[nylug-talk] A good guide to install wireless cards? (was: Welcome to the "nylug-talk" mailing list)

[Peter C. Norton]

On Wed, Feb 14, 2007 at 11:54:08AM -0800, matt b wrote:
>   What I am looking for is a basic, step by step guide to installing a  pcmcia wireless card under linux (that is, a distro-agnostic  installation guide) that gives the basic approach that underlies the  specific distro installation methods. 
>   

You're in the morass of wireless driver territory. Many 802.11a/b/g
cards didn't release specs, or released some part, or require
proprietary firmware, etc.

One way to do things easily for a pcmcia card is this:

1) Go to http://madwifi.org/. Find a card that's cheap. Buy it
2) Install it.
3) If your distro's pretty recent, the card should come up as ath0,
   and you'll use the recommend configuration (gui tool,
   /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-something, etc. method to 
   enter the essid and other important info)
4) ifup ath0 and you're golden

maybe:

5) Find a guide for configuring the appropriate security for you
   access point. Follow it.

-Peter

-- 
The 5 year plan:
In five years we'll make up another plan.
Or just re-use this one.