This guide should be a big help to new users who wish to use their Belkin F5D7000 Wireless PCI Network Cards with Ubuntu Linux 5.10 (Codename: "Breezy Badger"). I struggled to get my card to work, because there is a lack of documentation online that is easy enough for beginning Linux user to grasp. I decided to share my knowledge after getting the F5D7000 card to be recognized, connect to my network and get online! I hope it helps! Also, you will need the wireless drivers. I suggest downloading these drivers in Windows (I know... SACRELIGE!), and then putting them on a CD so you can use them in Linux!

ALSO, "ndiswrapper-utils" MUST be installed before following this guide. You can install it by clicking on "System->Administration->Synaptic Package Manager" and checking "ndiswrapper-utils" off on the list of optional packages. Then click, "Apply" at the top of the window on the toolbar. Now you are ready to follow this guide. Hopefully this is foolproof once and FOR ALL!

Good luck!


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*Belkin F5D7000 in Ubuntu Linux: The DEFINITIVE WORKING setup guide for those who* *thought it wasn't possible *
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BY: Mike
UltimatePC@comcast.net

Do the following to enable the Belkin F5D7000 wireless network card in Ubuntu Linux 5.10 "Breezy Badger", and probably later versions as well of the Ubuntu distribution.

1. Download the Dell bcmwl5a.inf files online. I found them under the filename:

R74092us.EXE

What is nice about this .EXE file is that you can actually open it as a .ZIP file and extract its contents to any folder you want. Do that, and then make a note of where you extracted it to.

You will need this directory in Step 3. The driver file that makes this all come together nicely and enables your network card should be located in the extracted directory in a folder called "AR".

2. Open the console (click Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal)

3. In the new terminal window, type:

sudo ndiswrapper -i <path to the driver, bcmwl5a.inf>

EXAMPLE:
sudo ndiswrapper -i /home/michael/Desktop/dellwirelessdrivers/AR/bcmwl5a.inf

4. This should display the a message along the lines of "Installing bcmwl5a", as well as other messages such as "Forcing parameter IBSSGMode|0 to IBSSGMOde|2". This is normal. This is good.

5. Check to see if the installation completed as it should by typing:

sudo ndiswrapper -l

6. This should display the message "Installed ndis drivers: bcmwl5a driver present, hardware present"

7. Now type:

sudo ndiswrapper -m

8. And type:

sudo ndiswrapper -hotplug

9. Once more type:

sudo ndiswrapper -m

10. Finally, type:

sudo modprobe ndiswrapper

Your Belkin F5D7000 card is now installed.

This should enable you to see and configure your wireless card in System->Administration->Networking

You will need to go to that window to tell Linux how you connect to your router, as well as "Activate" the connection by clicking Activate after choosing "wlan0".

NOW, ONE FINAL STEP:
ENJOY YOUR WIRELESS INTERNET CONNECTION!

Looks good to me, well done! Maybe you should look at posting to the Tutorials section.

Superb tutorial. Worked flawlessly.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to let us newbes know how to get on the net! That's probably the most important step after install.

Just one point, I had to type in my DNS number (click the DNS tab in the network settings window).

This guide worked on my dell laptop with a belkin PCI card, I used the windows driver which came with it.

all seems to work fine, sudo ndiswrapper -l brings up "Installed ndis drivers: bcmwl5a driver present, hardware present"

but when i then type sudo ndiswrapper -m it says "modprobe config already contains alias directive" and essentially, it doesn't come up in the networking options bit.

help! what do i do?

thanks

I seem to have the same problem. Anyone have any ideas?