Notes about installing a Netgear WG511 in Debian GNU/Linux

I was using:

• Debian GNU/Linux unstable
• An i386 based laptop with a cardbus slot
• A [Netgear WG511] bought from [EBuyer]
• Linux 2.6.5
• An 802.11b wireless AP.
• Hotplug, udev, the whole Project Utopia kit and caboodle

First up, visit [Prism54.org] and debase yourself by downloading the firmware for the card.

Copy this file to /usr/lib/hotplug/firmware as isl3890 assuming a Netgear WG511.

Next insert your card, type ifconfig ethX up and check that dmesg indicates that it has loaded the firmware okay.

Assuming it's all okay, remove the card again.

Configure the relevant stanza in /etc/network/interfaces with dhcp or static addressing. Don't forget the wireless-* entries for your network.

Next, dpkg-reconfigure hotplug

When asked about what interfaces to manage, choose all

Now insert the card and it should just work

If anyone has any experience of doing this with 802.11a or 802.11g APs, I'm interested in hearing about it...

Dafydd Harries says:

I hadn't used the card with a 11g AP until a couple of weeks ago, when
we got a wireless router that supported it. It just worked - the card
detected the it could use 54Mbit, and did.

I bought a Netgear 802.11b/g and DSL router. Plugged it in, powered up, configured and then tried the wireless. 54Mbps off-pat.

Unfortunately the driver doesn't get full-speed yet, so I was only getting 1.6MBps from my server, but it's still way better than the 802.11b performance.