Total newb to Linux - never used it before yesterday. I'd really like some help setting up my wireless adapter for Internet access. I'm running the latest version Mandriva, and my card is 2Wire 802.11g, which I don't think has drivers for Linux. The tech help person didn't even know what Linux was...
Anyway, thanks in advance for the help.

We need to know which chipset your card uses, that way we'll know how to get it working. Can you open up a terminal window (e.g. Konsole, Gnome Terminal, xterm) and run "lspci" (without quotes) and post the output here, please. If you get command not found, either run it as root (use the "su" command to become root) or run it as "/sbin/lspci".

Erm. Well, okay. Here's what that gave me:

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 915GM/PM/GMS/910GML Express Processor to DRAM Controller (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #1 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #2 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #3 (rev 03)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #4 (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev d3)
00:1e.2 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1e.3 Modem: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) AC'97 Modem Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801FBM (ICH6M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 03)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) IDE Controller (rev 03)
02:04.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11b/g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 03)
02:06.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCIxx21/x515 Cardbus Controller
02:06.2 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
02:0e.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4401-B0 100Base-TX (rev 02)

You can probably use NdisWrapper for this card. It's software that lets you use Windows drivers (for wireless cards) Run lspci -n and note what it says in the third column of the line that starts with "02:04.0". Then, check this page for that "code". That'll tell you which Windows driver to use with the card (as the NdisWrapper site recommends not using the ones from your CD). Even if the brand and model of your card aren't listed, you should be able to use the same driver for another card that has the same chipset as yours. My card has the same chipset and works fine with NdisWrapper.

Sorry, but where do I actually save the .tar.gz file (if it matters)?
And I've read through the Wiki installation guide for NdisWrapper, but I'm getting a "No such file or directory" just from trying to create a link, like it says to do. Also, how can I find out my kernel version? I'm pretty sure I know it, but I want to be sure.
This is probably a really stupid question but it says Mandrake comes with NdisWrapper, so is there an easier way I could install it using the CDs or something?

I didn't realise Mandriva came with NdisWrapper, but yes, if it does, just get it off the CD. It's probably in RPM format.

If you do want to install the source, then you can save it anywhere you like. As for getting the kernel version, use "uname -r".

Edit: you'll need the kernel source package for Mandriva installed and I think the kernel headers too (it may be called kernel-devel or similar).

Latest Mandriva free edition dvd does come with ndiswrapper - when you go to configure a new wireless connection it gives you the option of installing windows driver using ndiswrapper and it automatically installs from the dvd.

I've got the CD in and it says the package couldn't be installed. I'm using the Free CDs, so I don't know how much of a difference that makes (like which CD needs to be in and which actions need to be taken before the package can be installed).

Maybe you will have to enable all your cds as sources for packages in the package manager section then try and install ndiswrapper that way. Not at my own pc just now so cant remember exactly where you should be looking but ndiswrapper is there somewhere.

If its this version you have 2006.0-free.i586.cd ndiswrapper is on disc 3

That's my problem, then. My Disk 3 never worked during the install - it kept telling me to insert disk 3, and I'd remade the CD about four times before I figured it just wasn't going to work.
And where can I find the kernel source package and headers for Mandriva, and how would I install these? Google.com/linux didn't really come up with anything that I can follow.
Also, Nylex, out of curiosity, which driver did you use?

Again going by this http://qa.mandriva.com/distro/2006.0-free.i586.cd kernel source is on of course disc 3. Check this if you have different version http://qa.mandriva.com/twiki/bin/vie...ux2006Packages

You can search for rpms at the http://rpm.pbone.net site.

I more or less don't even have a disc 3. It doesn't work. And thanks for the link, but I can't search for an rpm I don't know the name of.

Tell you what, search that link to the cd contents for a package with kernel-source in the name. Then go to the link jschiwal suggested and search for the rpm there. Or search the package list for ndiswrapper then go to rpm.pbone then see here http://www.mandrakehelp.com/RPM-HOWTO.html on how to install.

I think it was this one. The PCI ID for my card (the thing from the third column of the output from lspci -n) is 14e4:4320, though.