configuring wireless connection - beginner

[Jay Strauss]

Jouni,

I hate to just post dumps, but I don't know what to look for.  I created 
a directory /var/run/wpa_supplicant directory, and reran:

wpa_supplicant -d -Dhostap -ieth0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf

and got the stuff below, which kept repeating until I ctrl-c

Also, I don't know what specifically to look for in the dmesg, I think 
its this part, but if you want me to look for something else or post my 
whole dmesg, I'm happy to.

Am I supposed to do anything special in my /etc/network/interfaces file?
all I have is:

# eth0 is WIRELESS
auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp


Thank you for the help so far
Jay

-snip dmesg-

IPv6 over IPv4 tunneling driver
eth0: Error -110 setting multicast list.
eth0: Error -110 setting multicast list.
eth0: Error -110 setting multicast list.
NET: Registered protocol family 17
eth0: Force scheduling reset!
orinoco_lock() called with hw_unavailable (dev=d7996800)
eth0: Force scheduling reset!
orinoco_lock() called with hw_unavailable (dev=d7996800)
eth0: Force scheduling reset!
orinoco_lock() called with hw_unavailable (dev=d7996800)
eth0: Force scheduling reset!
orinoco_lock() called with hw_unavailable (dev=d7996800)
eth0: New link status: Association Failed (0006)
eth0: New link status: Connected (0001)
eth0: no IPv6 routers present
eth0: Force scheduling reset!
orinoco_lock() called with hw_unavailable (dev=d7996800)
eth0: Force scheduling reset!
orinoco_lock() called with hw_unavailable (dev=d7996800)
eth0: Force scheduling reset!
orinoco_lock() called with hw_unavailable (dev=d7996800)
eth0: Force scheduling reset!
orinoco_lock() called with hw_unavailable (dev=d7996800)


-----
output of wpa_supplicant:

hydrogen:~# wpa_supplicant -d -Dhostap -ieth0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf 

Initializing interface 'eth0' conf '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf' driver 
'hostap'
Configuration file '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf' -> '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf'
Reading configuration file '/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf'
ctrl_interface='/var/run/wpa_supplicant'
Priority group 0
    id=0 ssid='linksys'
Initializing interface (2) 'eth0'
EAPOL: SUPP_PAE entering state DISCONNECTED
EAPOL: KEY_RX entering state NO_KEY_RECEIVE
EAPOL: SUPP_BE entering state INITIALIZE
EAP: EAP entering state DISABLED
EAPOL: External notification - portEnabled=0
EAPOL: External notification - portValid=0
ioctl[SIOCSIWPMKSA]: Operation not supported
Own MAC address: 00:20:e0:89:8f:e2
wpa_driver_hostap_set_wpa: enabled=1
wpa_driver_hostap_set_key: alg=none key_idx=0 set_tx=0 seq_len=0 key_len=0
ioctl[PRISM2_IOCTL_HOSTAPD]: Operation not supported
Failed to set encryption.
wpa_driver_hostap_set_key: alg=none key_idx=1 set_tx=0 seq_len=0 key_len=0
ioctl[PRISM2_IOCTL_HOSTAPD]: Operation not supported
Failed to set encryption.
wpa_driver_hostap_set_key: alg=none key_idx=2 set_tx=0 seq_len=0 key_len=0
ioctl[PRISM2_IOCTL_HOSTAPD]: Operation not supported
Failed to set encryption.
wpa_driver_hostap_set_key: alg=none key_idx=3 set_tx=0 seq_len=0 key_len=0
ioctl[PRISM2_IOCTL_HOSTAPD]: Operation not supported
Failed to set encryption.
wpa_driver_hostap_set_countermeasures: enabled=0
wpa_driver_hostap_set_drop_unencrypted: enabled=1
Setting scan request: 0 sec 100000 usec
RTM_NEWLINK, IFLA_IFNAME: Interface 'eth0' added
RTM_NEWLINK, IFLA_IFNAME: Interface 'eth0' added
State: DISCONNECTED -> SCANNING
Starting AP scan (broadcast SSID)
ioctl[SIOCSIWSCAN]: Operation not supported
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Setting scan request: 10 sec 0 usec
Scan timeout - try to get results
ioctl[SIOCGIWSCAN]: Operation not supported
Scan results: -1
Failed to get scan results
Failed to get scan results - try scanning again
Setting scan request: 1 sec 0 usec
Starting AP scan (broadcast SSID)
ioctl[SIOCSIWSCAN]: Operation not supported
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Setting scan request: 10 sec 0 usec
Scan timeout - try to get results
ioctl[SIOCGIWSCAN]: Operation not supported
Scan results: -1
Failed to get scan results
Failed to get scan results - try scanning again
Setting scan request: 1 sec 0 usec
Starting AP scan (broadcast SSID)
ioctl[SIOCSIWSCAN]: Operation not supported
Failed to initiate AP scan.
Setting scan request: 10 sec 0 usec
Scan timeout - try to get results
ioctl[SIOCGIWSCAN]: Operation not supported
Scan results: -1
Failed to get scan results
Failed to get scan results - try scanning again
Setting scan request: 1 sec 0 usec
CTRL-EVENT-TERMINATING - signal 2 received
State: SCANNING -> DISCONNECTED
No keys have been configured - skip key clearing
EAPOL: External notification - portEnabled=0