SuSE Linux

[Cristatus]

I just installed the latest version of SUSE linux, and was wondering how to find out whether i am running KDE or Gnome.

 

[TonyRic]

not that difficult. Is there a menu at the top? if not then you are running KDE. The default config for KDE is only the taskbar/menus at the bottom. Gnome is at the top.

 

[sourceninja]

SuSe defaults to KDE, you are most likley using kde.

 

[Cristatus]

Ok.

I'm running KDE.

is there a way to switch to Gnome?

EDIT: While I'm at it, is there a way to get my WLAN card to work with SuSE? I'm a complete n00b at this.

 

[n0cmonkey]

What chipset on the wifi card?
Check your ~/.Xinit file for KDE related stuff. Switch them to the appropriate gnome stuff. Maybe it's ~/.xinit, I can't remember.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
What chipset on the wifi card?
Check your ~/.Xinit file for KDE related stuff. Switch them to the appropriate gnome stuff. Maybe it's ~/.xinit, I can't remember.

You can probably also to do it easily in YAST. Either uninstall all the KDE stuff and install the Gnome stuff...or go to System Update and choose "Standard System with Gnome"

Note: I've never actually tried either of these methods, so use at your own risk. But you can do most anything in YAST. Great tool.

 

[Cristatus]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
What chipset on the wifi card?

I'm not sure if this is the chipset, but it's a Broadcom BCM4306 (common on many Acer laptops)

 

[Nothinman]

Check your ~/.Xinit file for KDE related stuff. Switch them to the appropriate gnome stuff. Maybe it's ~/.xinit, I can't remember.

KDM should have a session switcher that lets you pick KDE or Gnome without the need to edit files, at least GDM does.

 

[Cristatus]

Ok, I've obtained the source code for the ndiswrapper, but how do I compile the damn thing? Do I use the terminal program, or what?

 

[Jzero]

Assuming you have the C tools installed (which you should by default), this is the common way to install anything from source:

Extract from the tarball (of course). In SUSE you can either click it in the UI or use the tar command.

Then from the terminal console run:
./configure
make

then use su and run
make install

You can do all 3 steps as su/root, but it's "good practice" to not be root when doing the first 2 steps in case someone wrote some malicious code into the configure or make scripts. It's odd how hard it is to find these simple instructions

Also in SUSE if you have an RPM (either a source or a SUSE RPM...RPMs for other distributions may work but are sketchy), you can right-click the RPM in the UI and click "Install with YAST...." and it will take you through the process. It's a pretty nice way to install things.

 

[Cristatus]

I tried the instructions on the website, and I'm getting errors

 

[Nothinman]

Don't bother posting the errors, I'll go grab my crystal ball.

 

[Cristatus]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
Don't bother posting the errors, I'll go grab my crystal ball.

Sorry, I'll consult my crystal ball.

It says:

linksys:/home/logic/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.1/ndiswrapper-1.1 # make
make -C driver
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/logic/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.1/ndiswrapper-1.1/driver'
Can't find kernel sources in /lib/modules/2.6.8-24-smp/build;
give the path to kernel sources with KSRC=<path> argument to make
make[1]: *** [prereq_check] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/logic/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.1/ndiswrapper-1.1/driver'
make: *** [all] Error 2
linksys:/home/logic/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.1/ndiswrapper-1.1 #

Any advice?

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: logic1485

Originally posted by: Nothinman
Don't bother posting the errors, I'll go grab my crystal ball.

Sorry, I'll consult my crystal ball.

It says:

linksys:/home/logic/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.1/ndiswrapper-1.1 # make
make -C driver
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/logic/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.1/ndiswrapper-1.1/driver'
Can't find kernel sources in /lib/modules/2.6.8-24-smp/build;
give the path to kernel sources with KSRC=<path> argument to make
make[1]: *** [prereq_check] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/logic/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.1/ndiswrapper-1.1/driver'
make: *** [all] Error 2
linksys:/home/logic/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.1/ndiswrapper-1.1 #

Any advice?

