Tasks to Perform Immediately After Install

Importance of Connecting to the Internet

It is essential that you get your Linux system hooked up to the Internet...

Allowing your system to connect up to the Internet allows you to:

• Install Critical Linux Updates
• Install Applications
• Check Your E-mail
• Use the Web-browser
• Perform online Chats
• Play online games
• Etc...

Therefore, the first thing I would do after installing Ubuntu Linux is to get connected to the Internet...

Challenges of Getting Connected to Internet

The process of getting your computer system connected to the Internet from your Linux system can range from easy to tricky.

The reason for this depends on the network card manufacturer, and the availability of open-source drivers for that network card. As time goes by, the process can become easier (I have adopted the slogan, "If there are problems, wait until they are solved by the next release"...).

Even if there are no "open-source" drivers for the network card, there are "restricted" drivers that may be used to solve the problem.

It is usually easier to connect to an Ethernet card than a Wireless card, so if you are having problems with your wireless card, you can connect to your Wired card to connect up to the Internet to download "restricted" drivers, and then tackle the problem with your Wireless card.

Here is a link to a webpage that lists network cards that are supported by Ubuntu Linux:

Wired cards: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupportComponentsWiredNetworkCards

Wireless cards: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/WirelessCardsSupported

Also, here is the link to the general Hardware Support by Category: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupport