Hello and one quick question. :)

[stonebear45]

Hi, this is my first post.

I have tried Ubuntu and Mint a few years ago, around the time Mint first began actually. It was all too hard for me and having to ask a question on a forum in order to be able literally anything I wanted to do was a bit much, lol. It made me feel pretty stupid.

But I recently tried the new version with the Cinnamon Desktop and could sort of work it out as I went along, it is so much more user friendly...and I would love to drop Windows 10 altogether. I just need to be able to connect to my printer (I found a guide, I hope it works, http://www.fosslinux.com/742/how-to-mak ... nnamon.htm), stream audiobooks and music to my phone (which I use as anf mp3 player, stream movies to my TV and I think I could ditch Windows. I hate it so much now...it keeps getting worse.

But I will deal with these things one at a time over time, for now I have one question and it's a hardware/driver thing so maybe I should have posted in another section?

I need a PCI wireless lan card and want to buy the best one for Mint, the most compatible one...right now I am looking on Amazon and I will give you the names they call them for easiness.


1. CSL - 300Mbps PCI Express (PCIe) WLAN card with MIMO technology | 2× omni-directional RSMA antenna | Realtek RTL8192CE chip set | 2.4 GHz frequency range | WEP with 64/128 bit, WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK


2. TP-LINK TL-WN881ND 300 Mbps Wireless N PCI Express Adapter with Two Antenna

Which should I get please?

[surensniper]

Why a PCI LAN card? What about just a USB dongle? It's less risky and cheaper, i reckon. TPLINK works more seamlessly with Mint (I`ve used three different models of TPlink WLAN cards and they were supported out of the box by mint).

[stonebear45]

Hum because I m using a USB dongle now and it is very slow, I was under the impression wireless lan cards were capable of better performance.

But I shall go for the TP-link on your recommendation,thank you.

[AZgl1800]

I have a TP-Link that I never could get to work like advertized.....

[qett]

These days common hardware is mostly supported well, its from the older days when drivers weren't so great for Linux. So, unless you find dozens of people complaining that their TPLink doesnt work with Mint or Ubuntu within the last year you should be fine.

That printer, on the other hand, may be a little tougher

[stonebear45]

Thanks everyone re the lan card, in amazon answers they all say both work with ubuntu.

Yea, I ahaven't had time to follow the instructions on the printer fron the link I posted.

I was actually setting up (before I knew it was a problem) and it was going great, I could work out how to add the printer (which for me was shocking, lol...) but then it didn't work. I just hope the guys work-around works. I haven't had time to check yet. I spent 6 hours with Microsoft techs trying to fix Windows 10 that went haywire after the Fall Creators Update. They still couldn't fix it and did a remote install, wiping my whole drive....but keeping the files, when I specifically asked if you are wiping it, can you please do a totally fresh install, don't keep the files and the guy ignored me and did what he wanted. I think after 6 hours of having to constantly put in verification codes and follow the different instructions of 4 different techs none of whom knew how to fix it...the least I was owed was for the last guy to do as I asked. So as you can see, I am not happy with them.

Oh, and we had spent 3 hours the night before were the guy fixed most of the problems, but the next day I noticed a massive one still there.

I said to one of them, "you know if I had an iso and a passkey, I could just re-install it myself" but they won't let you do that anymore. It's not you PC, it's theirs.

[phd21]

Hi "stonebear45",

I just read your post and the good replies to it. Here are my thoughts on this as well.

+1 for using a USB WifI (wireless) network adapter which works very well and you do not have to open the computer to install it. I think the USB adapters with an external antenna do work better, but they all work.

Some things to consider when making a purchase of a WiFi adapter (USB or not), what are the capabilities of the wifi hardware router you want to connect with, is it Wireless-N (fast) and or "AC" with dual-band (newer and faster)? If it is "AC" capable, then you will get much better performance with a WiFi adapter that is also capable of connecting to AC routers. Make sure it is "plug-n-play" with Linux by reading the product description and user comments (Amazon.com is great for this). "Panda" products are "plug-n-play" with Linux. Also, make sure they are rated at least 300 mbps or higher, the higher the better.

Another thing to consider is after installing the Wifi adapter, check the surrounding WifI signals to see if certain frequencies (channels) are being used and try to use ones that are not congested. It is pretty easy to change the hardware routers to use different frequencies (if you have access to the router).

Panda Wireless PAU06 300Mbps N USB Adapter ($15 us)
https://www.amazon.com/Panda-Wireless-P ... B00JDVRCI0

Amazon.com "usb wifi adapter linux"
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss ... pter+linux



Hope this helps ...

[stonebear45]

Hi "stonebear45",

I just read your post and the good replies to it. Here are my thoughts on this as well.

+1 for using a USB WifI (wireless) network adapter which works very well and you do not have to open the computer to install it. I think the USB adapters with an external antenna do work better, but they all work.

Some things to consider when making a purchase of a WiFi adapter (USB or not), what are the capabilities of the wifi hardware router you want to connect with, is it Wireless-N (fast) and or "AC" with dual-band (newer and faster)? If it is "AC" capable, then you will get much better performance with a WiFi adapter that is also capable of connecting to AC routers. Make sure it is "plug-n-play" with Linux by reading the product description and user comments (Amazon.com is great for this). "Panda" products are "plug-n-play" with Linux. Also, make sure they are rated at least 300 mbps or higher, the higher the better.

