Current system:
– Linux skipper 2.6.12rackit (Debian unstable)

Tested on kernel 2.6.12 with built in pcmcia modules – Worked like a charm!!

Tested with:
* Dlink DWL-G650 (w3)
* TopCom wifi card

Did following steps:

1) grabbed kernel 2.6.12
=> make xconfig
a) made sure hotplug was cheched
b) added pcmcia/cardbus support
c) added wireless drivers
d) add rest – it’s selfexplaining…
=> compiled and booted up in kernel 2.6.12

2) Fetched Madwifi (from CVS)
a) did a make
b) then a make install

3) Checked pcmcia loaded the card correct
a) lspci -v (look for ethernet Atheros)

4) Loaded madwifi module
a) modprobe ath_pci
b) Chekc dmesg for info

5) loaded up wifi card
a) ifconfig ath0 up

Thats that, it’s running….
So sweet, and since i last tested madwifi theres no hangup’s in the driver anymore… (had some problems with kismet)

Let’s try finding something…

Installed Kismet, (grap latest with madwifi support)
Edited /etc/kismet/kismet.conf where it says something about source=changeme::
to
source=madwifi_ab,ath0,D-Link

don’t forget to change suid to some user and then load up kismet with root.

Bam, Kismet running and pop, it found a AP in no time (thanks to all the public AP’s *chugs*)

Found the following:
SSID: NETGEAR (no WEP)
CHANNEL: 11

Let’s connect to it then…

iwconfig mode managed
iwconfig channel 11
iwconfig nick “Bogus”
iwconfig essid “NETGEAR”

Check “iwconfig ath0” respons with a line like this:

Access Point: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx

Where xx is numbers and letters (this means that you have reached the AP’s MAC address.) If the line looks like FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF then you haven’t connected right. Redo the iwconfig steps and perhsps check ifconfig that ath0 is up.

Well now i was connected…

So did a dhclient ath0

Got a ip and checked i could ping the gateway/router…

That’s it… Setup/discover/connect – USE!! 😀

Hope this short guide can help someone else with the hole “wifi” stuff under linux.

(Note, discover senario was fictive)

Questions, or thanks are all welcome 😉 Just mail me and i’ll help ya out.