[D-community-newbie] Installing wireless on Acer Aspire 1500

[Chris Lale]

> Hi,
> please give me some advice for me. i don't know which driver model i need to
> install. My pc model is Aspire L1500 (Acer brand). i hope you will answer my
> question.
> Cheer, Han 

First, you should use a search engine to find out which wireless chipset you
have and the driver for it.

Using Google with these search terms "wireless chipset acer aspire L1500 linux",
I found that the Aspire 1500 uses a Broadcom chipset.[1]

Another site[2] told me that the Broadcom wireless built into Acer laptops was
known to work in Linux. There was a link to source of the Linux driver [3] [4].

The driver has been included in the Linux kernel since kernel version 2.6.17-rc2.

First, find out which kernel version you are using. At the command prompt ($)

	$ uname -r
	2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486

This shows that I am running kernel version 2.6.24 (ie later than 2.6.17).

According to linuxwireless.org[4], you will need either the b43 and b43legacy
kernel module. You can check these exist on your system. At the user root
command prompt (#)

	# modprobe -l | grep 43
	/lib/modules/.../b43legacy/b43legacy.ko
	/lib/modules/.../b43/b43.ko

I suggest you try the b43legacy driver first. Insert the module into the kernel

	# modprobe b43legacy

Set up wireless networking following the instructions in the NewbieDOC article
"How to set up a wireless network card using drivers from Debian packages"[5],
starting at section 7 "Insert the driver module into the kernel".

If you have any further questions, please send an email with the subject
"Installing wireless on Acer Aspire 1500" to
d-community-newbie at lists.alioth.debian.org. If possible, register first at
http://lists.alioth.debian.org/mailman/listinfo/d-community-newbie and
confirm your subscription by following the instructions in resulting email
message. You will then get replies directly to your email box.


[1] http://www.linux-on-laptops.com/acer.html
[2] http://linux-wless.passys.nl/query_chipset.php?chipset=Broadcom
[3] http://bcm43xx.berlios.de/
[4] http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43
[5]
http://newbiedoc.berlios.de/wiki/How_to_set_up_a_wireless_network_card_using_drivers_from_Debian_packages#Insert_the_driver_module_into_the_kernel

Regards,
-- 
Chris.