I am by no means a Linux expert (never compiled a kernel), but I have been doing Linux server administration for years, so I understand the basics (command line, as well as GUI). I have exhausted all research possibilities on this issue during many hours on google, yahoo, msn, etc., so I hope that someone can help. Feel free to email me if you can.

I have an Orinoco Gold card pc24e-11-fc/r (imrwlpce2411r), with the original firmware. I originally attempted tests with this card on RH 7.2 and 9.0, using many different drivers, with no luck. I thought that RH may be the problem, and decided to try Auditor. I seem to have a different problem in Auditor, so I wonder if my problem is the card / firmware / etc. This leads me to where I am now.

I am running the most current version of Auditor. I cannot see normal data packets in Kismet or Ethereal. I see mostly management frames (in the thousands), and an occasional strange data frame, but I also notice many discarded packets that I cannot view. As I mentioned, I have tried monitor mode on both RH 7.2 and 9.0 with patched orinoco_cs drivers, but I have NEVER been able to get this card to sniff properly in any mode, with or without orinoco_hopper enabled.

Here is a bit of information that you may need:
cardctl ident = product info: "Lucent Technologies", "WaveLAN/IEEE". "Version 01.01"...
cardctl config = Vcc 5.0V...
iwconfig = IEEE 802.11-DS ESSID:"tony" Nickname:"HERMES I"
iwpriv = monitor (8BE8) : set 2 int & get 0
ifconfig = Link encap: Ethernet HW addr 00:02:2D:A9:E8:B8
lsmod = orinoco_cs, hermes, pcmcia, yenta_socket

(I have tried most variations of SSID "wildcards".)

Can someone give me some guidance, or point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance.

If anyone can help, I'm still looking for an answer.