LinuxQuestions.org - I'm a noob, please help with linksys wireless card driver install

Hello all,

If you want to feel smart you should post a response here, because I will think your a linux GOD. Please make sure to break it down for me. Thanks.

First and foremost, I and a noob in every sense of the word when it comes to linux. I have done some research but come up empty handed.

I have been reading forums for about 3 weeks and finally I have decided to post one. So here are my questions:

I have a wireless network in my house and windows runs fine on it but I would like to try to run Mandrake 10.1 on it. I know very little about linux but quite a lot about windows. Our network is secured by a network key, I found how to set up connections in linux and I follow the steps the through the wireless setup but I can’t seem to find any drivers that are for linksys in the big list of drivers.

I have a linksys wireless card WAP54G and I have downloaded and burned the Firmware Version 2.08, I’m guessing that is the correct one, from http://www.linksys.com/support/gpl.asp. But of course I am not sure if you run it like in windows where you do the setup and let it install.

Also, should I connect the computer directly to the router via hard line and get the updates? Would that make much of a difference?

My friend uses mandrake, and when I looked at his mandrake his had a check box in the connection set up for “Install windows drives,” is that new? Would I get that from updating my computer?

The next major issue I would like to tackle would be running windows in Linux. I have seen it done but I have no clue how to do it. If someone could give me a nudge in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for any and all help.