I have an 802.11b Dell PCMCIA card in an EMachine PC. I want to change the machine to Linux but don't want to spend endless hours fiddling with drivers. Is there one variant of Linux (Ubutu? Gentoo? Fedora?) that will have the highest probability of being able to recognize and use the installed wireless card? Thanks.
2006-12-02 16:13:13 · 3 answers · asked by HomeSweetSiliconValley 4 in Computers & Internet ➔ Other - Computers
Just use ndiswrapper if the version of Linux you does not support your wireless card,
"NdisWrapper
Some vendors do not release specifications of the hardware or provide a Linux driver for their wireless network cards. This project implements Windows kernel API and NDIS (Network Driver Interface Specification) API within Linux kernel. A Windows driver for wireless network card is then linked to this implementation so that the driver runs natively, as though it is in Windows, without binary emulation."
I have had success with this program to install the wireless drivers on my laptop. You will need the .inf and .sys files. I'm not exactly sure what card you have so just look at this list and see if you're card is on it.
http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/mediawiki/index.php/List#D
2006-12-02 17:04:39 · answer #1 · answered by ApplePie 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't have a wireless card myself, but I do know someone who successfully installed Ubuntu on a laptop with a wireless ethernet card. You might to to the Ubuntu home page and check the forums to be sure of your particular make and model, but you should be okay.
2006-12-03 00:21:25 · answer #2 · answered by Rose D 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ubuntu is a good distro, but i never could make my BUILT - IN wireless card get detected, and is used Knoppix, ubuntu, slax. I think its a Linux problem.
The only way i made it was, buying an external usb wirless.
Hope it helps, and luckkk.
PD: But i prefer my Mac
2006-12-03 00:22:33 · answer #3 · answered by alenm8816 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