i just set up my mandrake 10.1 system and its working wonderfully but i cant get my internet to work... right now i am set up on my parents wireless network (set up on WinXP Pro) with an internal wireless card (not sure what it is) im not sure how i need to work it to get it to work... or if im just screwed with internet on linux... i bet im not screwd... i just hope someone can help me in less technical language... because im a born yesterday newb


i dont know if this means anything but i have a Broadcom 802.11g Network Adapter and a Intel(R) CPU with a Intel(R) Pro/100 VE netowrk connection and a 1394 Net Adapter...

dont know what any of that means... but can i set up my wireless so i can network with my rents wireless adapter?

Google for ndiswrapper.

Read the docs for the program and the Wiki.

Install development tools and kernel sources from your kernel revision, then grab and compile the latest version of ndiswrapper.
(MDK 10.1 comes with a dated version of it)

Install according to the instructions, then post back with specific questions or the exact errors you encounter trying to build and use ndiswrapper.

30 seconds on Google with "broadcom linux" would have got you that far, BTW.

thanks for the info... btw... i dont know what any of that is... i am a complete noob... also btw... i didnt know to search for broadcom linux ive been googling wireless internet on mandrake 10.1 and not getting anything so maybe could you dumb down the techno speak... i will try to do what i understood of what you said... i will probably have even more questions once im done with that... right now im switching back and forth between my windows os and my mandrake os... so it takes a little while...

yeah like i thought i dont understand any of what im googling... i have no clue what im doing... im not asking for someone to do it for me... but for someone to help me understand what i need to do in order for me to do it... if that makes sence... ugh... im so frazzled... but once i get my internet up and running i can do everything else on my own... i just need my internet working on my mandrake...

You're jumping ahead to quadratic equations before learning addition & subtraction, so expect some frustration.

ndiswrapper is a program that allows for Windows drivers to be used in a Linux environment. To make your Broadcom wireless card work, you'll need ndiswrapper since there is no native Linux version of the driver.

An old version of ndiswrapper is included in Mandrake 10.1. It might work, although a more current version is my suggestion based on my experience and what I've read. More on that in a sec.

ndiswrapper needs to be run, pointing it to the place where a copy of your Windows drivers are located. This means copying from one partition to another, mounting a partition - probably NTFS - support for which may not be in your installation. (I'm assuming a dual-boot install) Alternatively, you can transfer the files via floppy, USB stick or CD, but you'll still need to learn a little about devices and moving files.

Then, the ndiswrapper module (driver) needs to be loaded - there's a way to automate this so that you need not do it after every boot.
modprobe is the command.

Once the module is loaded, your wireless card should function. You'll then have to set up the wireless parameters - ESSID, Mode, encryption, rate, etc. iwconfig is the command, but I'm sure there's a Mandrake GUI as well. KWiFiManager is a GUI in KDE for this.

Finally, you'll need to set the network parameters - ifconfig or the MDK GUI. IP address, DNS, DHCP, gateway, etc. need to be set.

After that, you should be surfing away.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

A Wiki is an instructional web site that not only give you a HOWTO, but allows the community to post their experiences, tips and tricks. The ndiswrapper Wiki is a must-read before trying to install the program.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

To get the latest version of ndiswrapper, you'll need to do something called compiling unless you can find a Mandrake rpm (pre-compiled binary.) Compiling is turning source code - the original program, usually in C language - into binary code that will run on your machine. In order to do that, you need certain tools: a compiler, make tools and the source code for the kernel itself - the underlying foundation of the operating system.

Mandrake does not include kernel source on the CDs, so you'll need to do some searching to get it and it must match the kernel you are running. The command uname -r will tell you your kernel version.

The compiler and other tools needed should be on the CDs. Look for something like "development tools" and install them.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _
Use the command line. From a console window (called system console or Konsole or terminal depending on the desktop environment, or CTRL-ALT-F1...6), you can do an amazing array of things, usually more quickly than with a UI.

A complete set of documentation for Linux is included with your system - the man or manual pages.
man command or info command will launch a part of the manual for that command. Up/Down arrow or Page up/down to read through them. Q to quit out of man. Some of the man pages are pretty cryptic, but they will make more sense in time.
man iwconfig will tell you all about wireless commands.

The commands which and whereis will help you find things.
which iwconfig will show you the path to iwconfig - /sbin/iwconfig for example
whereis iwconfig will show you all of the places where iwconfig occurs.

