TP-LINK #TL-WN350G will not work with Hardy (Ubuntu 8.04 LTS).

Let me begin by stating that I am a "Newbie". I have a beginners understanding of Ubuntu.

I have a very old computer (AMD K6-III cpu @ 333Mhz, 6Gb hard disk, 512MB ram, and a wired Ethernet connection to the Internet. This computer exclusively runs Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (Hardy) very well and I am pleased with it. The Ethernet connection also works well. It has been suggested that I upgrade to a higher version of Ubuntu, but my old computer simply does not have enough resources to accomplish that. Until I can afford a newer computer, I am committed to Hardy (Ubuntu 8.04 LTS).

I wanted to change to a wireless access to the internet and I purchased from Newegg (for $10 with free shipping) a brand new TP-LINK 54Mbps Wireless G PCI Adapter - Model #TL-WN350G. Enclosed with the adapter was a small CD which contained software drivers designed for Windows.

I installed the PCI adapter into my computer and my troubles began. In a nutshell, Ubuntu will not recognize the PCI adapter...does NOT know that it is installed in a PCI slot.

After reading the Ubuntu Official Documentation website, I first used the "Synaptic Package Manager" to download the "ndiswrapper" package and tried to translate the Windows 98 driver into something that Ubuntu could understand. A driver WAS created. However, that driver did NOT understand that the adapter was already installed. I could not achieve wireless access.

I called the TP-LINK tech department and they said that they had NO drivers for Ubuntu. They said that my PCI adapter uses the Atheros AR2417 chipset. I later discovered through the Ubuntu Community web site that this chipset uses the "Ath5k" wireless driver. The TP-LINK tech people referred me to the Linux website (http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/download/stable/#recommended).

At the Linux website, I downloaded "compat-wireless-3.3-rc1-2.tar.bz2". I followed the instructions given and Unpacked, Built, Installed, and Unloaded the "Ath5k" driver. The "Ath5k" driver WAS created and resided in my hard drive, but the driver was placed into the "Update" directory (/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/updates)... NOT into the "Ubuntu" directory (/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu). The end result was that, again, Ubuntu did NOT recognize the PCI adapter card and I was not able to achieve wireless internet access.

I read and utilized various suggestions from the Ubuntu Official Documentation, Community, and Wiki websites. I tried "sudo modprobe ath5k" with no success. I tried "sudo lshw -c network" which ONLY listed information about the Ethernet card (eth0) and nothing about the TP-LINK card. I tried the "iwconfig" command to reveal NO wireless connections. I searched and found NO blacklisting of "Ath5k". I tried so many suggestions that I finally managed to shut down the Ethernet card and I had no Internet connection. I had to completely reinstall Ubuntu from a "Live disk" CD. I even removed the Ethernet card and left the PCI adapter in the computer hoping that the installation process would identify the adpapter card and install appropriate software for that card. NO LUCK!!

I reinstalled Ubuntu again and used "Update Manager" to get me current. Then I used the "Synaptic Package Manager" to download the "madwifi" package. Again, the "Ath5k" driver WAS installed into the Update directory and not the Ubuntu directory. Ubuntu did not understand that "Ath5k" was loaded and Ubuntu did not know that I had an adapter card....resulting in NO wireless access.

I used the "Synaptic Package Manager" to remove the "madwifi" package and downloaded the "linux-backports-modules-hardy 2.6.24.30.32" Meta package. AGAIN, there is NO recognition of the PCI adapter card. Again, the "Ath5k" driver resides in my "/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/updates" directory and NOT in the Ubuntu directory. I still have no wireless access to the internet.

I have discovered a "modules.dep" file (/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/modules.dep) which seems to suggest that the "iwlwifi" wireless drivers have taken control of wireless connections and obviously does not recognize the TP-LINK card. The contents of the wireless portion of that file are as follows :

/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/iwlwifi/mac80211/compatible/net/mac80211/iwlwifi_mac80211.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/kernel/net/wireless/cfg80211.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/iwlwifi/mac80211/compatible/net/mac80211/iwlwifi_rc80211_simple.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/iwlwifi/mac80211/compatible/net/mac80211/iwlwifi_mac80211.ko /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/kernel/net/wireless/cfg80211.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/wimax-i2400m/drivers/net/wimax/wimax.ko:
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/wimax-i2400m/drivers/net/wimax/i2400m/i2400m.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/wimax-i2400m/drivers/net/wimax/wimax.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/fsam7400.ko:
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/acx/acx.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/kernel/drivers/usb/core/usbcore.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/hso.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/kernel/drivers/usb/core/usbcore.ko /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/kernel/net/rfkill/rfkill.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/iwlwifi-5k/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlagn.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/iwlwifi-5k/net/mac80211/iwlwif5k-mac80211.ko /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/iwlwifi-5k/net/wireless/iwlwifi5k-cfg80211.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/iwlwifi-5k/net/mac80211/iwlwif5k-mac80211.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/iwlwifi-5k/net/wireless/iwlwifi5k-cfg80211.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/iwlwifi-5k/net/wireless/iwlwifi5k-cfg80211.ko:
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/rtl8187/r8187.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/kernel/drivers/usb/core/usbcore.ko /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211-rtl.ko /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt_ccmp-rtl.ko /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt_tkip-rtl.ko /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt_wep-rtl.ko /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt-rtl.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211-rtl.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt_ccmp-rtl.ko /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt_tkip-rtl.ko /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt_wep-rtl.ko /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt-rtl.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt-rtl.ko:
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt_ccmp-rtl.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt-rtl.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt_tkip-rtl.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt-rtl.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt_wep-rtl.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/rtl8187-usb/ieee80211/ieee80211_crypt-rtl.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/prism2_usb/prism2_usb.ko: /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/p80211/p80211.ko /lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/kernel/drivers/usb/core/usbcore.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.24-30-generic/ubuntu/wireless/p80211/p80211.ko:

How do I disable the "iwlwifi" driver and ENABLE the "Ath5k" driver??? Or more simply, how do I get my TP-LINK adapter card to work with Ubuntu (hardy)?? I have exhausted my intellectual capacity to figure out what to do. Can anyone help me ??? Thank you in advance for any help offered.