED] unable to find network interface

PostPosted: Mar 18th, '12, 19:27
by canvecchio
I installed the newest Mandriva Powerpack, and it was unable to connect me to the internet. When I tried to establish a connection, I got the message "unable to find network interface for selected device (using tg3 driver). I decided to give mageia a try. Uninstalled mandriva and installed Mageia. I got the same message. I'm using the x64 version of each distro.

It's an ethernet connection to a linksys 1200e router, and my adapter card is a Broadcom Corp Netlink BCM 57700 Gigabit. The adapter is recognized and listed with the hardware by both systems. I tried installing a correction file I got from another forum in /etc/modprobe.d, but it didn't work.

Even though my experience with this distribution goes back to early Mandrake, I'm still basically a gui person. I can use a terminal, but I don't like it and have only aa few basic commands, like urpmi, committed to memory. It says a lot about the reliability and user friendliness of the Mandriva/Mageia distro that I've been able to stay with it so long.

Suggestions highly appreciated. Incidentally, I posted the same question to the Mandriva experts. I'm curious to see how they stack up against the Mageia community.

Re: unable to find network interface

PostPosted: Mar 18th, '12, 20:06
by doktor5000
The tg3 driver needs a firmware file, which would be /lib/firmware/tigon/tg3.bin. That firmware file is contained in the package kernel-firmware, which should be always installed as it is required by the kernel package. For more information, please open a terminal, and as root issue the following command
Code: Select all
grep -i tg3 /var/log/messages

This should show up all messages about your network adapter, if it's loading the firmware and if it's initialized correctly.

BTW: You said you installed Mageia, would that be Mageia 1 or Cauldron, and which flavour (installation media) did you use?

Re: unable to find network interface

PostPosted: Mar 18th, '12, 21:31
by canvecchio
Thanks. I'm in Windows for a while so I can use the internet. When I can get back to linux, I'll look for the tg3 logs.

I Installed the most recent Beta, the one released just a few days ago.

Re: unable to find network interface

PostPosted: Mar 18th, '12, 21:58
by doktor5000
canvecchio wrote:I Installed the most recent Beta, the one released just a few days ago.


OK, that's a different problem. BTW you should have posted this in viewforum.php?f=15 but nevermind, just pay attention next time, please.
For Cauldron, this firmware has been moved to another package, that would now be kernel-firmware-nonfree which is in the nonfree-release repository,
which you need to enable, as it's not enabled by default. Do you know how to manage software repositories in Mageia?

If not, start the Mageia Control Center -> Software Management -> Configure media sources for install and update and tick "enabled" checkbox in front of Nonfree Release.
Then just install the kernel-firmware-nonfree, either via urpmi, or also via MCC. But pay attention, in MCC you need to set the filter from the default "Packages with GUI" to "All" or otherwise you won't get any result for that firmware package.

Re: unable to find network interface

PostPosted: Mar 19th, '12, 23:45
by canvecchio
All is now working. Thank you for your help

Re: unable to find network interface

PostPosted: Mar 20th, '12, 01:33
by doktor5000
Then please mark the thread as solved by editing the subject line of the first post and prefix it with [SOLVED]. Thanks.