IMHO, if you are intending to install an O/S, and will need to have an Internet connection, you should ALWAYS have a thumb drive and another computer with a confirmed Internet connection before starting. The only exception to this rule is when installing OSX on a Mac - because they control the hardware and the software, you're almost always good to go out of the gate. Windows is like this, Linux/BSD/etc is the same way. Get a cup of coffee at a cybercafe if you need to for the 'net access! That said, I've had little trouble with the Intel Wireless 2100 in the past on a Dell Inspiron 600m. Do a google search for "ipw2100", various RPM options show on the first page for me. Good luck! On Wednesday, February 16, 2011 12:08:05 pm Robert Heller wrote: > At Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:44:17 -0600 CentOS mailing list <centos at centos.org> wrote: > > On 02/16/2011 01:06 PM, Les Mikesell wrote: > > > On 2/16/2011 12:41 PM, Robert Heller wrote: > > >> The wireless on the X31 is an Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless LAN 2100 > > >> 3B Mini PCI Adapter (rev 04). Intel wireless chips are *very well* > > >> supported *out of the box* under CentOS. You do need to download and > > >> install the proper firmware. > > > > > > Isn't being supported "out of the box" and having to download something > > > else a contradiction in terms? Not to mention a catch-22 when your > > > usual connection to download is over wireless... > > > > So tell that to Red Hat. > > > > If it ain't in RHEL, it ain't in CentOS. Les, surely you know that by > > now. > > Also *wireless* NICs almost always need some sort of firmware thing in > /lib/firmware (or whereever). This is usually separate from any > driver(s) that might be needed. Wired NICs don't need this firmware > thing. > > In my case my usual connection is not wireless anyway, or at least it > is not my only option -- the laptop does have a wired NIC, which also > works *out of the box* and is also an Intel NIC (Intel Corporation > 82540EP Gigabit Ethernet Controller (Mobile) (rev 03)). Oh, and it also > has USB ports, which would be another option. > > (And *I* would avoid any laptop that *only* had a Wireless NIC.) > > > Content-Description: OpenPGP digital signature > > > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- > > Version: GnuPG v1.4.5 (GNU/Linux) > > Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/ > > > > iD8DBQFNXCkRTKkMgmrBY7MRApO6AJ93eRXbsq+MIPsFpI+eg89gyyen8wCgo+m4 > > LCkYyS5IEDshQ0YYX1oRZtE= > > =9tM/ > > -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- > > > > MIME-Version: 1.0 > > > > _______________________________________________ > > CentOS mailing list > > CentOS at centos.org > > http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos/attachments/20110216/7d0704ee/attachment-0005.html>