wireless - is it possible?

[Default User <xyzzyx@sbcglobal.net>]

Easy question: has anyone been able to get any currently available wifi
USB or PCMCIA adapter to work with a 2004 Toshiba Satellite M35X-S109
laptop (no built-in wifi), using Debian Etch? 

Very hard question: if so, how were you able to do it? 

I have tried a Netgear MA111 (v1?) USB adapter. I have only been able to
get it to work "out of the box" with OpenBSD (any recent distribution),
and Freespire 1.0.13 (before the switch to an Ubuntu base). 

I have also tried a Netgear WG111 (v2) adapter.  To date, it won't work
"out of the box" with any of many non-M$ OSes tried.