I can connect to the router with a wired network adaptor card (Linksys 100 thingy), but I can't seem to do so with that card out and the Belkin Wireless G Desktop Network card in.

The card and the router are compatible (both 54 MPBS 2.4ghz).

Frankly, I don't know where to begin. The SuSE YaST installer for the card asks for information that I don't have about the card. I can't make any sort of intelligent choice on which kernel module to use, for instance.

I don't know if it's seeing any drivers for this or not, I don't get an error message, but nothing good happens either.

I really need a cookbook answer on how to connect this thing.

Any takers?

Regards,

Firefly

You need to configure the settings. Which you won't know unless you set them, which are in the router. Read the manual. Read the online tech manual as well. It's not plug and play.

I have to say, that it kind of makes me happy to know that there are all these wiresless networks everywhere just waiting for me. I love it.

The router works fine. As far as it's outbound to the internet goes, and as far as it's wired connection in my network (which means that DHCP is working and it talks to my cable modem just fine - and little else).

The problem is that there *is* no documentation relevant to Linux. Not with the box, not at Belkin. The instructions for windows users is to run the wizard (which, incidentally, didn't work on my Win98 partition - it wouldn't run - I downloaded the driver (the Win98 driver) from Belkin and tried to install that manually, but it's got some sort of internal error and won't register as a driver at all.

I've got two copies of the software (two cards) and I tried both copies, and both cards (I just pulled one out and put the other in).

Also, I'm pretty sure the WAN part of the router is working, because, just for fun, I shut down security and turned on the logs and *other* people are able to access my LAN just fine (hey, it's all new stuff, nothing to lose, if it gets hosed, I'll just wipe and reinstall). I just can't get the Network Adapters to work.

Regards,

Firefly

It has nothing to do with Linux. Did you set a WEP key? Or can I login to your network now and hack into every machine you have? It's not linux. It's wireless and IP. You have to set it up and enter the settings into the linux prompts.

Believe it or not, I got your message the first time. And I responded to it. I had a WEP key set, then unset it, then put it back (it was during the period when it was unset that I saw other folks accessing my system - I live in a fairly large apartment complex with lots of students - WLAN equipped PC's are everywhere). It seemed a reasonable risk to take to test the connection between the router and the network via WLAN because I'm working with fresh machines here and I suspect I'll have to do a reinstall or two before I finish anyway so no-harm-no-foul and I got a free, effortless test of the functionality of the router and it's hardwired connections to both my network and the internet (sometimes knowing what a problem is *not* is helpful). Also, SuSE's hardware configuration for the card warns about *not* setting a key, but it doesn't call it that, exactly.

The problem is not in the router setup. Well, there may be a problem with the router setup, but I'm not that far yet. I can't figure out what to do to get the card in the PC to operate. I've been through SuSE's hardware configuration but there is no selectable kernel module that appears to fit the description of my card and I've tried each that isn't just stupid to try with no happy results (I've not tried the ones for PCMCIA adaptors, for instance, as I'm connected through a PCI slot).

Now, wise one, do you have anything constructive to say besides RTFB (there is no book to read, not with regards to Linux - I can't even find out what chipset this card uses from Belkin's site or anywhere else that I've found through Google or tomshardware (a decent place to go for hardware questions)) or "your network is exposed" (it was, for about 30 minutes, but it isn't any more and hasn't been since before my first post here on the subject). I think I need to start with getting the network adaptor working with the right kernel module or driver before I worry about what it's saying to the router.

I'd welcome any help here, although I'm beginning to think I need to go back and define "help" more clearly.

Regards,

Firefly

x_fire_phly

Just did some digging around and found this package "km_wlan" available through YAST contains many WLAN drivers

Not sure if it will help

Pete

I found that yesterday afternoon and selected and installed it, but it didn't seem to have any effect on the situation. It certainly doesn't add to the list of kernel modules selectable in the configuration screen for the wlan card.

Actually, I grabbed everything that made sense to grap after searching for both "wireless" and "wlan" on the "install new software" screen.

There was one bit about a wrapper for windows drivers, but I haven't the foggiest idea how to use it or execute it. Plus, as far as I could see, the Win98SE drivers don't work anyway (dual boot system, I tried with Win98 as well) - they wouldn't install and the ones I downloaded from the Belkin site also were unusable in some undocumented way (just got a message that said it was unusable, nothing very specific).

I'm at work now. I won't be back home to work on this until after 5:00 eastern time. I'll dig around a bit more then and I'll check back here to see if anyone has anything specific for me to try.

Thanks,

Firefly

x_fire_phly

First thing you need to do is determine which chipset the card uses, if you still have Windows take a look what Device Manager has to say about it

Does the card have any more information other than "Belkin Wireless G Desktop Network card" ?

Pete

See paste below for what technical details I could glean. I went back to TomsHardware and rooted aroudn looking for tech details, but couldn't find any. There's nothing in the box that says and the card itself has a metal plate covering the chips so I can't pull any sort of information off of it and go ahunting on my own.

From the Belkin web-site (this is a pretty raw cut/paste of a pretty complicated page):

F5D7000 802.11g Wireless Desktop Network Card v.1133
Host Interface
32-bit PCI
Radio Specifications
Wireless Standard IEEEE 802.11g (Wi-Fi Certified)
Radio Technology Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS)
Encryption 64 or 128-bit WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), WPA (WiFi Protected Access) with TKIP and AES Data Encryption
Network Standards IEEE 802.3, 802.3U
Media Access Protocol CSMA/CA (Collision Avoidance) with ACK
Frequency Band ISM Band, 2400 - 2483.5 MHz
Antenna Type Diversity Patch Antenna
Output Power 16 dBm - 18 dBm (50 mW) (max)
Modulation Type CCK and OFDM
Power Consumption Transmit Mode: 3.3V, 300 mA
Receive Mode: 3.3V, 230 mA
Standby: 9 mA
Max Operating Range (ft/Meters)
Outdoors 1800 ft (550m)
Indoors 300 ft (90m)
Reciever Sensitivity at 54 Mbps - 65 dBm
at 48 Mbps - 65 dBm
at 36 Mbps - 70 dBm
at 24 Mbps - 74 dBm
at 18 Mbps - 76 dBm
at 12 Mbps - 78 dBm
at 11 Mbps - 82 dBm
at 9 Mbps - 80 dBm
at 6 Mbps - 82 dBm
at 5.5 Mbps - 82 dBm
at 2 Mbps - 87 dBm
at 1 Mbps - 89 dBm
LED Indicator
2 LEDs Act, Link
Client Utility
Site monitor, Link Status, Diagnostics, Automatic Profile locator
Operating System Support
Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, XP
Enviromental Specifications
Temperature Humidity
Operating (0 – 55 oC) Max. 95% (non condensing)
Storage (-25 - 70 oC) Max. 95% (non condensing)
Regulatory
FCC, CE, ICES, C-Tick, JATE, IDA
Warranty
Lifetime
Technical Support
Free, 24 Hours, 7 days per week
Package Contents
802.11g Wireless Desktop Network Card
Quick Install Guide
User Manual
Software CD

Man, I had no idea this would be this complicated. I still need the network, and I can't run wires (not practical - apartment with kids), and there is absolutely no linux help locally on a professional level. I'm really stuck.

Regards,

M. Louis Tinney

x_fire_phly

Only option I can find

http://www.gidforums.com/t-4390.html

Pete

That looks like what I want. I can't wait to get home tonight and try it out.

Thanks,

Firefly