I'm testing the latest version of Ubuntu on an older PC as a possible replacement for Windows. I need wireless internet connectivity. I can't get my Linksys USB "B" adaptor working with Ubuntu.

Can someone recommend a foolproof wireless solution for me available in Canada? Cheaper is better because it's just for playing with Ubuntu.

I've read that an adaptor with the zd1211 chipset is the best solution but I can't find any retailers selling anything with it, other than the Trendnet TE-424UB (which may or may not depending on the version).

Thanks!

Hi, I hope someone knows a better solution but one of the tricks is to use NDISwrapper to get one of the Windows drivers working in Linux:

http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/

I haven't taken a really good look in here but this is a pile of Linksys drivers of all sorts from Open Drivers:

http://www.opendrivers.com/categorycompany/1113/1685/network-linksys-free-driver-download.html

Truth in advertising: I have no experience with Linksys USB B adapters on Linux.

Although the newer Linux distros appear to be more wireless friendly nowadays, I find the "foolproof" wireless solution in Linux is to use a "wireless bridge". In other words, your PC is still connected via ethernet to this bridge so technically you don't need to set any wireless connectivity in the PC running Linux.

For the actual wireless bridge, you can buy real wireless bridges like the Linksys WET54G or WET11G but I myself use a couple WRT54GL routers flashed with open source (Linux) firmware (I use both Tomato and DD-WRT) to allow them to be used as wireless bridges.

Some thoughts that might help:

You can find links to drivers in this thread:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/hcl/showproduct.php?product=71&cat=all

You can view a thread regarding this exact issue on the Ubuntu forums:
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=348876&highlight=linksys+usb

My guess is that you already likely have the right driver, but might need to manually 'modprobe' the driver to get it detected. Not sure what the correct driver would be.

Good luck.

Thanks for the help. I'm never going to get my current adapter (Linksys WUSB11 v3.0) working despite trying ndiswrapper. There's no info on the web of anyone getting it to work successfully with the available drivers.

The last post on the link GQUEUE posted is helpful, I think.

I'm a pretty savvy guy and do a lot of reading but switching to Linux doesn't seem like a very real option for most people.

I won't give up though.

Being savvy has nothing to do with it. Linux is not simply free Windows and if were expecting a Windows-like experience, you will be disappointed. Without some understanding of how a Unix OS behaves or is structured, I can imagine that Linux seems like a mountain to climb. Transitioning to Linux will require a lot of learning and even rethinking the way you might be used to doing things. Its not harder/better/faster, just different. Best of luck!

Its important to know that there are people here at DHC who want to help, whether a person is a complete newcomer or has IT/CS experience and savvy. The following thread is for people of all kinds transitioning from Windows to Linux:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=58277

We'll turn this thread back to the specific topic of Wireless Internet on Ubuntu Linux.

I'm with cyclo on this... if it is for a desktop machine and if you have to buy something new, then get a wireless router that supports a "wireless bridge" or "wireless client" function. Not all do, but you don't have to get an expensive one to find that feature.

Then all your Linux has to do is support the ethernet port on the machine, and the router provides the wireless connection transparently. IMHO, it's a good investment. Also works for Xbox or any other device that has an ethernet port, so you might find other uses for it in future. You could even use it as a wireless router when you're done with it. ;)

Linux hackers tackle WiFi hassles
Feb. 07, 2007
DeskTopLinux.com

Analysis -- When it comes to troublesome Linux peripherals, WiFi takes the cake. Sparked by the Portland Project's efforts to bring standardization to the Linux desktop, the Linux wireless developer community tackled this problem at its second Linux Wireless Summit last month in London.

The Summit was scheduled as a followup to the January IEEE 802 standards committee meeting, which, among other issues, moved a step closer to making 802.11n a real IEEE standard. As a result of this timing, participants at the Linux WiFi meeting included kernel developers and vendor representatives from Intel, Broadcom, Devicescape, MontaVista, and Nokia.

Once there, according to Stephen Hemminger, Linux Wireless Summit co-coordinator and a Linux software developer at the Linux Foundation, the attendees had a very productive meeting.http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS4466236354.html

I hope it won't take long for the good intentions to result in actually usable WiFi devices.