Yet another "Can't Connect to Internet"

Hardware Support
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Yesterday I installed Zorin-OS-16-64-bit-rl.iso beside Windows 10 on my Lenovo Thinkpad X140e.

I tested the OS from the USB and was able to connect to the internet. I did need to use/install a proprietary driver. This was done without issue once I found the "box" to click. So Zorin connected to the internet and I was able to browse with firefox. I guess the needed drivers are in the iso or there is another way to connect.

During installation the program DID download files- so it was connected at that time. Now when I click to install these drivers, I get, "cannot download packages while offline (257)." What I'm trying to install is "Broadcom Inc. and Subsidiaries BCM 43142 802 11b(or maybe 6?)/g/n." Also "Using Using Broadcom 802.11 Linux STA wireless driver source from bcmwl-kernel-source.

I realize this is my own fault. If I had read these forums, I would NEVER have downloaded, much less installed Zorin. This issue, apparently has been going on for some time and Zorin programmers either don't know how or won't take the time to fix it. Do they not understand that the free version is advertising? If the free one won't work why would anyone buy the pay version?

Again my problem is my own stupidity. But I'm still asking for help. I've read many of the suggestions- really, it is silly to buy new hardware that may or may not fix a problem with an OS that still may or may not be usable. Is there a relatively easy way to download the driver using a different OS and add it?

Barring that, is there an easy way to get rid of Zorin? I see that folks with the PAY version are having the same trouble so it doesn't seem any work is being done to fix the OS. And it has been a continuing problem!

Right now getting rid of Zorin might be my best option. I'd like to keep Windows 10 but... As far as I can see , overwriting everything with a different (usable) OS might be the best solution. Any suggestions?

For those thinking of trying Zorin:

  1. When running/ testing from a USB stick the wifi adapter drivers will load and work but once you repartition and install Zorin it is "broken".
  2. Zorin makes Windows 10 look like a speed demon.

3 The ability to open/run Windows programs is a fanatasy. You can see them but can't even click on them mush less open them.

4.Those with the $$$ version seem to have the same problems.
5. You have to use Rufus- seems clunky but... maybe that should have warned me.
6. That you CAN connect to the internet while running from a USB makes it look like a "bait and switch" deal.
7. Did I mention it is S...L...O...W...
8. You don't seem to be able to completely turn off updates to only do them at YOUR convenience. ZORIN IS NOT FOR METERED CONNECTIONS!! You can stop some updates but not all.
9. I'm a retired self employed businessman (I started with DOS), and this OS might be OK for playing around but is is NOT for business use. Windows is awful and getting worse but better than this- or use a different Linux distribution.

I realize that folks here help from the goodness of their hearts and I do appreciate your efforts. It doesn't look like the Zorin employees have any interest in fixing the download/distribution or even warning people they're wasting their time on a broken OS.

Thanks for any help you can provide,
Bob

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So you want help or you switch to something else ? This is unclear to me.

Also it would help if you post your system specs to get any help. Just saying...

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Live USB sometimes behaves not exactly the same as actual installation.

This is what I call catch 22 situation (or the bucket has a hole).
Internet connection is required to install driver for the network card to work.
There are 2 solutions:

  1. Temporally cable connect the machine to the router to download a driver.
  2. Temporally use USB WiFi which works OOB in Linux to download a driver.

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1 Like
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If you think the Zorin OS is broken, I suggest you to test out another popular distribution which is more suitable for your personal needs. You could check for example: https://distrowatch.com/

I have MXLinux and Linux Mint installed on my other machines (2 of the popular distros on the list).

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So many inccorect claims.
Zorin is not broken , it works normal for almost every user.

If wifi/network working for you in Live mode, there is no reasons why it doesn't work after partitioning and fully install.

And for me, after I tried Linux ( doesn't matter which distro) I will never switch back to Windows. Windows is so slow, so many issues, updating take ages.

If you don't like Zorin , don't use it, but don't blame devs.
If you have issues, please provide us with more informations. About laptop/pc, wifi driver /type etc.

Thanks

1 Like
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  1. I already answered that
  2. :slight_smile:
  3. Maybe it is just driver dependant. For example , pure Debian can not recognize my wifi, and I need manually install drivers
  4. You can use Rufus, Etcher, Ventoy, pure DD etc
  5. :slight_smile:
  6. Every people who claims Windows is better, faster than Linux , I will just be quiet about that xD
  7. You can do whatever you want with updates, turn them off or not. And update what you want. On Windows you can not xD

cheers

2 Likes
7

It sounds like during the installation, the files for your Broadcom driver were interrupted or corrupted. If you are able to connect through another means, such as hot spot on phone, you can just run:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall bcmwl-kernel-source

If you are not able to connect to the net on that machine in any way, you must use one that can to download this self-installer:
http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/restricted/b/bcmwl/bcmwl-kernel-source_6.30.223.271+bdcom-0ubuntu5_amd64.deb

Move it using a USB stick to the affected machine. then double click it to run the installer.

