Linux and XP networked wirelessly

[Lanny]

I want to use my old machine and install and use Linux over it, i also have a printer attached to it on a wireless network. Will i be able to do file sharing on these machines.

Is it possible?

[MrChris-]

It all depends upon the hardware you have and whether it is supported by Linux. There is no simple answer to it. Ultimately, you'd have use ndiswrapper, which is a software that makes it possible to configure your network card under Linux using its windows driver.

But as i said there is no simple answer, you have o check first because sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't.

File and printer sharing is possible with samba.

[Devasis]

You can choose a popular and good distribution for Linux such as Ubuntu, Suse, PcLinux, Mint etc.. All of these come with most of the popular WiFi Chipset such as Atheros, Broadcomm, Intel. As been said earlier by MrChris- you need to use ndiswrapper if your chipset is not among the ones above, in such case you can use windows driver with ndiswrapper.

Hope this helps

[Lanny]

i have a dreambox 500s probably a clone. ps about networking my ubuntu will find and explore all my other computers running windows xp / but all other computers won't find the ubuntu.

[Dr. V]

Try pinging your XP through your Linux box it may tell whether your Linux sees your XP. If you want file sharing, then install and learn about SAMBA. Samba provides "windows like" network file sharing.
Once samba is installed, you will be able to see your linux PC from XP. Also, if you want to access the windows shares from Linux, read and learn about smbfs as file system and smbmount as windows share command.