[Ham-Linux] Dell Linux Laptop & Servers
Bill Cotter
n4alg at qx.net
Thu Apr 20 13:56:43 EDT 2006
Mike,
I believe many of the earlier laptops with built-in wireless used
the Intel chip sets. The newer ones have the Broadcom chip sets,
and the programming is proprietary (no open source or published
drivers). You are correct on the modprobing of the driver. However,
I did not use one of the $$ ndis shims. I can't recall whose free
shim I used.
73 bill n4alg
At 12:34 PM 4/20/2006, Mike Schmitt wrote:
>I have a Dell inspiron 8600 that I used to have to use the drivers
>that
>you are talking about. On updating the kernel you would simply have to
>go back and do an automatic install. Now I am running SuSE 10 and no
>longer need the pay for driver. SuSE 10 finds the built-in
>wireless and
>it just works. I have seen other built-in wireless in a HP laptop that
>were not as lucky.. But the Dell stuff works on my laptop.
>
>Mike
>
>
>On Thu, 2006-04-20 at 12:14 -0400, Bill Cotter wrote:
> > Leo,
> >
> > I have used RH/Fedora linux on several Dell laptops (C-800, D-600,
> > Inspiron) with mixed results. The older Inspiron I gave up on
> after
> > days of kernel builds, patches, hacks, etc.
> >
> > The C-800 accepted RH9 with a simple video hack (I think I had to
> > tell X to use the display as super-VGA) and I used an external
> > cisco wireless card with no issues. These are commonly available
> > (accessories, too) on e-Bay for great prices.
> >
> > A couple of years ago I got one of the newer D-600 models with the
> > built-in Broadcom wireless card. I installed the Fedora core
> and it
> > puked on the wireless card. I ended up having to install ndis to
> > emulate windows, to use a windows XP wireless driver. Every time I
> > did a yum update where there was a kernel change, I had to go back
> > and reinstall the ndis shim. What a pain.
> >
> > I finally installed Win XP and VMware to run linux with no
> problems
> > (yet)! The next rebuild cycle, I will place FC-5 on the box and
> use
> > the cisco wireless card. Then use Windows XP under linux-VMware.
> >
> > A good way to buy Dell laptops WITHOUT an OS is to go to the
> > www.dellauctions.com site and bid on their refurbished units. I
> > have picked up a couple of GS-260's and laptops for my kids and
> > they come without an OS or any software. Plus they are well priced.
> >
> > All the servers I use for security services here at UofK come from
> > Dell without operating systems and we promptly install the latest
> > Fedora package.
> >
> > 73 bill n4alg
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > At 11:57 PM 4/19/2006, you wrote:
> > > > On Tue, 2006-04-18 at 21:12 -0700, Leo B. Whiteway wrote:
> > > > > This message has had no response and I wonder if we will
> have
> > > to look
> > > > > for a different supplier.
> > > > > Posting this to these groups may not be polite but I am
> > > getting angry
> > > > > with the lack of response from Dell.
> > >
> > >It's not only Dell - email response from major retailers just
> plain
> > >sucks.
> > >
> > >
> > > > > I want to buy notebook/laptop computer/s and I want to know
> > > if you will
> > > > > sell any without any operating system as we do not allow any
> > > computers
> > > > > in our place of business with any Microsoft software
> installed.
> > >
> > >Dell will actually put linux on some of their servers, but I don't
> > >believe it's offered to the public - only their corporate
> customers.
> > >The website should tell you.
> > >
> > >Your best bet for any answer at all would be to call
> them. While I
> > >can't state you'll get anybody with a clue, it's probably
> better than
> > >you will get via email.
> > >
> > >Not that I don't sympathize, but will your business be negatively
> > >impacted by a laptop with Windows sitting in the building?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >I am a corporate Dell customer. When they got into the printer
> > >business
> > >(by which I mean they slapped a DELL emblem on a Lexmark), I
> had to
> > >rattle a lot of chains to get a linux driver. The Somebody that
> > >eventually called me apologized for the delay and emailed me the
> > >driver.
> > >I suggested that perhaps they consider actually putting the
> driver on
> > >the website, allowing them to avoid calls like mine.
> > >
> > >If you go to the site, pick a day when you won't be in a
> hurry. Even
> > >their customer site crawls sometimes.
> > >
> > >
> > > > > Do you sell computers without Microsoft or do you only force
> > > buyers to
> > > > > pay the Microsoft penalty and thus have us clear the drive
> > > and reinstall
> > > > > proper software?
> > >
> > >You might be able to get a server with no OS.
> > >
> > >Generally the larger companies won't sell computers w/o Winblows.
> > >There's some sort of legal hitch, but I'm not 100% sure what
> it is.
> > >
> > >
> > > > HP (but probably not Compaq) is pushing Linux, might even
> ship with
> > > > Linux if you ask.
> > >
> > >I'm pretty sure that Dell only uses Red Hat for linux servers.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Overall, I'm pretty happy with Dell.
> > >This does not mean there haven't been a lot of frustrating
> > >episodes, but
> > >they're pretty good. Right off the bat, their warranty will have
> > >either
> > >a new part shipped to you overnight or a part and a tech to
> > >install it.
> > >Their phone lines are 24x7x365.
> > >
> > >Of course you still have to call their support lines first,
> which is
> > >another story entirely......
> > >
> > >
> > >I'll close with fair warning on a related topic:
> > >AVOID CHEYENNE/ARCSERVE/BRIGHTSTOR backup products. If they
> are your
> > >only choice, use Windows Backup or command line copy commands.
> > >
> > >I spent forty-two days with the dedicated, polite,
> > >somewhat-knowledgeable folks who provide tech support for their
> > >products. I went from the bottom to the top techies and after 42
> > >days,
> > >NOTHING GOT FIXED. They finally recommended not using their
> OWN agent
> > >for backup.
> > >
> > >The only person I talked to from my country was the operator who
> > >routed
> > >my calls to India. There is NO support in the US, including the
> > >VPs. I
> > >got so frustrated with the lack of a fix that my only
> > >entertainment was
> > >trying to figure out how to make them laugh. Rest assured
> that Bob,
> > >Maria, and Frank were NOT their real names (well-spoken though
> they
> > >were).
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >Ham-Linux mailing list
> > >Ham-Linux at mailman.qth.net
> > >http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ham-linux
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------
> > Bill Cotter, N4ALG E-mail: n4alg at qx.net
> > 173 Carolyn Lane Home: (859) 887-5563
> > Nicholasville, KY 40356-9340 Work: (859) 323-6474
> >
> > ARRL ARCI #9878 QRPl #1646 QCWA #29393 FISTS #4535
> > ----------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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>
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----------------------------------------------------------
Bill Cotter, N4ALG E-mail: n4alg at qx.net
173 Carolyn Lane Home: (859) 887-5563
Nicholasville, KY 40356-9340 Work: (859) 323-6474
ARRL ARCI #9878 QRPl #1646 QCWA #29393 FISTS #4535
----------------------------------------------------------
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