4 replies to this topic

[web_designer]

i am still new to linux, in fact i don't know anything about linux, AT ALL . and i just installed it a week ago, the problem is my network connection is not working. when i searched a little bit, i found out that the driver of my wireless network is not installed. and as i checked all the drivers are not installed, and when i tried to install them. i lost in many tutorials but didn't find the right way to do that. even i didn't know the driver that is suitable to linux, my laptop is DELL INSPIRON 1520. so, if anyone helps me find a good tutorial to find and install drivers i will be appreciated. thanks in advance.

[rob86]

I envy you not the task before you...

The good news is it seems to be possible to get it working, the bad news you're probably going to have to read a lot. Seems most sources recommend installing a so called 'ipw3945" module.

There are lots of pages on Google, search for "Dell Inspiron 1520 Wireless Ubuntu" or "Dell Inspiron 1520 Wireless Linux"

Here is one FAQ on your laptop, it's for an older Ubuntu but maybe the information is still useful? http://ubuntuforums....ad.php?t=501195

Sorry I can't help more, but I feel my brain is about to explode from all the Linux reading. Think of it as a Quest or a Puzzle to solve... ooh, exciting


I don't suppose you can just open up the Synaptic Add/Remove programs thing and type in ipw3945? Is it that easy? I'm not on Ubuntu right now

Edited by rob86, 09 January 2011 - 01:06 AM.

[Iniyila]

i have seen dell 1520 and i think your wireless card is probably intel Pro 3945ABG if so then i have to say this is an issue with ubuntu 10.10 which has some problems with intel 3XXX and 4XXX series wireless cards. there are many solutions that you can try but some important ones are :

1. if you don't have rfkill then run this command in your terminal : "sudo apt-get install rfkill" then turn off your wireless card (in dell 1520 there should be a button in the left side of your laptop) and then run this command "rfkill unblock all" then turn on your wireless card, if it doesn't work then first turn off and turn on again your wireless card then run "rfkill unblock all".

2. if the previous solution didn't work then you can try to install latest driver of your card which for intel chips you can get the tar ball drivers from here : http://intellinuxwireless.org (installation is very easy if you don't know how to install you can google it or ask here and i will write).

if none of those two worked run this command "more /var/lib/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.state" and paste results here so i can use them to find a better solution.

Edited by Iniyila, 09 January 2011 - 11:39 AM.

[web_designer]

thanks a lot for you two, robi and iniyila i will try these solutions and see what i will get. really hope it could work for me. i've been struggling there for the whole past five days. and the worse that i can't understand those commands, well i used to understand the code before use it but this time i am not . so, i am not doing a lot and it really seems a long journey if i want to know.

any way, i will try and see, thanks a lot again guys .

[q9c9p]

Hello Webdesigner,

its such a pity that still drivers are trouble some on ubuntu, let me try to help you out but I tell you is gonna be a little long task.

To start you should get on a wired network, so first you can connect a lan cable to your laptop, after that go to in the main menu and look for System->Administration->Update Manager ( my system is in italian so names might be translated wrong, I'll try to explain at best ), once the update manager is installed do Verify updates and in case do also the updates, once this operation is finished look in the left bottom corner of the update manager for something called Settings and click it, type in your password and a new window should open, there should be 5 tabs, Ubuntu Software, Other software, Updates, Authentication and Statistics.

First check (click) Proprietary drivers for devices - restricted and Software with copyright restrictions and legal restrictions - multiverse, main universe restricted and multiverse should be all checked in, then go to the Other Software tab and check whatever is in there, it should be Canonical Software.
Once you have done that you should be ready to go, click close and click Reload at the next window, just wait a bit while the software list is being refreshed and when the first window reappear ( the update manager window ) do all the upgrades.
Once the upgrades are done go again in the main menu, go in System, Administration, Driver manager ( has an icon looking like a sound card or a peripheral internal card ) and look if the driver for your wireless card ( and graphic card ) are there, if yes then enable it by clicking the checkbox, it will do an automatic procedure to install and configure the driver, when finish restart the computer and redo this last procedure for the graphics drivers, if your wireless driver don't show then there is another procedure using a software called ndiswrapper which make use of the windows driver but you're gonna have to fire up a terminal, so lets keep it for later.
Hope this helps you out, and I hope you won't have to use ndiswrapper after all.

Keep in touch and let me know, ciao

q9c9p

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