Thank you for your answers & pointing me to the right driver.

Following the README in the syskonnect.eu driver pack, I tried both  
methods but failed.
The driver installation method first complained about the compiler  
version being different from the one that compiled the kernel, and  
then even with the option of export IGNORE_CC_MISMATCH=1 it failed  
due to compiler mismatch (Kernel:3.4.4 != gcc:3.4.6)

the applying the patch option failed at the very end with the  
following when I tried to compile the patch applied kernel.

CHK	include/linux/version.h
SPLIT	include/linux/autoconf.h -> include/config/*
make[1]  *** No rule to make target 'init/main.o', needed by 'init/ 
built-in.o'
Stop.
make: *** [init] Error 2

I think I am nearly there, as although nothing was actually  
successfully installed to completion, there was a moment yesterday  
when the driver acually showed up in the choice and i added it and it  
could be activated and i had connection (but it failed after about 1  
hour and when i restarted it failed to detect hardware, and now i  
cannot recreate the same)  and it would be good to at least have the  
wired internet working.
Do I need to download another kernel and compile it? If so, how do I  
go about that?

Thanks!


On 9 Dec 2008, at 00:46, Mark Stodola wrote:

> Troy Dawson wrote:
>> Kahae Han wrote:
>>> Hi!
>>> Sorry I am a newbie on trying to install linux.
>>> I installed SL4.7 on a sony vaio i purchased recently but it will  
>>> not  recognize either the
>>> wireless (Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5100) or ethernet (Marvell  
>>> Yukon  88E8040 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller)
>>> I really would like SL4.7 to be the linux on this laptop as the  
>>> all  the softwares I use need compilers version 3.4 and i know  
>>> that SL5XX  has a way of switching back to the older compilers  
>>> but still even the  latest SL5.2 seems to come with kernel which  
>>> doesn't have the intel  wireless at any rate.
>>> Is there any way I can get the wireless and the ethernet LAN to  
>>> work  on the SL4.7?
>>> thank you!
>>>
>>> kahae
>>
>> Hello,
>> To answer your last question first
>>
>> Is there any way I can get the wireless and the ethernet LAN to  
>> work on the SL4.7?
>> Wireless - No
>> I'm sorry, but SL 4 has never even has support for Intel wireless  
>> 4965, let along 5100.  It just doesn't have the infrastructure in  
>> the kernel or out of the kernel to support it.
>> Wired - I don't know.
>> If it currently isn't recognized, then the odds are against you.   
>> I don't know about that particular ethernet card.  It's possible  
>> that it will be supported in SL 4.8, but that is still at least 4  
>> months away, probrubly 6.
>>
>> Are those network adapters supported in SL 5.2?
>> Wireless - Currently no
>> It will be supported in SL 5.3.
>> Wired - Again, I don't know.  But I thought it was.
>>
>> Troy
> The wired you should be able to get working by downloading and  
> installing the latest driver from source.  The latest driver for  
> sk98lin can be found here: http://www.syskonnect.eu/e_en/support/ 
> driver_searchresults.html?navanchor=10013&term=typ.treiber 
> +produkt.SK-9E21D&produkt=produkt.SK-9E21D&typ=typ.treiber&system=
> at the bottom of the page.  I just verified that the 88E8040 is  
> listed in the source.
>
> Cheers,
> Mark
>
> -- 
> Mr. Mark V. Stodola
> Digital Systems Engineer
>
> National Electrostatics Corp.
> P.O. Box 620310
> Middleton, WI 53562-0310 USA
> Phone: (608) 831-7600
> Fax: (608) 831-9591
>