Re: suse 10 and networking

David wrote: 
Hello All,

Well since my last post I decided to ditch FC4 and have just installed
suse10.

The installation went a lot easier then the FC 4 version. I am much
happier with the overall interface and feel of suse10.

At least this version has detected my braodcom network card and
reports it as a BCM4318 Airforce 1. I know that previously it was
suggested that I get a copy of ndiswrapper to try to get the network
card to work with FC 4. 

Is this still the recommended answer to get the network card to work
with suse 10.

I do have another network card, a Draytrek Vigor 540 pcmcia card bus
wifi card. I have found various references to a kernel for this unit
but have been unable to find any to down load. 

Any help that I can get in this matter would be a great help. This is
my first time with Linux, I am slowly been converted from the other PC
operating system so I am on a steep learning curve.

There is no in-kernel driver for Broadcom wireless devices, thus all distros are in the same boat. Broadcom has not cooperated with the community and refuses to provide the specifications for their chips. There is a project that is developing a driver based on clean-room, reverse engineering, but it is not something for a newbie to tackle. Your best bet is to use ndiswrapper.

The first step is to be certain that ndiswrapper has been installed using YaST -> Software -> Software Management. You will also need the Windows driver. The web site http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net has useful information on ndiswrapper, and http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/mediawiki/index.php/Installation has the specific information regarding installation. Other places on the wiki will help you find a Windows driver if the one on the Windows CD doesn't work.

After your Windows driver has been installed, you then use YaST -> Network Devices -> Network Card to configure the wifi. Add in a wireless interface (specifying ndiswrapper as the module) and finish the configuration for your encryption, etc. If you use WPA, you will also need the wpa_supplicant package.

I don't know anything about the Draytek Vigor 540. The only Google reference that I found was the German rep that said the Linux could be used with 3rd party software, but no specifics. I suspect that ndiswrapper was meant there.

Larry
.