[cwoolbright]

Okay.
After researching and contemplating a bit, I finally took the plunge and made a dualboot ubuntu USB and installed (I'm working off of XP now)... the internet won't work on Ubuntu.

So,
this nifty site (here) appears to tell me all I need to know about what I'm supposed to do to get it running.

All I need to learn this Linux thing is the internet and trial-and-error... so... can you translate the directions on that site for an ex-windows person? Or offer your own -dumbed down- instructions?

Thanks to all!!

[rokytnji]

Did you already do from top left hand corner of screen click on Applications then scroll down and open the terminal enter the command : sudo apt-get install ndiswrapper-utils

Also what distro or operating system did you install. I take it it is Ubuntu from the link you provided but just making sure.

If its Ubuntu 8.04 on your boot up screen the kernel version like 2.6.24 or whatever is shown. Will need to know that.

You also should have ndiswrapper in you synaptic package manager which is in Top left corner of screen under SYSTEM>Administration>synaptic package manger. Click on synaptic to open it up. It will ask for your password which is what you use to log in to Ubuntu. Once opened hit the search box and type in the box in the search window ndiswrapper. It should show 3 items. Ndiswrapper 1.9,ndiscommon,and ndisgtk. Click on all 3 and do the install for ndiswrapper that way. After you get that far we'lll see what you need to do next. I am a noob just like you and I just got my intel wireless card pci internal to work today but it took a couple of weeks to figure it out and I aint still proficient enough to tell you how I got it to work but it works. I'll try to interpet tto the best of my knowledge but I'm a Biker not a computer geek proficient in Linux. Learningmy way around too.

[cwoolbright]

Okay.
On boot it says kernal 2.6.24-16-generic

I tried typing in sudo... etc (what you suggested) and it gave E: couldn't find package ndiswrapper-utils... and I tried searching for it in synaptic package maager and it didn't find anything.
I also tried the whole update thing just to check and then a huge list of errors came like W: can't connect to security.ubuntu.com or something etc etc (which is probably because the internet isn't working...)

I tried to print a page so I could remember these error terms and stuff to tell you (I'm working off XP right now, I keep having to reboot into ubuntu) but that brought me to another problem, heh, the printer just printed a blank page. Hm. It works in windows... I'm mainly focused on getting my internet up right now but I'm on another thread trying to work out graphics card problems and such here

A Biker, eh? Well thank you so much for all your help so far... I hope you like linux! I hope I like it too! =D

[rokytnji]

Ok, you are in a catch-22 scenario right now because you are relying on wireless connect internet. Am I right? To do what you need to do you need to connect up to a land line and hook up to the internet with a cable. You won't get updates through ubuntu in terminal or synaptic till you get that land line hookup and ubuntu wireless won't get connected till you do. Your kernel is new enough for intel stuff as they like kernel 2.6.8 and above so you're ok there. My printer won't work in Linux because Linux considers it a boat anchor(Lexmark Z645)/ There is a hardware compatibility chart in the Ubunti Wiki some where,I can't remember where right now. It has a list of printers that are compatible with Ubuntu so see if yours is on the list. Use your Windows for that. I hope ya got a better idea whats going wrong for you now. Yeah I like Linux. Till I got Wireless working I was using Windows for Wireless and IE was locking up and doing weird stuff. I could navigate better in Windows using Opera 9.5 and Firefox 3.0. I run Spybot search and Destroy,Avira anti Virus,Threatfire,and Filscab Firewall. All that to cruz the internet without getting BSOD or Malware.I Linux all I use is Firestarter firewall which is in Synaptic too by the way. I run Linux full time now except for the printer now and I'll need to buy a new printer to get around that. It took me a long while to get where I am with this operating system and at times can be painful and frustating. Need lots of pigheadeness and bullish fortitude. Smarts can be supplied by other people. Look at it this way. The money you saved by not buying Windows 7 install disk is going to translate into hours invested in Linux and by the time you are done you are gonna know you're operating system like a captain knows his ship or a biker knows every little bit of his Harley. Rant done.

By the way my younger brother is a biker in Midwest City. He aint into computers like I am though.

[waterhead]

Hey rokytnji, there may be a driver for your printer. I have a Dell 720 printer, which is actually a re-branded Lexmark. It works with the Lexmark Z600 driver. Take a look at this post here:
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/red...5-printer.html

It is not listed as supporting the Z645, but you could try. The driver is actually for Red Hat 9, so a bit of wizardry is needed to get it to work in a newer distro. There may even be a version of it for Ubuntu.

Here is an old How-To for Ubuntu, it will get you started;
HOWTO: Lexmark Printers - Ubuntu Forums
Here's another:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Ha...tifuncPrinters

Sorry for taking this thread off topic.

[cwoolbright]

Aaah thanks... I think I'm still stuck in a windows mindframe because I didn't think to google MY printer and ubuntu, I just thought it would be some other problem. I found a site here that helps me with hooking up hp c5100 all-in-one. Thanks so much!

Question: After I get wireless hooked up, do I still have to be on the landline to get updates through terminal or synaptic?

I haven't even tried IE since I installed Ubuntu... or ever for that matter, I just use firefox 3.0 =D and I'm good. I used Nortan firewall (piece of crap that is) and AdAware and something else on Windows... thats nice that I don't need to get much for Linux.

Thanks so much for all your help and letting me know about the landline. I'll have to see how I can do that (I'm staying in a new house)... I'll let you know if I get it soon, and yea, it is a catch-22!


PS MWC? I remember every year there was some big thing going on when I was a kid and all these bikers would drive by my house, I thought it was absolutely the coolest thing ever. Maybe I know him, lol.

[rokytnji]

Thanks for links waterford and you're welcome to jump in and help out anytime in my book. You are waaaay better at this advice stuff than me.

Here is another tutorial from Souceforge that explains the kernel details better. You might have a easier time with this tutorial and besides the more you know the better off you are. My little brother is pretty notorious in Oklahoma as an independedent Biker. His nickname is Roky too and he is 6'6" tall like me to. Check out my profile picture and I am the ugly big guy next to my wife. My Brother looks like my twin but 10 years younger. Youngest son is with us in Pic.Here is the link.
NDISwrapper

[rokytnji]

OOOps screwed the pooch on this post.

[waterhead]

cwoolbright: I don't know how far you have gotten with your wireless, but you may be better off starting from the beginning.

Read through this post, and then run the commands suggested. Then post the info you get in this thread. There may be a Linux driver for your card, instead of using NDISwrapper.
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/wir...tml#post589924