Kernel Compile -- 802.11g Wireless 54Mbps PCMCIA Card

[Robert L Cochran]

I want to run an 802.11g wireless PCMCIA card under Linux, on my wife's 
aging Sony Vaio PCG-F350 laptop. Luis Rodriguez let me know that this is 
possible if I don't mind doing a kernel compile. I just compiled the 
Fedora Core - provided kernel according to the instructions provided by 
Luis at http://ruslug.rutgers.edu/~mcgrof/802.11g/Documentation/ , and 
then compiling and installing the drivers provided on that site (for the 
Intersil 38xx chipset.) Essentially, a new pcmcia package is compiled 
and installed.

So far -- so good! I have not popped in a wireless card yet, I will do 
that tomorrow. However, the the laptop boots fine with the considerable 
pcmcia changes.

Now to find a compatible pcmcia card -- probably the Netgear WG511 or 
SMC2835W EZ Connect g 2.4 GHz 54 Mbps Wireless Cardbus Adapter -- and 
see if I can get some action when I pop the card in. If the module loads 
and I can set up encryption stuff, I'll head over to my Starbucks to 
check it out.

I wonder if the card drivers will tell me when they detect available 
wireless networks and what the SSIDs are?

-- 
Bob Cochran
Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
http://greenbeltcomputer.biz/

[Rick Johnson]

Robert L Cochran wrote:
>  Now to find a compatible pcmcia card -- probably the Netgear WG511 or
>
>  SMC2835W EZ Connect g 2.4 GHz 54 Mbps Wireless Cardbus Adapter -- and 
>  see if I can get some action when I pop the card in. If the module loads 
>  and I can set up encryption stuff, I'll head over to my Starbucks to 
>  check it out. 
I'm going to be trying this with a D-Link DWL-G650 card (also Intersil 
based) today or tomorrow as well, and will be interested in your results. 
I'll post mine as well.

-- 
Rick Johnson, RHCE #807302311706007 - rjohnson(a)medata.com
Linux/Network Administrator - Medata, Inc.
PGP Public Key: https://mail.medata.com/pgp/rjohnson.asc

[Robert L Cochran]

I bought the SMC card and when I plugged it into the laptop, the 
intersil driver I had compiled loaded right away. However the card went 
into sleep mode according to the kernel messages. I'm not sure what 
sleep mode means. I am sure I still have a lot of networking 
configuration to do, but I'm not sure how to proceed. Someone wrote a 
HOWTO covering this for a Debian machine and I'll study it and sort of 
follow along, even though he used the Netgear WG511.

So I'm just taking my very first steps with wireless internet on Linux. 
I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Bob


Rick Johnson wrote:

>  Robert L Cochran wrote:
>  
> > Now to find a compatible pcmcia card -- probably the Netgear WG511 or 
> > SMC2835W EZ Connect g 2.4 GHz 54 Mbps Wireless Cardbus Adapter -- and 
> > see if I can get some action when I pop the card in. If the module 
> > loads and I can set up encryption stuff, I'll head over to my 
> > Starbucks to check it out.
>  
>  
>  I'm going to be trying this with a D-Link DWL-G650 card (also Intersil 
>  based) today or tomorrow as well, and will be interested in your 
>  results. I'll post mine as well.
>   
-- 
Bob Cochran
Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
http://greenbeltcomputer.biz/