Author Topic: Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation  (Read 7306 times)

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Offline Newby

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Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation
« on: August 14, 2006, 04:41:35 pm »
I'm gonna set up a wireless A/G network when I get home, and I am gonna do WPA-PSK security on it.

Recommend me a PCI card I can use. So far I am thinking about going with this card because of the sheer number of good reviews it has and it does wireless A (lots of the cards I've seen don't, but I like A for some reason. It's a fetish I suppose!) with WPA. I just hope it works in FreeBSD! (if all else fails, I'll ndiswrapper it or something)

A review also said it could broadcast through a ceiling and such, so it would possibly eliminate the need for an extender to the network. :/

Any other suggestions? Perhaps success with a card you've used? I'm new to wireless networking, so any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks! :)
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Quote
[17:32:45] * xar sets mode: -oooooooooo algorithm ban chris cipher newby stdio TehUser tnarongi|away vursed warz
[17:32:54] * xar sets mode: +o newby
[17:32:58] <xar> new rule
[17:33:02] <xar> me and newby rule all

I'd bet that you're currently bloated like a water ballon on a hot summer's day.

That analogy doesn't even make sense.  Why would a water balloon be especially bloated on a hot summer's day? For your sake, I hope there wasn't too much logic testing on your LSAT. 

Offline MyndFyre

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Re: Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2006, 05:03:37 pm »
I've used Linksys, 3COM, and D-Link products for wifi.  By far, with the exception of my 802.11n nightmare, Linksys is the best.

D-Link just sucked balls when I used it for 802.11g, and while 3COM was okay, it wasn't special in any sense of the word.  Linksys has been the easiest to set up in Windows and Linux (in Linux using NDISWrapper).  IMO it's really no contest.

802.11a might go through walls, but its range is *extremely* limited.  I'd wait for 802.11n to be finalized.  I tried out an 802.11n Linksys adapter and router, and just returned them both yesterday.  I spent an hour on Linksys tech support, initially asked to be transferred to tier 2, and the Indian guy on the other end didn't want to, so he wasted my time.  Finally I got tier 2 guy to admit it was a driver problem (I told him I tried it with and without my Wireless G adapter installed, on two old Windows installations and on a fresh one).  I said that I wasn't investing $270 in technology that I can't use, so I was going to return the product to the retailer.

I'll probably upgrade to N when it's finalized.  Speeds are supposed to get up to 330Mbps, and the range is 4x larger than 802.11g (note that 802.11a is shorter than 802.11g).
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Offline Newby

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Re: Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2006, 05:12:51 pm »
Any ETA on wireless N being finalized?
- Newby
http://www.x86labs.org

Quote
[17:32:45] * xar sets mode: -oooooooooo algorithm ban chris cipher newby stdio TehUser tnarongi|away vursed warz
[17:32:54] * xar sets mode: +o newby
[17:32:58] <xar> new rule
[17:33:02] <xar> me and newby rule all

I'd bet that you're currently bloated like a water ballon on a hot summer's day.

That analogy doesn't even make sense.  Why would a water balloon be especially bloated on a hot summer's day? For your sake, I hope there wasn't too much logic testing on your LSAT. 

Offline iago

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Re: Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2006, 05:24:16 pm »
802.11a, b, and g have the same effective range (~30m indoors).  a is slower for transferring data (6-7mbps, I think?), but it has twice the frequency, which means half the wavelength so it seems to me that it would punch through walls easier.  Also, because 802.11a isn't in the ~2.4ghz range, it doesn't have as many conflicts with other radio-based equipment (like cordless phones). 

In government, we were seriously considering 802.11a for mass deployment, because:
- The range is the same
- Many cards don't support it, which gives security by obscurity
- Most other people don't use it, so less interference
- Less tools use it, so again less interference

I can't suggest specific cards, though.

In one laptop, I use my Intel Centrino, which works beautifully under Linux, supports 802.11b and g. 

In my other laptop, I use a Microsoft MN-520 PCMCIA card, which also works beautifully under Linux.  Only supports 802.11b, iirc, but it was cheap ($10, used). 

I have also used both cards under FreeBSD with little problem.

Offline Newby

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Re: Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2006, 05:34:31 pm »
Interesting. Wireless A has a top peak of 54 mbps iirc from what I researched.

