I just installed a fresh copy of Suse 9.2 on my toshiba laptop and I'm trying to follow the directions at: http://jmccoy.sdf-us.org/slackware/t...5.php#wireless so I can configure my built-in wireless card.

Unfortunately, I'm having a problem with make. I did the CVS command and I downloaded the source code to may laptop but when I type 'make' I get the following error:

coldmiser@toshiba:~/madwifi> make
Makefile.inc:120: *** KERNELCONF: /usr/src/linux/.config does not exist.. Stop.
coldmiser@toshiba:~/madwifi>

I looked in /usr/src/linux and there is no .config file I tried to create an empty one, but that just didn't work.

What can I do to correct this? Does someone know what is needed in the .config file so I can use make? Possibly I'm missing a file, but I've done the Suse installation 3 times now and I've included EVERY file with the distro the last 2 times (minus the ones for multiple processors and such of course).

If someone can assist me I would appreciate it. Having this network cable running across the floor in the house is annoying and the dog is going to start chewing on it soon.

You need to create a .config file. So far you are right.
However this file depends on your kernel configuration and an empty file
will therefore not work.

So how to generate a valid config file:

Become root by su and change into /usr/src/linux
su
cd /usr/src/linux

Remove the .config file if there is one (e.g. the empty one you have created)
rm -f .config

Now generate a valid .config file by:
make cloneconfig
make prepare-all

That's it!

A small remark: I suggest you'll be very carfull with kernel recompilation since
this can be the fastets way to mess up your system if you are not 100%
sure you know what you are doing.

Anyway: Good Luck!

Thanks for the advice Vlad.

Yes, you are right, I'm definitely not 100% sure what I'm doing, but since I have NOTHING on this system at the moment and wiping the hard drive and re-installing doesn't bother me. I am willing to try anything

Am I actually re-compiling the kernel to add this wireless card to it? Is that the normal way to add support for this sort of thing or is there an easier way to do this? I had Redhat 9 working with a PCMCIA wireless card before but I never had to recompile the kernel to do it.

Hello Coldmiser,

I don't know if you've done follwing:
If you run YAST->Online Update, then here will be an option
to download additional wireless drivers. You can download and
install them. Reboot.

Then you can try to configure (if not already automatically done)
your wireless card with YAST->Network Devices->Network Card
You can add and configure the card there,

Yes Vlad,

I installed every package that came with the distro and then I did the Online Update, but I didn't see a package to support my wireless card. The only thing I found so far was the link (above) that I followed from http://www.linux-on-laptops.com/toshiba.html

So far, this is the best/only solution I have found to solve my problem.

Hello Coldmiser,

it looks that there isn't much choice left :-)
If you have additional questions
regarding the compile process feel free to post them here.
BTW: Good Luck!

Just a small (and hopefully encouraging) comment: usually you do not re-compile a full kernel, you compile just the module for your wireless device. The danger to mess-up your system is rather small if you follow the instructions.

Be sure to have the correct kernel sources installed. From what I have read in this thread, I suppose they are not installed at all (because they usually come with a dummy .config). If you install the sources after you ran a YOU update on your kernel, you need to run YOU again to have the sources updated also. If you are not sure, check and compare the output of For the rest, simply follow the instructions Vlad-A gave you.