Experiencing Ubuntu

Abstract:
I installed Ubuntu and I think it is ready for home use.

Background:
I am an off-and-on Linux user. The first Linux system I installed was Redhat 4 in 1998. 5 years later, I installed Redhat 8. Then ran OK but it was a hassle to install hardware drivers and mount CD and harddrive. So they were removed from my computer soon. During these years I remotely logged in some Unix and Linux servers to program and setup websites, so I am not a die-hard Linux enthusiast, nor am I a Linux newbie.

Introduction
Ubuntu, as well as Fedora(Redhat), SUSE, Gentoo, Slackware, Debian, are different distros of Linux. Linux was designed as UNIX in Personal Computers, because at that time (1991) UNIX only runs on expensive MainFrame or Minicomputer. Linux is free and open source.

Installation


Extra Software


Windows Software


Tweaking


Conclusion

Install USB wireless network card in Ubuntu

After installing Ubuntu, the first thing is to get it online. It is important to get it online before installing USB wireless network card. Yes, bring it close to your router and connect it with cable. Plug in your network card, we will use it very soon.

The best information I can get is from Czarism. Since most USB network cards come with Windows driver, ndiswrapper is developed to transfer the driver into LINUX. First, install ndiswrapper-utils. The best way to install it is through the System->Administration->Synatic Package Manager. Czarism tells a command line which doesn't work for me, because the name changed over time. Search "ndiskwrapper" in the Synatic Package Manager and you can download the newest version of this utility.

Then, find driver files from the network card CD. They should be in CD://driver/winXP/xxxx.inf. run the downloaded utility using Administrator previlidge to load this inf file:

sudo ndiswrapper -i xxxxx.inf

and put it into system configuration file:

sudo ndiswrapper -m

and load ndiswrapper module:

sudo modprobe ndiswrapper

Now you try to input "iwconfig", and should be able to see somthing like:

lo no wireless extensions.
eth0 no wireless extensions.
wlan0 IEEE 802.11g ........

that means your driver is activated, and the device is call "wlan0". This name will be different in some system.
then run it now:

sudo ifup wlan0

to run the device. Done! After this action, I plugged out my wired cable, and surf internet before I came here to blog!