[LUNI] wifi

[sean-lynch at sean-lynch.com]

On Tue, 19 Dec 2006 07:46:28 -0800 (PST)
  Harry <basshooker at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi I am using a laptop with FedoraCore6 and I have a
> desktop with FC5. the desktop apparently has the ness
> drivers and tools installed to see my broadband but
> the laptop doesnt.. I am using a Dell Latitude
> c500/600 512kmem 30g hd  and just picked up an
> intel/pro 2200bg.. I have done some research as to how
> to install the .tar file out there, but I dont
> understand the tech gargon as to what further to do
> other than getting the unzipped (which just about
> killed me by the way) file into the /lib/firmware
> folder... I still dont have connection even though the
> soft in network sees the minicard as configured. Upon
> activation I get something like etho failed??  Can
> someone PLEASE hold my hand through the process of
> getting wireless up on my laptop as I DONT have a
> clue..  Sorry; Newbie      basshooker at yahoo.com
> 
> Linux Users Of Northern Illinois - Technical Discussion 
> http://luni.org/mailman/listinfo/luni

Ok, so you have untarred the file in /lib/firmware.

Open a terminal and become root (use the su command).

issue the following commands:

unload the firmware if its loaded:
>rmmod ipw2200

load it with a modprobe:
>modprobe ipw2200

check what the output messages were when you loaded it:
>dmesg|grep ipw2200

you should see some messages about finding the ipw2200. If 
you get errors paste them back here in a reply.

See what access points your card is seeing:
>iwlist eth1 scanning

look for your wifi access point's name in the list of 
output.

tie your laptop to your access point:
>iwconfig eth1 essid YourAccessPointName

start the dhcpcd daemon:
>dhcpcd -d eth1

You should see your mac address and your ip address from 
dhcpc.

see if you can get to the internet.
After it is working from the command line, find tools like 
wifi-radar that will let you do this automagically from a 
gui in your distro's libraries. I haven't used Red Hat 
since 4.3 or so, so I'm not sure of the tools Red Hat or 
Fedora ship with.

If you have errors paste the output in a reply mail.

Sean