Ok, I got my wireless card to work today. It's been a couple of months of digging and a few linux distros before I came to this solution: linuxant...
I have a NETGEAR WG511 v1 wireless card. On the back of the card, by the barcodes and such shows that it is made in China and a v.3. However, on the front of the card, there is NO version number, so it is a v.1
I found that this is one of the more difficult cards to configure w/ linux. Even its v.2 and v.3 siblings seemed easier.
I am also using a Compaq Presario 2199 and dual OS (windows xp and kubuntu feisty herd 2)
1. downloaded the wg511 install package from the Netgear website. It must be the 1.6 version (or something like that). It is the ONLY package that has the .arm file that we need.
2. once you run the .exe file, the drivers and firmware will be unpacked into a folder like /program files/netgear/wg511/drivers. (note: you will need to unpack on a windows machine. I did not do this on my dual OS laptop because i already installed the CD drivers on this machine and I didn't want to interfere (my wireless card works in windows). I used my desktop because it would not harm anything.
3. send the .arm file to your laptop. You only need this file. I hear that this replaces the prism54 firmware (isl3890).
4. create a folder in an easy location. I used the home/*(yourusername). I hear that desktop is not a good place. I named the folder wg511
5. now you need the drivers that work on your laptop. Either repeat the process with another version of the Netgear software (download a newer version), or use the CD, or just pull them from the windows file in your laptop. Find the .inf and .sys files and copy them to the same folder as your .arm file.
6. download linuxant driverloader from the linuxant.org website, browsing the drivers tab.
7. follow the directions for installation. If kubuntu, i think you will need to follow method B
8. follow more directions.
9. it will tell you to navigate to their website to complete the installation. do so.
10. plug in the files that they have requested and you are set. Now you will need to know your root password, so have that available. You will also need a working email address for their TRIAL license.
Your card should be blinking! Configure it with the knetwork manager and you should be all set.
CAUTION: I tried to use the .sys and .inf files from the same group as the .arm, but my computer froze up when i plugged in the wireless card. This is why i used different .sys and .inf files. The ones that came on my CD worked.
ALSO: I tried using ndiswrapper and it did not work for me. It might be because of the same issue that I had with linuxant and the old drivers. Now those that have used linux for more than a MONTH (I'm fairly new myself!), help me here, but in order for the wireless card to work, you need to fetch yourself a firmware, and the .sys and .inf drivers. If you go with ndiswrapper, you still need to get a hold of firmware, which is available as fullMac isl3890, I think. Is there anyone that knows how I can get ndiswrapper to work here now that I have the correct files?? It would save me $20, but I am not going to complain about that really. This Linux experience is a MUCH less expensive option than trying to keep up with Microsoft.
DOWNER: linuxant is proprietary software, so I have 30 days of a free trial, and then I will need to pay $20 for a permanent license. bummer.
I have a NETGEAR WG511 v1 wireless card. On the back of the card, by the barcodes and such shows that it is made in China and a v.3. However, on the front of the card, there is NO version number, so it is a v.1
I found that this is one of the more difficult cards to configure w/ linux. Even its v.2 and v.3 siblings seemed easier.
I am also using a Compaq Presario 2199 and dual OS (windows xp and kubuntu feisty herd 2)
1. downloaded the wg511 install package from the Netgear website. It must be the 1.6 version (or something like that). It is the ONLY package that has the .arm file that we need.
2. once you run the .exe file, the drivers and firmware will be unpacked into a folder like /program files/netgear/wg511/drivers. (note: you will need to unpack on a windows machine. I did not do this on my dual OS laptop because i already installed the CD drivers on this machine and I didn't want to interfere (my wireless card works in windows). I used my desktop because it would not harm anything.
3. send the .arm file to your laptop. You only need this file. I hear that this replaces the prism54 firmware (isl3890).
4. create a folder in an easy location. I used the home/*(yourusername). I hear that desktop is not a good place. I named the folder wg511
5. now you need the drivers that work on your laptop. Either repeat the process with another version of the Netgear software (download a newer version), or use the CD, or just pull them from the windows file in your laptop. Find the .inf and .sys files and copy them to the same folder as your .arm file.
6. download linuxant driverloader from the linuxant.org website, browsing the drivers tab.
7. follow the directions for installation. If kubuntu, i think you will need to follow method B
8. follow more directions.
9. it will tell you to navigate to their website to complete the installation. do so.
10. plug in the files that they have requested and you are set. Now you will need to know your root password, so have that available. You will also need a working email address for their TRIAL license.
Your card should be blinking! Configure it with the knetwork manager and you should be all set.
CAUTION: I tried to use the .sys and .inf files from the same group as the .arm, but my computer froze up when i plugged in the wireless card. This is why i used different .sys and .inf files. The ones that came on my CD worked.
ALSO: I tried using ndiswrapper and it did not work for me. It might be because of the same issue that I had with linuxant and the old drivers. Now those that have used linux for more than a MONTH (I'm fairly new myself!), help me here, but in order for the wireless card to work, you need to fetch yourself a firmware, and the .sys and .inf drivers. If you go with ndiswrapper, you still need to get a hold of firmware, which is available as fullMac isl3890, I think. Is there anyone that knows how I can get ndiswrapper to work here now that I have the correct files?? It would save me $20, but I am not going to complain about that really. This Linux experience is a MUCH less expensive option than trying to keep up with Microsoft.
DOWNER: linuxant is proprietary software, so I have 30 days of a free trial, and then I will need to pay $20 for a permanent license. bummer.