Setting up Wireless LAN in Fedora 11 (64-bit) (Intel 5100)

[maporojo]

I'm a complete Fedora newbie. It's not even a week since I started using it. Furthermore, I don't know how to set up wireless networks. The technical language is foreign to me. My notebook maybe described as follows:

Make and Model: SONY VAIO FW490
Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor P8700 (2.53GHz)
RAM: 4GB DDR2-SDRAM
Graphics card: ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD4650 graphics card with 512MB vRAM.
HDD: 320GB ATA Hitachi HTS54323
Wireless networking device: Intel Corp. Wireless WiFi Link 5100

It came pre-installed with Windows Vista Home Premium but now I have Fedora 11 (w/ Gnome) as the only OS.

The router that I am using with an Ethernet cable connected to my laptop is a Netgear 54Mbps Wireless Router WGR614 v7 connected to a Motorola Surfboard Cable Modem. Both worked right out of the box and now I have wired Internet access. RCN is my ISP.

I would like to avoid using the Ethernet cable connecting my laptop to the router.

This is what I have done so far:
1. Gone to System>Administration>Network
2. Clicked "New" then chose "Wireless connection" from the list
3. Chose Intel Corp. Wireless WiFi Link 5100 (wlan0) from list. The other option was "Other Wireless Card".

I don't know what to do after this. What should I choose in the windows entitled "Configure Wireless Connection" and "Configure Network Settings" ?

I chose Ad-Hoc for mode and entered an SSID name even though I have no explanation for taking these actions. As for the other settings, I simply went with whatever was already selected.

At the moment, I lose Internet access when I disconnect the Ethernet cable. I see other wireless networks when I click the network icon on the top right corner of the screen. I don't know how to make my router appear on that list if that's necessary.

Any help for setting up the wireless LAN will be highly appreciated. Thanks!

[scottro]

I"m not familiar with this card, but I believe there's another thread about it. I've changed the title, so that folks familiar with the card are more likely to see it.

[bbfuller]

Hello maporojo

Welcome to the forum.

In Fedora, NetworkManager, the icon on the panel in either Gnome or KDE is the default way of connecting to a wireless access point.

It will actively interfere with any other way of controlling a wireless card.

NM when you left click on it should display available wireless access points, and left clicking on one of those etc.........

I think from your post that your problem is that your access point doesn't appear in the list?

A couple of general points to think on.

Not all Linux wireless drivers get on with the "draft n" capabilities of newer routers. I've come across a couple where disabling that, or "channel bonding" or "channel spanning" enabled a connection.

Also, most access points will broadcast on the high channels, 12 and 13, which aren't available in all parts of the world and some linux wireless drivers won't work on them. could that be the problem?

If it's not, post back and someone here will think again.

[nyjetshead]

I chose Ad-Hoc for mode and entered an SSID name even though I have no explanation for taking these actions.

You don't want Ad-Hoc
Under Wireless settings tab in System>Administration >Network set this to AUTO all other settings should also be AUTO

Adhoc mode is for computer to computer or device connections.
In F11 you can use Adhoc mode to share the laptops wired internet wirelessly (internet connection sharing).
If you wish to connect to an Ad-hoc network do so through the NM tray icon, the Ad-hoc network should be visible in the list.

General Tab: Set Controlled by network manager on

Network Manager controls your wireless and wired interfaces unless you have disabled it.

Router not showing up in the list:
Be sure its set to broadcast the SSID if it is, the router should show up in the list (reboot the router after changing the settings)

If you want to keep it hidden you can set it up using NM by Connect to hidden wireless network from the NM icon in the tray.

From the command line you can use nm-tool to display access points available or iwlist wlan0 scanning. All access points will be displayed, hidden refers to the SSID they are still broadcasting.