Pi B - no WiFi - ever!

[DonMI]

Hello , my first post on the Forum so I hope I respect the protocols.

I bought a Raspberry Pi B about 2 months ago. Since then I have tried numerous ways to get the WiFi up but without success. Installing Raspberian - when the process arrives at 'look for WiFi networks' nothing is detected altho' I have other devices connected on the active wireless network. Ignoring this install issue (Skip) and completing the install I configured the wired internet access without difficulty. Tried many configs/combinations in /etc/interface...wpa_supplicant etc. Running scan EESSID always returns "".

So do I have a h/w problem. I asked Raspberry if there was a definite test but received no help at all.

Before I return the Pi to the dealer can anyone advise of a simple/definite test to determine if my device has a hardware problem.

Thanks in advance Don Irwin

[B.Goode]

Welcome to the Raspberry Pi forums.

Hello , my first post on the Forum so I hope I respect the protocols.

I bought a Raspberry Pi B about 2 months ago. Since then I have tried numerous ways to get the WiFi up but without success. Installing Raspberian - when the process arrives at 'look for WiFi networks' nothing is detected altho' I have other devices connected on the active wireless network. Ignoring this install issue (Skip) and completing the install I configured the wired internet access without difficulty. Tried many configs/combinations in /etc/interface...wpa_supplicant etc. Running scan EESSID always returns "".

So do I have a h/w problem. I asked Raspberry if there was a definite test but received no help at all.

Before I return the Pi to the dealer can anyone advise of a simple/definite test to determine if my device has a hardware problem.

Thanks in advance Don Irwin

Not every model of Raspberry Pi board has a built-in wireless LAN interface.

What specific model of Raspberry Pi board are you using?

[mahjongg]

Yeah, there is no such thing as a "Pi B", only RPI2B, RPI3B, 3B+ and 4B
which of them do you have???

and

I asked Raspberry if there was a definite test but received no help at all.

where did you ask, if not on this forum???
And no there is no "definitive test"... for one, it depends on which model you have...

[davidcoton]

Yeah, there is no such thing as a "Pi B", only RPI2B, RPI3B, 3B+ and 4B

There is the "original" sometimes retrospectively called Pi1 -- both B and B+ variants, though no new Pi1B, only B+

[Imperf3kt]

Yeah, there is no such thing as a "Pi B", only RPI2B, RPI3B, 3B+ and 4B
which of them do you have???

The product page for the Pi b+ says there is / was a Pi model B, albeit no longer sold via official resellers.

Its possible the OP bought one of those, either new from an unofficial reseller, or second hand from ebay or similar.

[mahjongg]

Yeah, there is no such thing as a "Pi B", only RPI2B, RPI3B, 3B+ and 4B
which of them do you have???

The product page for the Pi b+ says there is, albeit no longer sold new.

Ita possible the OP bought one of those.

Thats a PI1B+ not just a Pi B

[LTolledo]

We can keep on guessing....and wont know the truth......
until the OP post pictures of this RPi.... with closeup of the white markings on the board....

[davidcoton]

The product page for the Pi b+ says there is, albeit no longer sold new.

Au contraire...

Obsolescence Statement

Raspberry Pi 1 Model B+ will remain in production until at least January 2026

... or did you mean that the B+ page refers to the B?
As I said above, the B and B+ (also the A and A+) are retrospectively called Pi1, but that was not the case until after the Pi2 launch.

[Imperf3kt]

Yes, I said the product page for the b+ says the b existed and that people still sell those, just not via official resellers and usually second hand.
It was a direct refutal to mahjongg's claim that "there is no such thing as a Pi B"

I'm not sure how what I wrote could be taken any other way.

[davidcoton]

Yes, I said the product page for the b+ says the b existed and that people still sell those, just not via official resellers and usually second hand.
It was a direct refutal to mahjongg's claim that "there is no such thing as a Pi B"

I'm not sure how what I wrote could be taken any other way.

Sorry, in haste I thought you were saying the B+ was no longer available new.

[Imperf3kt]

Ah I see.
I've updated the post to better reflect what I was trying to convey.

[HawaiianPi]

Hello , my first post on the Forum so I hope I respect the protocols.

I bought a Raspberry Pi B about 2 months ago.

Welcome to the forums!

If you actually have an old model B, then it has no WiFi. However, that model has been discontinued for quite some time, so I suspect you have something else, and for us to help you, we need to know exactly which model you have.

The following command (in a Raspbian terminal or console) will tell you your model.

cat /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/model;echo

Otherwise, look for the model name and number on the PCB silkscreen, or post some clear pictures.

[DonMI]

Thanks for the various replies. Sorry if my initial posting was impreceise.

Using the cmd cat /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/model;echo
I see ...
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B Plus Rev 1.3.

Do does this model have a wifi capability ? BTW - Wire internet access & Bluetooth work OK

Thanks again DonMI

[fruitoftheloom]

Thanks for the various replies. Sorry if my initial posting was impreceise.

Using the cmd cat /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/model;echo
I see ...
Raspberry Pi 3 Model B Plus Rev 1.3.

