[gPXE] Wi-FI connectivity from CDROM

[Doug Glenn]

Greetings Joshua,

Thank you for the prompt reply.  I was afraid of that :(  Output from the lspci)

0e:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless WiFi Link 5100

iwlagn is the module to load for it, my apologies as I had not looked
beyond the google information beyond flashing the BIOS and finding it
worked, I assumed the post I read was correct.... and thus relearned
all about assume....

Do you know if anyone has done anything like this where I could find a
set of procedures on how to create the CD and then boot from LTSP? The
other option would be to boot from the OpenSuse L-i-f-e dvd so the
same set of applications are available and enable wireless
connectivity.

Thank you again for your input and if you can point me in the right
direction on where to start.  Also, if you have an ETA on when WiFi
might become more mainstream in gpxe, I will make a point of coming
back and trying again.  I would really like to get these laptops
running as a thin client when it is possible so people can access
their home dir and apps from the server which has more power than the
laptops do.  I had read the Linux Journal article on wireless booting
from LTSP previously and had purchased a N type router in order to
improve on the initial boot time frames.

If I can get this up and running that way, I will get it written up
and posted either on the OpenSuse EDU wiki, or send it to you as an
addendum to the current wiki article on wireless.

Regards,
Doug Glenn
FORUM Information Systems, LLC
http://foruminfosystems.com


> Can you boot the laptops into a Knoppix livecd? If so, running "lspci
> -nn" on them and giving us all lines about network or Ethernet
> controllers might help identify exactly what type of wireless chipset
> you have. (lw is not the module for Broadcom chipsets I'm familiar
> with, so I'm not sure)
>
> Since gPXE is unlikely to get Broadcom support soon unless it's
> sponsored - it's a large project and we all have other jobs - you may
> have better luck creating custom ISOLINUX boot CDs that have a kernel
> + initrd already on them. The initrd can have all the Linux wireless
> support, and bring up the wireless interface before mounting your root
> filesystem over NFS. TFTP wouldn't be used at all in this case.
>
> Hope this helps!
>
> -- Josh
>