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Simon Robert wrote:
> Dave Berkeley wrote:
>> You only need to install ndiswrapper once with eg "ndiswrapper -i bcmwl5.inf".
>> This allows the driver system to associate the PCI id of the device with the
>> driver, so when it discovers the hardware it knows which driver to load. It
>> should then get automatically loaded when the card is initialised. If
>> ndiswrapper is not being loaded, make sure it is in /etc/modules.
>>
>> With windows .inf files they often have both unicode and ascii version. Make
>> sure you use the ascii one. If you use the wrong file, it says that it is
>> installed, but doesn't work at all. Nice.
>>
>> I also had a problem upgraded to the latest Ubuntu, and had to run the
>> ndiswrapper install again. This told me that it was already installed, but
>> fixed the issue. It also changes the names from wlan0 to eth1, and I hadn't
>> the energy to find out why.
>>
>> I've always found WiFi support on laptops to be a nightmare on Linux. Probably
>> best not to use me for advice. I ended up writing my own Python script to
>> work the magic. It just does an "iwlist eth1 scanning" to check for active
>> APs, picks a known one out of a list, then runs the appropriate "iwconfig"
>> command, making sure to save the settings to the card.
>>
>> Installing the network monitor applet improves things ('nm-applet'). Once you
>> have set up the card to talk to the access point it should connect
>> automatically. This worked fine on my ThinkPad X60s (oh how I miss it - it
>> went with the job), until I wrecked the settings. It turned out my WiFi
>> access point had developed a fault, but I spent 2 hours trying to figure out
>> what was wrong with the laptop, and trashed the settings in the process.
>>
>> D
>>
>>
> thanks, that's helpful. I have actually solved it, the problem wasn't
> ndiswrapper it was bringing the network up - something I know b'all
> about. Just incase anyone ever needs to know here it is (Damn Small
> Linux specific);
>
> install xxxxx.inf using the gui app, this allows you to specify name,
> wlan0 etc, essid, wep key.
> In /opt/bootlocal.sh add the following
> modprobe ndiswrapper
> sleep 5 (gives ndiswrapper enough time to initiate wlan0)
> (if a fixed IP)
> ifconfig wlan0 xxx.xxx.x.xx
> route add default gw xxx.xxx.x.x
> echo nameserver xx.xx.xxx.xx > /etc/resolv.conf
> ifup wlan0
> (if DHCP)
> ifconfig wlan0 up
> pump -i wlan0
>
> for some reason the laptop refused to shutdown until ndiswrapper was
> removed from active modules, so add to /opt/poweroff.sh
> modprobe -r ndiswrapper
>
> also if using DHCP you should add "nodhcp" to the bootup line in
> /boot/grub/menu.lst
>
> Dunno if messages to the LUG get googlerised? Hope so because IMHO the
> above is a coherent explanation of what needs doing compared to the
> stuff I found while trying to figure things out. I would post to a DSL
> forum, but although registered the moderator is not checking new sign
> ups to allow posting.
>
> Also a general point about wifi, linux and laptops. There are linux
> drivers for ralink based wifi devices and the only distro I've ever
> found (and I've tried out all the main ones) that installs and
> configures the drivers for you (when doing a new install) is PClinuxOS.
>
> Hope this may be of use to someone sometime.
> Simon
>
I confirm PCLinuxOS works with Ralink 'out of box'. I changed from
SuSE 10.2 to PCLinuxOS so I could work through wireless.
Regards
Eion MacDonald
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