Do you even know what brand/model/chipset of wireless NIC you're using? And how do you know you've configured MAC address filtering correctly? A WEP plain english pass phrase is surely less prone to data entry errors than a hex MAC address, so don't understand why you'd disable one and not the other. Anyway, I'd bet a quick google on your specific brand/model/chipset would at least reveal if others have been successful using it with linux or if you're just spinning your wheels.

Intel pro wireless 2100 -- hence the ipw2100 driver...

Because it works in Windowsbecause the ipw2100 doesn't support wep yetYou're right, it does. Which is why I'm puzzled as to why mine isn't working.

I hate to give Windows-like advice in a Linux forum, but I found a reinstall/repair was the only way I could get SuSE to strore my WEP key and automatically connect when in range (just like my Windows config.) Since then haven't had a problem. The YaST module for configuring NICs is buggy and locks up my PC (but during install works fine, hence suggestion.) Anyway, I'm even less of a WiFi guru than JW, so have to use GUI config tools instead of CLI.

yea this is just super-frustrating

Hi again.

Just a thought - is your access point maybe on 'g only' mode? I see from the output of iwconfig that the card is in 'b mode'.

Dave

Thanks for the suggestion, but both router and card are b only.

This is why linux is not the top operating system.

That's helpful.

Maybe you should try a different distro - my personal preference is Fedora - different distros use different kernel versions, so you might have more luck with one than another.
Maybe you should download and install the latest drivers from the Sourceforge ipw2100 page and try again.
Or maybe you should shell out a few [£|$] for a wireless card which is known to work with the in-kernel drivers. Cisco cards are a good bet, and can be had for not much hard-earned, as are RT2500 based cards (with the GPLed drivers from sourceforge).

Incidentally, before post #17, you hadn't mentioned which wireless card you are using, and since you say you know other people are able to use this card, I'd suggest that this is not the reason that Linux isn't the top operating system, but rather the peculiarities of your setup are why you are not able to use 'the top operating system'. The two are not to be mixed up.

Dave

I have an IPW2100. It does not work. It works with windows. This is linux's problem.

Do you have the firmware installed?

I wouldn't say that it's Linux's problem at all. Rather, it's the hardware manufacturer's problem with not recognizing any other operating systems.

Something you need to understand is that Microsoft doesn't write all the drivers for your hardware, the hardware manufacturers do. Windows often has generic drivers which will allow the hardware work to an extent until you can get the proper drivers. Linux also does this with many things, such a video cards... You can generally use the VESA driver for a decent resolution and such until you can download the appropriate drivers(if available)...

A lot of the drivers that are available to the Linux community were developed by the Linux community because of the hardware vendors refusal to create drivers. Some of them were developed through trial and error at guessing the specs of the hardware because the manufacturer was unwilling to release the technical specs of the hardware to the cummunity to write adequate drivers for it.

I hate when people blame Linux for hardware manufacturers slacking off and not supporting it. If you have issues, I suggest you write a letter to the manufacturer about how upset you are that you are locked into a certain OS because of a lack of support on their part. I go through the same thing, a lot.

I manage the network at my wifes business. It's not really big, 10 workstations, 2 servers, and a Linux firewall box. It's an outpatient substance abuse counceling facility, and they always had solution built on FileMaker Pro. FileMaker did release a Linux version with 5.5.. but it will only run on old versions, like RedHat 7.3... FileMaker is up to 8 now.. and still refuse to privide Linux versions. This is the only software hindering us from converting the entire office to Linux workstations and servers...

It is likely possible to get your hardware working with some tweaking, but don't expect everyone to know the answer to making your obscure piece of hardware work. Everyone here volunteers their time to help the community. Obviously some other people have gottent his hardware to work. If you find the HOWTO's posted not very helpful, and you end up getting it to work, please write a new, better one. Explain where you had troubles and what you did to fix them. Maybe someone else will be able to use it and not have to deal with all the trouble you are.

I wish you good luck, and wish I could be of more help.

Right on, halo14!

Your thoughts are a great lead-in for my halfway-tongue-in-cheek theory of hardware & Linux:

• If it's any good, some Linux geek somewhere will want to use it & will write the driver.
• Ergo: If it's more that 6 months old & has no Linux driver it's a PoS!

The issue here is not the availability of a driver.

I think I'll say it again.

Do you have the firmware installed?