Any other suggestions? I'll look through Linksys cards to see which one I should use. Right now I use a Linksys PCMCIA wireless A/G card and it works wonderfully under FreeBSD 6. (Hence why I want to do A, because my wireless card support it!)

I don't know if I'll wait for N, to be honest. It'll be a while before FreeBSD/Linux get drivers for N cards, so eh? :/

The only Linksys card that's PCI that does wireless A+G (click) does not do WPA, so I don't know if I'll be using Linksys. I can't find a Linksys card that does wireless A and WPA/WPA2. Interestingly enough, of all the PCI 802.11a cards on Newegg, the D-Link looks like the best one overall. Considering price, features, and reviews, anyway.
« Last Edit: August 14, 2006, 05:52:38 pm by Newby »
- Newby
http://www.x86labs.org

Quote
[17:32:45] * xar sets mode: -oooooooooo algorithm ban chris cipher newby stdio TehUser tnarongi|away vursed warz
[17:32:54] * xar sets mode: +o newby
[17:32:58] <xar> new rule
[17:33:02] <xar> me and newby rule all

I'd bet that you're currently bloated like a water ballon on a hot summer's day.

That analogy doesn't even make sense.  Why would a water balloon be especially bloated on a hot summer's day? For your sake, I hope there wasn't too much logic testing on your LSAT. 

Offline MyndFyre

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Re: Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation
« Reply #5 on: August 14, 2006, 06:18:42 pm »
Huh, I thought A was faster but shorter ranged.  :o
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Offline iago

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Re: Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation
« Reply #6 on: August 14, 2006, 07:14:33 pm »
Ok, I pulled out my networking text book just to make sure I wsan't crazy.  :)

802.11a and g have approximately the same effective range, a little over 30meters indoors. 
802.11b has a slightly longer range, maybe 75-100meters indoors. 

802.11a and g have approximately the same speed, 54mbps
802.11b has a slightly slower speed, 5-11mbps

Because a works on a higher frequency/lower wavelength, it should have more penetrating power.  But that's my own speculation.  I'm not sure if there's any significant difference. 

So yeah, that's from a useful source.  I'm not sure where I read that a was slow, but that was wrong. 

Offline Newby

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Re: Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation
« Reply #7 on: August 14, 2006, 08:02:52 pm »
I think I am gonna pick up the D-Link card, since it is supported under Atheros and that means it should work fine on FreeBSD.

I am going to browse around though. I guess I'll have to see.
- Newby
http://www.x86labs.org

Quote
[17:32:45] * xar sets mode: -oooooooooo algorithm ban chris cipher newby stdio TehUser tnarongi|away vursed warz
[17:32:54] * xar sets mode: +o newby
[17:32:58] <xar> new rule
[17:33:02] <xar> me and newby rule all

I'd bet that you're currently bloated like a water ballon on a hot summer's day.

That analogy doesn't even make sense.  Why would a water balloon be especially bloated on a hot summer's day? For your sake, I hope there wasn't too much logic testing on your LSAT. 

Offline MyndFyre

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Re: Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2006, 08:13:29 pm »
I think I am gonna pick up the D-Link card, since it is supported under Atheros and that means it should work fine on FreeBSD.

I am going to browse around though. I guess I'll have to see.

Just remember - just about *any* card with a Windows driver should work with NDISWrapper, although I'm not sure if NDISWrapper works with FreeBSD.  Bah.  BSD sucks anyway.  -_-  :P
I have a programming folder, and I have nothing of value there

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Our species really annoys me.

Offline Newby

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- Newby
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Quote
[17:32:45] * xar sets mode: -oooooooooo algorithm ban chris cipher newby stdio TehUser tnarongi|away vursed warz
[17:32:54] * xar sets mode: +o newby
[17:32:58] <xar> new rule
[17:33:02] <xar> me and newby rule all

I'd bet that you're currently bloated like a water ballon on a hot summer's day.

That analogy doesn't even make sense.  Why would a water balloon be especially bloated on a hot summer's day? For your sake, I hope there wasn't too much logic testing on your LSAT. 

Offline nslay

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Re: Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation
« Reply #10 on: August 14, 2006, 08:22:07 pm »
I'm gonna set up a wireless A/G network when I get home, and I am gonna do WPA-PSK security on it.

