OpenELEC, XBMC - Cannot get wifi working.

[twa77y]

Hi everyone,

Brand new to Linux, have never used it before, but wanted a cheap media server and got a Raspberry Pi kit from Maplin.

Have setup the SD card with the openelec software and have successfully got it all running nice with the XBMC addons.

The only major problem I have now is I can't get it to work on wifi? Have read a load of the other posts online but still not found a solution!

The adaptor is an N150 nano dongle that comes in the kit, and it all works when the supplied Linux is run, but will not function when I have the SD card with openelec on??

Is there any way I can have both the Linux and openelec on one card? Or is there a simple way to get the wifi working? I have put all the correct details on the network settings with the wlan0 and SSD settings.

Any help is greatly appreciated..

Cheers,

Mike

[ShiftPlusOne]

I've changed the title so that hopefully it will catch the eye of someone who knows the answer. Vague titles are easy to skim over.

Keep in mind that openelec is also linux, just packaged and presented differently. If you would like a distro that is based on Raspbian, but has xbmc available, you can try XBian or RaspBMC as well. That way you can run a regular distro, but with xbmc available when you need it.

Hopefully someone will also tell you how to get it working with openelec.

[twa77y]

Cheers for that Shift,

I think I might do another card with the xbian on, or try the Raspbmc again.

I don't think it's anything highly technical as the adaptor works on the supplied Linux, so I can only assume that the driver is not in the build of openelec.

Hopefully I can get everything working or someone can point me in the right direction..

Cheers,

Mike

[stevhorn5]

I'm working from memory here (as I don't have OpenElec available right now):

On the xbmc screen there is an item named OpenElec Settings. It will take you to the network settings screen.

Click the "Network 1" tab ( I think it's called that)

Change eth0 to wlan0

Leave it as DHCP (or change to Static and enter your network settings)

Scroll down and choose your security
Enter your SSID
Enter your wireless password

Reboot OpenElec
Check in the network status to see if you have an ip address.

[twa77y]

I have tried everything I have found on the net in regards of getting this wifi adaptor to work, but with no joy..
I have also tried Xbian and Raspbmc, but it seems openelec is the more stable and useful build at present.

I have now worked out how to ssh into the pi, and have done some of the tests found online, but can't seem to see the adaptor shown there??

The adaptor is a Ralink 5370 chipset and comes with the kit, so must be widely available and used with pi..

If anyone has any further ideas, as I am trying to use this in the bedroom where I can't get a wired connection...

Cheers,

Mike

[bobj]

Sorry don't have an answer but also interested to get this to work - the room where I have my wired internet is not the room I have my tv .

I can also confirm the same experience as above. The adaptor obviously does work with linux but the driver is probably not compiled into the openelec kernel. I could set about the task of configuring and compiling but would really prefer if someone has already done this as my "fiddling time" is limited. So if anybody has tried this please let us know.

[Kurisu87]

I am also interested in this and I am currently on a mission to find the answer! I am also in a similer situation as the OP

[windy54]

I am also struggling with the N150 adaptor, but my set up can't detect the unit.
I have got a powered USB hub so do not believe power is the problem.
I am using the Debian distribution.

did you have to edit any config files so your PI could detect the dongle, if so, what?

I am sure the answer is out there somewhere , it is just knowing where to look!

[twa77y]

Does any one have any suggestions for a decent book to learn about programming Linux, as I'm not a complete simpleton, and with the relevant advice may be able to write the correct driver for the N150 into the openelec build...

Or has anyone else already done this??

Cheers

[Exigent]

I'm having same issue with n150 , works great in wheezy but no luck in raspbmc.

Regarding books, Amazon has several Kindle titles available for RaspPi

[posticoglou]

The post by stevhorn5 worked for me, although I have a different type of adapter (Edimax EW-7811Un) and i'm running build 12801.

[Exigent]

Ok, how do I find the SSID of my wireless dongle?

[twa77y]

Just been looking at the openelec page, and I am wondering if any of the other builds will work on the Rasp? Or is there only the one that is specific for it that will work?

Would trying the generic stable version with more drivers in work on it? or would it cause any damage??

