Network problems

[JamesTheAwesomeDude]

I'm having some problems getting my wireless adapter to recognize.
It doesn't appear at all under network setup.

I've found out that I can remove the adapter, then reinsert it, and it will be recognized. However, my wireless adapter is attached in the back of my computer, and it's a pain to have to distach and reattach it every time I boot up. I don't know how to fix this.

Also, it loses all my IP settings (except DNS) every time I reboot. I set my local IP and default gateway, I click "OK", it says "Default route set through 192.168.2.1", then is asks me whether I want to save these settings for future boots. I click Yes, but next boot-up, it loses my settings. This is rather frustrating. (fortunately, I've learned the appropriate settings by heart, but it's still annoying to have to reconfigure them every time.) It also loses these settings whenever disconnecting (as opposed to just losing them on reboot.)

Other details that might or might not be useful (mostly in descending order of usefulness):

• Wireless adapter - D-Link DWA-160
• PuppyLinux version - Lucid 5.8
• Running it off an 8GB SDHC, which is attached to my computer via an SD card reader. My personal file is 1GB, with Heavy encryption.
• Router - Belkin, model is "F9K1002 v2 (01)" and firmware is version 2.00.08 (NOTE: Remote access is disabled, I have the Firewall up, and I also have a dynamic IP, so don't even think about trying anything. )

[watchdog]

With wireless connected click on Connect at the desktop: read the kernel module used by wireless. Say it is "mxxxx". If at reboot the wireless is not recognized try:

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modprobe mxxxx

If at every reboot the wireless is not recognized I think there is a modules conflict with some module to blacklist or preferred on others. If you don't want to bother about it I suggest you to put a script in /root/Startup of the following kind:

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#!/bin/sh
modprobe mxxxx

The wireless configuration can be saved If you use Puppy Network Wizard in classic way. You can load your wireless module in this way, too.

[JamesTheAwesomeDude]

Okay, the kernel module was "ar9170usb", so I rebooted and entered "modprobe ar9170usb" at the terminal. It exited without output, and when I clicked "Connect", the wlan0 button was still missing. I then unplugged my wi-fi adapter, replugged it, and it was recognized. (This is what normally happens.)

As for the IP settings, it remembers my DNS settings, but the local IP configuration is wiped on every disconnect. Not sure what's up. (I'm using the "Network Wizard" - it says it's based on the classic one, but greatly enhanced by Dougal. I use this one because it lets me set custom DNS, and a static local IP.)

P.S., thank you for helping me out with my new OS! It's always nice to find an active community to help out when you have computer problems...

[watchdog]

Search Google for "ar9170usb". A useful link I found:

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=123851

I should try:

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modprobe -r carl9170
modprobe ar9170usb

Not sure what to do for saving ip configuration. I use DHCP. To load your preferred DNS put in /etc a file named resolv.conf.head created with geany with your DNS. I use open DNS. My resolv.conf.head is:

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nameserver 208.67.222.222
nameserver 208.67.220.220
nameserver 63.226.12.96
nameserver 72.3.208.251

[JamesTheAwesomeDude]

No, those commands didn't help.

Also, my DNS settings are the ones I don't lose, so there's no need to make extra config files for those. (I don't want to use DHCP. There have been some issues with our router's DHCP lately, and I also have all the port-forwarding set up to my IP. It would not be good if my torrent port turned out to be a vulnerable port on one of my family's computers. I'm the only one running Linux, so that's actually a real concern. )

I did just discover that it seems to auto-recognize when it's plugged into a frontal USB port. Will update with more info after a few tests.

UPDATE: Nevermind, the frontal-port-being-recognized-automatically was a fluke or something. None of those commands do anything, no matter whether it was the front or the rear port.
I'll do some googling on ar9170usb, and see what I come up with. Thank you all for being so nice to me through my noobishness.

UPDATE 2: I took a look at that thread you linked to, and it looks like I need to disable the ar9170 driver, and replace it with the carl9170 driver (that's what Ubuntu says it uses,) but I can't figure out how to. I tried googling it, but I didn't get anything useful. However, the ar9170 driver works perfectly (once it recognizes the adapter,) and the carl9170 driver has some annoying bugs. I'd prefer to get the ar9170 driver working, if possible.

UPDATE 3:
The Live CD notices the adapter instantly and connects. It even remembers my IP settings! However, booting from the CD is slow and loud, plus I may give to someone who wants it, so I still need help.