Wireless on Linux aint so bad

megamaced · 01-12-2007, 06:17 PM

I bought myself a wireless kit over the weekend, a cheap Dynamode Wireless router plus a Dynamode PCMCIA wireless card for a Windows 2000 laptop and a Dynamode Wireless PCI card for my openSUSE 10.3 desktop. The whole kit only cost me £50 and for the most part I've got what i've paid for! But on the whole it works!
I set up the PCMCIA card on Windows first and got a connection using WPA. Great I thought, now it's time to tackle the Linux box (dread sinking in)! The PCI card I bought had an Marvell chipset which I discoved using lspci. After a quick look on the internet I realised I'd have to use NDISwrapper with it. No problem I thought, I'll give this a go. I've never used NDISwrapper before so this was all new to me. I installed NDISwrapper from the SUSE repositories and installed the Windows XP driver that came on the CD. I launched the YaST network card configuration utility, which had by now detected the Wireless card, and configured a few settings. I then launched NetworkManager, which found the wireless connection, I entered my WPA key and bingo, it worked! I was suprised at just how easy it was!

The only quibble I have is that I have to connect to the Wirless network manually every time I restart. The connection does not automatically connect. Does anyone know how I can configure NetworkManager to automatically connect to the Wireless network? Thanks

RHochstenbach · 01-12-2007, 06:04 PM

You could try to create a startup script. I can't remember the exact commands to bring up a wireless network. You could try

Code:

network-manager

or use

Code:

ifconfig -essid "ssid"

Anyway, put that in a text file and save it in the folder /etc/init.d/
Then rightclick the icon and go to the tab permissions. Check Executable and click on OK. Now reboot.

Anti-Trend · 01-12-2007, 09:47 PM

Using knetworkmanager, the default behavior is to try for a hardwired network first. If it's not present, it'll automatically fall back to wireless.

Impotence · 02-12-2007, 12:43 AM

Ubuntu is supporting a

load of wireless cards now... although allot of them are supported using proprietary drivers :/ but surely thats still better than someone giving up on Linux cos there wireless card doesn't work? the open source drivers will come, given time... reversed engineered or black boxed, it always seems to happens eventually

on a side note, it does warn you when it uses them and states that open source drivers would be better, but there aren't any!

EDIT: IT DOES WARN YOU WHEN IT IS USING PROPRIETARY DRIVERS

megamaced · 02-12-2007, 11:58 PM

I had to remove my 3Com Wired 10/100 PCI card because for some reason, my motherboard would not get passed the BIOS when that and the Wireless card were connected. Maybe it ran out of available IRQs?
Anyhows, that makes my Wireless network the default connection but it still doesn't connect automatically. I guess I will have to find a NetworkManager script somewhere. By the way, the wireless card is on my second machine which runs the openSUSE 10.3 GNOME varient so I am using gNetworkManager!

PS. Would it be easier if I used the traditional IFUP rather then NetworkManager?

megamaced · 04-12-2007, 05:06 PM

The wireless network works automatically now! I swear I didn't even touch it! Sweet!

Impotence · 04-12-2007, 11:58 PM

w00t

01-12-2007, 06:17 PM	#1 (permalink) Top
megamaced Geek Geek Geek! Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 24 Male Posts: 3,466 Times Helpful: 352 My Mood: Fine Status: Online My Computer	Wireless on Linux aint so bad I bought myself a wireless kit over the weekend, a cheap Dynamode Wireless router plus a Dynamode PCMCIA wireless card for a Windows 2000 laptop and a Dynamode Wireless PCI card for my openSUSE 10.3 desktop. The whole kit only cost me £50 and for the most part I've got what i've paid for! But on the whole it works! I set up the PCMCIA card on Windows first and got a connection using WPA. Great I thought, now it's time to tackle the Linux box (dread sinking in)! The PCI card I bought had an Marvell chipset which I discoved using lspci. After a quick look on the internet I realised I'd have to use NDISwrapper with it. No problem I thought, I'll give this a go. I've never used NDISwrapper before so this was all new to me. I installed NDISwrapper from the SUSE repositories and installed the Windows XP driver that came on the CD. I launched the YaST network card configuration utility, which had by now detected the Wireless card, and configured a few settings. I then launched NetworkManager, which found the wireless connection, I entered my WPA key and bingo, it worked! I was suprised at just how easy it was! The only quibble I have is that I have to connect to the Wirless network manually every time I restart. The connection does not automatically connect. Does anyone know how I can configure NetworkManager to automatically connect to the Wireless network? Thanks __________________ "A computer is like air conditioning: it becomes useless when you open windows". ~Linus Torvalds