Another thing to consider is after installing the Wifi adapter, check the surrounding WifI signals to see if certain frequencies (channels) are being used and try to use ones that are not congested. It is pretty easy to change the hardware routers to use different frequencies (if you have access to the router).

Panda Wireless PAU06 300Mbps N USB Adapter ($15 us)
https://www.amazon.com/Panda-Wireless-P ... B00JDVRCI0

Amazon.com "usb wifi adapter linux"
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss ... pter+linux



Hope this helps ...

I can sort of answer those questions by telling you I can download at 100Mbps on the PC connected to the router by a cable, I have a tablet and that can download at 58Mbps and I have a usb dongle plugged into the old PC I installed Mint on and that downloads at 5Mbps.

I have the router my ISP provides. I am with Virgin Media in the UK.

The USB dongle is only 150Mbps but that shouldn't limit it's speed to 5, lol.

[phd21]

Hi "stonebear45",

It would help to have those command results on the "older" pc with the usb adapter plugged in.

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxzd

Code: Select all

lsusb

You can contact your ISP, or access the router's menu, look at the router for make and model and look it up on the Internet, to find out what the router's capabilities are. I agree that 5mbps is really slow even with a 150mbps rated WiFi adapter on an older computer. Is this adapter Wireless-N capable, what is the make and model of this 150mbs adapter? You can try another USB port with the computer off, restart, retest adapter. If you accidentally put the adapter into a USB v1.x keyboard - mouse port, that will not help, use USB v2.0 or higher ports. If you are using a Passive USB hub without its own power supply (not advisable), then connect it directly to a USB port on the computer.

My USB WiFi adapter (Realtek RTL8191SU 802.11n WLAN Adapter) is showing that it is running at 150mbps on a Wireless-N router through the Network Manager, even though it is rated at 300mbps. Of course, we are all limited by the ISP and network congestion.

Speedtest.net
http://www.speedtest.net/

Right now for example, using the link above, my download speed is 59.03mbps and my upload speed is 37.23 mbps.


Hope this helps ...

[stonebear45]

Hi "stonebear45",

It would help to have those command results on the "older" pc with the usb adapter plugged in.

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxzd

Code: Select all

lsusb

You can contact your ISP, or access the router's menu, look at the router for make and model and look it up on the Internet, to find out what the router's capabilities are. I agree that 5mbps is really slow even with a 150mbps rated WiFi adapter on an older computer. Is this adapter Wireless-N capable, what is the make and model of this 150mbs adapter? You can try another USB port with the computer off, restart, retest adapter. If you accidentally put the adapter into a USB v1.x keyboard - mouse port, that will not help, use USB v2.0 or higher ports. If you are using a Passive USB hub without its own power supply (not advisable), then connect it directly to a USB port on the computer.

My USB WiFi adapter (Realtek RTL8191SU 802.11n WLAN Adapter) is showing that it is running at 150mbps on a Wireless-N router through the Network Manager, even though it is rated at 300mbps. Of course, we are all limited by the ISP and network congestion.

Speedtest.net
http://www.speedtest.net/

Right now for example, using the link above, my download speed is 59.03mbps and my upload speed is 37.23 mbps.


Hope this helps ...

Thank you, you are helping hugely. I can't deal with this atm because I am busy but in a few days I can do as you suggest, it has been so long since I used Mint/Ubuntu that when you say input these commands I have forgotten how! Embarrassing I know, I have been spending the last few days with the Microsoft fubar and reinstalling all my apps that got wiped when the the tech did the remote install at the end of the 6 hour brain frying remote session, so my only experience with the new Mint was one day a week ago when I found I could intuitively use the Cinnamon Desktop enough to play around with it and get even nearly install the driver for the printer (and it would have worked because I found the right printer and downloaded the driver etc, but as we know from the link I gave it needs the work around to...work and I haven't even had time to try that).

So please excuse the extreme noobness - I will be able to bring up the Terminal but do I just put in the commands as you quoted them or do I need to put "su" or "sudo" as well?

For now I can tell you the dongle is definitely plugged into a powered usb2 adapter, not one at the top or the sides, one at the back, the ones that usually work for everything - but I can try another one, that's a good idea.

and the dongle is...

Wireless nLITE Mini-size USB Adapter
EW-7711UTn
Complies with wireless 802.11b/g standards
Compatible with wireless 802.11n standard with data rate up to 150Mbps
Increases wireless coverage 3 times further
Includes multi-language EZmax setup wizard.
Supports 64/128-bit WEP, WPA , WPA2 encryption and WPS-compatible.
Supports QoS-WMM, WMM-Power Save mode
Supports software AP mode
Includes Hardwire USB cable to improve the performance

Thank you for all your help, I really appreciate it and think we can probably fix this, I am just a bit snowed under atm and might have to take a few days responding if that's ok with you? Thank you again.

[stonebear45]

One thing I could do now is try the other ports and I got the same speed in another usb2 port on the back and a usb3 PCI card I installed recently that works wonderfully fast for data transfer so has plenty of power.