Linux Wifi connection? how?

bettyboo71

I have a linksys router in my flat. My laptop runs Windows.
My flatmate has just acquired a pc running linux, it does appear to have a wifi card but when we try to set up the connection it asks for the SSID and BSSID? Does anyone know what these are or how we'd find out what they are?

bettyboo71

hanks, but it comes up with a box asking for SSID, Mode (default seems to be 'infrastructure), BSSID, Device MAC address and Cloned MAC address and MTU (set at automatic) bytes. We're both pretty computer illiterate, sorry!
So far it hasn't asked for the password.

bettyboo71

Unfortunately we don't know which version it is. We got the PC from someone on Freegle. I think for now we will just go for the easy option of using a wired connection. But thank you for taking the time to try and help.

Darksun

It sounds like it's asking you to manually set up a wifi connection. On most linux systems there should be an option to scan for networks and when you pick one it should set up everything automatically (except for a password). But Linux is so varied no one can give you exact instructions without knowing more about the distro you have

John_Gray

Surely somebody really ought to suggest that the OP should install Windows instead, where such wireless problems are rare?

(Oh, sorry, not politically correct...! )

Darksun

John_Gray wrote: »

Surely somebody really ought to suggest that the OP should install Windows instead, where such wireless problems are rare?

(Oh, sorry, not politically correct...! )

These are supposed to be money saving forums are they not? Why would we advise the OP to pay hundreds for an operating system when they have a free one that is capable of doing the job?

faerie~spangles

John_Gray wrote: »

Surely somebody really ought to suggest that the OP should install Windows instead, where such wireless problems are rare?

(Oh, sorry, not politically correct...! )

Heaven forbid:D

Op you be better asking on a dedicated Linux forum.

Figment

As it's a newly acquired PC, I'd be inclined to start over and install a fresh copy of Ubuntu or Mint

John_Gray

Darksun wrote: »

These are supposed to be money saving forums are they not? Why would we advise the OP to pay hundreds for an operating system when they have a free one that is capable of doing the job?

Perhaps because we know that Windows works out-of-the-box? If the OP does not cost his time trying to solve Linux wireless woes, then, yes, it would be cost-effective staying with Linux. But wouldn't take many chargeable hours to rack up the cost of buying Windows as an alternative.

(Perhaps also you missed the tongue-in-cheek wink smilie?)

bettyboo71

Hi
Thanks for all your suggestions. We've managed to sort it out with a wired connection for now and hopefully someone who is more competent than us will be round to have a look at the wireless connection soon!