Wireless home networking in brief

The following is a brief text-only walkthrough of wireless (IEEE 802.11 also known as WiFi) home networking with Puppy Linux 2 series and 3 series using the graphical networking wizard.

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Set up your new router

If your router isn't new skip to "Detecting your wireless adapter" (below).

1. Plug your router into your internet socket if you want to share your internet
2. Plug your router into your PC with an ethernet cable
3. Go to your browser and type in the address "192.168.0.1"
4. Enter your username and password for your router (often "admin" and "admin") then your internet service provider
5. Enable wireless and set your encryption (WEP or WPA) and type a memorable passkey

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Detecting your wireless adapter

1. Click the "Connect" icon on your desktop
2. In the "Connect" box, click "Connect to Internet by network interface"
3. If under "Interfaces" (or "Driver Modules" if Puppy 2 series) a wireless device appears skip to "Connecting to a network" (below)
4. Click "Load driver", choose automatic and click OK, if this is successful skip to "Connecting to a network" (below)
5. If your wireless adapter isn't found automatically, find the manufacturer and model, choose it from the list and click OK
6. If your wireless adapter isn't on the list, check WirelessWorking for a list of cards which may work with Puppy
7. If your wireless adapter isn't on the list, choose "ndiswrapper" from the list and choose your Microsoft Windows driver (.inf file) and click OK until you return to the Network setup screen
8. Click "Save"

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Connecting to a network

1. Under "Interfaces" click on the newly detected wireless adapter
2. Click on the "Wireless" button
3. Click on "Scan" (this may take a number of attempts), choose your own network (find your manufacturer and model), then click OK
4. Choose your "Encryption" by clicking on "WEP" or "WPA/TKIP", then enter your passkey where it says "Provide a key"
5. Click "Save" and this connection will be launched at every boot
6. Click "Use This Profile"
7. Click "Auto DHCP" (or "Static IP" and enter the IP addresses manually if "Auto DHCP" doesn't work) then you are connected

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Troubleshooting

Visit the Puppy Linux forum for Wireless networking∞.
Have a look at the LinuxQuestions.org Hardware Compatibility List for Network cards∞
Forum topic on configuring wifi from the command line∞.

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CategoryHowto