If you're not sure what command to use, try apropos.
apropos wireless lists all of the commands that relate to wireless.
This is a fuzzy kind of search, so it doesn't always give you the exact answer you hoped for.

Tab complete, highlight copy/middle-click paste ... there's so much more.

You're still confused, but on a higher plane.
Hang in there, get a Linux book and read a lot.
Try some things, break some things, try not to reboot to fix things, almost never reinstall, and have fun.

thank you soooooo much... you have been seriously the most helpful person on this site so far... thank you so so so so so much... right now after spending all night last night trying to get it to work... and then having classes all day today i barely understood what you were saying... but i bet that after a full night of sleep when i come back to this in the morning i will be able to complete what needs to be done... thank you so much... i now know that this will not be a one two three deal... (well it will but im more complex terms like 1... 1.2.... 1.3.... ect.... 3 deal) well its been a long time since ive used C or C++ so i should probably brush up on that first... then i will look into everything else you just suggested... i guess it will take a little while longer than i planed to phase windows out... (the ultimate plan is to bring my computer to a fully operational single OS with linux) i already knew that it was going to take a while... but thats alright... im in this for the long haul... and hopefully when my computer wiz cusin comes down for passover he can help me with anything that ive f*$#d up... (hopefully not too much stuff) and get me back on track... again thank you so much... sorry for the rant im just so happy and tired... ok sleep now... screw up my computer later!

Your quite welcome. I'm still pretty new to this myself, and only got this far with the help of the Linux community.

One last tidbit. When you mentioned phasing out Windows, it reminded me of this link: http://linuxshop.ru/linuxbegin/win-l...en/table.shtml It's a bit dated, but still valuable in finding the Linux equivalent of functions or programs in Windows.

wow i am so in over my head with this... it looks like i will be just setting up linix for over a year as a hobby type thing before i can even think about using it at all... yippie skippy..... meh... oh well better get started doing things i really dont understand at all...

well i just re-read all of what you said... and not only am i sooooo confused... i really have no clue what was said... you make it sound like something that isnt a big deal by the way you say it... but not only is it a huge deal... i cant even figure out what you said much less do what you said... also after i use the ndiswrapper thing is that going to ruin my card so that i cant use it on windows... there are still a few things that i need to use on windows... and i dont want my wireless card to be unfunctional... ugh... should i just be ready to not be able to use the internet on linux... and just give up with that... if so then i have to give up on my quest for using and learning linux.. ugh...

I'm not here to try to sell you on or against using Linux. That's your call. I can tell you that even though it's been a huge investment for me personally, it's been amply rewarding.

A quick testimonial:

My job has nothing to do with Linux, or system administration or anything else that would give me exposure to on-the-job learning or experience. Until roughly three years ago, about my only exposure to *nix was seeing a Motif window on a workstation. I new a little about the capabilities of UNIX and understood technology - especially storage hardware - well enough to sell it.

Fed up with blue screens, corruption and a parade of new operating systems from Redmond that seemed to be more lipstick on a pig than genuine attempts at stability and security, and with a specific project in mind - a family web page - I set off in search of a better way.

I now have five systems running Linux as the primary O/S and only one of seven without at least dual boot (I'll convert my wife's system one day). My 10 & 12 year-olds run Linux almost exclusively - email, IM, Internet, TV, audio, burning, office suite (They prefer OpenOffice to Office and Linux to Windows. Their system is dual-boot, so they can use whatever they like.). The web server is password-protected for family only. It also provides 802.1x authentication to three wireless laptops along with audio files, ftp, smb and ssh to the rest of the systems. I still have some way to go on shared printing, but ...

I've spent a good deal of time playing with wireless on Linux as a hobby and developed enough of a reputation in "the community" or at least a small part of it, to be asked to speak on the topic at a recent Linux gathering.

My point to all of this? I am not a smart guy, nor do I have any formal *nix training. I was exactly where you are (worse, truth be told) a short time ago. By reading, asking questions, breaking things beyond any hope of recovery and fixing them, I've been able to build a solid home network and acquire a little knowledge and skill along the way.

I am still a complete neophyte. I have more to learn than I can comprehend and some major projects to do (Linux PVR, for one). But because of the free and widely available information and because of the unbelievable generosity of folks on LQ, DSLReports, Freenode and LUG mailing lists, I've been able to get some things done that are important to me, fix more things on my own and actually help some others on occasion (which is the best part).

