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Using NDIS network card with Linux

Novell Cool Solutions: Question & Answer

Posted: 7 May 2004

Q:
I would like info on how to use a network card supported by Windows drivers with Linux. Can you point me in the right direction?



A:
NDIS, which stands for "Network Device Interface Specification", is a standard for the connection of network cards (hardware) to network protocols (software).

Some manufacturers of wireless LAN hardware do not want to release any hardware specifications and/or drivers for their products for operating systems other than Microsoft Windows.

The Ndiswrapper project enables to use this hardware with Linux by means of a kernel module that "wraps itself around" the NDIS driver, thus providing support for some Windows network drivers under Linux.

The complete procedures are outlined here.

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