How to install a Linksys PCI WiFi card

[Hexeta]

Hi Folks, I am not very clever with these things and rely heavily on the good folks who populate these forums!
My only previous experience has been using Linux Mint which I have had on several old machines.

With this lock down and being totally alone, I have dusted off a very old laptop which has Windows XP on it.
For some reason it will not boot into windows, I tried a USB stick with Linux Mint 17 32bit, but it wouldn't "see" the USB at Boot, so I enabled "Legacy Support" in BIOS but still the drive was ignored at Boot, so I finally tried an old disk copy of Linux lite which did boot after a few complaints.
I was really trying to find out just why XP wasn't booting, but I guess that was expecting too much of my tiny brain!

As Clint Eastwood used to say in Dirty Harry, "...a man's gotta know his limitations!"

Having taken the line of least resistance, I am now wanting to install either Linux lite or another Lite distro on this machine but first, I would like to be able to activate the WiFi card. It is a Linksys Wireless G Notebook Adapter Model WPC54G and slide into a PCI card slot in the laptop.
It was working just fine with Windows XP, and I recall using it with Mint a long time ago but now with this install Linux 3.13.0-24-generic(i686) I can't find out how to install the driver.
Can anyone help me please?

[Valtam]

It's possible, but you're going to have to jump through some hoops first.

https://arthurdejong.org/wpc54g/

plus get the original driver from LinkSys.

Let's see what version of the card you have first:

Code:

lspci -v

[Hexeta]

Hi Jerry and thanks for replying.
For some reason I wasn't emailed your response so apologies for late reply.
I'm really struggling here have a tenuous LAN connection, wires all over the room!
I have located acopy of the driver I have used in the past with XP and with Mint 9 it needs as I recall the ndiswrapper and that's where I'm stuck at the moment. I can't call it up to install.

I had a "complaint" on boot which I photographed but until I can get more control, I can't attach it from this old machine.

Later I'll log in  on my W10 machine and upload the pic, it says something about not finding "b431legacy/ucode4.fw" or that "load failed".

OK, through the magic of BT.I've uploaded the Photo,
Look forward to your reply 

Here's the response to your Command line interrogation:-
linux@linux:~$ lspci -v
00:00.0 Host bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 650/M650 Host (rev 01)
Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer Device 2263
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64
Memory at e8000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64M]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: agpgart-sis

00:01.0 PCI bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] AGP Port (virtual PCI-to-PCI bridge) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 99
Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=68
I/O behind bridge: 00009000-00009fff
Memory behind bridge: ec100000-ec1fffff
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: f0000000-f7ffffff

00:02.0 ISA bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS962 [MuTIOL Media IO] LPC Controller (rev 25)
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0

00:02.1 SMBus: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS961/2/3 SMBus controller
Flags: medium devsel
I/O ports at 8100 [size=32]

00:02.5 IDE interface: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 5513 IDE Controller (prog-if 80 [Master])
Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer Device 2263
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 128, IRQ 5
[virtual] Memory at 000001f0 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8]
[virtual] Memory at 000003f0 (type 3, non-prefetchable)
[virtual] Memory at 00000170 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8]
[virtual] Memory at 00000370 (type 3, non-prefetchable)
I/O ports at 1000 [size=16]
Kernel driver in use: pata_sis

00:02.6 Modem: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] AC'97 Modem Controller (rev a0) (prog-if 00 [Generic])
Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer Device 4201
Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 5
I/O ports at 1400 [size=256]
I/O ports at 1080 [size=128]
Capabilities: <access denied>

00:02.7 Multimedia audio controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS7012 AC'97 Sound Controller (rev a0)
Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer Device 2263
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 173, IRQ 5
I/O ports at 1c00 [size=256]
I/O ports at 1800 [size=128]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: snd_intel8x0

00:03.0 USB controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.1 Controller (rev 0f) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer Device 2263
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 11
Memory at ec000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: ohci-pci

00:03.1 USB controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.1 Controller (rev 0f) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer Device 2263
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 10
Memory at ec001000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: ohci-pci

00:03.2 USB controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 2.0 Controller (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer Device 2263
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 10
Memory at ec002000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci

00:0a.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8100/8101L/8139 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter (rev 10)
Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer Device 2263
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 11
I/O ports at 2000 [size=256]
Memory at ec003000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: 8139too

00:0b.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Texas Instruments TSB43AB21 IEEE-1394a-2000 Controller (PHY/Link) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer Device 2263
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 10
Memory at ec003800 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=2K]
Memory at ec004000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: firewire_ohci

00:0c.0 CardBus bridge: ENE Technology Inc CB1410 Cardbus Controller
Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer Device 2263
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 168, IRQ 5
Memory at 40000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Bus: primary=00, secondary=02, subordinate=05, sec-latency=176
Memory window 0: 44000000-47ffffff (prefetchable)
Memory window 1: 48000000-4bffffff
I/O window 0: 00002400-000024ff
I/O window 1: 00002800-000028ff
16-bit legacy interface ports at 0001
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: yenta_cardbus

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 65x/M650/740 PCI/AGP VGA Display Adapter (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer Device 2263
Flags: 66MHz, medium devsel, IRQ 5
BIST result: 00
Memory at f0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M]
Memory at ec100000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=128K]
I/O ports at 9000 [size=128]
Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
Capabilities: <access denied>

02:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02)
Subsystem: Linksys WPC54G v1 / WPC54GS v1 802.11g Wireless-G Notebook Adapter
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 64, IRQ 5
Memory at 48000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: b43-pci-bridge

Edit:
Been gnawing at this during the day, off and on, especially since we're at opposite ends of the clock!
Not sure if any of these notes I made are helpful, but here they are:-

www.wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43#devicefirmware (from the screen photo)
Not found!

