[plug] WiFi card question

Fri Jul 7 15:44:29 WST 2006

All things atheros/madwifi can be found on madwifi.org

The list you're looking for is http://madwifi.org/wiki/Compatibility

Sorry about the delay - you've probably noticed from my posting times
that I'm working graveyard shift atm.

On Fri, 2006-07-07 at 12:01 +0800, Chris Griffin wrote:
> Hm, not exactly what I was hoping for. I guess I am a bit shocked that
> our beloved Linux is so far behind in this area.
> It looks like the best alternative is to, as you suggest, put in a
> workaround and wait for the new drivers.
> In terms of the "atheros chipset", there was a site where one could
> look up the network cards, what chipset they use and what the Linux
> compatibility was.
> Do you remember the URL?
> 
> Again, many thanks for the input.
> 
> Regards,
> Chris G
> 
> On 7/6/06, Adrian Woodley <Adrian at screamingroot.org> wrote:
> > Chris,
> >
> > If you absolutely need WPA/WPA2 today, and you don't have a laptop, then
> > an atheros chipset would be the way to go. Unfortunately, I can't
> > recommend any actual cards as I haven't bought a wifi card for a couple
> > of years now.
> >
> > WPA/WPA2 is worth it in terms of ease of setup and use, as well as
> > security. You could probably make do with WEP128, provided you changed
> > your keys every day or so. Alternatively, you could run and open access
> > point and firewall it off from the rest of your network and allow
> > through only authenticated SSL services - imaps, smtp/TLS, http proxy
> > over ssl, etc. You could also run a VPN over the top of a firewalled,
> > open access point. This will provide you with security as good as, if
> > not, better than WPA (plus you can use it for remote access away from
> > home).
> >
> > If you can wait a bit (maybe 6 months?) there should be a new wifi stack
> > in the kernel which will provide WPA/WPA2 support for most wifi
> > chipsets.
> >
> > Adrian
> >
> > On Thu, 2006-07-06 at 19:47 +0800, Chris Griffin wrote:
> > > Hi Adrian,
> > >
> > > many thanks for the response. From what you have indicated I would
> > > have thought the Prism2/2.5/3 the most likley but you left it out of
> > > your summary, did I miss something?
> > > Given you say "Full feature set (AP and client, WPA/WPA2/802.11X
> > > authenticator and supplicant)".
> > > Oh, I just noticed "* 802.11b only (AFAIK)", bother.
> > > Any idea of just what to buy, where to get it and how much?
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Chris G
> > >
> > > On 7/6/06, Adrian Woodley <Adrian at screamingroot.org> wrote:
> > > > Chris,
> > > >
> > > > Thats a bit of a hard choice. For WPA support it pretty much comes down
> > > > to three chipsets:
> > > >
> > > > IPW2100/2200
> > > > * Intel chipset.
> > > > * 802.11a/g
> > > > * Good Linux support with out-of-tree kernel drivers.
> > > > * Works well with wpa-supplicant.
> > > > * Monitor mode.
> > > > * Laptop only.
> > > >
> > > > Prism2/2.5/3
> > > > * Hostap driver.
> > > > * Full feature set (AP and client, WPA/WPA2/802.11X authenticator and
> > > > supplicant)
> > > > * Monitor mode.
> > > > * 802.11b only (AFAIK)
> > > > * In in-tree kernel support.
> > > > * Not to be confused with Prism54g chipset.
> > > >
> > > > Atheros
> > > > * 802.11a/g
> > > > * Monitor mode.
> > > > * Supported by Madwifi drivers.
> > > > * Madwifi-ng has different API to standard Linux Wifi Extensions - needs
> > > > to be carefully matched to wpa-supplicant version.
> > > >
> > > > So really, for 54g stuff you've got a choice between Atheros/Madwifi and
> > > > IPW2100/2200, and even then IPW2100/2200 is only supported in laptops
> > > > (mini-pci/pccard) AFAIK.
> > > >
> > > > I've had varying success with madwifi, using both the original and "-ng"
> > > > versions. On the whole I've found its stability to be lacking and
> > > > generally not as good as the Intel chipset.
> > > >
> > > > All that said, there are big changes going on in the Linux Wifi stack
> > > > and all this will be changing soon. Software MAC will be intergrated
> > > > into most drivers, meaning more chipsets will support WPA/WPA2. This
> > > > will also mean a unified Wifi Extensions, so systems like wpa-supplicant
> > > > and hostapd will be easier to maintain.
> > > >
> > > > Adrian
> > > >
> > > > On Wed, 2006-07-05 at 15:11 +0800, Chris Griffin wrote:
> > > > > Sorry, I guess I assumed that if I was buying new I would go for
> > > > > 802.11g. Mainly wanted to get away from WEP due to inherent security
> > > > > issues.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > On 7/5/06, garry <garbuck at westnet.com.au> wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Might be useful if you say which spec card you want to buy.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I still use the Enterasys 802.11b cards, with Mandriva 2k6 they just work.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > HTH
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Garry
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Chris Griffin wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Greetings all,
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > In light of the fact that such things change at such a rapid rate, I
> > > > > > > am looking at upgrading my WiFi cards and of course it is mandatory
> > > > > > > that they work flawlessly with Linux (I run, mostly, Fedora). Could
> > > > > > > someone please give me some clues as to what to get that, hopefully,
> > > > > > > will work out of the box?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Regards,
> > > > > > > Chris Griffin
> > > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > > PLUG discussion list: plug at plug.org.au
> > > > > > > http://www.plug.org.au/mailman/listinfo/plug
> > > > > > > Committee e-mail: committee at plug.linux.org.au
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > PLUG discussion list: plug at plug.org.au
> > > > > > http://www.plug.org.au/mailman/listinfo/plug
> > > > > > Committee e-mail: committee at plug.linux.org.au
> > > > > >
> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > PLUG discussion list: plug at plug.org.au
> > > > > http://www.plug.org.au/mailman/listinfo/plug
> > > > > Committee e-mail: committee at plug.linux.org.au
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > PLUG discussion list: plug at plug.org.au
> > > > http://www.plug.org.au/mailman/listinfo/plug
> > > > Committee e-mail: committee at plug.linux.org.au
> > > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > PLUG discussion list: plug at plug.org.au
> > > http://www.plug.org.au/mailman/listinfo/plug
> > > Committee e-mail: committee at plug.linux.org.au
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > PLUG discussion list: plug at plug.org.au
> > http://www.plug.org.au/mailman/listinfo/plug
> > Committee e-mail: committee at plug.linux.org.au
> >
> _______________________________________________
> PLUG discussion list: plug at plug.org.au
> http://www.plug.org.au/mailman/listinfo/plug
> Committee e-mail: committee at plug.linux.org.au