[plug] WiFi card question

Fri Jul 7 16:13:36 WST 2006

iiNet IIRC.... Sysadmin stuff.
*Daniel Pearson
*Flashware Solutions ABN 58 438 456 919
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Chris Griffin wrote:
> Excellent, many thanks once again.
> "graveyard shift", thankfully I have not had to do that for some years 
> now.
> Where abouts and doing what?
>
> Griff
>
> On 7/7/06, Adrian Woodley <Adrian at screamingroot.org> wrote:
>> 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
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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
>
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