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zd1211 wireless USB dongle - needs ndiswrapper

Asked by TimGS

My Safecom SWMULZ-5400 (zd1211 chipset) works fine out of the box on Ubuntu 7.10 & 8.04 (Dell Dimension 5150), but never has on Fluxbuntu 7.10 or 8.04 (Thinkpad T23).

For the latter I have used ndiswrapper with success, aside from ndiswrapper's tendency on Hardy to give CPU soft-lock up bugs. However I am curious as to why I need ndiswrapper - there seems to be something missing in the OS. After comparing installed packages on Ubuntu with Fluxbuntu I cannot see what!

I have used with varying degrees of success network-admin, wifi-radar and wicd-client. Only network-admin has been 100% successful but all three detect my wireless network if and only if ndiswrapper is running.

-- Tim.

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pierce.jason (pierce-jason) said : 		#1

Where did you find an iso for "Fluxbuntu 8.04"? AFAIK Fluxbuntu Hardy
was abandoned early in the development cycle and never had any
releases. ;)

Do you not use ndiswrapper under Ubuntu? Do you know what driver _is_
used in Ubuntu for your card?(lsmod, dmesg, /sys, etc.)

On 12/28/08, TimGS <email address hidden> wrote:
> New question #55676 on The Fluxbuntu Linux Project:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/fluxbuntu-project/+question/55676
>
>
> My Safecom SWMULZ-5400 (zd1211 chipset) works fine out of the box on Ubuntu
> 7.10 & 8.04 (Dell Dimension 5150), but never has on Fluxbuntu 7.10 or 8.04
> (Thinkpad T23).
>
> For the latter I have used ndiswrapper with success, aside from
> ndiswrapper's tendency on Hardy to give CPU soft-lock up bugs. However I am
> curious as to why I need ndiswrapper - there seems to be something missing
> in the OS. After comparing installed packages on Ubuntu with Fluxbuntu I
> cannot see what!
>
> I have used with varying degrees of success network-admin, wifi-radar and
> wicd-client. Only network-admin has been 100% successful but all three
> detect my wireless network if and only if ndiswrapper is running.
>
> -- Tim.
>
>
>
>
> You received this question notification because you are an answer
> contact for The Fluxbuntu Linux Project.
>

Revision history for this message
TimGS (timspe) said : 		#2

There isn't a CD image for Fluxbuntu 8.04. I upgraded from 7.10.

I don't normally use the wireless dongle on my Ubuntu desktop as its connected via ethernet but I have tested it, and it works 'out of the box' (I disconnected the ethernet to be sure - it was definitely the wireless working). No ndiswrapper. Bar the fact that it works, I couldn't tell you any further details (am currently away from home so cannot check anything till the weekend).

Thanks.
Tim.

Revision history for this message
TimGS (timspe) said : 		#3

I have added zd1211rw to /etc/modules

This appears to fix matters (not 100% certain as I am away from home at the moment and have nothing to connect to - am on a wired connection at the moment). Certainly a number of nearby wireless networks are detected now.

Solved in a sense, but am still curious as to what is automatically loading the zd1211rw module in 'normal' Ubuntu that is not present in Fluxbuntu.

-- Tim.