can't access the net

mizpa · posted: 2013-12-09 18:17

Not really a 'new' user, but I had been using M8.5 for a while, updating/upgrading as often as possible, when I went out of state for work and left the lappy home, you guys upgraded too many times, I guess __{{emoticon}}__ . Now I can't get on the net with it, and I'd be lost without legacy grub ..... any ideas on how to get my my M8.5 onto the net so's I can upgrade it? I've got a 8gb usb drive if I need to d/l something specific, but I have to go a library every couple of weeks and they don't have enuff bandwidth to d/l a whole distro.

fatmac · posted: 2013-12-09 18:31

I think you may find that AntiX is now based on pure Debian, so the best way to get up to date would be a new install. (Still using grub1.)

Can't see any reason your old version would not connect to the internet if it did previously.

If it is just about size of download, start with 'base', then add what you want to it.

rokytnji · posted: 2013-12-09 19:21

Code: Select all

ifconfig -a

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ip addr show

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ip link show

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inxi -F

any ideas on how to get my my M8.5 onto the net so's I can upgrade it?

Like Fatmac said. You'll probably break it but not enough info to say on how to fix 8.5.

kmathern · posted: 2013-12-10 00:34

mizpa wrote:Not really a 'new' user, but I had been using M8.5 for a while, updating/upgrading as often as possible, when I went out of state for work and left the lappy home, you guys upgraded too many times, I guess __{{emoticon}}__ . Now I can't get on the net with it, and I'd be lost without legacy grub ..... any ideas on how to get my my M8.5 onto the net so's I can upgrade it? I've got a 8gb usb drive if I need to d/l something specific, but I have to go a library every couple of weeks and they don't have enuff bandwidth to d/l a whole distro.

fatmac wrote:Can't see any reason your old version would not connect to the internet if it did previously.

I hardly ever post here but I will reply to this one.

I agree with fatmac, if the internet worked before on the M8.5 install, it should still work.

The repos in your M8.5 install's sources.list might be the problem.

M8.5's default sources.list used the ftp.debian.org Lenny repo. That repo was removed from the Debian server in Mar. of 2012 (the Lenny repo is now on the archive.debian.org server), which would explain not being able to get to that repo.

There also used to be problems with the ftp.mirrorservice.org Mepis mirror that was enabled by default in M8.5's sources.list.

I would suggest changing your M8.5's sources.list to the Mepis wiki's version:
========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://www.mepis.org/docs/en/index.php?title=Sources.list_MEPIS_8.5"
linktext was:"http://www.mepis.org/docs/en/index.php? ... _MEPIS_8.5"
====================================

mizpa · posted: 2013-12-11 19:49

rokytnji wrote:
Code: Select all
ifconfig -a
I got a"ifconfig not installed" line or something like that
Code: Select all
ip addr show
this had something
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ip link show
this had something too
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inxi -F
nothing here either
any ideas on how to get my my M8.5 onto the net so's I can upgrade it?

Like Fatmac said. You'll probably break it but not enough info to say on how to fix 8.5.

Thanks for the answers, I tried all those things at home where I have no access to the net (We have to drive 16 miles to get to a place where we can get on the net!) - I've got to shut down M$ and go back to antiX and write it all down by hand to get all the answers for you, but right now I'm at a coffee shop trying to see if I can download an up-to-date version ....... it's going verrrrrrrry, verrrrrrry slooooooooow!

bbwf · posted: 2013-12-14 22:43

Try this,
Open wicd from applications -internet

Click the connect button.

On mine,
I had to set the static DNS address's in order to get the net to come back on automatically,
I'm always unplugging the eth cord when not in use.

best type of firewall: an open air gap

mizpa · posted: 2013-12-19 18:57

Finally got a chance to download something ... it's Debian - but when I installed it, it wouldn't connect to the net because all I can get around here are wireless connections - Now I have to figure out how to find the connection info from my M$7 to plug the numbers into the Debian install and see if that will work. I also have to download some non-free drivers for my intel wifi. I'm not really ignoring you folks, I just don't/can't get into town that often __{{emoticon}}__ I might just take a look at the latest antiX and see if has the drivers for the intel already. I have to have a small distro to install because for some reason I can't install from a USB, even tho I can download to a USB and transfer the info to a CD burner __{{emoticon}}__

PS: Well, that was fun ...... I tried to download antix 13.2, but this stupid library won't let me do that - funny, I downloaded LMDE the other day with no problem __{{emoticon}}__ __{{emoticon}}__

fatmac · posted: 2013-12-20 08:39

Next time you go online you might like to download SliTaz, a small, (only 35Mb download), powerful little live/installable distro :-

========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://www.slitaz.org/en/get/#stable"
linktext was:"http://www.slitaz.org/en/get/#stable"
====================================

(It works with all my wifi cards.)

mizpa · posted: 2013-12-23 17:51

fatmac wrote:Next time you go online you might like to download SliTaz, a small, (only 35Mb download), powerful little live/installable distro :-

========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://www.slitaz.org/en/get/#stable"
linktext was:"http://www.slitaz.org/en/get/#stable"
====================================

(It works with all my wifi cards.)

Just now followed your link to slitaz, but it looks to me that it isn't based on Debian, and even tho I've tried everything from Slackware to Mandrake and Suse; Debians have always worked best for me, so I'm looking for a pure Debian or one of it's clones - the best clone I've used to date was antiX in my estimation. Thanks for the link anyways, I may (IF) try is sometime down the road ... it looks to me that it might be quite educational __{{emoticon}}__

Neil · posted: 2013-12-23 18:59

Crunchbang is another Debian based distro that contains a lot of Wifi drivers...
Doh! the current version is not CD size though.

You should be able to make a bootable USB drive using dd...what method have you tried before?

fatmac · posted: 2013-12-24 12:32

mizpa wrote: ... it looks to me that it might be quite educational __{{emoticon}}__

It is certainly different compared to Debian based; (I was just thinking about your downloading problem).

I personally think AntiX is the best distro around right now, that is why I use it.

Edit: Regarding USB booting, if your machine allows for it, it is set up in the BIOS. (Worth a look if you haven't already checked.)