FC2 Ethernet and Wireless settings

[Peter Smith]

Hello List,

This is going to be a bit long, I am afraid ...

I have installed FC2 on a Dell notebook.
I have a Xircom PCMCIA card for ethernet connection at work and at home 
(two different sets of IP numbers), and a NetComm wireless card for home 
use.  The NetComm card is listed as requiring the prism54 driver, and is 
a rebadged Intersil, I guess.
I cannot install both cards at the same time, as the Xircom card is 
double thickness.

When I boot up with the wireless card installed I cannot see the network.

The GUI Hardware Browser sees the Network Device: INTERSIL ISL3890, 
Driver prism54, Device /dev/eth1
The Network Devices Control reports eth0 to be active.  The Hardware 
page lists:
Xircom Cardbus   Wireless   eth0   OK   (wrong)
Intersil ISL3890     Ethernet   eth1   configured   (wrong)
3Com 3C501         Ethernet   eth2   configured   (where did that come 
from?)
If I try to create a new wireless device, I find I cannot select 
Intersil or the prism54 driver.

So then I tried the command line:
"iwconfig eth1 essid any channel 2 mode managed ap any key xxxx- ... -xx 
commit", with the result "Set failed on device eth1 no such device".
I then tried the same command on "eth0", which was successful.  However, 
the command needs to be run again after a reboot.

I am confused.  My questions:
1.  Is it possible to set up the Xircom card, with work IP numbers as 
"eth0" and with home IPs as "eth1", and the wireless card as "eth2" , 
and not have to reconfigure everything every time I change location?
2.  What is the correct way to set up the wireless card - should it be 
possible with the GUI screens, should I use terminal commands, or should 
I just edit the appropriate configuration files directly? (If so, which?)
3.  Should I identify the gateway using the GUI screen or the"route" 
command.  They seem to have different effects.

If you read this far, thanks for your patience.  I would be grateful for 
any help.
Regards,
Peter Smith
WBM Pty Ltd.