Do does this model have a wifi capability ? BTW - Wire internet access & Bluetooth work OK

Thanks again DonMI

https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/ra ... el-b-plus/

[davidcoton]

Raspberry Pi 3 Model B Plus Rev 1.3.

Do does this model have a wifi capability ? BTW - Wire internet access & Bluetooth work OK

Yes.

[HawaiianPi]

Yes, the 3B+ has dual-band wireless (2.4 & 5 GHz), as well as Bluetooth.

What makes you think you have no WiFi? What are you doing, and what errors are you seeing?

[DonMI]

Thanks for this confirmation that this model is designed with WiFi
.
I return to my original question.....why do I see no WiFi activity on the device ?

From the Raspberian install onwards no WiFi found altho I have other devices connected to my local
wireless network.
Many s/w configs tried in /etc and with wpa_supplicant - no success.

The scan command which return EESID is always "" (ie blank)

Any ideas how I can definitely establish if its a h/w issue or not?

Thanks in advance DonMI

[fruitoftheloom]

Thanks for this confirmation that this model is designed with WiFi
.
I return to my original question.....why do I see no WiFi activity on the device ?

From the Raspberian install onwards no WiFi found altho I have other devices connected to my local
wireless network.
Many s/w configs tried in /etc and with wpa_supplicant - no success.

The scan command which return EESID is always "" (ie blank)

Any ideas how I can definitely establish if its a h/w issue or not?

Thanks in advance DonMI

Raspbian Buster with Desktop has an Icon in the top taskbar which can be used to show / connect to Wireless Networks.

images.jpeg (7.04 KiB) Viewed 577 times

Maybe you need to start with a clean install of Raspbian Buster with Desktop ?

https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/

[jbudd]

Tried many configs/combinations in /etc/interface...wpa_supplicant etc.

You might have messed wifi up by following out of date suggestions.
Do you have a spare SD card? I suggest that you burn Raspbian Lite to it using the Raspberry Pi Imager.
Log in and follow the instructions at https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentati ... ess-cli.md

I'm not sure if wifi is by default disabled when ethernet is connected, possibly you have do the above then unplug ethernet and reboot.

[DonMI]

Thanks for these suggestions. The upper task bar show wlan0 as Not associated.

I will willingly (re)try a fresh install but I have done this numerous times with various o/s which are
included on NOOBS. In all cases no WiFi.

I am trying to contact the supplier (RS) to return the unit for a replacement - maybe Pi 4
So far no reply..

DonMI

[MrEngman]

Thanks for this confirmation that this model is designed with WiFi
.
I return to my original question.....why do I see no WiFi activity on the device ?

From the Raspberian install onwards no WiFi found altho I have other devices connected to my local
wireless network.
Many s/w configs tried in /etc and with wpa_supplicant - no success.

The scan command which return EESID is always "" (ie blank)

Any ideas how I can definitely establish if its a h/w issue or not?

Thanks in advance DonMI

If iwlist scan shows EESID:"", i.e.the ssid is not shown your access point appears to be hiding its ssid which is why you cannot get a connection.

This is pretty pointless these days so I would suggest you configure your access point to show its SSID.


MrEngman

[LTolledo]

if you do decide to do a fresh install, just install using all default values, including wifi country. do change the password though.
once all has been setup and running fine, then change the wifi country to the one you require (do make a backup before doing so... just in case).

[DonMI]

Again thanks for these ideas/suggestions. I will do a fresh install (using defaults) and take a screenshot or photo of the 1st indication that there is a WiFi issue.

That is when the install screen pops up with a list of detected wireless networks & asks installer to make a selection.
In my case the pop up panel is empty. If the Pi is failing to detect any signal then no amount of software configs will be successful

Watch this space for my follow-on

best DonMI

[FTrevorGowen]

Again thanks for these ideas/suggestions. I will do a fresh install (using defaults) and take a screenshot or photo of the 1st indication that there is a WiFi issue.

That is when the install screen pops up with a list of detected wireless networks & asks installer to make a selection.
In my case the pop up panel is empty. If the Pi is failing to detect any signal then no amount of software configs will be successful

Watch this space for my follow-on

best DonMI

That's the "first" opportunity to set up WiFi (via a GUI). That's provided so, if you can make a connection, the installer can check for any updates/upgrades and automatically do that. It may also be informative if you test what happens if you skip that step and use raspi-config from the Desktop to set the WiFi country and then try re-scanning via the task bar WiFi "GUI". (Eg. something may be "timing out" during the earlier "auto-search")
Trev.

[DonMI]

Starting from NOOBS_v3_3_1.zip I performed a full installation of Raspbian using all default setting.
All went well.

Here I correct myself. The pop up screen which should (I think) show all detected wireless networks
occurs in the set up phase following the 1st post-install boot not during the actual installation. In this phase
system parameters are set. I took all default values.

See attachment - a shot of the pop up. So at this early stage the device fails to find my WiFi network
which is active & used by other devices. This brings me back to my suspicion that the Pi has a h/w fault.

A last (dumb?) question - I have assumed that a Pi WiFi subsystem includes a built-in antenna & no
plug-in hardware is required. Y/N ??

Again thanks for yr help DonMI