Wireless adapter hunting [Solved]

[HappyLinux]

I am not sure if this is the correct area to post this, but this is the area for wireless network stuff. If I'm in the wrong, then I duely apologise.

I have got my hands on several old laptops from the WinXP era. I'll be updating them by putting Linux on them. (I already know Linux will work for the most part on them, but that's not the problem.)

Because of the time the laptops were made, not all of the laptops come with wireless built in, but they do have USB ports. This is before built in wireless became standard in laptops.

So my problem is, which USB wireless adapters would work in Linux? I know some will work, some won't. I remember Belkin usually works straight out of the box, but you have to be lucky with them. With a single model, they have 4 or 5 versions. Usually 1 or 2 of those version don't work in Linux. Some other brands work, sometimes they don't.

Please bear in mind that I don't want second hand adapters.

Thank you.

[teilnehmer]

Hi there, I have a TP-Link TL-WN722N that never caused me any problems. Good luck!

[HappyLinux]

Thank you. That's appreciated.

Anybody else have any more recommendations?

[Pierre]

using a Netgear WG111v2 for this wireless link.

- it's quite a old version, but sill available & cheap on eBay

Please bear in mind that I don't want second hand adapters.

- still works well on Linux O/Ss though. .. ..

Because of the time the laptops were made, not all of the laptops come with wireless built in, but they do have USB ports. This is before built in wireless became standard in laptops.

which why they were obtained, - in the 1st place.
- they work well with those old ex-XP laptops

[bobafetthotmail]

Feel free to read here https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiD ... sSupported

I personally used only atheros and never had issues.

For badass cards with more power/features/range, head over for Backtrack or Kali Linux forums and see what cards they like most.

[catfish12]

hi these will do the job very well usb adaptors that use the following chip set out the box

best wifi chipset that works linux mint and other distros i use both these
(Ralink RT3070 chipset) or (Atheros AR9271 chipset)
Ralink RT3070 is great can turn txpower up to 2000mw =2w 33dbm most wifi adaptors
fixed to 15 20dbm

alfa range

AWUS036H wirless b/g only 1000mw tx
AWUS036NHwirless b/g /n 2000mw tx
AWUS036NHAwirless b/g /n 500mw tx

go for one with wireless n if your router has got n wireless

[HappyLinux]

hi these will do the job very well usb adaptors that use the following chip set out the box

best wifi chipset that works linux mint and other distros i use both these
(Ralink RT3070 chipset) or (Atheros AR9271 chipset)
Ralink RT3070 is great can turn txpower up to 2000mw =2w 33dbm most wifi adaptors
fixed to 15 20dbm

alfa range

AWUS036H wirless b/g only 1000mw tx
AWUS036NHwirless b/g /n 2000mw tx
AWUS036NHAwirless b/g /n 500mw tx

go for one with wireless n if your router has got n wireless

I am absolutely sorry, but you have lost me. I have no idea which brands and models have those chipsets in.

[HappyLinux]

Feel free to read here https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiD ... sSupported

I personally used only atheros and never had issues.

For badass cards with more power/features/range, head over for Backtrack or Kali Linux forums and see what cards they like most.

I took a look at that ubuntu page, and then followed the links from there. sadly, it's of no help when they show card for the US and not the UK. However, I appreciate the info.

[catfish12]

ok this may help usb adaptors with following chipset

Atheros AR9271
get from here lots of choice plug and go
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksi ... &_from=R40

Ralink RT3070 plug and go

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wifisky-RALIN ... 417820a5b9

so bottom line if the usb wifi spec has got this chip it will work either Atheros AR9271 Ralink RT3070

look on ebay or where ever check spec and it will say which chip it is if none of above do not buy. The above are plug and go the driver is built in to linux mint click on your wifi put code in job done

[bobafetthotmail]

I took a look at that ubuntu page, and then followed the links from there. sadly, it's of no help when they show card for the US and not the UK. However, I appreciate the info.

You need to look at the wifi chip names in that list and then look at the specs of the devices you can buy, by looking at manufacturer site or on the box.
All brands only make pretty plastic boxes and assemble components made by others, all devices with same chip work exactly the same and use the same driver regardless of brand (may have more or less antennas or minor changes).

Wifi dongle market is as volatile as printer or screen market, what was there yesterday is no more if you look next week. Tons of products are the same chip but have different names, a slight name/version change without any exterior change might be a completely different device because they used different wifi chip.

If specs aren't anywhere (older models you have around, well past its warranty period), it may be necessary to open the plastic casing to read the name printed on the main chip.

Only way to be sure that stuff is compatible is looking up specs from manufacturer to find out what chip is used in his device. If it is one of the supported chips, then it will run well in Ubuntu/Mint. As simple as that.

Which is why everyone here is giving you chip names, not product names.

Good hunting, lol.

[HappyLinux]

OK, so I've gone about trying to figure out which brands and models have what chipsets in them. Sadly, it drove me up the wall.

So, the best bet from what's been mentioned so far is the above mentioned TP-Link TL-WN722N. I did manage to find out that it only has 1 chipset in it. The Atheros AR9271, which I believe is covered by the "ath9k_htc" drivers. http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Dri ... tc/devices.

By the way, TP-Link never stated the chipset on their website, had to Bing for it.

Would go for the cheaper TL-WN727N, but that has 4 different chipsets.

[catfish12]

hi go for TP-Link TL-WN722N it will work straight away just plug in and go AR9271 built in to linux mint job done
i have got that chipset AR9271 works just fine

[bobafetthotmail]

By the way, TP-Link never stated the chipset on their website, had to Bing for it.

Heh, Windows users don't need to know these details, none gives a flying ... about linux users.
So yeah, googling helps quite a bit.

Also... BIng? Are you a MS employee in disguise?


I'm personally very biased towards this puppy AWUS036NHA http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004 ... entries*=0
Good card to use for penetration testing with the famous Kali Linux (debian-based) and Backtrack (ubuntu-based), can do normal things as well, of course.
Atheros AR9271 chipset plus a power booster chip for moar range. Plug and play on any decent linux distro.
Specs from manufacturer include chipset http://www.alfa.com.tw/products_show.php?pc=34&ps=20
Costs twice as much as a random dongle though.

[HappyLinux]

By the way, TP-Link never stated the chipset on their website, had to Bing for it.

Heh, Windows users don't need to know these details, none gives a flying ... about linux users.
So yeah, googling helps quite a bit.

Also... BIng? Are you a MS employee in disguise?


I'm personally very biased towards this puppy AWUS036NHA http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004 ... entries*=0
Good card to use for penetration testing with the famous Kali Linux (debian-based) and Backtrack (ubuntu-based), can do normal things as well, of course.
Atheros AR9271 chipset plus a power booster chip for moar range. Plug and play on any decent linux distro.
Specs from manufacturer include chipset http://www.alfa.com.tw/products_show.php?pc=34&ps=20
Costs twice as much as a random dongle though.

Nah, I'm no Microsoft employee in disguise, I just prefer Bing over Google.

That device looks like a little beast.

Well, with thanks to all the help anyway folks. I've ordered the TP-Link. Now I have to figure out how to connect Linux Mint to Windows 8 without having to modify Win8 registry.