install debian and orinoco_pci?

[Lucian Wischik <lu.nn@wischik.com>]

My desktop has no wired ethernet, only a Netgear MA311 wireless. I'd
like to install debian, but this is my first linux-installation and
it's a bit beyond me... I'd be grateful for help. I downloaded woody
ISOs and installed it fine, but don't have any idea how to get the
MA311 working.

I found this page about the MA311 on debian:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~mtriggs/wireless.html
It describes how to use the orinoco_pci drivers, by enabling it in the
kernel-module-list. Unfortunately, my downloaded debian installation
only has orinoco_PCX drivers, which I understand are completely
different ways of accessing hardware.

The page says "after building the kernel and modules...". Does this
mean I'm expected to recompile the kernel myself? ... gulp! I was
hoping to avoid this because of information overload.

If it is necessary to recompile modules or kernel myself, could anyone
point to some step-by-step guides for a complete beginner? I've
googled enough to find some guides, but they all assume more knowledge
than I have at the moment. (nb. I'm an experienced C/C++ developer
under windows, but just don't know how and where debian things fit
together.)

Thanks in advance for any help.

--
Lucian