Running ZL16.2 from live USB, I'm having the same issue ("No network devices available") with a new laptop (Lenovo Ideapad 1 / 15iGL7) that I'm hoping to wipe Windows and have just Zorin Lite.
Running that command (sudo lshw -C network), I get:
Doesn't apt need an internet connection to update or install?
Trying sudo apt update gives lots of "temporary failure resolving..." and then "Failed to fetch..." messages, ending with "Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead."
Ethernet: There's no ethernet socket on the laptop, and there are only ethernet sockets on the modem. I do not have any kind of USB-Ethernet adapter.
Phone hotspot: I'm not very experienced with those. I seem to remember the computer usually connects to the phone hotspot by Wifi (which this laptop can't currently use). I'll see if the laptop can connect through USB to use the phone's internet.
Other: Would it be possible to download what I need on one computer and then use a USB drive to transfer to the networkless laptop?
N: Updating from such a repository can't be done securely, and is therefore disabled by default.
N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details.
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2.Offline .deb
Re the driver .deb, downloaded, put on USB, plugged into new laptop, double-clicked the .deb, chose "Run anyway", Software app opened, clicked "Install" and then... "Pending installation". And it gets stuck there. Waited 15 minutes while pending. Cancelled and tried again a couple more times and it always gets stuck on "Pending installation...".
rtl8821ce-dkms
DKMS source the Realtek 8821C PCIe WiFi Driver Pending installation...
This package provides the DKMS source code for the rtl8821ce kernel module. Kernel source or headers are required to compile these modules.
Cancelled and closed Software. Right-clicked on the .deb and chose "Open with..." , but both "Install Linux Application" and "Software Install" just open Software again.
zorin@zorin:/media/zorin/KINGSTON$ sudo dpkg -i rtl.deb
Selecting previously unselected package rtl8821ce-dkms.
(Reading database ... 264043 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack rtl.deb ...
Unpacking rtl8821ce-dkms (5.5.2.1-0ubuntu3) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of rtl8821ce-dkms:
rtl8821ce-dkms depends on dkms (>= 2.1.0.0); however:
Package dkms is not installed.
dpkg: error processing package rtl8821ce-dkms (--install):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
rtl8821ce-dkms
zorin@zorin:/media/zorin/KINGSTON$
So it seems Zorin (Lite) doesn't have dkms, presumably Dynamic Kernel Module Support.
Is it possible to get an offline installer for dkms and then try the deb for the driver? Maybe from here, one of the ones for Ubuntu 20.04? I'm not sure which.
Double-click, stuck on "Pending installation..." again
Then tried dpkg, here's the output:
zorin@zorin:/media/zorin/KINGSTON$ sudo dpkg -i dkms.deb
Selecting previously unselected package dkms.
(Reading database ... 264702 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack dkms.deb ...
Unpacking dkms (2.8.1-5ubuntu1) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of dkms:
dkms depends on gcc | c-compiler; however:
Package gcc is not installed.
Package c-compiler is not installed.
dkms depends on dpkg-dev; however:
Package dpkg-dev is not installed.
dkms depends on make | build-essential; however:
Package make is not installed.
Package build-essential is not installed.
dpkg: error processing package dkms (--install):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for man-db (2.9.1-1) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
dkms
zorin@zorin:/media/zorin/KINGSTON$
So the driver needs one thing (dkms), but then dkms needs 5(?) more things. Is it realistic to expect those five packages to fix the problem or will each new package require yet more packages?
Re USB tethering, the only options on my phone seem to be "on" or "off", I can find no other settings.
Quickly booting other live OSes on the same USB (Ventoy).
Puppy (Fossapup): no network device detected.
Hiren's Boot CD PE: no network device detected.
Gparted Live: no supported network cards found.
Crazy idea: This laptop has Windows 11 with working internet connection. Would it be possible to install Virtualbox (or other similar prog) in Windows, put Zorin Lite in a VM and then connect to the internet and install everything needed in ZL (dkms, driver and all dependencies) for the Wifi to work? And then save it to live USB and use it to install ZL with working wifi directly on the hardware?
EDIT: Or add these things to my installation of ZL on another computer with working internet and then turn that into a live USB (maybe using penguins-eggs or something) that I can then try on the new Lenovo?
EVEN EDIT-IER: Doh! Or maybe unplug live USB from non-connected Lenovo, boot on other device to install driver, dkms etc, save it on USB and then plug it back into the Lenovo?
Thanks but apt or Zorin has some problem with the USB tethered connection ("clearsigned file isn't valid") so it refuses to install anything coming over it.
I think the way to go might be using the live USB on another computer with working internet, install the driver & dependencies, and save it to the live USB with persistence. (I think that's possible, just maybe not with Ventoy.) Then go back to the Lenovo and try again.
But not right now: brain hurting, stomach growling, back aching (twisting between two computers, I do not have the ideal set-up for two laptops at the same time.) So probably tomorrow.
Well the consensus seems to be to get tethering working. But Zorin won't install anything coming over USB tether from my phone.
I tried making a proxy.conf as per this post in the Debian forums but Zorin won't let me save it: "You do not have the permissons necessary to save the file."
Are there other ways to tether? E.g. laptop-to-laptop (both running Zorin Lite)?
I managed to find out how to write and save the proxy.conf (sudo gedit) but now when I try sudo apt update, I get:
E: Syntax error /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/proxy.conf:2: Extra junk at end of file
So using Thunar as root, I delete that file and try again without it... and this time it works! Why, I don't know but apt update works and apt install [driver] is working.
The driver and all dependencies installed!
But now what? Zorin still doesn't see the wireless card. Exploring the Network app, the only thing I spot that might be relevant is Edit Connections > Create a New Connection, but when I choose WiFi, instead of showing available Wifi networks or at least the presence of the wireless card, it just asks me for things I don't know like "SSID", "Cloned MAC address" etc. Same thing if I go through "Advanced Network Configuration".
Searching through the menu and settings, I can't find any way to update the OS's view of the hardware / wireless card, or refresh wifi networks etc.
EDIT: And when I untethered, it went back to "No network devices available".
There was a typo that was "junk at end of file". You replacing that file contents fixed that.
Which driver did you install? Did you modprobe it?
Example: sudo modprobe r8821
DKMS: install completed.
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.31-0ubuntu9.9) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.9.1-1) ...
root@zorin:~#
Also, when I try to close that terminal, even the next day, it says:
Warning
There is still a process running. Closing the window will kill it.
And when I modprobe... FATAL!
root@zorin:~# modprobe r8821
modprobe: FATAL: Module r8821 not found in directory /lib/modules/5.15.0-56-generic
root@zorin:~# modprobe r8821ce-dkms
modprobe: FATAL: Module r8821ce-dkms not found in directory /lib/modules/5.15.0-56-generic
root@zorin:~#
Zorin still doesn't see the wireless card. Exploring the Network app, the only thing I spot that might be relevant is Edit Connections > Create a New Connection, but when I choose WiFi, instead of showing available Wifi networks or at least the presence of the wireless card, it just asks me for things I don't know like "SSID", "Cloned MAC address" etc. Same thing if I go through "Advanced Network Configuration".