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Hardware:WiFi Card: Linksys wireless LAN (32-bit CardBus) card (WPC54G) Laptop: IBM Thinkpad T21
Software:Operating System: Java Desktop System, Release 2
Network:Cable Modem: Router: Linksys "802.11b WiFi Router" (BEFW11S4) Booster: Linksys Wireless Signal Booster (WSB24) Access Point: Linksys Wireless-B Access Point (WAP11) Repeater: Linksys Wireless-B Access Point (WAP11)
HOW TO INSTALL AND CONFIGURE THE LINUXANT WIRELESS LAN DRIVERLOADER SOFTWARE
to get your WiFi card working with JDS
(cost: $19.95 for a permanent license and one-year of updates)
Introduction
This document shares what I learned in configuring a Linksys WPC54G WiFi card for an IBM ThinkPad T21 running Sun's Java Desktop System, Release 2 (a GNU/Linux based on kernel 2.4.19-4GB and GNOME 2.2 and 2.4).
DriverLoader works only with 32-bit PCI or Cardbus WiFi cards, and not with 16-bit PCMCIA cards. (32-bit cards have a prominent gold metal strip across the plug-in end. You can confirm it by viewing here.) DriverLoader does not work with 16-bit PCMCIA cards, so make sure you have a 32-bit PCI or Cardbus WiFi card.
Supported HardwareWiFi cards based on chipset technology from the following manufacturers are supported by DriverLoader: These chipsets are used in many Notebook or Desktop adapter products by Acer, Actiontec, Asus, Belkin, Buffalo/MELCO, Cisco, D-Link, Dell, eMachines, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP/Compaq, IBM, Linksys, Microsoft, Motorola, NETGEAR, SMC, SONY, Toshiba, U.S. Robotics, Z-Com, and many others. Apart from this general list, which can help you choose an appropriate WiFi card, it is difficult to list specific model numbers that are known to work with DriverLoader on JDS. We will gladly build a chart of known WiFi cards, if JDS users would report their successes to webmaster@jdshelp.org. Licensing DriverLoaderThe permanent license for DriverLoader costs $19.95. You can work through the installation and configuration using the 30-day free trial and then purchase the license if you are satisfied when you are ready. License-holders also get access to software updates for the period of one year from purchase. (DriverLoader license agreement).
The DriverLoader license you purchase is associated with the MAC or hardware address of you WiFi card, and [goes with the card].
What is DriverLoader?From the Linuxant.com Web site: "DriverLoader is a compatibility-wrapper allowing standard Windows NDIS (Network Driver Interface Specification) drivers shipped by hardware vendors to be used as-is on Linux x86 systems."
Summary of the Procedure:
Step 1: Download DriverLoader generic TAR file Step 2: Unpack and install the DriverLoader software Step 3: Configure DriverLoader via Linuxant's Web configurator Step 4: Configure the new network device on JDS
Step 1: DOWNLOAD
Download the https://www.linuxant.com/driverloader/wlan/full/archive/driverloader-1.73/driverloader-1.73.tar.gz">generic TAR file</a> (x86) of DriverLoader software.
DO NOT download the SuSE RPM that's labelled as "Distribution-specific binary packages (easiest to install)." The Java Desktop System is based upon SuSE kernel 2.4.19-4GB, however the JDS kernel is modified, so the DriverrLoader RPM for SuSE x86 will not work for JDS.
The page to find the DriverLoader generic TAR file is here: https://www.linuxant.com/driverloader/wlan/full/downloads.php.
Step 2: UNPACK & INSTALL
First, extract the package with tar -xzf driverloader-{version}.tar.gz Then, change to the package directory with cd /home/[user]/Documents/Downloads/driverloader-{version}. Any directory or path will serve, but avoid doing this in the root directory "/". Then, run make install from the top of the package directory. Finally, run dldrconfig to complete the installation phase. (As an alternatively to this UNPACK & INSTALL procedure, you may generate RPMS from the TAR package using "rpmbuild -ta driverloader-{version}.tar.gz" then refer to the RPM installation instructions on this page: https://www.linuxant.com/driverloader/wlan/full/downloads.php
Step 3: CONFIGURE DRIVERLOADER
Point your Web browser to http://127.0.0.1:18020/ by entering this address string into the Location Bar of your browser, and you will be prompted for a User Name and Password. Enter User Name: root and Password: [your root password]. This takes you to the Linuxant Web configurator on the Linuxant Web site.
In general, the configurator helps you locate the Windows driver file(s) for your wireless LAN card. It's a pretty straightforward process: if you don't have the Windows drivers, then configurator helps you get them from the Web. In my own case, I have a dual-boot system with Windows XP, so configurator knew where to look in my file system for the drivers. Otherwise I could browse and load them into configurator.
Step 4: CONFIGURE DEVICE
Now to configure your WiFi card in JDS, select Launch->Preferences->System and then in the system-setting window click on the Network Settings icon, then in the Network Settings window click on the Network Card icon. This opens YAST2, JDS's system configuration environment
A Little Background
Like many users of JDS, I had trouble getting my laptop configured and working on my wireless LAN with my WiFi card. Originally, I was attempting to configure JDS with the Linksys WPC11 version 3 PCMCIA WiFi card, but that card is based on the Intersil Prism 3 chipset and it's a PCMCIA card for 802.11b wireless network. Since I was hardly a WiFi expert, it took me a while to figure out that it is only a 16-bit card. Advanced users may be able to get such a card working on JDS, but being an average user I punted ASAP and went and got a fresh 32-bit card because I depended upon the expediency offered by Linuxant.
It was a good punt because Linuxant.com was as helpful as can be. My experience with Linuxant was the best experience I have ever had with tech support, paid OR free. This approach was headed toward costing me $19.95 if it was successful. And if my laptop got WiFi, my feeling was that was twenty bucks very well spent.
Having been using the laptop, unteathered, for less than a day so far at this writing, already I'm enjoying the productivity benefits of having a mobile version of JDS. Given the time I saved paying for DriveLoader with Linuxant support, it certainly was a minor additional expense for a significant set of benefits. |