[piatoakside]

I have Openelec/Raspberry Pi wifi working, but I gave up on DHCP. It's essential to get the(Static) IP settings and WLAN settings absolutely right on the 'Network" tabbed page, as follows

Static IP Address - e.g. 192.168.0.21

Netmask Prefix Length - e.g. 24 (that's the same as a 255.255.255.0 net mask setting - the number of leading '1's in the net mask

Network Gateway - e.g. 192.168.0.1 - your router IP

DNS server 1 - e.g. 192.168.0.1 again

WLAN SSID - e.g. NETGEAR - your router SSID

WLAN Security - e.g. WPA/WPA2

WLAN passphrase ********

That's all fine with my ancient D-Link dongle . Hope this helps someone.

[Canoeman]

open elec is far from being usable with wifi.
Ive tried for weeks and, since open elec has given up the ability to work in the command line, it pretty much is worthless, unless you have it plugged into a hard wire and want to play music from a hard drive.
its more of a toy then a real media server.
stick with other linux distros, where you can actually change things.
openelec is a waste of time.

[RobHenry]

open elec is far from being usable with wifi.
Ive tried for weeks and, since open elec has given up the ability to work in the command line, it pretty much is worthless, unless you have it plugged into a hard wire and want to play music from a hard drive.
its more of a toy then a real media server.
stick with other linux distros, where you can actually change things.
openelec is a waste of time.

I must comment that I disagree with you entirely.

Wifi works perfectly well for me and many other people on openelec, although some do seem to have difficulty setting it up. If you are really stuck then you can connect temporarily by ethernet and download an add-on that will detect your ssid and step you through the configuration. Similarly you can connect to the device via ssh when it is wired into your router.

Go to the openelec forum if you're having problems with the distro - that's where people who can help hang out.

In my opinion it is far more of a real media centre than the other available distros which I find more akin to toys.

That's what I think, you are free to think differently but I do not want other readers of this post to believe that your experience is typical of openelec on the raspberry pi.

Have you taken the time to read and understand this:
http://openelec.tv/forum/12-guides-tips ... orking-101
?

[Canoeman]

I would agree with you, but no where in any of the openelec forums has anyone shown a method of getting wifi working with openelec.
the posts you do see, are posts from users who never got it working.
when someone actually posts a pathway to get wifi working, I will believe it. If you have a method, please post it, it doesn't help anyone to just say down load add ons and it will work.
It has the same effect of saying " wave fairy dust over the pi, and the wifi will work, on openelec.
respectfully

canoeman

[RobHenry]

I would agree with you, but no where in any of the openelec forums has anyone shown a method of getting wifi working with openelec.
the posts you do see, are posts from users who never got it working.
when someone actually posts a pathway to get wifi working, I will believe it. If you have a method, please post it, it doesn't help anyone to just say down load add ons and it will work.
It has the same effect of saying " wave fairy dust over the pi, and the wifi will work, on openelec.
respectfully

canoeman

Did you read and understand the post at the link I gave you above? That should help give you plenty of clues as to why it's not working.

No fairy dust was required for me to get wifi working on openelec/xbmc. It didn't work at first so I connected the Pi to my router by ethernet so that I could use ssh to check the files described in the post linked to above. Once connected, xbmc updated a few add-ons and possibly other things that I didn't notice (it was a while ago so I can't remember the exact detail).

Everything looked correct in /storage/.xbmc/userdata/addon_data/os.openelec.settings/settings.xml so I rebooted with ethernet removed and the wifi dongle attached. When xbmc started it didn't have an IP address but after a few minutes wondering what to do next I noticed that the date and time on the xbmc home screen were correct and realised it had connected successfuly over wifi. I don't know why connecting briefly by ethernet made any difference or if it was just a coincidence. It did take a while to establish the first time - I put this down to my router taking a while to negotiate with a new device for the first time.

If you're still stuck then connect by ethernet, go to the xbmc.org add-on repository and install Network Manager (it's a program add-on). I haven't had to use that myself but it should step you through the set up of your wifi, rather than having to input the details manually.

I hope this helps and please post back whether you are successful or not. I find openelec really smooth and stable, particularly the latest version 3 RC 2, and think it is worth persevering to get your wifi working.

