Wireless LAN with PCMCIA on Edgy

Generally, there are 2 ways to activate a wireless LAN adapter with PCMCIA on Linux:

• Installing its driver for Linux
• Using ndiwrapper

However, if you brought an adaper that isn't supported by ndiwrapper, you have to throw it in the garbage bag?
No. If you execute "lspci" command and get a following answer:

03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88w8335 [Libertas] 802.11b/g Wireless (rev 03)

You might be able to use it!

I bought an adaper "Wireless G Adapter PCMCIA(PM150NXT08)" by NEXXT.
Either There are no driver for Linux or support by ndiwrapper but I succeed activate it.

First, we need activate PCMCIA.
Edgy recognize PCMCIA by default.　But if your Ubuntu doesn't know PCMCIA is inserted into your PC, install "pcmciautils" for kernel version up to 2.6 or "pcmcia-cs" for other version with Synaptic.

Now we can install driver for Marvell Technology's adaper.
If you've installed ndiswrapper, you nees uninstall it(following packages) through Synaptic or apt-get.

• ndiswrapper-common
• ndiswrapper-utils
• ndiswrapper-utils-1.1

Next, install build-essential and linux-headers of your kernel version through Synaptic or command line interface.

$ sudo apt-get build-essential
$ sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r`

Create symbolic link:

$ sudo ln -s /usr/src/linux-`uname -r` /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build

Download latest version on Nidswrapper and install it.

$ tar xvzf ndiswrapper-1.38.tar.gz
$ cd ndiswrapper-1.38
$ make distclean
$ make
$ sudo make install

Go to TRENDnet's web site and download a driver that can be alternative driver for your PCMCIA.

Decompress it and now install driver with ndiswrapper.

$ unzip TEW-421PC_b1\\Driver\\Utility_Driver_TEW-421PC_423PI_b1_2.00.zip
$ cd Drivers/Windows\ XP/
$  sudo ndiswrapper -i Mrv8000c.INF

Check install by command "ndiwsrapper -l"

$ ndiswrapper -l
mrv8000c : driver installed
   device (11AB:1FAA) present

Activate it!

$  sudo depmod -a
$  sudo modprobe ndiswrapper

Now turn on PWD LED!

Execute iwconfig in passing.

$ iwconfig
:
wlan0     IEEE 802.11b  ESSID:off/any
     Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.437 GHz  Access Point: Not-Associated
     Bit Rate:1 Mb/s   Sensitivity=-200 dBm
     RTS thr:2346 B   Fragment thr:2346 B
     Power Management:off
     Link Quality:0  Signal level:0  Noise level:0
     Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
     Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

Add information into /etc/network/interfaces:

iface wlan0 inet dhcp
wireless-essid [SSID]
wireless-key [WEP key]
auto wlan0

Restart /etc/init.d/networking.

$ sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart

Are you connected to internet now?

Lastly, configure your ndiswrapper for activate your PCMCIA everytime you boot your PC.

$ sudo ndiswrapper -m
adding "alias wlan0 ndiswrapper" to /etc/modprobe.d/ndiswrapper ...

Perfect!

Reference: TRENDnet TEW-421PC H/W:B1 PC Card Wireless Adapter using ndiswrapper Installation