Searching for a good Atheros-based wireless card & AP

Weedman

G'day,

I am looking at purchasing a wireless card and access point for Christmas this year.

I know that I need to find a card with an Atheros-based chipset, but I know that the quality of many of the cards fluctuate. All I am after is a PCMCIA card for my laptop, and an access point for my router (it is one running IPcop, so I don't want one that can be a router or switch.

I am after a card and AP that is available in Australia.

Any recommendations would be very much well appreciated. I probably won't be able to post back until mid next week, thanks to exams.

Thanks,

Weedman
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blkdragon · n00b Joined: 20 Nov 2006 Posts: 50

I am also looking for one. I've seen a couple of Netgear ones that are okay, but the main ones that stood out for me were these:

Netgear WG311NA (54b/g PCI card) $36 from Harris Tech

Netgear WGR614 (ADSL2+ 54b/g wireless router, 4 port switch 253 users max) $89 from Harris Tech

Netgear WG511 (PCMCIA 54b/g card) $36 from Harris Tech

A good page to check Atheros chipset compatibility is http://atheros.rapla.net/ which gives you a lot of brands, and a lot of options. Otherwise, just Google the name and model number of your card, followed by chipset.

If you just want something that just works, and you don't need Gigabit, and don't want to pay a fortune, these are a low-cost way to add wireless to your PC/Laptop/Home.
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Weedman · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:51 am Post subject:

Remember, I am not after a switch/router.

Just an Access Point. And A PCMCIA card.

weed
_________________
"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." - Albert Einstein

blkdragon · n00b Joined: 20 Nov 2006 Posts: 50

Nine times out of ten, you can switch off the DHCP features of the router, and let your switch do the work. Although, the way you have configured your network is really, really strange: usually you connect your PC's wired into your wireless router's switch, and then connect your laptop wirelessly.

Any specific reason why you want your AP to have an atheros chipset? As long as your wireless card has an atheros chipset, I didn't think there was a difference in whether or not your wireless access point did...

Unless, of course, you're planning to put linux on it. Case in point: WRT54G (I think.)
_________________
Lovin' Choc Cake...

Toshiba Portege 7020CT
PII, 366Mhz, 192Mb RAM, 30GB HDD, XP & Gentoo

Hewlett Packard 8833
PIII, 1Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 80+40Gb HDD, XP & Gentoo

Non-Branded Computer
P4, 1.6Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 160Gb HDD, XP & Gentoo

Weedman · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:41 am Post subject:

A rough guide of what wireless cards work (atheros-based):

Belkin F5D7010 v.5100 (g only)
Dlink:-DWL-AG650 (a/g)
- DWL-AG660 (a/g, revision B2 doesn't work)
- DWL-G630 (rev. 1) (g)
##- DWL-G650 (be, certain models are prism)
Linksys: -WPC55AG (a/g)
Netgear: -WAG 511 (a/g)
- WG 511T (g)
- WG 511U (g)
##- WPN511 (rev. 1) (g)
TP-Link: -WN610G (g)

Thanks to http://linux-wless.passys.nl

I've got a few more places to ask about cards, and I'll report back when I get a bit more information.
_________________
"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." - Albert Einstein