[GLLUG] WLAN Purchase

[Ben Pfaff]

Brian Hoort <hoortbri at msu.edu> writes:

> I'm thinking about purchasing a wireless Access Point/Switch/NAT and
> associated cards.  How goes the experience for WLAN and Linux these
> days?  Stable working drivers for most NICs?  There shouldn't be any
> compatibility problems with the routers, right?

I recommend Orinoco-based WLAN cards for 11b.  They have good
driver support.  Most newer cards come with drivers that are at
least partially binary only, which means that they can be
difficult or impossible to fix if they break.

I don't know what to recommend for 11a.  I think all of the
drivers have the "binary only" problem.  I'd love to find out
otherwise.

I have used D-Link and SMC AP/routers.  Both worked great, had
lots of useful features, and were easy to configure.  I'd
recommend either brand.  I have no reason to tell you to avoid
other brands, though.

I haven't heard of any cross-brand incompatibilities.  Sometimes
if you buy the same brand of card and AP/router you can get extra
features, such as nonstandard high-speed modes (22 Mbps for 11b
routers, 75 Mbps for 11a routers, etc.).
-- 
"Term, holidays, term, holidays, till we leave school,
 and then work, work, work till we die."
C. S. Lewis