Another n00b thing on Linux - getting Mint to work with mylaptop

[FredLC]

Hello there. I need a little bit of help here.

I have just bought a notebook - an Acer Aspire 5050-3284:

http://global.acer.com/products/notebook/as5050.htm

It came up with no OS, just a very basic non-graphic linux, and I'm just lost with a command line.

As I have had a good experience so far with Ubuntu Feisty 7.04, I decided to try the Linux Mint 3.0 I got from a friend in the Laptop (just so that you be sure to know, Mint is the very same distro as Ubuntu, just juiced up with a few proprietary drivers from windows which don't come in the regular pack - ps.: no piracy here too, I do own a legal copy of XP).

So far, so good, except 3 things I need to know, and can't even begin to imagine how to find out:

1 - How do I know if the system managed to recognize the wireless/lam I have in the system (I upgraded everything, but with a regular cable). I don't know where to look to see if that device is working.

2 - Same thing for the in-built webcam. I don't have the slightest clue as to where to look to even see if it is installed.

3 - Sound is working ok, except nothing comes out from the in-built external speaker. I have to plug in the earphone to get to hear anything out. What should I do?

Regards .

 

[Chairman Meow]

1 - How do I know if the system managed to recognize the wireless/lam I have in the system (I upgraded everything, but with a regular cable). I don't know where to look to see if that device is working.

If the wireless/LAN cards are working, you should be able to see them in Network Manager (icon on the top-right corner in GNOME, or bottom-right corner in KDE).

2 - Same thing for the in-built webcam. I don't have the slightest clue as to where to look to even see if it is installed.

Not sure what to tell you there. I've never tried using a webcam in Linux before (my laptop has a webcam, but I've never used it).

3 - Sound is working ok, except nothing comes out from the in-built external speaker. I have to plug in the earphone to get to hear anything out. What should I do?

This problem occurs on some laptops I've seen. Not sure what to do about it, but try fiddling in the volume control. There might be a channel that's currently muted that controls the internal speaker.