I have been having problems with the wireless connection on Xubuntu 11.10 which is installed on my Toshiba Portege 4000 (an 11 year old laptop!).

I think the existing (motherboard installed) wireless card is only WEP compatible. Today I went to a computer shop and tested three PCMCIA Wireless cards and 1 Wireless USB adapter. In all cases where we managed to get a connection we entered the correct password for the relevant wifi signal and then Xubuntu would try to connect and then the password prompt would come up again.

I'm really not too sure what the problem is as this was the same result with both my existing wireless card and all the devices I tested in the shop.

Any ideas on how to proceed now?

When you have time go to the manufacturer's website that made your USB adapter and obtain the driver and install it. Than re-start your computer.

If that doesn't work than your wirless card's life may be over. But I don't know how to diagnose if the card is in-operative.

For a fee the computer shop should be able to install a new wireless card for you.Or you could purchase it your self and install it but be very careful not to touch the internal components because the electro static charge.

You can also run 'Memtest' to test your computers hardware.
http://www.memtest86.com/download.html

Here are a few members that had adapters as well
http://ubuntuforums.org/search.php?searchid=88053945

Not sure what adapter you have because you didn't indicate but these websites might help.
If you have a Linksys Adapter here's the site:
http://www.official-drivers.com/inst...FU6d4AodzA0ABA

If you have a Belkin Adapter here's their website:
http://www.belkin.com/us/support

Hope that helps

I think the drivers were automatically recognised by Xubuntu on my test yesterday (or at least they were apparent in the wireless detection at the top right of the screen).

How do I install Windows drivers in Xubuntu if this is necessary?

The laptop is USB1 so I don't know if a PCMCIA wireless adapter is a preferable solution to USB.

you install windows drivers on xubuntu through ndiswrapper, but maybe it would be easier for you if you update your xubuntu/ install linux mint.

4 ways to get wi-fi working on linux

Yes maybe it is worth looking at Mint or an upgrade, but this really should work on 11.10.

I have installed ndiswrapper but the actual driver was rejected even though it still picks up connections without the proper driver.

Does anyone know a good make of wireless USBs or wireless PCMCIAs that have a good results with Linux?

I've had a Linksys USB that worked great with Ubuntu for 2 years.
It has also worked well with Debian for the past 6 months.

Google Linksys usb adapter there's a whole page of adapters.
I would of posted the link for you but for some reason Google wouldn't let me copy the link.

Or you could purchase a Belkin adapter-
http://www.belkin.com/us/search/?text=usb%20adapter

Thanks. I will look into these brands.

By the way do you know why the existing wireless card as well as what I used in testing picks up the wireless signal, but once the password is entered (and I'm pretty sure it's the correct one) it is rejected? I am getting this signal from a portable hotspot from an Android phone with WPA2 PSK encryption.

I don't think it's a drivers issue as Xubuntu would not have picked up the wireless card at all?

No, not sure why it's getting rejected when you put in the password.
That's a little odd. That is if the "Android phone with WPA2 PSK encryption" is not yours!
It might be possible that someone could be doing this deliberately but you should investigate and not take my word for it.

Based on these articles I suspect because someone made their Android into a WiFi hotspot and it may somehow be effecting yours-

http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/...e-psk-aes.html
http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/5894/...wi-fi-hotspot/
Wifi Android Wpa2 Psk Fix
http://www.webtopicture.com/wifi/wif...2-psk-fix.html

For the Linksys and the Belkin...your welcome

Thanks for this advice. I will look into these issues as potentially being part of the problems I am having.

I had been thinking of linking my mobile phone to my pc by using a USB connection through USB Tethering, but apparently that wrecks the battery life i.e. there is no way of stopping it constantly charging.

Your welcome