[thikr]

I know I posted a SIMILAR problem minutes ago but this is to a degree unrelated. I am still trying to use Linux and I am still having Network problems on the same PC but I figured they are two OS's (even if they use the same kernel) and I don't want to make one super amorphous blob of text that no one will read so here is another semi-un-related problem (paradox?)

to quote something I wrote myself ten minutes ago:

Ok, this really sucks...

I switched from Knoppix to Ubuntu because I could not get the Internet working and now I can't get the internet working... I typed this on Ubuntu but I am posting this on Windows (AGAIN, PLEASE SAVE ME).

OK, here is what I know, I am using a "Belkin Wireless N" adaptor that hooks in through the USB port. I JUST installed Ubuntu with NO new software or files. I clicked the "NetworkManager" and my only option is to configure VPN Connections (more on that later).

When I goto "Places > Network" I see "Windows Network" but can't connect because "Failed to Retrieve Share List from Server".

SO I goto "System > Network Connections" or find myself there via the "VPN Configuration". As a result, I figure, "Huh, I should goto wireless and it will connect". What else did I expect really; should I have expected it to work? HAHA...

I have NO idea how to connect and I need a GROUND UP set of directions from one of the brilliant yet benevolent minds here at TechGuy to get me on my feet guys... Please?


A little extreme, I'm not that stupid (now that I've cooled down) but I am a novice to this OS type and though I am not a programmer, I DO want to learn and be a part of the digital communism that is Linux. So all I need is a network connection so I can watch YouTube to keep me busy and full of tutorials and I should be able to cut down my time on here (thats a good thing for me! I CAN'T help anyone yet!). By the way, I used a boot disc and installed the full version next to Windows so as to keep the best of both worlds, or at least the best of one and the isolation of Ubuntu. Thanks again,

Love
-Thikr

EDIT: PLEASE HELP!!!

[TerryNet]

With Ubuntu (I'd say Linux in general) there is no middle ground with wireless--it either works pretty painlessly or it causes a lot of pain!

First, I would boot with the USB wireless adapter connected, as Ubuntu may have more difficulty detecting it after boot. If Ubuntu includes a native driver for your adapter (you haven't told us the model) you should see some kind of wireless icon in a taskbar or a popup. Do you?

If not, you need to try to find a driver. If you go to the Belkin web site there will probably not be a Linux/Unix driver. If you can get an XP driver you probably can get it to work, at least partially, with ndiswrapper.

[thikr]

Originally Posted by TerryNet

With Ubuntu (I'd say Linux in general) there is no middle ground with wireless--it either works pretty painlessly or it causes a lot of pain!

First, I would boot with the USB wireless adapter connected, as Ubuntu may have more difficulty detecting it after boot. If Ubuntu includes a native driver for your adapter (you haven't told us the model) you should see some kind of wireless icon in a taskbar or a popup. Do you?

If not, you need to try to find a driver. If you go to the Belkin web site there will probably not be a Linux/Unix driver. If you can get an XP driver you probably can get it to work, at least partially, with ndiswrapper.

Beat you to it, before you posted this I got my driver and "NDISWrapper". Problem is, I couldnt install it... My tutorial I was using said to extract it from its .tar.gz which didn't work on Linux, (Though I extracted it ahead of time on Windows ). Then I couldnt make a make file, only until I found out there already WAS one. So then I did the "make" command and I was told to use the "su" command. Thats when I got screwed up. I forgot the error code but here is the gist of it.

I type su and hit return. It asks for a password. I type, nothing shows up. I hit enter and in a few seconds it says authentification failed and acts as if I had not entered a password. I try hitting enter and typeing my password quick but I am either too slow or it treats it as a second command (an incorrect one at that) and I am left install-less.

I am using a Belkin Wireless N F5D8053 which I already have the driver for, I just need root privledges on Ubuntu now.

[TerryNet]

You quoted my entire post in your "edit" but you beat me to it? Yeah, right.

Anyhow, I will not even try to follow a thread where somebody is making massive "edits" to an earlier post instead of just posting in the normal order. Good luck.

[thikr]

I moved it back, sheesh!

sorry bout that...

ANYWAYS, What I meant by "I beat you to it" was that I had already figured the drivers were the problem before you posted in terms of TIME not post order. I mushed everything up top so I could weed out the less useful info for people just visiting the thread. It was meant more as a means to speed up the solving process, not steal credit or whatever you were accusing me of. Why would I be trying to harm someone who is supposed to be helping me?

If that upsets anyone I'm sorry, I won't try to reinvent the book I haven't read... anymore

EDIT: I have made a lot of progress since my last edit. I HAVE figured out how to get root privileges, I installed Ndiswrapper, and I got to the part where you designate the .inf file to install the drivers. Problem is, it is only searching in /usr/sbin/ and I can't copy files there without root control (I think). Is there a way to move files via sudo or can I just change the place it tries to read the .inf file from?

[saikee]

Strangely my Ubuntu seems to be able to detect the wireless and configure it itself without any intervention or to bother with NDISWrapper which other distros need. That happened on two PCs.

One can obtain root privilege in a terminal session by command

sudo su

Thereafter no need to prefix every command with "sudo" which is as good as a root user. Whenever a system file is involved Linux always require the root privilege. That is the integrity of the system.

[thikr]

Originally Posted by saikee

Strangely my Ubuntu seems to be able to detect the wireless and configure it itself without any intervention or to bother with NDISWrapper which other distros need. That happened on two PCs.

One can obtain root privilege in a terminal session by command

sudo su

Thereafter no need to prefix every command with "sudo" which is as good as a root user. Whenever a system file is involved Linux always require the root privilege. That is the integrity of the system.

Yes, someone on another forum mentioned this but I think you actually posted it first . It seems I have to

gksudo nautilus

in order to have the ability to paste in usr/sbin BUT now I have learned that apparently there is NO space on any of my drives. On windows I see many Gigabytes free on both my C and D drives but Ubuntu is clearly telling me I have "0 free bytes of space" which, to ME seems like such a rare number, I may as well have won the lottery. Of course, I don't think I'm that lucky so I suspect another problem elsewhere (mostly sarcasm, I KNOW I have freespace). My theory is it is trying to write to the E: (CD's and DVD's) because it is installed from the Boot disc. My first plan of action would be to change the directory of usr/sbin to the C: or change where NDISWrapper writes/reads from. Like I said though, I'm no Linus Torvald so I'm open to ideas of all sorts.

NDISWrapper

Driver for F5D8053 Belkin Wireless N Adapter

That is the page with the Drivers.

[thikr]

I fixed the space problem and now I'm getting this...

sudo ndiswrapper -i netr28u.inf
couldn't open netr28u.inf: No such file or directory at /usr/sbin/ndiswrapper line 219.

I guess it may be the driver... also, the needed stuff IS in "usr/sbin/".

Here is the Source for the file with an error at line 219 allegedly...

SOURCE HERE

add .rtf to the end if you are on windows...

I used Rapidshare instead of code/other sites because the code box wouldn't condense it to scroll down and other sites seem to dislike me (Megaupload won't upload files without extensions or with .rtfs? ).

Thanks guys