Ok, I am a total linux noob. I am a php progammer, so I am computer savvy, but the linux console is something that scares me! I have a Dell Inspiron 2650 (laptop), and I want to convert it to a linux box for gAIM, browsing, and web-development. What is the EASIEST, and by easiest, i mean i really dont want to have to use ndiswrapper, because i have no idea how, wireless card to use. I have a Linksys WPC11 ver. 4, but i have read many nightmare stories about it, and I had a WPC 11 ver. 3, until it mysteriously bricked itseld. Any suggestions on cards?

Most distros will detect your card

If not. . .

thier is an app that comes standard with most distros these days call lspci

as root if you run lspic you can see the make and model of your wireless card along with all your other hardware. after you get the specifics, you can go into your kernel source, choose the module for are wireless card, recompile and add it to the boot loader.

Ndiswrapper is not so difficult to use. It enables you to
use your windows XP drivers for many wireless cards if your
Linux distro has no built in drivers. I use it on all my
computers with DLink wireless cards with no problem.

You won't go wrong with an Orinoco Silver or Gold card - they both have great support right out of the box with every distro I've tried.

netgear IMO works well. router is easy to set up and the card was easy to set up

The Hawking HWC54D wireless g card works perfect with SUSE 10, but requires ndiswrapper with FC4 and Slackware.

I have had success with broadcom 4318 with ndiswrapper, realtek 8180 with native drivers and an a-link wl54h rt2561 with native drivers. They were all easy to install except for broadcom one because I was having some acpi problems.

I say get anything with an Atheros chipset. Seems to have good support via madwifi.

One other thing I (may be you also) have to consider is quality of the connection.

I have DWL-G630 (atheros chip, easy to install - madwifi), HWC54D (Ralink chip, easy to install, Ralink driver), WUSB54G (Prism chip, ndiswrapper - easy to install-- hard to configure,
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=422236
).

Quality of the connection is from good to bad, HWC54D, WUSB54G, DWL-G630.
Speed of connection is from good to bad HWC54D, DWL-G630, WUSB54G.
Easy to handle is DWL-G630, WUSB54G, HWC54D, I mean physical handling.
Flexibility of location is WUSB54G, DWL-G630, HWC54D...

My location is a kind of very noisy place for network, so every once in a while, DWL-G630 cannot establish connection at all.
WUSB54G gives me hard time, when some other USB devices are connected. (frozen kernel).
I need to pay some sort of attention NOT to tear off HWC54D antenna, which is bulky mass next to keyboard.

So, depending on the location.....

I'm using a D-Link DWL-650P1, wlan-ng driver, on Slackware 10.2.
Setup was a breeze, as long as you remember to configure the correct files. But since you freak at the thought of a CLI, Slackware ain't for you.
(Too bad. If you want to LEARN Linux, and not to 'point and click' like Windows, you ought to give it a try. Plus the support in the Slackware forum is THE BEST I've seen anywhere)

Not one bit of trouble with the card, except it's a 802.11b.

Picks up my router even when 100+ feet away through two metal walls (Both live in mobile homes with metal siding.)