# ifconfig: interface wlan0 does not exist on ThinkPad X1 Carbon



## balanga (Nov 23, 2022)

I've just installed FreeBSD 13.1-RELEASE on a ThinkPad X1 Carbon and am trying to get Wi-Fi working and am missing something...

Following









						Chapter 33. Advanced Networking
					

Advanced networking in FreeBSD:  basics of gateways and routes, CARP, how to configure multiple VLANs on FreeBSD, etc




					docs.freebsd.org
				




I have

`pciconf -lv | grep -B 3 network` 

-> iwn0

`sysctl net.wlan.devices`

->net.wlan.devices: iwn0

/etc/rc.conf contains:-

```
wlans_iwn0="wlan0"
ifconfig_wlan0="WPA SYNCDHCP"
```

Do I need to add something to /boot/loader.conf to support this device (Centrino Advanced-N 6205 [Taylor Peak])?

`dmesg` contains:


```
iwn0: <Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205> mem 0xf0c00000-0xf0c01fff irq 17 at device 0.0 on pci2
```
which suggests the device is recognised at bootup.


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## CuatroTorres (Nov 23, 2022)

Did you install via ethernet, what happens if you run the following?
`ifconfig wlan0 create wlandev iwn0`


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## balanga (Nov 23, 2022)

CuatroTorres said:


> Did you install via ethernet, what happens if you run the following?
> `ifconfig wlan0 create wlandev iwn0`




```
ifconfig: wlandev: bad value
```


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## SirDice (Nov 23, 2022)

balanga said:


> Do I need to add something to /boot/loader.conf to support this device (Centrino Advanced-N 6205 [Taylor Peak])?


Did you load the correct firmware? See iwn(4).


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## balanga (Nov 23, 2022)

After running  `ifconfig wlan0 up scan` I get:


```
wlan0: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500
    ether 84:3a:4b:d0:83:34
    groups: wlan
    ssid "" channel 1 (2412 MHz 11b) bssid 84:3a:4b:d0:83:34
    regdomain FCC country US authmode OPEN privacy OFF txpower 30
    scanvalid 60 wme
    parent interface: iwn0
    media: IEEE 802.11 Wireless Ethernet autoselect mode 11b <monitor>
    status: running
    nd6 options=29<PERFORMNUD,IFDISABLED,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>
```

so I guess I must have enabled it somehow... No additions to /boot/loader.conf and no reboot.


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## balanga (Nov 23, 2022)

SirDice said:


> Did you load the correct firmware? See iwn(4).



I haven't loaded anything so far. Do I really need to?


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## SirDice (Nov 23, 2022)

```
You also need to select a firmware for your device.
```
The firmware isn't included in the GENERIC kernel, only the driver itself. Have a look at `kldstat`, perhaps it's auto-loaded.


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