I got a Linksys WPC54GX4 Wireless G notebook adapter with SRX400, a PCMCIA plug in device running on a Dell Inspiron 1200 laptop that has Ubuntu 8.01 installed.
Linux has a program called ndiswrapper that uses the published Windows driver file by a process called wrapping.
From a linux terminal, get the ndiswrapper program
sudo apt-get install ndiswrapper
Plug the WPC54G into the computer.
Put the Linksys software CD in the CD drive and note the file on the CD drive.
ls /media/WPC54GX4/Lssrx4.inf
From the menu navigate as follows:
System -> Administration -> Windows Wireless Drivers -> Password: -> + Install New Driver -> Select inf file: -> WPC54GX4 -> Lssrx4.inf -> Open
Return visits to the menu will show a wireless driver exists.
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The next steps which will vary with your network is called Network configuration.
For hotels and "open" access points, you set your wireless connection to "roaming mode" and click on one of the named access points your wireless card finds.
Otherwise, for an encrypted secure connection... configure the networking encryption and usually select DHCP protocol for getting internet address data from the router.
I have a Linksys router that I know uses encryption called WPA Pre shared key. So I write down the letters that make the key, and I write down WPA. I also use the default Linksys home router protocol called DHCP.
So the process is you enter these values into the Network configuration boxes, activate the Wireless interface and see if you are connected.
I am having some uncertainty about knowing when I have entered all the data correctly, saved it, and told the computer to use the wireless card.
There seems to be some kind of hangup, after you get the wireless card configured correctly, you can run "ifconfig" and see the wireless connection has picked up the needed Internet address data...
but the internal link from the network card to the Web browser does not happen.
Well the time consuming solution is to restart the computer. So do that.
Then do "ifconfig" in a terminal to see if the wireless card has picked up an IP number from your wireless router.
Then start the web browser. You should be able to access the internet OK.
The nice thing about Linksys Wireless PCMCIA on Linux is, the ndiswrapper program is finally working and you finally have 99% fewer viruses and malware.
