How Do You Install WiFi Windows Drivers in LXLE?
  • I was watching some videos about installing Windows WiFi drivers in Linux.  I have a USB WiFi Adapter for my Desktop computer that none of the Linux Distros I've tried recognize it out of the box. The solution I went with is: I bought a new adapter that said Linux right on the box!.  The problem is the one I bought for Linux doesn't seem to perform as well as the one I've been using under Windows.  This is true both ways.  What I mean by true both ways is I've installed the drivers for windows so that windows can also run the USB Adapter for Linux.  The performance of this adapter is the same for both operating systems. Both of my USB Wifi Adapters have the same 300Mps specs.  This means that it isn't the rating that makes one better then the other. Apparently one just has a better built or something.

    Before I bought the new adapter I looked all over the place to figure out if there was a way to get the first adapter working.  It appeared that nobody in the various forums could get this particular model working.  However I didn't notice anybody mention using the windows drivers that came with the device.  I didn't even know that there is a way of installing windows drivers in Linux.  But one day as I was downloading some tutorial videos from youtube I noticed several people made videos about how to install windows drivers for WiFi cards.

    Last night I watched 3 videos on how to install Windows Drivers for WiFi cards.  The first video sounded easy enough.  The second Videos sounded a little harder.  And the third Video sounded hard too me.  The third video is 20 minutes long!  We in Linux know that there are more then one way to skin a cat, but really?  3 different ways to get this done?  The first thing that pops into my head is What is the best way to try this in LXLE?

    http://youtu.be/ESV2y3U3J_s

    http://youtu.be/nlLS8d4Z09c

    http://youtu.be/wchimaoe9KE


  • ZakaZaka
    PMPosts: 202
    Yeah ~ that's one of the selling points ~ multiple options to accomplish anything.

    Just invest 5 minutes and watch the one for Ubuntu.
  • I already watched all three of these.  I'll give the second one (The 5 Minute one a try)  Thank you for your recommendation.  I will report back and let you know how it goes.
  • lxlelxle
    PMPosts: 2,656
    what wifi card or chip is it?
  • The Card/Adapter is a Linksys AE1200

    http://www.linksys.com/en-apac/products/adapters/AE1200

    I'm new to this stuff.  I don't know what the chip is or how to find out. I could try doing a guess search with google.com  Do any of you know the easy way to find out about chips?
  • lxlelxle
    PMPosts: 2,656
    Looks like its broadcom based.

    Open synaptic package manager

    do a search by name for b43

    install everything but lpphy

    reboot when done, see if it picks it up.
  • Through watching some Linux Tutorials on Youtube I saw some videos about the synaptic package manager but this is the very first time I've ever used it.  I tried to do what you said but it didn't work.  I was able to capture what the terminal said it did.  I hope I at least did what you said correctly.







    p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }


    Selecting previously
    unselected package b43-fwcutter.


    (Reading database
    ... 166744 files and directories currently installed.)


    Unpacking
    b43-fwcutter (from .../b43-fwcutter_1%3a015-9_amd64.deb) ...


    Selecting previously
    unselected package firmware-b43-installer.


    Unpacking
    firmware-b43-installer (from
    .../firmware-b43-installer_1%3a015-9_all.deb) ...


    Selecting previously
    unselected package firmware-b43legacy-installer.


    Unpacking
    firmware-b43legacy-installer (from
    .../firmware-b43legacy-installer_1%3a015-9_all.deb) ...


    Processing triggers
    for man-db ...


    Setting up
    b43-fwcutter (1:015-9) ...


    Setting up
    firmware-b43-installer (1:015-9) ...


    No chroot
    environment found. Starting normal installation


    Setting up
    firmware-b43legacy-installer (1:015-9) ...


    No chroot
    environment found. Starting normal installation


    No supported card
    found.


    Use b43 firmware.
    This is just for the b43legacy driver.


    Aborting.




  • lxlelxle
    PMPosts: 2,656
    did you have the usb wifi card plugged in when installing this?
  • Yes :)

    What should be my next move?
  • UpDate:

    I haven't tried to install Windows Drivers yet.  But I wanted to tell you guys something weird.  Sometimes when I boot up I notice that it appears that my Wifi card is getting noticed, however it won't allow me to put in my network password.  It allows me to connect and disconnect but when it's behaving like this I don't get internet access.