Is my computer Linux compatable?

[Controlpanel]

Ok after doing some research I am ready to install Linux, however I have tried KNOPPIX and Ubuntu before and could not connect to my wired network. Is my computer just wrong for Linux or should I try a different distro? I don't have Linux installed so I can't answer any questions about what the terminal says.

[MikeTbob]

More than likely, your machine will work with Linux, and even more likely, you will need to configure some things yourself. Until you install Linux, there really isn't a whole lot we can do for you. You might try to find out which Ethernet/Wireless card you have, and then use google to find out which Distro seems to offer the best support for it.
Which card do you have? When you had Knoppix or Ubuntu installed, did you happen to learn which driver you need?

[pavlo_7]

Hi Controlpanel,

Welcome to the forums!

If connecting to a wired network is the only problem you encountered while running Knoppix or Ubuntu, then it may be fixable. If it's incompatible NIC (which is very rare these days), then changing it should solve the problem. Could you tell us what computer you have and what NIC? Chances are that someone here may have the same computer and already knows how to fix the problem. Also, please describe your network: how computers are connected (through switch or router, using DHCP or static IPs ), how you connect to the Internet (cable, DSL, modem). It maybe that you just needed little guidence in setting up networking, and everything would work.

Anyway, good luck, and don't give up!

[Controlpanel]

I have a Dell Inspiron B120 and I have a Broadcom Network Card

[oz]

Here's some information for your review directly from the Broadcom website:

Broadcom Corporation - Driver FAQ

It sounds like they are at least partially supporters of Linux.

Here are some additional specs on your machine in case anyone should need them:

Inspiron B120 Notebook Product Details

[MikeTbob]

I have a Dell Inspiron B120 and I have a Broadcom Network Card

I tried Sabayon awhile back and it worked with my Broadcom card, all I had to do was enter my WEP key and GO! You can probably get this card to work with Knoppix too.

[pavlo_7]

Looks like your ethernet NIC is supported:

Dell Inspiron B120 - Linux Laptop Wiki
HARDWARE Dell Inspiron B120 - Gentoo Linux Wiki

So, the problem must be network configuration.

Do you use DHCP on your network, or do you have to assign static IP address to the NIC?

You need to tell us more about how you tried to configure networking in Knoppix, and what version of Knoppix you used.

[jmadero]

I've run about 5 different distro's on a broadcom based machine and have never had any issues with wired networks (wireless is a different story). Try installing Ubuntu and see if it'll worked plugged in (make sure to restart with the cord plugged in). You can also check out SuSe or Fedora (all of which have worked flawless for me).

jmadero

[Controlpanel]

I've run about 5 different distro's on a broadcom based machine and have never had any issues with wired networks (wireless is a different story). Try installing Ubuntu and see if it'll worked plugged in (make sure to restart with the cord plugged in). You can also check out SuSe or Fedora (all of which have worked flawless for me).

jmadero

I tried Ubuntu and it didn't work, so I uninstalled it.

[oz]

Please keep in mind that Linux is not for everyone. It's merely an alternative OS and is not meant to be a replacement OS. That is to say that if it works for you, it might be a good alternative to other operating systems, or it might be a good alternative to used with other operating systems. If it doesn't work as expected, you might be far better off sticking with an OS that does.

Millions of computer users run Linux every day with very little if any problems, while others have tried it multiple times and have failed miserably. You really have to experiment quite a bit to find the distro that will best suit your personal tastes, and your hardware. Of course, there are times when a person might find the right distro on the first time out, but that's rare. In the end, most all Linux users eventually experiment to find the right solution.

The main thing is to have fun with Linux, and enjoy the experience.

Let us know how it goes.