OK, To make this easier, I'm gonna lug my computer downstairs later to plug directly into the router, as I haven't yet mastered writing to cd, and my Linux box is the only machine in the house with a floppy drive.

In the meantime, my desktop is Gnome Desktop 2.22.3.
WPA is a wireless encryption standard I believe? The answer is no, There is just a MAC filter for security right now.

Seeing as how i will be wire connected to the router for a while this evening, is there anything else you think I should do at that time?

p.s. my MAC address is programmed into the MAC filter, it worked when I was on Windows with this machine

---------- Post updated at 08:55 PM ---------- Previous update was at 06:41 PM ----------

ok, for what it's worth, I'm doing this using my Linux box and a wired connection to the router from my 3com card. it's about 9PM EST here in Toronto (GMT-5), I'll be online for a few hours yet.

selected segments from dmesg, this is from a previous boot when I did not have the wired connection going.

...
[ 0.175361] system 00:0b: iomem range 0x0-0x9ffff could not be reserved
[ 0.175372] system 00:0b: iomem range 0xe0000-0xfffff could not be reserved
[ 0.175381] system 00:0b: iomem range 0x100000-0x1fffffff could not be reserved
...
[ 5.563511] 0000:01:0c.0: 3Com PCI 3c905C Tornado at e0840c00.
...
[ 16.177623] ath5k_pci 0000:01:0d.0: registered as 'phy0'
[ 17.011611] phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'pid'
[ 17.688166] ath5k phy0: Atheros AR2414 chip found (MAC: 0x79, PHY: 0x45)
[ 17.689630] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKH] enabled at IRQ 11
[ 17.689642] PCI: setting IRQ 11 as level-triggered
[ 17.689650] ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:01:0b.0[A] -> Link [LNKH] -> GSI 11 (level, low) -> IRQ 11
...
[ 22.829619] eth0: setting half-duplex.
[ 26.243381] NET: Registered protocol family 10
[ 26.244920] lo: Disabled Privacy Extensions
[ 26.246586] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready
...
[ 31.329128] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
[ 152.525481] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 152.525502] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2417 Mhz)
[ 152.525511] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2417 MHz for scan
[ 152.890292] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 152.890301] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2422 Mhz)
[ 152.890309] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2422 MHz for scan
[ 153.274793] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 153.274802] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2427 Mhz)
[ 153.274809] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2427 MHz for scan
[ 153.622271] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 153.622279] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2432 Mhz)
[ 153.622287] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2432 MHz for scan
[ 153.990580] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 153.990589] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2437 Mhz)
[ 153.990597] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2437 MHz for scan
[ 154.330758] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2442 MHz for scan
[ 154.663339] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2447 MHz for scan
[ 154.996024] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2452 MHz for scan
[ 155.360609] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2457 MHz for scan
[ 155.689486] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2462 MHz for scan
[ 156.042847] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2467 MHz for scan
[ 156.434894] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2472 MHz for scan
[ 156.779613] wlan0: failed to restore operational channel after scan
[ 161.844027] __ratelimit: 16 messages suppressed
[ 161.844027] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 171.844012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 181.841849] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 191.839876] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 201.844013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 211.844013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 221.844013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 231.844014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 241.844014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 251.844013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 261.844014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 271.836964] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 281.844012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 282.549882] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 282.549902] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2417 Mhz)
[ 282.549911] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2417 MHz for scan
[ 282.902370] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 282.902378] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2422 Mhz)
[ 282.902386] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2422 MHz for scan
[ 283.250545] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 283.250554] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2427 Mhz)
[ 283.250562] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2427 MHz for scan
[ 283.594038] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 283.594047] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2432 Mhz)
[ 283.594055] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2432 MHz for scan
[ 283.934598] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 283.934607] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2437 MHz for scan
[ 284.275354] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2442 MHz for scan
[ 284.614411] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2447 MHz for scan
[ 284.947026] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2452 MHz for scan
[ 285.303711] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2457 MHz for scan
[ 285.636544] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2462 MHz for scan
[ 285.973862] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2467 MHz for scan
[ 286.314460] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2472 MHz for scan
[ 286.647321] wlan0: failed to restore operational channel after scan
[ 291.844013] __ratelimit: 17 messages suppressed
[ 291.844013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 301.868014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 312.004012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 322.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 332.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 342.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 352.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 362.004012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 372.031771] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 382.004013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 392.028011] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 402.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 412.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 412.522262] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 412.522283] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2417 Mhz)
[ 412.522292] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2417 MHz for scan
[ 412.858891] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 412.858900] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2422 Mhz)
[ 412.858908] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2422 MHz for scan