Recommend me a PCI card I can use. So far I am thinking about going with this card because of the sheer number of good reviews it has and it does wireless A (lots of the cards I've seen don't, but I like A for some reason. It's a fetish I suppose!) with WPA. I just hope it works in FreeBSD! (if all else fails, I'll ndiswrapper it or something)

A review also said it could broadcast through a ceiling and such, so it would possibly eliminate the need for an extender to the network. :/

Any other suggestions? Perhaps success with a card you've used? I'm new to wireless networking, so any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks! :)

WPA is supported on FreeBSD with both ndis and native drivers...minus a few (wi, ipw, wl drivers...for old hardware).  You'll want to use wpa_supplicant to associate to an access point using WPA.  wpa_supplicant can do other things besides WPA, it can be used to automatically associate to any network (even based on priority) of any security, open, WEP, WPA, EAP and so forth.
For wireless cards, avoid broadcom at all costs.  If you buy a card that uses a broadcom chipset you'll have to use ndis.
The best chipsets to include atheros and ralink...these are both very well supported chipsets in the Unix world.

See also:
http://customerproducts.atheros.com/customerproducts
http://damien.bergamini.free.fr/ral/list.html
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Offline Newby

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Re: Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation
« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2006, 08:25:14 pm »
I checked up on the Atheros webpage (your first link) and the D-Link was supported. Theoretically, it should be supported in FreeBSD 6.x? (I run 6.0 but I think I may end up reinstalling since it apparently refuses to boot now...)

Thanks for the input on broadcom and I will look into ralink, though I've had success with Atheros thus far so I may stick with them.

I planned on using this guide to set up my wireless network.
- Newby
http://www.x86labs.org

Quote
[17:32:45] * xar sets mode: -oooooooooo algorithm ban chris cipher newby stdio TehUser tnarongi|away vursed warz
[17:32:54] * xar sets mode: +o newby
[17:32:58] <xar> new rule
[17:33:02] <xar> me and newby rule all

I'd bet that you're currently bloated like a water ballon on a hot summer's day.

That analogy doesn't even make sense.  Why would a water balloon be especially bloated on a hot summer's day? For your sake, I hope there wasn't too much logic testing on your LSAT. 

Offline nslay

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Re: Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation
« Reply #12 on: August 14, 2006, 08:27:57 pm »
I think I am gonna pick up the D-Link card, since it is supported under Atheros and that means it should work fine on FreeBSD.

I am going to browse around though. I guess I'll have to see.

Just remember - just about *any* card with a Windows driver should work with NDISWrapper, although I'm not sure if NDISWrapper works with FreeBSD.  Bah.  BSD sucks anyway.  -_-  :P

It's not about the name or manufacturer of the wireless card...its about the chipset and as far as I know, only the broadcom chipsets are unsupported in the Unix world.  Everything else works.  Most people who use ndis use it because their computer came with a card that uses broadcom.
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Offline nslay

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Re: Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation
« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2006, 09:17:45 pm »
I checked up on the Atheros webpage (your first link) and the D-Link was supported. Theoretically, it should be supported in FreeBSD 6.x? (I run 6.0 but I think I may end up reinstalling since it apparently refuses to boot now...)

Thanks for the input on broadcom and I will look into ralink, though I've had success with Atheros thus far so I may stick with them.

I planned on using this guide to set up my wireless network.

Yes, atheros works on FreeBSD 5.x and up
What's wrong with your system?
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Offline Newby

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Re: Wireless Networking PCI Card Recommendation
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2006, 09:20:43 pm »
Not sure as of yet. I have yet to deduce it, but according to my mom the "internet is down" which means my router isn't properly booting. And from what I've learned, the LAN interface isn't loading, and that should be easier to load than the WAN interface.

Hopefully it's a simple fix, but from the sounds of it, it won't be.
- Newby
http://www.x86labs.org

Quote
[17:32:45] * xar sets mode: -oooooooooo algorithm ban chris cipher newby stdio TehUser tnarongi|away vursed warz
[17:32:54] * xar sets mode: +o newby
[17:32:58] <xar> new rule
[17:33:02] <xar> me and newby rule all

I'd bet that you're currently bloated like a water ballon on a hot summer's day.

That analogy doesn't even make sense.  Why would a water balloon be especially bloated on a hot summer's day? For your sake, I hope there wasn't too much logic testing on your LSAT.