Installing with wireless connection

[dedanna1029]

Hi, a quick question. I'm currently attempting to install Fedora 16 as a dual-boot with windows (windows 7 is already installed) onto my netbook, with a wireless connection provided for us at our library. The connection's good in general, but there's a toughie here. In order to activate the wireless, we have to login to a web page (http://ppld.org/wireless) to activate the wireless. I guess the hot spot's not so "hot" as they claim.

How am I going to do that from a Linux installer? lol. Am I going to have to wait until I can get to a landline to do this, or is there another way? If I have to wait for a landline, it's going to be a good while.

I'm partitioned already, and ready to go, then got stuck with this.

Thanks.

Edit: It appears I have to play with this bug, going to give it a go.

[Kernellinux]

Does your computer have the ability to install via a DVD?

[stoat]

Originally Posted by Kernellinux

Does your computer have the ability to install via a DVD?

Probably not, since it's a netbook.

Originally Posted by dedanna1029

Am I going to have to wait until I can get to a landline to do this, or is there another way?

Consider downloading the DVD iso file using another computer (say, the one you're using to post here). Transfer the iso file to a compatible partition (see the installation guide) on the netbook's hard drive by any means available (say, a pendrive). Then install Fedora from the iso file using the Hard Drive alternative installation method (see the installation guide). You'll need some way to launch the installation from Windows. NeoGrub included with EasyBCD should be perfect for doing that. EasyBCD is a free and popular Windows app that simplifies editing the boot menu of Windows' BOOTMGR boot loader (see the tutorials and docs at the EasyBCD site). The NeoGrub component of EasyBCD works just like GNU GRUB, and its menu.lst file could be configured to load and execute vmlinuz (the kernel) and initrd.img (the initial ramdisk) from the netbook's Windows boot menu and start Anaconda (the Fedora installer). Those two files can be extracted from the iso itself, but it's simpler to download them (from the same place as the iso file). Put them in that same partition with the iso file. I recommend that all three files (the iso, vmlinuz, and intird.img) be together in the root directory of the partition (not in a subfolder).

Another idea, if the netbook can boot from USB, is to create a live Fedora system on a USB stick. If that boots in the netbook, then the system could be installed from there to the hard drive. It's a lighter system that the DVD installs, but it could be built up by installing more stuff from repos via the wireless connection. I've never created a live USB system. Other people will have to expand on that idea (or see the Fedora docs on it).

[nonamedotc]

I think the easiest thing to do is to create a bootable USB (if you can) and install the system. If you use fedora live cd, you can visit that website to activate wireless. However, as far as i know, it does not matter whether you have internet or not when using live cd.

Honestly, the default install (either by CD or DVD) is very much usable (at least, according to me) and customization can be a post-installation task. Good luck.

[dedanna1029]

Originally Posted by Kernellinux

Does your computer have the ability to install via a DVD?

No. There's no cd or dvd drive.

---------- Post added at 03:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:14 PM ----------

Originally Posted by stoat

Probably not, since it's a netbook.

Consider downloading the DVD iso file using another computer (say, the one you're using to post here). Transfer the iso file to a compatible partition (see the installation guide) on the netbook's hard drive by any means available (say, a pendrive). Then install Fedora from the iso file using the Hard Drive alternative installation method (see the installation guide). You'll need some way to launch the installation from Windows. NeoGrub included with EasyBCD should be perfect for doing that. EasyBCD is a free and popular Windows app that simplifies editing the boot menu of Windows' BOOTMGR boot loader (see the tutorials and docs at the EasyBCD site). The NeoGrub component of EasyBCD works just like GNU GRUB, and its menu.lst file could be configured to load and execute vmlinuz (the kernel) and initrd.img (the initial ramdisk) from the netbook's Windows boot menu and start Anaconda (the Fedora installer). Those two files can be extracted from the iso itself, but it's simpler to download them (from the same place as the iso file). Put them in that same partition with the iso file. I recommend that all three files (the iso, vmlinuz, and intird.img) be together in the root directory of the partition (not in a subfolder).

Another idea, if the netbook can boot from USB, is to create a live Fedora system on a USB stick. If that boots in the netbook, then the system could be installed from there to the hard drive. It's a lighter system that the DVD installs, but it could be built up by installing more stuff from repos via the wireless connection. I've never created a live USB system. Other people will have to expand on that idea (or see the Fedora docs on it).

So far, this is the most sensible I've seen.

@nonamedotc, that's part of the problem. The installer does indeed require an internet connection. It wouldn't let me go any further without it.

[Kernellinux]

I don't know if this helps you or not but I can loan//mail you a USB dvd drive and a Install disc.