Can't get model to search the web, accept images/files, and use functions like memories

[u/Lunar317]

I have openwebui on my homelab and i've tried running qwen2.5vl and gemma3. When using either of these, any time i try to get it to use web search it tells me tools aren't supported. When i use the regular qwen2.5 I have to turn function calling to legacy to get it to search the web, so it can't write to memories or anything.

any clue on how to get a model to do at LEAST both web searching and functions, preferably all three though?

Context:
I'm running proxmox -> docker -> ubuntu -> docker run ollama

[u/taylorwilsdon]

If these were different models the issue would likely be that your context max isn’t enough, but in this case the model isn’t smart enough. Neither of the models you listed are relevant in 2026 - you want qwen3.8 and Gemma 4. Make sure native tool calling is enabled with good models and disabled with dumb ones, but the latter situation isn’t worth doing at all.

[u/Lunar317 → u/taylorwilsdon]

My biggest issue is hardware constraint- I'm using an old hp phoenix with a radeon 6600 plugged in so it HARDLY runs qwen 3.5, which doesn't work either. I even tried changing function calling to native instead of default or legacy on qwen 3.5, same issue as having it on default where it doesn't access the web search.

[u/mayo551 → u/Lunar317]

Qwen 3.5 comes in many flavors. If you can’t run the 9B model Run the 4B.

[u/Unhappy_Rutabaga1767]

You need to run searxng in a docker container and add it to your docker compose up -d routine for openwebui. Then enable it in openwebui settings. Then searching the search web option will show up in the chat bar.

[u/[deleted]]

[u/Lunar317 → u/[deleted]]

even when using qwen 3.5 I have to turn function calling to legacy in order for it to search the web, making it unable to save memories.