[geeks] Dell Inspiron 1525 Linux laptop update

[hike]

On Sun, Apr 13, 2008 at 8:25 PM, Lionel Peterson <lionel4287 at verizon.net>
wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> I just made the conversion of this laptop from Windows VIsat Home Premium
> to Ubuntu 7.10, and while it was fairly painless, I don't have WiFi on it
> (yet) - everything else works.
>
> To recap, I bought the laptop for $699 at local Best Buy, as it was the
> same model as Dell will/does offer with Ubuntu 7.10 (but, oddly cheaper with
> Vista pre-installed/included, when all the included upgrades are included).
> I threw a standard 32 bit Ubuntu install disc in and installed in no time,
> but no WiFi joy. Tried the ndiswrapper route, but it eluded me (others got
> it to work). Then I got the Dell "reinstall" iso[0], their rebuild image
> (minus DVD playback codec), and still no WiFi (as expected - Dell only ships
> Intel 3945 A/B/G cards with Ubuntu, they don't support the Dell TrueMobile
> 1395 card that came with my laptop)...
>
> I again tried ndiswrapper, but that failed again. In desperation, I went
> looking for a different radio card for the laptop (no PCMCIA/PC Card slot,
> just Express/54 & USB/Firewure), and came up empty-handed. So I went to
> Dell's website, and they listed the Intel radio card available as a refurb
> for $25, and the bluetoothe card for another $20 (new), so my laptop will be
> stylin' some new radios in a few days thanks to Dell, and I assume WiFi
> support will be "brilliant" (to borrow a phrase from our friends in the
> U.K.), esp. with the Dell Ubuntu image.
>
> I think Dell shortened the included repositories for apt, leading me to
> have problems with ndiswrapper...
>
> Aside form this issue, I quit elike the laptop, though the keyboard feels
> odd - like the plastic was painted silver on the keytops, bit for the price
> it has some great performance (and a big 4+ hour battery) for a decent
> price. Of course, the screen is only 1280x900 :^(
>
> Lionel
>
> [0] http://linux.dell.com/files/ubuntu/iso-images/?C=M;O=A
> _______________________________________________
> GEEKS:  http://www.sunhelp.org/mailman/listinfo/geeks
>


Thanks for the information on the Inspiron 1525 and on the Dell Wifi cards.
In the past, I have purchased laptops either with the Intel Wifi cards or
that had Intel Wifi cards available.  (HP, Dell, Toshiba).
I did purchase a Lifebook 12.1" with an Atheros Wifi card and Ubuntu 7.10
picked it up automatically and only asked if I wanted to install the
restricted drivers.

Intel WiFi cards are also available on eBay.