I bolded the important part. I do, however, recommend you drop broadcom and get a decent wireless card.

 

[Nothinman]

You need to install the kernel headers package for whatever kernel you're running.

 

[Jzero]

I just checked and there is a ndiswrapper package for SUSE which will probably give you less grief.
To install this, start up YAST (Launch Menu -> System -> YaST).
Click Software
Click "Install and Remove Software"
Search for NDIS and you should find ndiswrapper and the kernel module sources.

 

[Cristatus]

Originally posted by: Jzero
I just checked and there is a ndiswrapper package for SUSE which will probably give you less grief.
To install this, start up YAST (Launch Menu -> System -> YaST).
Click Software
Click "Install and Remove Software"
Search for NDIS and you should find ndiswrapper and the kernel module sources.

well, i followed instructions and it downloaded the ndiswrapper from my cd, but where is it installed (is it even installed?)?

 

[Cristatus]

Ok, I google SuSE ndiswrapper and came to the instructions here.

I followed them, but when I enter:

(ndiswrapper -i /home/logic/desktop/wlan/wlan/802114/driver/bcmw15.inf

the shell changes to

>

instead of the usual

null:~[directory that i am in]

That is the only output it gives me.

When the shell changes to > it ignores every single command I give it, including exit

 

[Cristatus]

Ok, never mind. I just solved my own problem.

I was missing the ) in the quote, and that id how I had it entered in the shell

got it installed, following the next set of instructions.

 

[Cristatus]

Ok, I have come across another problem.

I have followed the instructions here and am stuck on what to do. It says I have to enter the ESSID, which I did, and I also set it as managed. I also enter the passphrase.

now, when I enter ifconfig in the shell, I get something along the lines of:

Bcast:192.168.1.255

Funny thing is, I don't have anything set up there, so I am wondering what the Bcast is for. (Mind you, I have the same thing written for my ethernet card, and that works perfectly fine).

When I type in iwconfig I get:

ESSIDff/any

I swear I set up the ESSID in YaST2. It picked up my Encrption key, but not my ESSID, both of which were entered in YaST2

 

[Nothinman]

When the shell turns into '>' that means it's waiting for more input from the last command, you started a construct and never finished it. Things like parenthesis, quotes, the \ char and probably others I'm not thinking of can cause this. If you did it by accident just hit ctrl+c.

Bcast is the broadcast address, every IP network has one. If you're using a normal class C then x.x.x.255 is correct.

 

[Cristatus]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
When the shell turns into '>' that means it's waiting for more input from the last command, you started a construct and never finished it. Things like parenthesis, quotes, the \ char and probably others I'm not thinking of can cause this. If you did it by accident just hit ctrl+c.

Bcast is the broadcast address, every IP network has one. If you're using a normal class C then x.x.x.255 is correct.

OK, thank you for the info.

But that still leaves me with a disfunctional WiFi card. I'd get a new one, but I'm about to sell this laptop, and it's a built-in network card . Anyways, I was wondering if there was perhaps another forum, that I would also be able to get help from.

 

[Nothinman]

I can't help you, all I know aobut BroadCom is that they're hardware is ass. When I bought my 802.11b card I made sure to get a prism based one since they were supported with 100% GPL'd drivers, now I'm thinking about getting a RaLink based one since they're also supported by GPL'd drivers.

 

[Cristatus]

Thank You all very much on trying to help me to install linux. Tomorrrow I'm on my way back to university, and hopefully, I have wireless up and working. If I don't you probably won't see me for quite a bit, but if it I do, I'll be back by tomorrow pm or next afternoon. (All times GMT)

 

[Cristatus]

Ok. I'm not really back, but I have another question. How do you enter a space in SuSE? I heard you can't use _ (underscore) but there is something like a \ or something similar. What is it?