Good luck

Rob

[Canoeman]

Its great that your pi upgraded automatically.
I am really not trying to be rude.
But open elec as it stands, is not even close to being pre beta.
Until the openelec folks include the wifi add ons, the only way it works auto, is with a fixed ethernet cable.
The hundreds of forum entries, stating wifi doesnt work, are real.
It is admirable that you have enough experience to get it working, but that does nothing to help those not as experienced as you.
I followed dozens of threads, on how to get the wifi working, and all it succeeded in doing was to kill the ethernet connection.
The WI-PI dongle sold by element 14, does not work, with openelec.
It was a waste of money.
Openelec, is not ready, nor is it stable, for wifi.
The wi-pi dongle works great with raspian.
My suggestion for new users, is to stay away from open elec, and stick with the command line distros, until someone gets a working version running.
Having to spend weeks getting a dongle working, is not worth the trouble of being a beta tester for a not ready for prime time distro.
My suggestion, for non software engineers, is to stay away from openelec, until its finished, and stable.

[RobHenry]

But open elec as it stands, is not even close to being pre beta.

openelec version 3, including Raspberry Pi support, is at release candidate 2, pre beta was a long time ago.

It is admirable that you have enough experience to get it working, but that does nothing to help those not as experienced as you.
I followed dozens of threads, on how to get the wifi working, and all it succeeded in doing was to kill the ethernet connection.

mea culpa. I will register on the openelec forum and try to help. I got mine working and didn't bother posting about it. Sorry.

The WI-PI dongle sold by element 14, does not work, with openelec.
It was a waste of money.

If it works out of the box with Raspbian then it should work with openelec.
All money is a waste.

Openelec, is not ready, nor is it stable, for wifi.

You have a valid point that many people find it difficult to configure wifi using openelec on R-pi.

How are you getting on with the suggestions that I made earlier?

Please post some diagnostics so that people can try to help you.

Rob

[krystal92586]

This worked perfectly for me, a complete noob. http://mymediaexperience.com/openelec-w ... pberry-pi/

[techienerdo]

Just wanted to confirm that I did manage to get wifi working with OpenElec after just a couple of trips round the block.

I suspect it was just a typo in the WPA passphrase - on my little 14" portable TV the text is quite small. I didn't get DHCP to work but as I had reserved an IP address anyway for my Pi I didn't need it.

Suffice to say, with the current OpenElec build (as of today's date) and using a Kinamax High-Gain wifi adapter (with a ralink chipset) it is now working fine.

I have been using XBMC in Raspbian Wheezy but OpenElec is *far* quicker and responsive and I intend to keep using it providing it remains stable.

Now to install TVCatchup, iPlayer, ITV, C4OD, and Demand5 plug-ins!

[Colly]

If you are really stuck then you can connect temporarily by ethernet and download an add-on that will detect your ssid and step you through the configuration. Similarly you can connect to the device via ssh when it is wired into your router.

Rob,
What add-on (to detect my ssid and step me through the configuration) would you suggest?
I've tried everything at the link for Wireless 101, and my Raspberry Pi still does not seem to be requesting an IP address from my DHCP-enabled router, EXCEPT when connected by wire.
Yes, I can log in with SSH when connected by wire.
The system I will later need to log into is at our library and, while I have all the relevant netmask, gateway, SSID, and DNS settings (there is no security being used at the library), I do not have access to their router and do not have a static IP address and the OpenElec, even when configured correctly with all the wlan0 info, still is not given any IP address by the library's wi-fi router.
Same thing happens at home when reconfigured for wi-fi on my home network.
Could this be what's happening: http://openelec.tv/forum/69-network/606 ... spberry-pi
I would feel MUCH more confident about wi-fi in OpenElec if the settings menu allowed me to choose between "Static IP Address" and "Use DHCP" by actually saying so someplace. As of Feb 17 2013, I see no settings in OpenElec (the add-on) under Network that indicate where I could tell it to use DHCP to acquire an IP address from the router. Obviously it (DHCP) works when wired, but our local library has disabled practically all their wired Ethernet jacks except the ones in use by their own computers.
The add-on to detect the wireless SSID and step me through the configuration would be tremendously helpful. What's its name and where can I get a version of it to run on the Raspberry Pi's Arm V6 processor under OpenElec?

[watson49]

I think he was talking about addons network manager. This searches for your wifi signal.

[jaylongley]

have you tried shutting down eth0 and only using wlan0? i dont use that card in particular, but i have run into wifi not working when my eth0 is still up using an airlink 101. i wrote up a quick guide that may help you if it works the same way.

http://www.instantsupportsite.com/self- ... ation-wpa/

let me know if you have any luck with it so maybe it can help others too...?