Ubuntu 10.04 Not Working On Wireless Virgin Broadband

davesdeals

S0litaire wrote: »

Unfortunately I'm stumped, it might just be a case of starting from scratch and installing Dells version of Ubuntu on the machine.

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/w/linux/consumer-linux.aspx

If that does not work then it's a hardware issue with the wireless router. Then there's nothing you can do apart from getting another router...

Thats what i've already done started from scratch, from the original disc plus the router is fairly new from virgin.
Im totally lost as to what to do.

Anyone want to buy a Dell Mini 10 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

S0litaire

Does the wireless work with other Wireless networks? if it does not then it's defiantly a problem with the laptop and probably requires a call to Dell support

How long have you had it? you might get better help with Dell tech support.

candtalan

davesdeals wrote: »

Does anyone have any other ideas i can try, this really seems crazy that i cannot get a solution for this problem.
Maybe there really is problem with Ubuntu 10.04 that no one can fix !!!

The ubuntu forums contain information which should fix it fairly easily, however, it is very irritating that hardware made for one operating system does not easily work with another OS of your choice.

site:
Ubuntu on the dell mini
http://www.ubuntumini.com/2010/04/broadcom-wireless-driver-fix-in-lucid.html
Basically you need to connect to the internet (using an ethernet cable... ) and normally you would first use
System>Administration>Hardware Drivers
and see the offer to install the broadcom wireless driver. If you have not yet done this, then it is worth a try.

If that is not doing what it should, then get the driver from the Ubuntu libraries
System>Administration>SynapticPackageManager
and after a refresh reload, search for and install the
bcmwl-kernel-source package.

hth

edit:

I now see later messages indicating the driver is installed and activated.......

Do you have wireless networks 'enabled' - right click on the network icon top right panel?
Do you see any wireless networks *at all* indicated - left click on the network icon? (in a location where you know wifi exists)
If you see nearby wireless networks listed at all, when you click on one you should see an invitation to enter a key password.
My understanding is that if the wireless router is set to hide the network name, then you will not actually see the name at all in these tests, so verify that your wifi router is not 'hidden', and obviously, that wifi is turned on.

hth

davesdeals

S0litaire wrote: »

Does the wireless work with other Wireless networks? if it does not then it's defiantly a problem with the laptop and probably requires a call to Dell support

How long have you had it? you might get better help with Dell tech support.

The thing is it worked once although slow, but just does not work at all now, the machine is just under a year old, i had trouble at the start trying to get hold of Dell when i did finally get hold of someone it was like talking to person from another world.
Do you know what there tech support number is?
Although i dont hold out a lot of hope!!

davesdeals

candtalan wrote: »

The ubuntu forums contain information which should fix it fairly easily, however, it is very irritating that hardware made for one operating system does not easily work with another OS of your choice.

site:
Ubuntu on the dell mini
http://www.ubuntumini.com/2010/04/broadcom-wireless-driver-fix-in-lucid.html
Basically you need to connect to the internet (using an ethernet cable... ) and normally you would first use
System>Administration>Hardware Drivers
and see the offer to install the broadcom wireless driver. If you have not yet done this, then it is worth a try.

If that is not doing what it should, then get the driver from the Ubuntu libraries
System>Administration>SynapticPackageManager
and after a refresh reload, search for and install the
bcmwl-kernel-source package.

hth

edit:

I now see later messages indicating the driver is installed and activated.......

Do you have wireless networks 'enabled' - right click on the network icon top right panel?
Do you see any wireless networks *at all* indicated - left click on the network icon? (in a location where you know wifi exists)
If you see nearby wireless networks listed at all, when you click on one you should see an invitation to enter a key password.
My understanding is that if the wireless router is set to hide the network name, then you will not actually see the name at all in these tests, so verify that your wifi router is not 'hidden', and obviously, that wifi is turned on.

hth

Read that site before
Checked the drivers
Can see all networks
Network is not hidden
.............and yes wifi is turned on !!!!!

davesdeals

Thinking about this now when i purchased this unit it was from the Dell outlet, which i presume it was reconditioned therefore maybe it has always been faulty be it an intermittant fault, maybe thats why it was sent back, and when i purchsed it, it was never fixed !

Can anybody give me any ideas what to do now, im hunting for the invoice to make sure it is less than a year old.