When you install Wicd from the respositories it will automatically remove
the existing utility and replace it.

Go into the BIOS and change the w/card setting.

I'm new to Linux and Ubuntu linux and not very technically adept but I
had a problem with the antenna turning on for my Acer Aspire 6930 and
all I had to do was upgrade to Ubuntu 8.10 from Ubuntu 8.04 and it
worked fine. I don't know if that will help. I just thought I could
contribute.

8.4 is able to load the drivers 8.10 does not. Its the way I have to
get my card working by loading 8.4 first and upgrading.

I agree, but it can also work the other way around depending on your
equipment. Someone earlier posted success with 8.10 in preference to 8.04 and
restrained myself from adding a cautionary note. They like to keep the kernel
trimmed down so that it does not grow exponentially, so if you have really old
hardware a newer kernel may not be for you, but if you have newer equipment you
may find that the kernel upgrade that comes with a newer release may be what you
need.

My advice is that if you have older equipment to err on the side of caution and
stick with LTS and if you have something newer they by all means try the
upgrade.

I
agree that older version are better on older computers but in this case
it was one version that did not have the driver and the other did.

There does appear to be some unresolved
problems in this area, with no very clear solution, apart from matching
hardware & with a suitable version of the the Ubuntu software.

I couldn't see any settings relating to the wireless card. In any case if there was a problem there, it would also affect VISTA, which works OK.

I might just try that. I've got a spare copy of Ubi 8.04 on the laptop, so not the
end of the world if I manage to screw it up :-)

Tech-geek reported that updating to 8.10 solved his problem. This could
be the solution as my wireless card may have been produced at around the
time when Ubi 8.04 was being finalised.

As an new version of Ubuntu is due next month, I may just wait until
that is available. As my broadband is rather slow I normally get Ubuntu
an a DVD which comes with the Linux Format magazine, which is available
in the UK.

No quite so Clive, the BIOS settings for your Wireless Device is in the
BIOS Advance tab. The Default for the setting is Off. Change this to
Last State and then boot to your Vista and switch on the wireless Lan
if you have a switch (not all laptops have them)now when you reboot the
W/Lan is in its last state, On

Re the 8.4/8.10 bit. 8.4 may have a driver for you W/lan 8.10 may not.

I assume that you are talking about
the CMOS setting menu you get after pressing a key during boot, F2 for
my laptop, although often the 'delete' key for other computers.

On my laptop there isn't an 'Advance' tab. Vista works perfectly, and
starts up with the wireless enabled. There is an button which toggles
it on/off and lights up when data is being transferred.

There seems to be quite a variation of BIOSs around, so perhaps this one
has the wireless always enabled on boot and controlled by the push
button?

Re the 8.4/8.10 bit. 8.4 may have a driver for you W/lan 8.10 may not.

At the present time I'm not in any great hurry to get this working with
Ubuntu and will wait until I can get a DVD with 9.04. Hopefully this
will have the problem sorted out