Google Search Results :-
Using: https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/users/drivers/b43
Showed me a table from which I deduced my Card was this one:

en:users:drivers:b43 [Linux Wireless]
  PCI-ID   Supported?       Chip ID         Modes           PHY ver
14e4:4306 yes (b43legacy)     BCM4306/2         b/g           G

I don't understand any of the othert information on this page but get the feeling that maybe I should not have had the linksys card in the PCMCIA card slot at boot!
Have to wait and see what Jerry has to say.

Hope that saves us some time and look forward to hearing from you.

[DeepThought]

@Hexata hi, for b43 legacy firmware try the following:

Code:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install firmware-b43-installer

You may need to reboot but that should install the firmware for:

Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller

I have 2 laptops which use the same Broadcom wifi card so hopefully it should work for you

[Hexeta]

Hi Deepthought, just saw your post as I was off to bed but thought "I'll give it a try", ...sadly it doesn't seem to have worked.
Just as I'm typing this, I have realised why!
I am (was) running this Distro from  a live disk and didn't think it through before rebooting, which of course initiates total amnesia!

The Command line code did invoke much industrious work and looked promising but Once I disconnected the LAN, I could not tickle the Linksys card into action.
I don't know if that code called up the installation of the driver or possibly the ndiswrapper, but neither were apparent and I could not create a connection to  my router, ...no request for password.

Maybe the OS needs to be installed before I can use the Wifi card, I don't know.

The reason I used this Distro was the implication of the name "Lite" since this Laptop was a bit puny even when it was originally sold way back in 2005/6, and running it as a live disk seems to be making very heavy going.
It's taking 20 seconds to open FireFox which makes me think it is struggling.
Also, I'm unable to configure the touchpad to recognise either a double tap or a two finger scroll which surprises me.

I'm just wanting to get it back to being a usable laptop so that it is useful to give to someone and thought Linux Lite would fit the bill, now I'm not sure it is up to running it!
Thanks for your help
Off to bed to think about it!
Might get Alexa to play WKDfm on  TunIn to sooth my furrowed brow

[firenice03]

[member=20688]Hexeta[/member]  Yes the Live Environment - will revert back after a reboot... And yes it probably is very slow - your running the OS via a USB not a disk.
If you have space available I would suggest installing for better results, LL does make old hardware snappy but at the same time it cant work magic... lol

Perhaps a make/model of your laptop or specs?? I have LL3.8 running on a dell mini with 1gb ram - it works, but I wouldn't want to do heavy work...


You can also reference the Hardware Database to see how many others are running a similar setup.
https://www.freecinema2022.gq/hardware.php


What [member=7644]DeepThought[/member] mentions may/should work... Best tested after an install...

[Hexeta]

Hi Firenice03, Yes I know it's an old machine and for the life of me I can't get it to "see" a USB stick to boot from.
I have set Boot order to USB, Optical drive then HDD and enabled Legacy support, but the only way to boot is from the live CD.

It was a little slow with XP, but I really thought a "lite" Distro, without getting too utilitarian would be a bit better.
Can't recall the full specs but I think the processor is a 2GHz Celeron and the RAM is maxed out at 1GB.

[Valtam]

I see in the screenshot you are using 2.0 this is no longer supported, especially when trying to get online with it. Try an install to hardware (no Live use) with 3.8 and we'll go from there.

[minesheep]

For speed there is program called "disks" in the menu which can benchmark partitions/disks. If you care about your data saved on the laptop please untick "Perform write-benchmark" (this don't destroy data by design but errors may happen if write benchmark is enabled). If you can get 20MB/s speed and access times under 3ms I think it is OK. Please benchmark your hard drive not the stick for estimating speed of an installed OS (to hard disk).

[DeepThought]

[member=20688]Hexeta[/member] Hi, my apologies, brain was in neutral and forgot a reboot would lose the data but the command should still work. Just means every time you reboot you would need to use the command.

What does come to mind is:

1) As [member=2]Jerry[/member] states LL v2.0 is out of date and you would be better using LL v3.8

2) If you still want to test from a live cd, use the command from my last post, and THEN (without rebooting)

3) Take a look at your laptop keyboard and the outside of the laptop. Some laptops don't turn on the wifi card automatically, so look for a switch somewhere on the outside or an FN Key on the keyboard to switch the wifi card ON.

Hope this works for you