I gave up. I searched high and low on the internet but couldn't get any solution. Finally I downloaded the Compaq WL-100 driver from Compaq, which I found out was a generic driver. I installed that and 'zap' everything worked.

It is sad that the product being so good, the drivers and support ... Anyway, I am happy using this item with the Compaq driver although, frankly, I feel cheated.

Keeping the Sharp Zaurus with LinkSys WiFi card by my bedside, I am able to browse Roger Ebert's movie reviews from bed!

There are two reasons I am rating it a 4 and not a 5:
1. My first Linksys WCF12 card was defective and did not connect to the internet. I exchanged it for a new one and have been a happy camper since.

2. This card is a bit power-hungry in my Sharp Zaurus.

A note about getting the Linksys WCF12 card to work with the Zaurus. Another reviewer (see firecrafter695's review , Jan 15, 2003) gave details about getting it to work by editing the "wlancfg.conf" file found in the "/etc/pcmcia" directory, and adding the necessary lines. This should get the card working in most cases.

However, apparently, there are chipset differences between batches of WCF12 cards (or so we are told, reading the postings in the Zaurus community website forums). So, you may also need to do the following in addition to editing the "wlancfg.conf" file:

1. Create a new file called "wireless.conf" in the "/etc/pcmcia" directory and add the following exact lines:

device "prism2_cs"
class "wlan-ng" module "prism2_cs"

card "Linksys WCF12 11Mbps 802.11b WLAN Card"
version "Linksys", "Wireless CompactFlash Card"
bind "prism2_cs"

2. Copy the file "sq_wlancfg.conf" from the "/etc" directory to a new file called "wireless.opt" in the "/etc/pcmcia" directory.

(NOTE: Do not overwrite "wireless.opts". It is an existing file and not to be confused with "wireless.opt").

This should get the Linksys WCF12 WiFi card working with the Zaurus after rebooting.

However, the Linksys installer supplied on the CD complained that my Cassiopeia E-125 was not supported (even though the E-125 is CE (PPC) 3.0 device) and it refused to install the driver.

The Linksys website was not helpful because there was no updated driver available for it at the time I purchased the card.

Linksys support was even less helpful, responding with scripted texts like, "Please consult the support manual and make sure you are using the driver supplied on the CD that came with the card".

I successfully tricked my E-125 into using the WCF11 drivers and
I've been using it to this day without any problems.

A few months after my initial inquiry to Linksys support, they released an updated driver for the WCF12, but the installer still lodged the same complaint against my E-125, so I'm still using the WCF11 drivers.

If you have an E-125, you can use this card, but you'll have to manually install the WCF11 drivers for it.

Also, the device will never turn off (for power-saving) if the WCF12 card is plugged in to the E-125, so beware that you'll need to manually turn the device off, or simply remove the card when you are finished.

I use the card primarily for faster synch speeds and faster backup speeds. Over USB, the synch and backup speeds are much slower than when I use the wireless card to connect and synch or backup.

Issue: The encryption setting in the Linksys link configuration software for the PDA changes itself to hexidecimal when the user saves the settings as alphanumeric. I thought this was just a user error until I spent an hour with Linksys technical support trying to resolve the issue. They told me to return the card and gave up after an hour of troubleshooting...if you can call "Please reinstall and try again, but this time try..." troubleshooting.
The software installs with no problems. The configuration utilty supplied for your PDA detects wireless networks like it should. However, it was unable to save the encryption settings on the encryption tab. The wireless network I needed to attach to was using 128 bit encryption with a key. Non encrypted networks were accessable with minimal effort. After receiving mediocre support from Linksys ( they didn't even pretend to read a troubleshooting script ), I found several reviews indicating similiar problems with this CF card and Compaq IPAQ PDAs. This is funny as the packaging has an IPAQ as an example on the back of the box. Don't buy if you have an IPAQ.

I would give it 5 stars, but the install program did not work correctly, so I had to figure it out on my own.

After attempting to install the program on my handheld, it had installed some files on my laptop. I went into the directory on my computer (Not the handheld, the computer it connects to) and found the 3 CAB needed files for installation in C:\Program Files\WCF12 Wireless Network. I then transferred them over to the handheld the old fashioned way (Not using my new network card). After the files are on the handheld, I used File Explorer to find the files and clicked on each of the three Cab files. One of the three will work and install the drivers, the other two will give error messages (I forgot to note which of the three worked...I was just happy to get it working...Shoot me for not noting the file).

Now I have my wireless access to my Axim. It is great. I used Instant Messenger from my couch to talk with my daughter, I surfed the 'Net without a computer or laptop, etc.

I even used the Diagnostics program that came with the handheld to go around my house and see the signal strength of my Wireless Router upstairs.

Overall, I would give the card itself 5 stars, but the amount of time it took me to install drops it down to 4 stars. The issue may be because my Dell Axim handheld is brand new to the marketplace. I can understand the driver that came on CD not working, but Linksys has no mention of this on their website. Linksys needs to get on the ball and post work-arounds if people have issues (I saw a few people with the same issues with this specific card on Dell's website).

Ron

Hard reboot the system. When the reboot is finished, install the terminal ipk file. Once that is installed, use vi to edit the /etc/pcmcia/wlan-ng.conf file. Add an entry that says:

device "prism2_cs"
class "wlan-ng" module "prism2_cs"

at the top of the file. At the end of the file, ad an entry that says this:

card "Linksys WCF12 11Mbps 802.11b WLAN Card"
version "Linksys", "Wireless CompactFlash Card"
bind "prism2_cs"

Once you have done this, reboot the Zaurus and once it has restarted, insert the WCF12 card. The link light should flash and the ifconfig eth0 should return useful information.

Other than the difficulty that I had setting up the card and getting it to work the first time, I've not had any problems with the WCF12. It's a great card but it's hard to get it setup on the Zaurus if you don't know much about Linux.

Using an old WAP11 and a few WPC11's with this card and connection would drop from time to time thus requiring a reset and reseating the card. However, I can't be sure if that's because of my v1 WAP11 and WPC11's or because of the WCF12.

The software could be better at managing different profiles by not requiring me to re-enter the WEP paraphrase everytime I switch profiles.

I can however connect, so the only access control I can turn on is MAC level from the access point (USR8011). I suspect WEP is setup in the control panel that I can't start on the E-125.

Drains the battery significantly as well. Equivalent to running some media playback, and having the screen on all the time (cause that's pretty much what you'll be doing).

Connects fast! Maybe a second or two and the card is connected.
So it works adequately, I just don't know if I'm missing anything with the lack of WEP.

If you have a PDA and want to go wireless, this is the card for you!

I routinely use it between two different wireless networks and can switch between their configurations with a couple of taps on the Axim's screen. Link and signal quality have been excellent even sitting in my car a couple of hundred feet away from the SMC2655W AP located in my home.

The only trouble I've had is with physically inserting the card in the Dell Axim device -- it takes quite a bit of alternating force and finesse to get it started into the CF slot. This thing is just a smidge wider than other CF cards which insert into the device with no resistance.

Great, great, great!