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2008-03-05 UPDATE: I haven't updated these pages in at least five years but somehow these wacky people on the Internet still want to read about my ancient experiments with linux and wireless. Your mileage may vary, and I don't vouch for this info anymore -- please check the excellent Wireless LAN Resources for Linux for more recent information, or the top level of my site!. Thanks! Goonda
This page explains my experiences with using various wireless
PCMCIA cards under linux, what works, what doesn't, and general
observations. This is a work in progress!! I'd love to hear
from other wireless Unix users out there too.
| Vendor | Card Model | Linux support? | Notes |
| Cisco | Aironet 340 | Yes | Works using the kernel PCMCIA drivers, CVS, or Cisco drivers. |
| Cisco | Aironet 350 | Yes | Same as the 340, but with a better radio. |
| LinkSys | WPC11 v2.5 | Yes | Based on Intersil Prism2_5 chipset. linux-wlan supports this. |
| Lucent | Orinoco Silver | Yes | Now being sold by Agere, but this is an orig Lucent card. Use the orinoco_cs drivers that come with kernel PCMCIA, with monitor patch. |
| Lucent | Orinoco Gold | Yes | Now being sold by Agere, but this is an orig Lucent card. Kernel PCMCIA drivers, with monitor patch. |
| SMC | SMC2632W | Yes | Came with AP (SMC2652W, below).Based on Intersil Prism2 chipset, use linux-wlan. |
| SMC | SMC2652W Access Point | N/A | Based on Intersil Prism2 chipset. |
| USR | USR2410 | No, but it works. | Based on Intersil Prism2 chipset, linux-wlan. |
| OS | Drivers |
| Linux kernel 2.4.21 with pcmcia-cs-3.2.4 on RedHat 9 |
For the Aironet & Orinoco cards. The Orinoco card required the monitor mode patch. |
| linux-wlan-ng-0.2.1-pre9 | For the Prism2 and Prism2.5 cards, no patches required! |
| OLD: Linux kernel 2.2.19 with pcmcia-cs-3.1.27 |
OLD: linux-wlan-ng-0.1.8-pre13 with adhoc-patches & Newsham patches. (for Prism2 cards) Cisco-supplied Linux drivers (for Aironet). |
| OLD: Linux kernel 2.4.7 | The aironet driver with came with 2.4.7 kernel PCMCIA |
| Windows 2000 Professional | Vendor-supplied drivers (usually on a CD) |
These are general 802.11b links -- see the individual pages for card-specific links...