From: TJ@noneofyour.business   
      
   On 05/29/2012 08:56 PM, Adam wrote:   
   > TJ wrote:   
      
   > Thanks for making me clarify that point, TJ! I don't need both at once.   
   > Let me see...   
   >   
   > 1) Right now I'm choosing my next distro for this desktop system   
   > ('eris'). This box is connected via an RJ-45 cable to my DSL   
   > modem/router which also supports wireless.   
   >   
   > 2) Configuring my router to support wireless will require some computer   
   > wired to it, or if not /required/ would still make things a lot easier.   
   >   
   > 3) When I get around to buying a new computer, 'eris' is going to be   
   > moved to another room, and will need to use wireless to access the 'net.   
   >   
   > 4) Therefore: The distro I choose for 'eris' /must/ be able to use the   
   > PCI wireless card I already have (now in my box of computer pieces).   
   >   
   > About three years ago I briefly had a second desktop system in the other   
   > room, put that same WiFi card in it, and found that with some distros   
   > getting WiFi working securely was relatively straightforward, while with   
   > other distros it seemed impossible.   
   >   
   >> Not my specialty, but perhaps my experience will help. If you just want   
   >> the potential to use either wired or wireless, but not both at the same   
   >> time, that's easy enough.   
   >   
   > Great!   
   >   
   >> I did that with the Dell computer I, um,   
   >> inherited last winter. I set it up as wired with Mageia 1, then shopped   
   >> for and bought a usb dongle wireless adapter, so I could eventually move   
   >> it to another room. For a while there, while I was testing things, I had   
   >> both connections available. I had one set up to be made at boot, and if   
   >> I wanted to use the other I right-clicked on the connection icon,   
   >> changed the active interface, and it would switch.   
   >   
   > That is essentially the situation I'm in now, and that does indeed sound   
   > simple and straightforward.   
   >   
   >> In your case, the configuring procedure would depend on the distro you   
   >> settle on.   
   >   
   > Or in my case, the other way around. The distro I settle on will depend   
   > (among other things) on whether I can configure it for wireless with   
   > 'eris' and my existing WiFi card. If I can't get a distro configured for   
   > wireless after considerable effort, then that's enough to eliminate that   
   > distro for me.   
   >   
   Which wifi card do you have, and do you know the chip it uses? If you   
   said before forgive me - I don't remember. Some cards will need   
   proprietary firmware installed before they can work. Some distros will   
   provide it. Others, those (like Mandriva Free and the Mageia DVD) whose   
   install media is all open-source, probably have it available but harder   
   to get to. And for some, firmware may be available through   
   Linuxwireless.org.   
      
   But on the plus side an older card, unless it's REALLY old or an   
   oddball, may be easier to get up and going than a newer one. Much has   
   been done with wireless and Linux lately, and the kernel now contains   
   drivers for devices that it didn't before.   
      
   Caveat: I'm not a Linux wireless expert by any means. I have done some   
   research on the subject where it pertains to the devices I have, and   
   have picked up some general information here and there - mostly just   
   enough of it to get me into serious trouble. It is quite likely that my   
   free advice isn't worth what you have to pay for it.   
      
   TJ   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)