How to configure/enable wireless LAN(wifi) working on Fedora Core-3 for compaq nx6110 laptop.

Fedora core 3 kernel[2.6.9] which is shipped with the distro doesn't support the wireless driver and framework which i am going to talk about. The steps are here...

1. Update the default fc-3 kernel or update the complete system. Depends upon your choice, i did a complete update of the system.

$ yum update

It will take entire night to update the system(depends upon network speed.)

Kernel got upgraded to 2.6.12-1.1381_FC3.

2. Add livna yum repo. If having this repo skip this step. Otherwise
as a super user

$ vi /etc/yum.repos.d/livna.repo

Add these lines to the file created:

###############
## Livna.org ##
###############

[livna-stable]
name=Livna.org - Fedora Compatible Packages (stable)
baseurl=http://rpm.livna.org/fedora/$releasever/$basearch/RPMS.stable
http://livna.cat.pdx.edu/fedora/$releasever/$basearch/RPMS.stable
#gpgcheck=1

[livna-unstable]
name=Livna.org - Fedora Compatible Packages (unstable)
baseurl=http://rpm.livna.org/fedora/$releasever/$basearch/RPMS.unstable
http://livna.cat.pdx.edu/fedora/$releasever/$basearch/RPMS.unstable
#gpgcheck=1

[livna-testing]
name=Livna.org - Fedora Compatible Packages (testing)
baseurl=http://rpm.livna.org/fedora/$releasever/$basearch/RPMS.testing
http://livna.cat.pdx.edu/fedora/$releasever/$basearch/RPMS.testing
#gpgcheck=1

3. $ yum install ipw2200-firmware

4. $ yum install kernel-module-ndiswrapper-2.6.12-1.1381_FC3

It will bring the dependency of ndiswrapper and installs with this kernel module.

5. $ yum install cabextract

6. download the HP driver SP30290.exe

7. Unpack the SP30290.exe to some directory. To do so run
$ cabextract SP30290.exe

8. From the directory where the SP30290.exe file is extracted run
$ /usr/sbin/ndiswrapper -i bcmwl5a.inf

9. $ /usr/sbin/ndiswrapper -m
It will add an alias to /etc/modprobe.conf

Now you can reboot to have it activated,
or you can run
$ depmod -a
$ modprobe ndiswrapper

Use the Desktop -> System Settings -> Network application to create a new device for the wlan0 ndiswrapper device and configure as per the options there.

cheers... make world open.