Wireless support in the linux kernel?

Question

I am working on integrating my linux laptop with a wireless network.

Is anybody aware of a wireless PCMCIA card that had native support in the linux kernel. I have one that I already got to work with ndiswrapper, but I really want one that could work by default with only connection configuation required.

So have any of you used or know of a card that has native linux support in the kernel? The earlier the version of the kernel that it was supported in, the better.

Answer 1

To find wireless cards that works in Linux is find the chipset that the card uses. The most frustrating part of that is many of the most popular brands keep switching chipset with revisions of the same model. Which is why I buy lesser known brands, usually from motherboard manufacturers, because they usually change the model number if they switch the chipset. Find the chipset by Googling, typing lspci in the terminal, or with a program: like Hardinfo (linux), Fresh Diagnose (WIN) , or Everest (WIN).

Most distros add Ralink and Broadcom chipset support to the drivers in the stock linux kernel, plus many others. Also Atheros chipsets are supported in some distros (I didn't see it in Ubuntu) and from http://madwifi.org I have bought Ralink based cards and they worked great in Ubuntu without needing firmware. I have a Broadcom wireless in my Dell Laptop, Ubuntu said it was there though it wouldn't work until I extracted the firmware from a Windows driver, it turned out to be very flaky so I used the ndiswrapper to use the native windows driver. http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/

http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu_Edgy#How_to_install_Windows_Wireless_Drivers_.28Ndiswrapper.29



Chipset support from the stock 2.6.19 kernel:



Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 Network Connection

Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG and 2915ABG Network Connection

Cisco/Aironet 34X/35X/4500/4800 ISA and PCI cards

Hermes chipset 802.11b support (Orinoco/Prism2/Symbol)

Hermes in PLX9052 based PCI adapter support (Netgear MA301 etc.)

Hermes in TMD7160 based PCI adapter support

Nortel emobility PCI adaptor support

Prism 2.5 PCI 802.11b adaptor support



(Hermes Cards supported include the

Apple Airport (not a PCMCIA card), WavelanIEEE/Orinoco, Cabletron/EnteraSys Roamabout, ELSA AirLancer, MELCO Buffalo, Avaya, IBM High Rate Wireless, Farralon Syyline, Samsung MagicLAN, Netgear MA401, LinkSys WPC-11, D-Link DWL-650, 3Com AirConnect, Intel PRO/Wireless, and Symbol Spectrum24 High Rate)



Atmel at76c50x chipset 802.11b support (NEW)

Prism GT/Duette 802.11(a/b/g) PCI/Cardbus support (visit http://prism54.org for list of cards)

Intersil Prism GT/Duette/Indigo PCI/Cardbus

USB ZD1201 based Wireless device support

Host AP (Prism2/2.5/3 and WEP/TKIP/CCMP)

Host AP driver for Prism2/2.5/3 in PLX9052 PCI adaptors

Host AP driver for Prism2.5 PCI adaptors



Ubuntu 2.6.17 Kernel also adds



Broadcom BCM43xx wireless support

ZyDAS ZD1211/ZD1211B USB-wireless support

TI acx100/acx111 802.11b/g wireless chipsets

RTL 818x wireless chipsets

RTL 8187 wireless chipsets

Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG

RaLinkTech (Visit http://rt2x00.serialmonkey.com/wiki/index.php?title=Hardware for a list of cards)

ADMtek ADM8211 support



( Xterasys Cardbus XN-2411b, Blitz NetWave Point PC, TrendNet 221pc, Belkin F5D6001, SMC 2635W, Linksys WPC11 v1, Fiberline FL-WL-200X, 3com Office Connect (3CRSHPW796), Corega WLPCIB-11, SMC 2602W V2 EU, D-Link DWL-520 Revision C )

Answer 2

I'm currently surfing using a Linksys WPC55AG dual band wireless PC card in my Dell laptop, which is running PCLinuxOS. Works very nicely, and the kernel already has native support for the card, so no drivers needed. My desktop has a Linksys PCI card adapter, the WMP55AG, which also works great with PCLinux right out of the box. The laptop is dual-boot Windows XP Pro/PCLinuxOS, so the card works fine with both operating systems.



Both these LinkSys items are easily available on eBay, which is where I bought them.



http://www.pclinuxos.com



DC :)

Answer 3

the 1st link explains a thank you to apply a homestead windows prompt driving force in linux. it truly is not uncomplicated while you're new to linux. some use of the terminal and enhancing of configuration records is mandatory. i might advise which you are attempting a greater moderen launch of linux mint. As you will discover from the 2nd link mint 9 is on the tip of help. The greater moderen releases are truly uncomplicated to establish prompt. See the 0.33 link. desire this facilitates

Answer 4

I occasionally boot my laptop into a couple different Linux .iso images using my Cisco AIR-CB21AG-A-K9 PCMCIA card and it works fine. List price is $169 but you can find it cheaper if you look around. Might cost a bit more than average but it's one of the best a/b/g cards you can get.