01-12-2007, 09:47 PM	#3 (permalink) Top
Anti-Trend Nonconformist Geek Join Date: Oct 2003 Age: 27 Male Posts: 4,879 Times Helpful: 535 Status: Offline My Computer	Using knetworkmanager, the default behavior is to try for a hardwired network first. If it's not present, it'll automatically fall back to wireless. Attached Thumbnails __________________ See My Desktop \| Try Linux \| Install Linux \| Visit My Server \| Support Hardware Forums \| Easily rip DVDs in Linux \| Remember Everything

02-12-2007, 12:43 AM	#4 (permalink) Top
Impotence May the source be with u! Join Date: Dec 2004 Age: 19 Male Posts: 1,878 Times Helpful: 126 My Mood: Stressed Status: Offline My Computer	Ubuntu is supporting a load of wireless cards now... although allot of them are supported using proprietary drivers :/ but surely thats still better than someone giving up on Linux cos there wireless card doesn't work? the open source drivers will come, given time... reversed engineered or black boxed, it always seems to happens eventually on a side note, it does warn you when it uses them and states that open source drivers would be better, but there aren't any! EDIT: IT DOES WARN YOU WHEN IT IS USING PROPRIETARY DRIVERS __________________ Dear intel,Already Made My Decision Never trust a computer you can't repair yourself. Windows Vista - Viruses Intruders Spyware Trojans Adware Why Linux is Better!\|Pastafairianism\|Say no to National ID\|Firefox Extensions Guide scientology has been getting alot of attention recently When the rich wage war, it is the poor who die. Where are the WMD's that our governments used to justify the war? Last edited by Impotence; 03-12-2007 at 11:25 AM.

02-12-2007, 11:58 PM	#5 (permalink) Top
megamaced Geek Geek Geek! Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 24 Male Posts: 3,466 Times Helpful: 352 My Mood: Fine Status: Online My Computer	I had to remove my 3Com Wired 10/100 PCI card because for some reason, my motherboard would not get passed the BIOS when that and the Wireless card were connected. Maybe it ran out of available IRQs? Anyhows, that makes my Wireless network the default connection but it still doesn't connect automatically. I guess I will have to find a NetworkManager script somewhere. By the way, the wireless card is on my second machine which runs the openSUSE 10.3 GNOME varient so I am using gNetworkManager! PS. Would it be easier if I used the traditional IFUP rather then NetworkManager? __________________ "A computer is like air conditioning: it becomes useless when you open windows". ~Linus Torvalds

04-12-2007, 05:06 PM	#6 (permalink) Top
megamaced Geek Geek Geek! Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 24 Male Posts: 3,466 Times Helpful: 352 My Mood: Fine Status: Online My Computer	The wireless network works automatically now! I swear I didn't even touch it! Sweet! __________________ "A computer is like air conditioning: it becomes useless when you open windows". ~Linus Torvalds

04-12-2007, 11:58 PM	#7 (permalink) Top
Impotence May the source be with u! Join Date: Dec 2004 Age: 19 Male Posts: 1,878 Times Helpful: 126 My Mood: Stressed Status: Offline My Computer	w00t __________________ Dear intel,Already Made My Decision Never trust a computer you can't repair yourself. Windows Vista - Viruses Intruders Spyware Trojans Adware Why Linux is Better!\|Pastafairianism\|Say no to National ID\|Firefox Extensions Guide scientology has been getting alot of attention recently When the rich wage war, it is the poor who die. Where are the WMD's that our governments used to justify the war?

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