Arch Linux

big_gie

Member

Registered: 2005-01-19

Posts: 637

Need suggestion for wireless PCI

Hi all,

I might buy a wireless card for a desktop soon and I'd like the best linux support possible. What do you guys suggest? Ideally the driver would be already in kernel (not in staging).

Thanx!

brianhanna

Member

Registered: 2009-10-30

Posts: 157

Re: Need suggestion for wireless PCI

It's tough to figure out what chipsets are actually used in the various cards available.  Sometimes even the same model card will have a change in chipsets during the product's life.  I either look for one that advertises Linux support or look at user reviews to see if anyone's used it successfully with Linux. 

If you can find the chipset in the specs, you can also cross check it for compatibility.  Atheros and Realtek chipsets are usually pretty good in my experience.

big_gie

Member

Registered: 2005-01-19

Posts: 637

Re: Need suggestion for wireless PCI

Thanx. I think I'll first choose a driver, then find a matching card. According to http://linuxwireless.org/ , ath9k and ath5k seem to support a lot of card. Anyone has an experience they want to share on these?
I wish intel was doing pci cards... I always liked my 4965.

bangkok_manouel

Member

From: indicates a starting point

Registered: 2005-02-07

Posts: 1,556

Re: Need suggestion for wireless PCI

I'm using this chipset (IIRC it's an ASUS card, not totally sure):
01:06.0 Network controller: RaLink RT2561/RT61 802.11g PCI
using the rt61pci module (which is in the kernel tree) without any issue.

brianhanna

Member

Registered: 2009-10-30

Posts: 157

Re: Need suggestion for wireless PCI

I'm using an Atheros AR5008 card (pci-e) that works well.  I'm not sure if they use that chip in a pci card but they probably do.  It uses ath9k and worked as soon as I plugged it in.  No need to load a firmware package or anything

Last edited by brianhanna (2010-03-03 13:51:32)

big_gie

Member

Registered: 2005-01-19

Posts: 637

Re: Need suggestion for wireless PCI

Thanx for the suggestions!
I think I might settle for the ASUS PCE-N13. I can't find which chipset it's using, but it's cheap (~30$) and seems to be supported in-kernel.

Anyone is using it?

pyther

Member

Registered: 2008-01-21

Posts: 1,395

Website

Re: Need suggestion for wireless PCI

Thanx for the suggestions!
I think I might settle for the ASUS PCE-N13. I can't find which chipset it's using, but it's cheap (~30$) and seems to be supported in-kernel.

Anyone is using it?

I wouldn't do that if I were you. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6833320048 there is no mention of linux support in any of the reviews and also googling that card didn't come up with anything other than junk.

---

Website - Blog - arch-home
Arch User since March 2005

big_gie

Member

Registered: 2005-01-19

Posts: 637

Re: Need suggestion for wireless PCI

Hum... Canadacomputers report "Linux Kernel 2.26.29" 2.26 already??
You're right, I could not find anything on it... So probably either "D-Link DWA-552, Xtreme N Desktop Adapter" (~60$) which seems to be a Atheros AR5008 chipset, or the "ASUS PCI-G31" (~25$) but just 802.11g.

anonymous_user

Member

Registered: 2009-08-28

Posts: 3,059

Re: Need suggestion for wireless PCI

I tried a D-Link WDA-1320 with Ubuntu and Zenwalk. Works just fine.