[ 413.229306] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 413.229314] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2427 Mhz)
[ 413.229322] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2427 MHz for scan
[ 413.570758] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 413.570767] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2432 Mhz)
[ 413.570775] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2432 MHz for scan
[ 413.910369] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 413.910378] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2437 MHz for scan
[ 414.246041] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2442 MHz for scan
[ 414.582668] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2447 MHz for scan
[ 414.920414] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2452 MHz for scan
[ 415.279094] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2457 MHz for scan
[ 415.615890] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2462 MHz for scan
[ 415.966127] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2467 MHz for scan
[ 416.302769] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2472 MHz for scan
[ 416.636625] wlan0: failed to restore operational channel after scan
[ 422.028013] __ratelimit: 17 messages suppressed
[ 422.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 432.028012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 442.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 452.028017] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 462.028017] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 472.028017] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 482.028017] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 492.028017] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 502.028024] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 512.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 522.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 532.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 542.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 542.581827] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 542.581848] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2417 Mhz)
[ 542.581857] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2417 MHz for scan
[ 542.934299] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 542.934308] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2422 Mhz)
[ 542.934316] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2422 MHz for scan
[ 543.282140] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 543.282149] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2427 Mhz)
[ 543.282157] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2427 MHz for scan
[ 543.627058] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 543.627067] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2432 Mhz)
[ 543.627075] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2432 MHz for scan
[ 543.959268] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 543.959277] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2437 MHz for scan
[ 544.299796] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2442 MHz for scan
[ 544.632362] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2447 MHz for scan
[ 544.977034] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2452 MHz for scan
[ 545.325778] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2457 MHz for scan
[ 545.662590] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2462 MHz for scan
[ 545.999712] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2467 MHz for scan
[ 546.344446] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2472 MHz for scan
[ 546.673388] wlan0: failed to restore operational channel after scan
[ 552.028014] __ratelimit: 17 messages suppressed
[ 552.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 562.024932] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 572.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 582.028019] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 592.027832] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 602.022931] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 612.028017] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 622.004022] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 632.024024] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 642.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 652.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 662.028012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 672.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 672.583031] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 672.583051] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2417 Mhz)
[ 672.583060] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2417 MHz for scan
[ 672.921610] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 672.921619] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2422 Mhz)
[ 672.921627] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2422 MHz for scan
[ 673.285151] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 673.285160] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2427 Mhz)
[ 673.285168] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2427 MHz for scan
[ 673.665546] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 673.665555] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2432 Mhz)
[ 673.665563] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2432 MHz for scan
[ 674.041830] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 674.041839] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2437 MHz for scan
[ 674.422010] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2442 MHz for scan
[ 674.758561] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2447 MHz for scan
[ 675.099110] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2452 MHz for scan
[ 675.447819] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2457 MHz for scan
[ 675.780690] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2462 MHz for scan
[ 676.125746] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2467 MHz for scan
[ 676.462574] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2472 MHz for scan
[ 676.835143] wlan0: failed to restore operational channel after scan
[ 682.028013] __ratelimit: 17 messages suppressed
[ 682.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 692.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 702.004012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 712.004014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 722.027812] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 732.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 742.028012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 752.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 762.004012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 772.004012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 782.004011] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 792.004012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 802.004011] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
...

---------- Post updated 08-24-09 at 02:55 PM ---------- Previous update was 08-23-09 at 08:55 PM ----------

ok, I pulled out my wired card, and was able to get wireless to work, so the heat is off. However, I can't say for sure that it was the act of removing my 3com card that made the difference, or if it was just something I did differently in one of the Linux network utilities. So later I will pop my 3com card back in and try again so that I can pin down exactly what solved the problem. I'll post back in this thread with the results.