ok, as said in the subject, i am a newb to linux, probly why im using the simple mandrakelinux

ok, i was running windows till i decided to try linux out, and i love linux very much i think i will stick with it and lear all i can about it untill i am as skilled with it as i am windows

the only thing hilding me back from utilizing linux right now, is i am without internet
before i used a linksys wpc11 wireless notebook card ver. 4,
this was easily configured on windows, and ive heard some things that it is supported on linux and isnt....
if it is please help me get it working, so i can stop using this hdd and use my new hdd with linux
if this is not supported and you are sure of it please tell me so i can stop wasting my time trying to get it going (maybe recomend an easy to get wireless card that i can purchase that is supported)

i thank you very much in advance for helping me out

Are you loading the PCMCIA modules? Check the chipset ID and if it is a realtek, then look for more info, drivers, on
http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/...model=RTL8180L
You're more interested in seeing if the chipset works than if the model of the card does. If the chipset it supported, then there is a good chance it will work. Alot of models of networking cards use the same old chipsets, in their "NEW" designs.

Its not ideal to say, this is simpler on Windows than on *nix, since they are not the same, MS Windows is more of the pre-packaged, "you get what we give you" compared to *nix saying, "you want it then here's the tools to do it"
You can buy a coffee from a department store, with some assembly required. But one does not truly "build" a coffee table from these purchases. To build one, you would start out with some raw supplies, lumber and build it.
This is more of how *nix is compared with MS Windows.
Yes, using *nix _can_ be more difficult initially, but over the long road it is defintely easier to build your ideal system with it.