3 Likes
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Look at all those helpful suggestions!

I agree, if your computer has an ethernet port, connecting wired would allow you to connect to the internet so that you can download the needed drivers.

If you can't get Zorin to work for you, you could always try POP OS. You've already received excellent suggestions, there is not much I could add to it, other then an OS change if Zorin dont go well.

I am sorry you are having issues, but I do take my own issue with your statement of, everybody on Zorin having issues. This is not correct.

Did you know that there are millions of Zorin OS users? And there is maybe a few hundred who have had WIFI issues, which we helped them solve, and the ones we couldn't, were in the end solved anyways, once we recommended a WIFI USB dongle.

  StarTreker

yoda
Your Tech Support Guru

1 Like
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I thank those who tried to help.

Aravisian- Thank you very much. That was the type of solution I was hoping for. Sadly it didn't work for me. I moved the file to a USB stick (and then pasted it in several places within Zorin when it didn't install). I got to install "pending" and it hung up. I spent an hour or so playing with the command line but it won't look for drivers any place except online. But I really thank do you. You tried.

I never wrote that linux was slow. I wrote that Zorin was slow. With dual boot Windows 10 and Zorin- Windows 10 is MUCH faster. That is my result on the same machine with Zorin using a much larger partition. The only thing Zorin is faster at is shutting down.

You CANNOT turn off all updates in Zorin-OS-16-64-bit-rl.iso. Like windows, you can turn off most. Please read the writing in the update preferences box. "Snap package updates are checked routinely and installed automatically." Just like Windows- some updates are out of your control.

i don't know how common this is but some distributions "advertise" the ability to turn off all updates. Zorin is not one of them. And as far as that goes , the included Firefox version also does not allow you to turn off updates. It will always check and download but claims to give you the option to install or not. The Firefox version I use with Win10, checks but doesn't download. There used to be a way to "get inside" Firefox to change the way things worked. That likely has gone away too.

If a new person wants to check out different distributions, "Yumi" seems to be the most straightforward way to make multiple iso's bootable on 1 stick. Zorin won't work with Yumi.

I downloaded Zorin (company has been around for about 10 years) because I was hoping a business would make things actually work. Looking at the included programs, it does look like they tried. It just didn't pan out. When I bought my first computer, (I don't count Radio Shack stuff) you could walk into stores a see galleys of software for purchase- all Microsoft compatible. Since Linux will never have that, the idea that anyone would market an OS that won't easily hook to the internet is incomprehensible.

I played with another version of Linux 20-25 years ago called Red Hat(?). It worked but required a lot of effort to do anything useful and available software was clunky. The ability to do useful work has always been Microsoft's strong suit. But they dove into the crapper after XP. If anyone reading is large enough to have a full time IT person, I understand (but I don't know for a fact- the independent IT guy I used to hire fell victim to covid) that Red Hat has evolved to really useful business OS.

I'm going to put another distribution on my lenovo. I hope I can overwrite Zorin. If not I'll figure it out.

I'm sorry, but I doubt millions are using Zorin. Like me, they may have downloaded it but they likely moved on to something else. Some might call the inability to use wifi a "catch 22" but "broken" is more accurate. The number of people who posted on this forum with these issues indicates a real problem. That Zorin hasn't addressed it, speaks volumes.

Again I sincerely want to thank any who tried to help.
Bob

10

Agreed. This is why I do not use Snap or flatpak.

However, with firefox or anything else on Zorin, you can choose to not automatically update. I do this. It works.
You will get an update notification. You can look at what is being updated and choose which packages to update and hold any others if you wish.

I prefer Ventoy for multiple bootable .iso's on one drive.

The vast majority of users have no trouble hooking up to the internet. Zorin does not make the drivers for Internet. Some devices are more closed source and so, those devices lack drivers in Open Source Linux because those devices refuse to share their Drivers on Open Source. That is on them for refusing compatibility for their customers, not on Linux.

You can.

The number of users posting are certainly no flood... We see a wireless issue perhaps once per week, compared to the number of users in the several thousand per week, over a million total.
If you look in the Zorin OS Packages, you will note one called Zorin Census. This does not record any personal data. It pings the Zorin Server regularly, ensuring a reasonably accurate count of knowing how many users are actively using Zorin OS.
This feature can be disabled by the user at will. For this reason, I say it is reasonably accurate as it will under Report.

You are welcome. Wifi and internet troubles are among the most frustrating on Linux. You often need net access in order to install... But lack net access. It's a real hair puller.

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Do you mean this: Configuration Editor for Firefox | Firefox Help

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SOURCE:

Finally, we congratulate Zorin OS official for nearly 3 million downloads since two years ago and it's our time to celebrate.

Provided support we have, for attitude we got in return. For much learning you still have, it is wise to accept that.

  StarTreker

yoda
Who's Displeased
With You So

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