wireless usb zd1211

OK this is the 3rd time I've tried to use linux but each time I run into trouble configuring my ADSL connection. Just because its the 3rd time doesn't mean I know anything at all about it because when I read forums, websites etc it means nothing to me at all.
So here's the deal I've got Mandriva 2006 and an edimax usb dongle using a zd1211 chipset. I've tried using the ndiwrapper on the windows driver but it just made the system unstable. I have downloaded drivers from the web but I have no Idea how to install them.
Can somebody please tell me how to install them in easy speak (go here, type this etc).
I want to give this OS a try but without a net connection its useless.
Thanks

Just an update in case anyone else has the same problem.
I switched to Kubuntu, and the wireless works pretty much straight away.