On Saturday 26 November 2005 13:53, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > On Fri, Nov 25, 2005 at 12:22:51PM +0100, Nico Gulden wrote: > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > > Hash: SHA1 > > > > Hello all, > > > > I plan to set up a WLAN environment und I'm looking for the right > > componenents. I'd like to use the Linksys WPC54GS or WPC54G WLAN > > adapter. > > > > How are your experiences with these devices? Do they work easily with > > debian? What chipset do the devices use and what modules or extra > > software do I need in order to get it working. > > I acquired one of these from a windows using friend (who has sinced > switched to Debian!). Getting the device to work was a simple matter > of: > > $ sudo apt-get install ndiswrapper > $ sudo ndiswrapper -i windows_driver.inf > $ sudo modprobe ndiswrapper > $ sudo sh -c 'echo ndiswrapper >> /etc/modules' > > Of course, you also have to edit /etc/network/interfaces and bring up > the interface -- note that ndiswrapper by default will use wlan0 (not > eth?) as the interface name. > > However, DO NOT BUY WPC54G*. Use free software drivers. Proprietary > XP drivers cannot be trusted. They cannot even be trusted to obey FCC > regulations -- their use may well be illegal -- there is no way to know. > Nor should Linksys/broadcom be rewarded in any way for their unnecessary > and counter-productive secrecy. Such rewards only hurt the progress of > free software. Note that Linksys has actually written Linux drivers for > the Broadcom chipset, but these are not free software. See link: > > http://linux-bcom4301.sourceforge.net/ > > There are wireless PCMCIA devices with free software drivers. I do > not know of any particular wireless-G cards which have them, but there > are wireless-B cards which do (those using the Intersil Prism chipset, > at least). See http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/hardware.html for a list > which, unfortunately, does not distinguish PCMCIA cards from PCI. There > is more information here: > > http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/#whard > > If you must buy WPC54G*, at least try to buy one used. Even if this > behavior is multiplied, it is not likely to benefit linksys/broadcom > in any way, since the used market is probably undifferentiated. While > prices of new cards may go up as the used cards leave the market, prices > of new or even used linksys cards are unlikely to go up any faster than > the market as a whole. The Windows-using masses will just buy competing > used cards if they can't find used linksys ones. At least, this will > work unless Linux users start buying them new once the used market dries > up -- but we can hope that Linux users are not so short-sighted.
I purchased a WPC54G. It was bundled with the Linksys WRT54G wireless access point. A friend had purchased the same card and it worked fine for him on linux. I installed ndiswrapper and the same windows driver he was using. It did not work and I discoverd my card used a different chipset and different windows driver. It worked with the correct windows driver. Once in a while my machine locks up and I think it may be the driver/card. I would not purchase one of these cards again. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
