# Looking for an Atheros based Wifi module

## Kingoftherings

Hello, my laptop has a Broadcom bcm4312.  Lately I've been so frustrated by it not working.  I had it working in Fedora for a while, then I decided to switch it to Gentoo.  I tried both broadcom-sta on 2.6.32, and I tried the b43 kernel driver (+ firmware) with 2.6.33-rc8.  In both cases it could see the available networks, but it refused to connect.  My network is just WEP encrypted, and from what I've seen of WPA is that it causes a lot of problems.  But those won't affect me on WEP, so I'm pretty sure it's just Broadcom problem.  And even switching back to Fedora, I couldn't get it to work.  So I'm fed up with this thing; it's been nothing buy problems.

So now I'm looking for some Wifi add on that I can use instead.  My laptop has an ExpressCard 34 slot and USB.  So feel free to suggest those.  However my laptop does not have PCMIA/a PC Card slot.

I would prefer Atheros because my Eee PC has one, so I have experience with ath5k.  And I really like it.

However Intel, or Ralink or whatever else works well in Linux is fine.

Normally I look this stuff up myself, but it's really hard to find an up-to-date list of wifi modules.  And just looking at the sites for Linksys or D-Link doesn't tell you which chip it uses.

Thanks.

PS: Sorry if this isn't the right section.    :Razz: 

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## cach0rr0

I'm trying to dig through some of my old posts to see what I can find

Did find this - https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-808268-highlight-atheros.html

But I'm pretty sure I had one with more details. Will edit this post if I can find it.

EDIT: maybe this was the one I was thinking of? https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-808304-highlight-atheros.html

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## Kingoftherings

Thanks for the help, but I figured out my issue.  Figures that I have this problem for a week, and right after I ask about it I figure out the real problem is something entirely different.

My mom (yes I'm 19 and live at home  :Sad: ) has been having the same problem for the last week.  She could see the network but couldn't connect, but she uses Windows.

I was initially confused as to why 2 laptops couldn't connect to the network, but my Eee PC was doing just fine.

So as I was trying to fix it for her, I found out that using a static IP works, but DHCP doesn't.  So I tried it on my laptop and suddenly I can connect.

I don't know why, but DHCP works for wired connection from the router, but it no longer works for wifi; I don't get it.  My Eee PC uses a static IP, so that was why I wasn't having any issues with it.

I'll save myself $50, but I still don't like this broadcom chip.

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## cach0rr0

 *Kingoftherings wrote:*   

> 
> 
> My mom (yes I'm 19 and live at home )

 

I'm 28 and still spend more time at my parents' place than I do my own, no worries there, once they become friends rather than parents it's not so bad being around 'em  :Wink: 

I bought this laptop specifically because it had an Atheros card, so I understand the sentiment. 

I had a BCM4312 that was terrible. 

Then an ipw2200 that didn't support packet injection for shit. 

Got fed up, snagged a laptop with an AR928x - which as luck would have it was a dirt cheap Acer.

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## d2_racing

For my concern, I have an old Thinkpad T60P with an intel IPW3945 wifi card and man it's working pretty well, injection and other stuff too.

I have also a T61 and it has a IPW4965 and it's working pretty well too.

So, if you can stick with an Atheros or an Intel wireless card.

Broadcom can be hell to pay  :Razz: 

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## cach0rr0

 *d2_racing wrote:*   

> 
> 
> So, if you can stick with an Atheros or an Intel wireless card.
> 
> Broadcom can be hell to pay 

 

aye, iwlwifi has worked really nicely as well from what I've seen. Didn't have my laptop handy, had to show one of my friends his WEP network was easily broken, booted up his iwlagn laptop with a Pentoo livecd and went to work - worked nicely, with uber fast injection rates

(needless to say  he disabled wireless on the router his ISP gave him, and went out and bought a new Wireless-N router that supported WPA2  :Wink:  )

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