Ubuntu And Wireless
 

I read that 8.10 has better wireless support, but I don't get why they can't have out of the box support for Broadcom chipsets. I mean, come on, there one of the most common chipsets out there, Sabayon has managed to support them seamlessly, why can't Ubuntu? Ubuntu is an even bigger distro, yet Sabayon has accomplished nearly as much - other than popularity. Being a newb, I might (or probably) have some information wrong, so please correct me if I am, but does it not seem ridiculus? I know Broadcom is proprietary and all that, but Sabayon has managed it, why can't Ubuntu? And one more thing, does anyone know where I can find a decent tutorial on how to get the wireless working on an Inspiron 1300 with a BCM4318 for Ubuntu 8.04/8.10?

The issue of getting on line out of the box.if you only got wifi.
It has to do with the gpl I believe. The firmware is license. A wifi card is two things a net card and a radio. the firmware runs the on board chip for the radio. The firmware at this point can be used it is a pre-compiled binary it is a small part of the fmwcutter that is still under license and cant be distributed. as gnu free software. And if you think the word free has to do with money then you really need to read the GNU license.
This is not a broadcom problem or a linux problem it is a program that is not FREE and your not allowed to reversed engineer it. Ubuntu has mad it so simple to work out of the box enable hardware it down loads it for you and even does the fmcuter for you. that was easier then putting a disk in. My neighbor did a lot of the firmware for linksys broadcom and firmware is very time consuming this was down here at the U 0f I IL. same place the birth of Internet Explorer.
http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
hope this helps.
Ubuntu FC Slackware Debian are all GNU ethics. Sabyon has already cut the firmware for you. Why not others ETHICS.
At this point the kernel(Linux)supports more hardware than any other system in the world. It s up to you to make it FREE

IF you have the XP drivers you MAY be abell to use ndiswrapper to load them!

!- see if you have ndiswrapper..........if not install from ubuntu reposatorey

2-find the disk that came with the card

3- get back to me when you complet step 1 and 2

Well, my case is a wierd one, I only have a wireless connection, I can get the files from another pc and put them on a usb key. But that's it, that's my only way of doing it. I've looked for some clear, straight forward tutorials, but no luck, they all have links to other tutorials, and I couldn't follow. So if you guys could help, knowing this, it'd be greatly appreciated.

(I thinks it's important to add that my chipset is a 4318)

this will get you going http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43
tell your friend to down load the ones and put them on your computer have your installer install them.

I have to wait to try it, but I will, and I'll get back to you on it. Thanks a lot.