So (finally), give it a shot. Get a book or two and read until something clicks. Get on IRC - irc.freenode.net, #ATU, #linux, #mandrake. Listen a lot, then ask things. You may still find that Linux is not for you ... it's not for everyone. Heck, automobiles aren't for everyone although some insist on driving them in spite of evidence that they are not qualified to do so. You may find, though, in time and with patience, that you'll get a lot out of using Linux including a sense of accomplishment.

</sermon>

i really really want to move to linux... but if i cant get my wireless card to be recognized by linux without ruining it first for everything else i need... then it wont do me any good... i have to have a dual boot computer... for work... and personal reasons... and would absolutly LOVE to have a linux os up and running on my computer... only problem is i dont want to have to break my computer beyond any recognition and have to fix it... i want to be able to figure out how to make it work for me... with both windows and linux... and if it cant be done with what i have without breaking it or spending money for fix it... or reconfigure my hardware... than its really not worth me switching and learning linux... at least not on this computer... and if that is the case then im going to have to spend money to buy a new laptop for me to specifically boot up as a linux machine... and well again if thats the case... then its just not going to happen for me... i really want it to happen for me... i want to move as far away from windows as i can profesionally and personally... there are still some applications that dont have linux counterparts and have to be run in windows... so that means i will never fully make the complete move... but i will make as much of a move as i can... ugh i really feel in over my head... and to think i wanted all this mess.... im not asking for easy... im just asking for do-able... is that possible... do-able for a newb??? or am i asking too much... btw... ive got books... but they cant help me untill ive got my internet set up... once that happens ill be fine...

It's doable.
I'm running a Broadcom B/G wireless with ndiswrapper.
No, it won't break your card.

You need to download and install either a current MDK rpm of ndiswrapper or the latest source and compile it according to the instructions referenced above. That means also installing development tools and kernel source. You don't need to understand much more than how to use Google for that part.

Alternatively, you can get a very compatible card like an ORiNOCO classic. I just bought two @ $30 each from CDW. I'm sure you can find them cheaper on eBay.

Good luck.

i dont know if im doing something wrong in something as simple as googling... but i cant find a ndiswrapper that will download... i go to the sites to download whatever ndiswrapper they have... and i get it downloaded and then when i go to unzip it it tells me there was an error... what am i doing wrong... am i looking for the wrong thing... am i downloading it wrong... or am i using the wrong program to unzip it? im using winzip btw...

You don't want to use winzip. You need to get the ndiswrapper file (in tar.gz form) onto the Mandrake partition via floppy, USB, CDROM or copying from the Windows partition. Then, extract the tarball with tar zxvf filename. That will create a directory something like ndiswrapper-1.0/ and all of the files are in there. From there, follow the wiki instructions.

As I mentioned way up there ^ ndiswrapper is already installed, albeit an older version. You might want to try it first. It might work.

Also, as mentioned earlier, installing an rpm version will eliminate some of the technical challenges involved in compiling from source. I found this link to a pretty current ndiswrapper rpm for MDK 10.1: http://rpm.pbone.net/index.php3/stat....i586.rpm.html

You'll have to cross the compile from source bridge at some point. Maybe later would be better.

i am proud to say that i am on-line for the first time EVER ::Trumpets blaring:: on mandrakelinux... i figured... well hell i cant seem to get my broadcom card to be recognized... even with the ndiswrapper which i finally got to work... sooooooo i racked my brain while working out this morning... and i thought... well hey... ive got a hypothesis i want to test out... my boyfriend has an external wireless card that i know he is NOT using right now... (he is on dial up right now) and i wonder if that card JUST might be recognized... at least by the ndiswrapper thing... so i got the card... then i popped it in my computer... and windows recognized it and booted the driver and all that jazz.......... soooo i switched over to linux and set it up with my ip adress and everything... and low and behold... it worked... not only did it work... but i am ONLINE!!!! if you cant tell i am soooo freaking happy right now... everything that i have read has been talking about how horribly difficult it is to get wireless to work on a laptop with linux... and blah this and blah that... and well you know... anyways... it just makes me sooo happy that i am able to get this to work.... now i just need to figure out a way to break it to my boyfriend that hes not getting his wireless card back... everything will be right and dandy!


Thanks again everyone soooo much for all the help and the tips and tricks...