using ndiswrapper to install wireless adapter drivers

1. Go to: System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager
2. Search there for: ndiswrapper-utils, ndiswrapper-common and ndisgtk
3. If nothing is found then Insert your Ubuntu CD
4. You will now need to add the CD to your ‘Souces’. In administration ‘Manage Sources’ and add your cd/dvd
5. Now in Synaptic Package Manager click on “Source” (This means the Ubuntu Source CD I think!?)
6. Again search for ndiswrapper-utils, ndiswrapper-common and ndisgtk
7. You should now be able to tick these items and save the Package Manager, which will then install the three programs
8. Go to System > Administration > Windows Wireless devices (This is the new program you’ve just installed ndiskgt thanks to Sam Pohlenz)
9. Now Click on Insert New Driver
10. Insert your cd which came with your wireless device
11. Browse to the cd and look for the .inf files.
12. Select the .inf file
    Note: Normally these will be in a config forlder or an inf folder and will probably be oranised by Windows Operating System. I chose Vista driver as this was most recent but with one adapter this didn’t work. I think it will probably be a case of ‘if at first you don’t succeed’
13. Install

“ndiswrapper not found”?

Fix suggestion #1:

1. Install the package ndiswrapper-dkms
2. Run the command: sudo modprobe ndiswrapper

Now you should be able to use the Windows Wireless Network Drivers (ndisgtk) utility.

Don't forget to make sure that ndiswrapper is being loaded on system startup.

Fix suggestion #2:

Tested on Ubuntu 12.04 32 bit.

Go to Ubuntu Software Center, search for ndisgtk and open its entry. Install it in case you haven't yet. Check the add-on Source for the ndiswrapper Linux kernel module (ndiswrapper-source) and click "Apply Changes".

Now there must be a file called ndiswrapper.tar.bz2 in /usr/src. Open a terminal and go to the directory:

cd /usr/src

Extract the file:

sudo tar -xjf ndiswrapper.tar.bz2

Go the the extracted directory:

cd /usr/src/modules/ndiswrapper

Compile and install:

sudo make
sudo make install

Add the module to the system:

sudo modprobe ndiswrapper

Open the file:

gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/ndiswrapper.conf

Delete the content of the file, save and close. Then let the module write the configuration file again:

sudo ndiswrapper -m

Reboot.

Now you should be able to use the Windows Wireless Network Drivers (ndisgtk) utility.

Don't forget to make sure that ndiswrapper is being loaded on system startup.

ndiswrapper is being loaded on system startup

As heartsmagic says, the solution was to add ndiswrapper in a new line of the file /etc/module:

gksu gedit /etc/modules

Save, close the file and reboot.

After reboot, check that the module was loaded with:

lsmod | grep ndiswrapper

(this was my own question but I lost that unregistered account).