The title isn't perfect, but I couldn't think of any way to put it.

I'm using a USB Netgear WPN111 Wireless Adaptor.
On a previous computer running Ubuntu Jaunty and WinXP, it could be left plugged in while the computer was powered down, and it would auto-connect by itself when a user logged into either OS.

However, on the new computer now using it, on Ubuntu Karmic, it has to be removed prior to shutting down, and plugged back in after logging off.

If it's left in, as several people here keep doing, after login, it has to be unplugged, removed from NDisWrapper (I haven't found a native solution for it yet) and then re-added again, then plugged back in, then it works normally - if NDisGTK doesn't lock up when I try to access it.

The network manager - if it matters - is the normal NetworkManager, with accompanying Gnome panel applet.

Thanks in advance.

Can one presume that you have upgraded to karmic? Can one also assume that you are using a 32bit version? I couldn't find any 64bit atheros drivers for my wpn111, so it has become a paper weight. There seem to numerous issues with karmic and wireless cards - I am not sure whether this is a 2.6.31 kernel issue or a wpa_supplicant issue, but karmic isn't ready for my consumption yet even with my Broadcom 4306 (rev3) minipci card built in to my Ferarri 3400 laptop.

Yes, Karmic 32bit. I keep the Windows version of the drivers always, in case I need it for NDisWrapper.

I did try to find native drivers for it, but all I could find just referred me back to putting the Wireless Driver back into NDisWrapper.

I agree though, Karmic clearly isn't ready. I'll admit that their dedication to release without delay is a good thing, but sometimes a well-explained delay can do more, IMO.

Next question - Are you using XP or Vista drivers? My research determined that the XP drivers worked best but then there is no XP 64bit so I have tried without success to extract the 64bit Vista drivers.

Windows XP, yes. It's the only copy of Windows I have to hand, so any hardware I got before I started using Linux has always been XP compatible.

Have you tried as root/sudo/gsudo/whatever:

modprobe -r ndiswrapper
modprobe ndiswrapper

with and/or without removing the wpn111? Or am I missing that you are already using these commands?

Are you using any encryption?

Have you looked at /var/log/daemon.log? Any hints there when your prob appears or rather diappears?

I haven't tried them, but they may run as root anyway - I haven't changed anything since installing NDisWrapper, so if by default it uses that, then it's using that.

We're not using encryption, but the USB device doesn't start, so it doesn't matter. Once it's been unplugged, removed from NDisWrapper, added again, then plugged in, it's perfectly normal again.

I haven't looked at the daemon - will do when I get back to the PC with the problem, but I suspect there won't be much in there.

Sorry, I am obviously mis-reading your 'removed from ndiswrapper' phrase. The commands I suggested remove a user (that's you) loaded kernel module and then replaces it again. That's what I assumed you were doing when you said 'removed from ndiswrapper'.

If I remember correctly karmic's kernel doesn't have the built-in ndiswrapper.ko, so it must have been added later???

I don't know for sure. I haven't changed it at all, except for any updates.
What I meant I usually do was:
1 - unplug from the USB port.
2 - remove the driver from NDisWrapper's list
3 - add the .inf back into the list
4 - plug it back in again.

Hope this clears that up.