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#1 2006-03-23 10:33 am
- Termy
- Member
- Registered: 2006-03-22
- Posts: 10
ppc live CD ubuntu airport problems
Hello again!,
I've recently burned the iso of ubuntu and kubuntu on cds, and I love the interfaces of each of them! No match to OS X, but still 
. Anyway, I have an iBook G4, and for some reason neither of those linux operating systems see my airport card! I NEVER connect via dialup or with any wire for that matter, it's usually all wireless for me. Is there anything I can do to finally get my baby online?
Thanks!,
~Termy
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#2 2006-03-23 11:47 am
- drmbb
- Member
- From: Charlottesville, VA
- Registered: 2005-05-12
- Posts: 90
Re: ppc live CD ubuntu airport problems
Nothing you can do. Broadcom won't release it's product specs to the open source community, so the Linux dev crowd cannot write support for them. You can check the Ubuntu user forums, but last I checked, that was the response. So, it's ethernet wire connections only if you want to go the Linux route.
Michael:
15", 1.5GHz AlBook, 1.5GB RAM, 128MB VRAM, 80GB 5400rpm HD
work: 2x2.5GHz G5 powermac, 4GB RAM, 2x250GB HDs
OS X 10.4.8
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#3 2006-03-23 6:05 pm
Re: ppc live CD ubuntu airport problems
Have you tried ndiswrapper? That's worked for me Broadcom chipsets in the past (never tried it with an Airport card, though).
From what I understand, there are drivers that were originally created for Kismet (KisMac is the OS X port) that you can use for this purpose. The Aiport cards (802.11b) support promiscious mode, whereas the Airport Extreme cards (802.11g) don't support promiscious mode.
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#4 2006-03-23 6:24 pm
Re: ppc live CD ubuntu airport problems
I did a little research on the subject, and it looks like the original Airport cards work, but the Airport Extreme cards don't. I'm assuming you're using the latter, as you have an iBook G4. If you want to use wireless with Ubuntu, I would recommend either purchasing an Aiport card (compatible with the iBook G4?), a linux-supported PCMCIA card, or even a USB wireless adapter with a good chipset.
Resource: http://www.ubuntuforums.org/archive/ind … 21235.html
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#5 2006-03-23 8:32 pm
- MacBoy4139
- BHA
- From: Big Hair Anonymous
- Registered: 2000-10-31
- Posts: 10911
Re: ppc live CD ubuntu airport problems
The USB wireless adapter is the only option that would actually work with the iBook G4.
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I'm still trying to figure out if you're a girl posing as Macboy4139, or a boy posing as a girl, and a bit confused sexually. <shrug> laughinol
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#6 2006-03-24 1:04 am
Re: ppc live CD ubuntu airport problems
Unfortunately, yes. The iBook G4 doesn't have a PCMCIA card slot, right?
Surprisingly, I've heard good things about the Linksys WUSB54G USB adapter. It's pretty cheap, and works fine under linux using ndiswrapper. Can anyone confirm if the Ubuntu LiveCDs come with ndiswrapper?
Before you decide on an adapter to buy, I recommend searching for issues on google when under linux. The LinuxQuestions.org Hardware Compatibility List is also a good resource.
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#7 2006-03-24 8:39 pm
- Termy
- Member
- Registered: 2006-03-22
- Posts: 10
Re: ppc live CD ubuntu airport problems
bcdynamic wrote:
Unfortunately, yes. The iBook G4 doesn't have a PCMCIA card slot, right?
Surprisingly, I've heard good things about the Linksys WUSB54G USB adapter. It's pretty cheap, and works fine under linux using ndiswrapper. Can anyone confirm if the Ubuntu LiveCDs come with ndiswrapper?
Before you decide on an adapter to buy, I recommend searching for issues on google when under linux. The LinuxQuestions.org Hardware Compatibility List is also a good resource.
You know, I think I actually use a Linksys USB adapter for my desktop windows computer... Ill try that, Thanks for the advice!
~Termy
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#8 2006-03-25 2:44 pm
- hawaiian717
- Mac Addict
- From: san diego
- Registered: 2004-06-08
- Posts: 1134
- Website
Re: ppc live CD ubuntu airport problems
A driver for the Airport Extreme has been developed: http://bcm43xx.berlios.de/
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#9 2006-03-26 7:57 am
Re: ppc live CD ubuntu airport problems
bcdynamic wrote:
Surprisingly, I've heard good things about the Linksys WUSB54G USB adapter. It's pretty cheap, and works fine under linux using ndiswrapper. Can anyone confirm if the Ubuntu LiveCDs come with ndiswrapper?
NDIAwrapper is useless on ppc macs.
It runs the Windows driver and thus requires an x86 cpu.
In her right hand Jenny held the Bible of her mother
Jenny had a pistol in the other
-- Steve Taylor
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#11 2007-07-03 11:16 am
- iHack
- Member
- Registered: 2007-07-03
- Posts: 1
Re: ppc live CD ubuntu airport problems
use bcm43xx-fwcutter. Makes my airport work! 
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