Connect Linux Mint 17.2 Rafael to wifi...
 

Hello everyone,

Newbie here with question and request (what's new about that though): I am trying to get my Linux Mint 17.2 Rafael to connect to my wifi for Internet connection. The original software and/or hardware that came installed in my Dell computer has long ago quit functioning and I have replaced it with the NetGear WNA1100 adapter which works great on the Windows XP system on this laptop but I do not know how to get Linux Mint to either find it automatically or for me to manually enter it and the pass phrase or code for it to connect to my Brighthouse cable router with WPS, would someone help me with this, thank you.

Hi...

Welcome to the forum :)

We'll need to know a bit more information about your adapter first. If you would, please open terminal and post the output (not a screenshot, please) from this command...

If your adapter is USB, use this command...

Also, what is model and model number of your Dell?

Thanks! :)

Thanks for the response! I went to Linux Mint terminal and typed in all of the above first code 'except' for the vertical line between the -nnk and the grep I don't find any verticle line to use on my keyboard
Laptop Is a Dell Inspiron B130 (about 8 years old) made around 2006/2007. Any suggestions?

Or you you can just copy and paste the code into your terminal. ;)

Regards...

This symbol is commonly referred to as a "pipe" and is usually invoked by pressing SHIFT-BACKSLASH, though your keyboard may vary. On the key, it may appear as a vertical line broken in two parts.

You may also run the command lspci by itself, without the arguments; it will output information about pci devices, one of which should be your wireless chipset. That's the information we're looking for. Post the portion of the dealing with wireless here, being sure to surround it with "Code" tags which become available when you click the "Go Advanced" button at the bottom of the "compose post" window.

Since the computer is a Dell, there's good chance the wireless chipset is Broadcom. Broadcom will work with Linux, but it commonly takes an extra step or two.

Normally yes but the OP mentioned he/she replaced it after the adapter failed. I wanted to confirm the brand and model number of the chip the in the NETGEAR WNA1100. ;)

Regards...

Thanks, ardvark71. (I really need to work on my reading comprehension . . . . or maybe just on my reading.)

No problem, I've done that many a time myself. :D

Regards...

ardvark71 I went to the terminal and entered the commands and got results but can't find any item titled 'output' to report to you but this may be it: Subsystem: Dell Wireless 1370 WLAN Mini-PCI Card [1028:0005] Kernal Driver in use: b43-pci-bridge
Network Controller controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [Airforce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller [14e4:4318] (rev 02). Does this help and contain data you need, thanks.

What does it say for "Network controller:" when you run the command

Possibly. But first I need to find out more about the NETGEAR WNA1100 adapter and if you're actually trying to use two different adapters at the same time. You mentioned the original adapter failing. Is that actually the case? Can you provide more details on that? Also, is the NETGEAR adapter USB? If so, please provide the results for...

Thanks! :)

ardvark71, it says... Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02). I'm not using a USB for NetGear it seems as though years ago I had to use it with some router or was having issues with built in network controller, so I must presume based upon the above readout I'm actually not using NetGear after all but rather the original built in wifi connector? I ran the lsusb and no NetGear shows anywhere there, just Scandisk Corp (using it for Linux on thumb drive) Microsoft Corp. optical mouse and the rest Linux Foundation items. Please advise, thanks and by the way "Happy Thanksgiving" to you and yours (if you celebrate the event).

TxLonghorn, I ran the lspci and the results are posted in the above response to ardvark71 for your review and advice, thank you much!

Hi...

It would appear you're using the Broadcom adapter, so we'll go with that. ;)

Please see the post by Chili555 here.

Enter the commands in a terminal one at a time and wait for each to finish. Then reboot your system and see what happens.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours as well! :)

Regards...