I'm new to linux. I have an hp laptop running ubuntu. It has linksys wireless card and it is recognized, but I'm unable to connect to the internet.

What model number of wireless card? Have you done a search for that particular card to see what drivers it needs? What is it doing exactly?

Need more information in your posts. A "Can't connect" is not enough.

I am a relatively newbie too. But making connection with a wifi is even for me really simple:
1) download ndiswrapper. in fact , that prog uses win-drivers to make connection. (http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/)
2)as root: "lspci -v "and search for the exact name of your wifi card. search the .inf driver on internet
3)IMPORTANT: make a new map, and place the .inf file, and the files on your windows driver cd (that comes with the pack)(*..sys, *.cat)
4)"tar -zxvf" ndiswrapper,
5)"cd /map/to/ndiswrapper",
6)"make"
7)"make install"
5)"ndiswrapper -i /path/to/inf file"
6)ndiswrapper -l
if the message is: driver present, hardware present: congratulations!
7 "ndiswrapper -m"

Then to make the connection:
1) "ifconfig wlan0" or "dhcpcd wlan0"
2)"iwlist wlan0 scan"
3)"iwconfig wlan0 essid <essid name>" (the exact name of your wifi accespoint)
4)"iwconfig wlan0 mode <mode type>" (us Mahaged if you have a router, otherwise use AdHoc
5)use WEP key: "iwconfig wlan0 key open <WEP key>" for hexadecimaal place a 0x for the key, for example "iwconfig wlan0 key open "0x11223344556666554433221100"

I hope Ive been helpfull with that. otherwise search www, there is many to find about ndiswrapper.
alf.

CAUTION: Unless you KNOW ndiswrapper works with the chipset, DON'T RECCOMEND IT. Just because it works with yours, does not mean it always works.

I tried ndiswrapper myself. No good. I have to use wlan-ng.

So again, what exact model/chipset are you using?

you are right!
but Ive had both linksys and Belkin wifi, worked fine for me.

But it doesn't work for all. The OP's card may have native linux drivers for it, so ndiswrapper maynot be needed.

That's the main reason for posting complete information, so you can get a CORRECT answer for your issue.

Just watch those blanket statements. You can cause alot of grief with them

The model number on my wireless card is WPC54G ver.1.2. Thanks for the input. The computer I'm working with is my second so it's not a big deal if it crashes.