# Which wireless card to get?

## Match

I'm building a computer from scratch to run Gentoo (and Win98se but that's irrelevant) and was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for (802.11b) wireless PCI cards for me to get. Basically I need one with Linux drivers and I haven't been able to find one specifically yet. From reading posts in this forum I know there are such cards but I can't find any.

Could anyone who knows anything about this possibly post any cards they know with a link to drivers for that card? Also, I'm currently looking at this Netgear PCI card: http://www.netgear.com/products/prod_details.php?prodID=147 - anyone know if there are any drivers that would work with this?

Thanks,

Matthew.

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## limewolf

I've heard some very good reports on these cards:

http://www.datamind.co.uk/Merchant/senao_home.htm

A friend builds linux based computers/servers using these card. I think they use prism 2.5 chipsets. Excellent range, if not the cheapest.

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## TheCoop

any card using the ADM8211 chipset works using the linux drivers on their webbie, but only under 2.4

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## limewolf

 *Quote:*   

> any card using the ADM8211 chipset works using the linux drivers on their webbie, but only under 2.4

 

Same is true with Realtek 8081L based cards, at the moment only kernel 2.4 works. I need 2.6 though  :Sad: 

Curse binary only drivers!

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## Match

I'll almost certainly be using 2.6...

Thanks guys. I've found this driver: http://hostap.epitest.fi/ which says it'll work with all Prism 2/2.5/3 chipsets - I have no experience, is there any way of finding out if it'll work with 2.6? Also, I assume that that would work with the Netgear card if it's based on Prism 2.5?

Sorry, I'm not up to speed with Linux, I've been a spoon-fed Windows user up until now (in terms of drivers that is - they just arrive on a CD with any hardware at all... stupid companies not supporting Linux by default :/)

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## limewolf

 *Quote:*   

> Thanks guys. I've found this driver: http://hostap.epitest.fi/ which says it'll work with all Prism 2/2.5/3 chipsets - I have no experience, is there any way of finding out if it'll work with 2.6? Also, I assume that that would work with the Netgear card if it's based on Prism 2.5? 

 

The Host AP driver looks like it will work, I've not tried it, but thats what my friend said he used.

I'm no great expert in this area, but one thing I'd say is make sure you know what the chipset is in the card you get. I have heard of one or two manufacturers (netgear?) changing chipsets, but not changing model numbers. 

Some handy info here if you've not seen it:

http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/Linux.Wireless.drivers.802.11b.html#Prism2

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## Match

Yeah, I emailed Netgear to find out what chipset they used - stupid outsourced tech support, the guy who replied didn't speak English that well and looked like he was working out of India. Still, I got the info - it's a Prism 2/2.5/3 chipset (one of those, the guy didn't say which one) so either of the drivers should work - though possibly not with a 2.6 kernel.

Thanks for the help guys, especially limewolf  :Smile: 

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## limewolf

Let us know how you get on.

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## Match

It'll be some time, I don't have a computer to install Gentoo onto yet - I'm just making all the preparations now  :Smile: 

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## limewolf

Always worth being prepared  :Smile: 

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## Match

Oh yeah. Especially as I've never installed/used Linux before and am going to be doing a stage 1 install on a computer I've built myself (never having built a computer before either). 

I aim to define the phrase "learning experience".

(The installation and desktop configuration guides are printed out (all 152 pages that they are) in a folder being read through for a second time, just to clarify...) I'm pretty much sorted I think save for figuring out how to compile the wireless driver...

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## limewolf

you're certainly setting your self up for an experience there. But as they say, the best way to learn things is to do them  :Wink: .

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## Match

Now I have another question, if that's okay. Are the wireless drivers I've mentioned (or similar) on the Minimal LiveCD, or how can I find out? Otherwise I have a slight problems with regards to a network install...

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## limewolf

Hmm, Theres some info in the install guide:

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook.xml?part=1&chap=3#wireless

I guess as, if I'm remembering correctly, the kernel includes some prism drivers that they may well be included and you can configure them using a recent gentoo install cd (via iwconfig). But I am not at all sure, not having tried this. Some one else may be able offer some better ideas here...

If at all possible I'd have a wired backup if you can. Any pressing reason why you can't run a network cable to a normal ethernet card to do the install?

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## vibidoo

I plan to buy a Compaq WL110 pcmcia wireless card

Could somebody comfirm me that hostap_cs will recognize this hardware ??

In this url http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/

He recommend WL100 and WL200 only

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## bino

If you do get a cheap wireless card with a realtek 8180 chipset, it is possible to get it working under linux, using http://ndiswrapper.sf.net. However this is a wrapper for the windows driver and doesnt exactly promote open source. It does work a lot better than the supplied linux drivers (they only work with 2.4.20 or earlier). I got two of these cards before i realised they didnt really work on linux and ndiswrapper is my only option.

bino

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## Match

 *limewolf wrote:*   

> If at all possible I'd have a wired backup if you can. Any pressing reason why you can't run a network cable to a normal ethernet card to do the install?

 

There is, yes - I don't have an ethernet card, and even if I did the only place I can put the computer is on the opposite side of the house from the router so I'd need an insanely long cable, which again I don't have.

I've also been informed by the kind folks at Amazon (:/) that the Netgear has now been discontinued. I'm now planning on getting this card from Belkin, and have been sent this email by the techies:

 *Quote:*   

> Please refer to the support article at http://web.belkin.com/support/kb/kb.asp?a=1512 for information on installing the wireless card on LINUX.
> 
> Or, you may install the drivers based on the chipset. Please note that you
> 
> first need to check for the version of the wireless card.
> ...

 

So, would that guide help, do people think? And are there drivers for the Amtel and Realtek that I could use? (Going for a 2.6 kernel.)

Thanks.

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## Match

Okay, never mind, I've found a Prism card from Linksys  :Smile: 

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