GNU/Linux Desktop Survival Guide by Graham Williams
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Netgear MA311

  $ wajig install hostap-utils hostap-source wireless-tools hotplug
  $ echo "alias wlan0 hostap_pci" >/etc/modutils/hostap 
  $ update-modules

Compile the module for the kernel:

  $ cd /usr/src
  $ tar zxvf hostap-source.tar.gz
  $ cd linux
  $ fakeroot make-kpkg --append-to-version -local modules_image
  $ sudo dpkg -i ../hostap-modules-2.6.7-local_0.1.2-2_i386.deb
  $ depmod -a

Ensure that you have a wlan0 section in /etc/network/interfaces:

  iwconfig wlan0 essid foobar 
  iwconfig wlan0 mode managed

More details from http://sentinel.dk/cookbook/?Linux_wireless_access_point where you can learn how to set up the machine as an access point.