Linux distros will not connect to my wireless router :(
 

Hey there.

There's only one thing preventing me from completely making the switch from Lose-dows to Linux: inability to connect my laptop wirelessly.

I'm currently using an old IBM Thinkpad with an Intel Pentium III, 1.13 GHz with 384 megs of RAM. The wireless is through a Belkin USB dongle (model: F5D8053, v3) and a Netgear Duo Wireless-N Router (model: WNDR3300). Let's say, for sake of argument, I'm using Linux Mint Julia. It clearly must recognize the USB dongle, because it can detect all the other networks in the area, including the Netgear. But it won't connect to it, or any of the secured ones.

So what's the deal? It'll connect when connected directly, so it's not the computer. Or is it? All I know is I'll have to wait til I get an LFC interface (LFC=Long F**king Cable) before I want to connect Linux to the net.

Please post the output of lsusb when the dongle is attached, so that we can see the chipset of that wireless adapter.

Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0781:5150 SanDisk Corp. SDCZ2 Cruzer Mini Flash Drive (thin)
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 1058:1010 Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 050d:815c Belkin Components F5D8053 N Wireless USB Adapter v3000 [Ralink RT2870]
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 050d:0234 Belkin Components F5U234 USB 2.0 4-Port Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Was that what you needed?

Better learn to use google. Seems the default driver for that RT2870 had (still has apparently) issues with WPA2. Seems you'll need to get the latest driver from the vendor, and compile it yourself.
here is a fix for Ubuntu that should work o.k. Note you'll need to do step 20 - probably after step 3 would make sense. If you have a cable active, ignore the CD setup steps.

Edit: after-thought - see if the chip has support under "Additional Drivers". Ubuntu tend to ship proprietary stuff there. Might save you having to mess with it at all.

In regards towards using Google, I didn't even know what its chipset was called, or even what one was. No worries, though :). I'll be looking into updating the driver first for it and I'll be reading the stuff on that Ubuntu link you put up there.