If someone could direct me to a simplified post regarding how to get Slackware 14.2 to play nice with a Netgear WG311v3 wireless card I would appreciate it.

On another system I had a Broadcom card that was not playing well but that was solved by a slackbuilds script.

THIS CURRENT SYSTEM is the one that is causing difficulties. I originally tried to use USB adapters a RealTek RTL8188CUS and a Broadcom 4320 (the Slackbuild script ignored that particular model). I could not find any info I could understand on how to get those devices to work so I purchased a Netgear card thinking that perhaps Slackware had the drivers already built in.

I have read that there is someway to do this using NDS something wrapper and the driver on the installation CD.

Could I get a written for idiots guide on this?

Is the NDS whatever wrapper already part of Slackware or do I need to download it? If so where? Then how do I get it to utilize the windows drivers.

I am sorry for my ignorance. Some had said that there are easier Linux distributions out there but some others have said "Once you know Slackware you know Linux" I want to know Linux.

Thanks.

I don't use slack. But every wireless adapter requires firmware. Without the firmware the adapter won't work at all. So, if you can figure out which package has the firmware, you're good to go. Sorry I can't help more.

Thank you for the reply. I am sure once I figure it out it will have been a simple fix.

Moved: This thread is more suitable in Slackware and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

Hi johnmeehan,

A bit of cursory research leads me to believe you'll have a whole lot of trouble getting the NetGear WG311v3 to work with linux.

Although it is a *very* old piece of hardware, paradoxically, the problem lies in the fact that the last (v3) hardware revision went with a Marvell chipset, replacing the Realtek and Atheros chipsets of previous versions. Unfortunately, the Marvell chipset in question (the 88W8335) has no working linux driver.

NDISWrapper is a method of using Windows drivers (the NDIS driver) under linux. Anecdotal evidence found in my cursory search seems to point at a very unstable result using this method, that doesn't even support WPA encryption.

Unless you can find some better news elsewhere or unless someone else here has had a more positive experience with this adapter, I would cut your losses and buy another one (not expensive). Buy something more recent that uses a chipset that is well supported by linux (easily researched on line).

Sorry for the disappointing news.

found this, its old, but they were successful:
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...g311v3-400257/

Since this version and newer NetGear releases they have become quite friendly towards Linux, and even offer opensource versions of wifi etc... Hope that link helps, you may/may not have to modify it for Slack.

Rickkkk's right, unfortunately. The Wikidevi site pretty much confirms what he's told you.

https://wikidevi.com/wiki/Netgear_WG311v3

I've always found that where Linux and hardware are concerned, it pays off, in spades, to do some research and determine which pieces of hardware work well with Linux, and are known and reported to do so. Far easier than buying something shiny that catches the eye (or using something laying around simply because it's there, and available).....and then trying to make it work.

You're very often going to end up tearing your hair out with frustration if you go that route.

Personally, I'd recommend the Netgear WNA-3100M USB mini-adapter. I've used one of these for a few years now, and it just works with every distro I've ever tried it in.....because its chipset (the well proven Realtek RTL8192CU) has been supported by the kernel for ages. It has good range, and works well even with a merely average signal.....and is 'N'-rated for 150 MBps.

https://www.netgear.com/home/product.../WNA3100M.aspx

It's a wee bit more expensive than many wireless USB adapters out there, but you've got the peace of mind of knowing that it'll just 'work'. Don't be tempted by the multitudes of cheap Chinese 'knock-offs' there are floating around the web; sometimes you get lucky, but more often than not you'll be saddled with a weird chipset that has no Linux support whatsoever. And there's plenty of those about.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to the chipset in use. Which is why it pays to do your research.


Mike.

Thank you for all the information. Guess I just wasted my money.

Finally got it to work. The whole ndiswrapper thing.

Cannot get it to recognized on boot (created another thread for that).

I did the ndiswrapper -m thing but each time I power down and then back up I have to do modprobe ndiswrapper to get the card working.

Is there some file I need to edit?

Okay thanks to the poster referenced in this link:

https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...2/#post5871255

It is finally completely up and running.

Quick outline:

Install ndiswrapper (not as hard as I thought) readme files are there for a reason (duh)
Find the windows driver for the card (the .inf and .sys files)
Switch to dir driver files are in then run
ndiswrapper -i driver.inf (use the name of the actual inf file)
ndiswrapper -l to ensure that the driver and hardware are both present
modprobe ndiswrapper
iwconfig (if it lists wlan0 with a bunch of details then it worked)
ndiswrapper -m (to load on boot)

Then and this is what solved my problem of not loading on boot (not sure why ndiswrapper -m did not work for me)

Add the line:

/sbin/modprobe ndiswrapper

To:

/etc/rc.d/rc.modules.local

On restart every the little problem child of a wireless card should be up and running. It was for me.

Thank you to all those who responded.

May I be so honored as to introduce you to Eric aka AlienBob https://alien.slackbook.org/blog/
The force/Slack is strong with him and you would be wise to make notes when he speaks/writes.

Thank you.

Hey johnmeehan - glad to hear you got the ndiswrapper solution working for you. Hope it works out well.

Cudos for your perseverance !