Working USB Wifi adaptor

stevepa · 2012-03-03 04:15:22

I am unfortunate to have the Broadcom 4312 wifi chip in my laptop.

Instead of laboring on to get the firmware to work, I just bought a USB wifi adaptor.

I just plugged it in and it worked.

It's the http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002T4D3M2 described as TP-Link TL-WN821N 300Mbps Wireless N USB Adapter. $18

lsusb shows it as:
Bus 008 Device 002: ID 0cf3:7015 Atheros Communications, Inc. TP-Link TL-WN821N v3 802.11n [Atheros AR7010+AR9287]

So far it has worked well.

Hope this helps someone.
Steve.

skunktrader · 2012-03-03 04:22:21

Glad to hear that you have found a solution.

My laptop also has a Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY (rev 01) wifi chip. It works just fine for me using this package from the AUR.

Gusar · 2012-03-03 10:43:49

Yep, those TP-Link thingies with Atheros chips are brilliant. I have one too. However, even your built-in Broadcom card should work fine without any "laboring".

stevepa · 2012-03-03 14:33:38

Glad to hear you all got your 4312's fixed. Maybe I should have read more carefully the many forum posts about Broadcom problems.

I've struggled with this laptop on many distros.

Have a good day
Steve.

Inxsible · 2012-03-18 23:41:49

This is the only thread I have found that indicates working of wireless USB. Are there other threads about this and WUSB that work specifically with Arch?

I need to buy one asap and found this link: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiD … sSupported

Need to make sure which one works with Arch without too much hassle though. I think I might just try the TP-Link. Can you tell me how your experience has been with it so far. Does it keep the connection up all the time? Any drops or any issues?

sliposk · 2012-03-19 02:27:44

Tp-Link N USB wn821n R3 Mod = ath9k_htc
Works with Wicd and Networkmanager

Belkin N USB f7d1101 v1 Mod = r8712u
Works with Networkmanager (Not With Wicd)

Works With E17 And Kde 4.8.1

If you unplug and plug back in you will have to modprobe -r the mod or reboot.

Works with Arch and Debian Sid as of todays date .....

Last edited by sliposk (2012-03-19 02:38:10)

stevepa · 2012-03-19 02:48:22

Inxsible wrote:

This is the only thread I have found that indicates working of wireless USB. Are there other threads about this and WUSB that work specifically with Arch?

I need to buy one asap and found this link: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiD … sSupported
Need to make sure which one works with Arch without too much hassle though. I think I might just try the TP-Link. Can you tell me how your experience has been with it so far. Does it keep the connection up all the time? Any drops or any issues?

Hi,

I can report that the USB wifi adaptor I bought has worked fantastically well WITH ARCH. AFAIK, there has been no disconnects, speeds have been great, and best of all, it works without any fiddling at all. I use the device at home, work, and at public places like Starbucks, with excellent results.

Hope this helps.
Steve.

Last edited by stevepa (2012-03-19 02:50:22)

.:B:. · 2012-03-19 12:34:59

AR92xx devices tend to be pretty reliable on Linux. I bought my mom one to replace her aging RT2500 USB stick, and I have set up multiple routers with AR92xx wifi with OpenWrt (including mine). Runs pretty well, support is excellent - driver quality seems still to be in flux though, there's still heavy development going on on ath9k (the driver).

Inxsible · 2012-03-20 16:55:11

Cool. Thanks for the additional info guys. Bought the TP-Link. We'll see how it works once it arrives.

cedeel · 2012-03-24 11:20:02

After months, the 3.2.12 kernel update finally got my Linksys WUSB600N v2 Dual-Band Wireless-N Network Adapter working. At least I assume that's what fixed it.
I had been using my old Android phone with usb tethering as a wifi adapter

Last edited by cedeel (2012-03-24 11:20:13)

andre.ramaciotti · 2012-03-31 13:20:52

I bought one, too. It works fine for internet browsing and so, but it hangs if I make a heavier use of it (like torrents or pacman -Syu).

I found this thread on gmane: http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.linux.d … devel/7865 , so I know I'm not the only one having this problem. I hope it gets fixed soon.

stevepa · 2012-04-09 18:09:02

andre.ramaciotti wrote:

I bought one, too. It works fine for internet browsing and so, but it hangs if I make a heavier use of it (like torrents or pacman -Syu).
I found this thread on gmane: http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.linux.d … devel/7865 , so I know I'm not the only one having this problem. I hope it gets fixed soon.

I have noticed my TP-Link gets warm but never hot. I routinely update Arch with it, as well as other heavy downloading and to my knowledge, it has never disconnected or slowed down noticeably. I have never used windows with it.

I wonder if your unit has a mfg defect?

Hope you get yours sorted.
Steve.

andre.ramaciotti · 2012-04-09 20:52:22

I think it really was a heating problem. All I did to solve it was running "iwconfig wlan0 txpower 12" to reduce the transmission power from the maximum (20 Dbm) to 12 Dbm. After this, the dongle still gets somewhat warm, but it hasn't stopped working and I still have the same connection speed.

Arch Linux

#1 2012-03-03 04:15:22

Working USB Wifi adaptor

#2 2012-03-03 04:22:21

Re: Working USB Wifi adaptor

#3 2012-03-03 10:43:49

Re: Working USB Wifi adaptor

#4 2012-03-03 14:33:38

Re: Working USB Wifi adaptor

#5 2012-03-18 23:41:49

Re: Working USB Wifi adaptor

#6 2012-03-19 02:27:44

Re: Working USB Wifi adaptor

#7 2012-03-19 02:48:22

Re: Working USB Wifi adaptor

#8 2012-03-19 12:34:59

Re: Working USB Wifi adaptor

#9 2012-03-20 16:55:11

Re: Working USB Wifi adaptor

#10 2012-03-24 11:20:02

Re: Working USB Wifi adaptor

#11 2012-03-31 13:20:52

Re: Working USB Wifi adaptor

#12 2012-04-09 18:09:02

Re: Working USB Wifi adaptor

#13 2012-04-09 20:52:22

Re: Working USB Wifi adaptor

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