WPA Network with Microsoft Adapter mn_520

Forum: Networking
Topic: WPA Network with Microsoft Adapter mn_520
started by: ducker1312

Posted by ducker1312 on Feb. 21 2006,18:26

I'm a total linux noob. My adventure started when I wanted to replace Windows XP on a Dell Inspiron note (Pentium II with 96 RAM) with a linux distribution so I could use the notebook for web based email while traveling.
The notebook has a Microsoft Wireless Notebook Adapter MN-520 1.03.
In short I've been all over the web, tried several distributions and different wireless cards with no luck. The notebook is presently returning to XP but I"m still hoping to run DSL as a live CD.
When I boot up the notebook DSL reports the following(paraphrased from memory):
PCMCIA found
Crd Manager 73 version 3.2.2
socket 2 Microsoft Wireless MN-520
ex modprobe prism2.cs
ex wlan start wlan 0
sbin ifup
unknown
ifup ignoring unknown

It seems like it is close but....
I don't know how to add drivers with ndiswrapper
I've tried all the panels
Web pages say if I bind the orinoco drivers under etc/pmicia/config this will work but I can't figure out how to do it with DSL (I did it with ubuntu but it didn't help)
After 2 days shoud I call it quits or is there hope?

Thanks

Posted by Ducker1312 on Feb. 22 2006,03:06

Surprisingly, I'm posting this from my laptop, running DSL as a live CD. I turned of WPA on my home network and while the startup was unchanged, after I ran some things from the panel I was connected.
Tomorrow, I'll travel to the local coffee shop with wifi and see how it goes.
I think I could still use help on getting the right drivers loaded?

Thanks

Posted by K.Mandla on Feb. 23 2006,03:28

Could you tell me what settings you used? I'm trying to get this card going on an ancient Presario laptop, but I haven't had much luck. I don't use WPA, and I know the wiki says to use the Prism2 GUI, but I seem to lack the touch. Thanks.

Posted by ducker1312 on Feb. 23 2006,04:38

I don't think I can help. Try a DSL forum search "MN-520" and see the discussion from 3/5/2005. The topic was started by geodescent. It may help. The experience is like mine with more details.

Posted by K.Mandla on Feb. 24 2006,01:57

I found that link and once I had entered my encryption key properly, it worked fine. Just for the record, it has to be like this:

XX:XX:XX:XX:XX

in all capital letters and split up with colons. Otherwise -- in my case, at least -- the connections were rejected.

Thanks!

Posted by ducker1312 on Feb. 24 2006,03:29

I'm really glad to hear it worked.
Where did you enter the key?