slackware and wireless pcmcia card?
 

Hi guys, just installed slack on my laptop and trying to access internet. During boot up it beeps showing that something is there in the slot, but not sure if it recognizes that it's a wireless card. How due I configure this laptop to get on the internet. I tried ifconfig and netconfig. I'm anewb and don't really know awhole bunch. I had redhat installed first and it got online using the wireless pcmcia card no prob.

Which card are you using?
Which driver?
Use iwconfig ethx to configure the card.

i have linksys wpc11 ver.3...Not sure what driver. Do i have to add that package to slackware?

lsmod will tell you what drivers have been loaded. I use the orinoco_cs driver for Prism cards (Linksys v3 is a Prism 3 chipset). It's already in your Slack install.
modprobe orinoco_cs
iwconfig eth0
iwconfig --help will list the setting options.

when I type: modprobe orinoco_cs

it displays: can't locate module orinco_cs

when I type: iwconfig eth0

it displays: eth0 no wireless extensions

What do you get with:
cardctl ident ?

it displays:

socket 0: no product info available

socket 1: no product info available

ooops didn't card in, wait amin

it didsplays this:

bash-2.05b# cardctl ident
Socket 0:
product info: "The Linksys Group, Inc.", "Instant Wireless Network PC Card", "ISL37300P", "RevA"
manfid: 0x0274, 0x1613
function: 6 (network)
Socket 1:
no product info available
bash-2.05b#

Hmm. It identifies the card and you get two beeps on boot?
Not sure why it didn't find the orinoco driver.
What does lsmod show?
Grab the latest orinoco driver and install it. Then, modprobe orinoco_cs, and use iwconfig to set up the wireless parameters. Finally, put the params into your boot script.

bash-2.05b# lsmod
Module Size Used by Not tainted
keybdev 1952 0 (unused)
mousedev 4212 1
hid 18596 0 (unused)
usbmouse 2008 0 (unused)
input 3200 0 [keybdev mousedev hid usbmouse]
i810_rng 2624 0 (unused)
i810-tco 3088 0 (unused)
uhci 24560 0 (unused)
usbcore 58144 1 [hid usbmouse uhci]
ohci1394 16264 0 (unused)
ieee1394 30828 0 [ohci1394]
ymfpci 41000 1
ac97_codec 9512 0 [ymfpci]
soundcore 3332 2 [ymfpci]
ds 6568 2
yenta_socket 9632 2
pcmcia_core 38112 0 [ds yenta_socket]
ide-scsi 8048 0
eepro100 19316 1
mii 2240 0 [eepro100]
bash-2.05b#

Hey man, reading through the read.me file, it stated that the driver is supplied in the latest version of Linux kernel example 2.4.*, not sure what kernel I have at the moment? Would it be easier to update my kernel to the latest? I'm a newb and have no experience with this driver stuff...

I had another question, if you have the time? just installed slack tonight and put lilo in the MBR and now XP isn't booting, all lilo see's is linux. Any way to windows back and utilize dual boot, or will I have to start over with a fresh install of each OS and boot linux with a floppy? That's how I initially did it the first time I tried dual booting...

I never thought to ask about your kernel or the Slack version. When you said that it was a new install, I assumed ... My bad.

cat /proc/version will give you your kernel version. I'd just load the driver, though. You might want to check to see what version of PCMCIA services you're running as well. 3.2.5 is the latest.

bash-2.05b# cat /proc/version
Linux version 2.4.20 (root@midas) (gcc version 3.2.2) #2 Mon Mar 17 22:02:15 PST 2003
bash-2.05b#

Try this Slackware doc link for some instructions on setting up LILO correctly for a dual boot.

Were you able to find PCMCIA Services? Do you have an /etc/pcmcia directory?

not able to get it to go wireless, i'm sure ii'm close, it uses the correct driver during boot, the link status light on the card just blinks. don't think the driver is correct and don't no which to use and how to install? lilo won't work with ntfs partitions, so I had to repair my windows master boot record and install a third party booting prog. I used boot magic, and it works great. highly recomend. I would like to have wireless ono my laptop, jsut to be able to sit in my lazy chair and tinker... How do I install the updated driver, I have a hard time just installing rpm's- thanx