Now we can actually help you. All the instructions you need are here:

http://wiki.debian.org/ath9k

Cheers,

Evo2.

Pedroski, one other thing. I'm assuming you're using the latest Debian Stable release - Lenny. Correct? You haven't said. Add the new repos for your branch of Debian ONLY! - Lenny (Stable), Squeeze (Testing), Sid (Unstable). Don't mix them. That is very important.

And don't forget to add the contrib non-free and multimedia source to your /etc/apt/sources.list file. You'll still need those additions no matter what else you do. As root... nano /etc/apt/sources.list. You can also view that file as user. Can't alter it or add to it. But at lease you can't screw it up either. You can also use Synaptic to do the same. I would suggest synaptic. It's the GUI front end to apt-get. Matter of fact, do that first. As you can see from the link provided by evo2, it calls for altering your sources.list. Don't forget to do an apt-get update or reload in synaptic after you add the new sources to your /etc/apt/sources.list. It lets your OS know it's got a new source to get apps from.

What else? Oh, after all is said and done, I'd still like to suggest you swap out the default network manager (n-m) for wicd. But that can wait until later.

I'd be careful in adding Ubuntu packages on a Debian system. They may not be compatible, even if the package manager doesn't complain about it.

Edit: I guess the link you provided is good for How-to's that could work in both distros

Trying out a bunch of CD (not DVD) sized distros over the last few weeks, the best in hardware detection and auto configuration was Knoppix, followed by Mepis (everything except compiz works out of the box). Too bad Knoppix is really intended to run as a live cd only. Dreamlinux 3.5 gave a bad first impression as it started with huge fonts & icons, rendering X practically useless. After adding an Option "NoDDC" to its xorg.conf however it ran smoothly, including compiz. Still its look and feel was too much for me so I ended up with Mepis, though it doesn't look very much like the original cd version now after I replaced the bloated KDE with XFCE.

Do you know how to get sound in Debian? And maybe that a DVD plays? I don't think I ever got Debian with sound! I have Pulse installed. Looks exactly like it does in Ubuntu. Just no sound comes out, wherever I put the virtual stream! Why do things like that not work in Debian?

Debian != Ubuntu! :-\ I have the impression you're not ready for Debian.... Install the alsa-base and alsa-tools packages and make sure the various channels (mixer) are open.

Padroski, here are the extra sources you MUST add to your /etc/apt/sources.list:

deb http://security.debian.org/ lenny/updates contrib non-free main
deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian lenny main contrib non-free
deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org lenny main

Also don't know if wicd is in Lenny. If not add this extra source to the /etc/apt/sources.list file

deb http://apt.wicd.net debian extras

As you can see, this is for Lenny. The latest Debian Stable release. I'm still assuming you are using Lenny. You've never said.

For DVD play back: apt-get install libdvdcss2
apt-get install w32codecs for streaming video
apt-get install flash-nonfree for Flash
apt-get install sun-java6-jre for Java

or use Synaptic for the same operation.

And of course you will add the contrib and multimedia sources to your /etc/apt/sources.list, won't you? Hummm? Because you WILL NOT be able to do any of this without them.

"MUST"?

I would strongly suggest security.debian.org, but contrib, non-free, and the unofficial debian-multimedia are completly up to the individual.

Evo2.

Thanks! I will add the sources, and do the installs. I have alsa installed. I can see all the modules in Pulse. Nothing is muted. In Ubuntu I can switch virtual streams and have sound where I want it. I have always had trouble with Debian. This time I am determined to make it work!

Well, true if one is a complete FOSS/Opensoftware devotee and that's all they use. I don't know of one Linux user that does that except Richard Stallman.

Personally, I can't and won't do without some proprietary software; Like Flash and Java and the codecs needed to view things on the internet. Or play DVDs. Or the wireless software needed. And one can't get those proprietary apps without the contrib and multimedia repos. Now can one?

For Linux to succeed, it needs these proprietary apps. No way around it no matter how one gets them. As much as I love Linux and believe in free software, I can understand the need for this. But I will not use a crippled OS for the sake of purity. Just won't do it. Might as well go back to Windows. And I sure as hell won't do that.

If I'm a purist in anything it's in the use of Debian. But not in refusing to use proprietary apps. If they're there, by damn, I'll install them!

My dear evo2, forgive me kind Sir. I let my passions get the best of me. Won't happen again. Promise.

Only libdvdcss, and that is only required for commercial DVDs.

You are missing a huge group of users that neither need nor want these things. Think of a work situation. I don't need to decrypt DVDs with libdvdcss, I'm generally careful to only purchase hardware which works with free drivers. If for some reason I want flash or java I can use free implementations.

Ohh, please don't talk about Linux succeeding. Succeeding in what exactly?

Go back? Well I guess that is the crux of it. The problem is peoples perception. These days such a large fraction of GNU/Linux users come from a commercial software/windows background and they have trouble treating GNU/Linux as a system in its own right. Instead they often seem to think of it as a system that is better than their old system in many respects, but lacks some some of the features that they are used to.

Evo2.

Problem with apt-get flash-nonfree:

vaya2:/home/peter# apt-get install flash-nonfree
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Couldn't find package flash-nonfree

Wrong name? I changed my sources.list to include the sources named above. Any tips?

You can use apt-cache search to find package names:
Should list a couple of pacakges including

flashplugin-nonfree

Cheers,

Evo2.

PS. Although it is fine to use apt-get, Debian has for sometime now recommended using aptitude over apt-get.

So you have the backports repo added?.
Then install with:

You can substitute aptitude for apt-get if that's what you normally use.
The following two links maybe useful:

http://backports.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=instructions
http://packages.debian.org/lenny-bac...plugin-nonfree

Just last week I installed lenny using the netinst disk. 130mb is what i got from the download. It installed perfectly yet I haven't run it to the fullness of its power yet. I am still setting it up like I like my box. I ran fedora core for 6 years. I was very happy with it but then tried the new version and it just ran slow. I know things take time but I kind of did some research and like the idea of Debian not the newest dog but tried and true. I will keep comming back to this conversation and see if it can help me so far the source.list have helped me a lot. and I will try to write my first script in debian next week after my tests.
my laptop's dvd is busted so i will not be going in that direction but I have no problems with sound.
running debian lenny
fujitsu laptop from 2003
150 gb hardisk.
ethernet connection through a router at home.
Using fibreoptic connection
I downloaded the disk in less then 2 minutes and installed debian in about 15 minutes with everything downloading from the net.
Very easy to install.