Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2002 23:44:11 -0500 From: Bob Johnson <bob88@garbonzo.hos.ufl.edu> To: John Reynolds~ <jreynold@sedona.ch.intel.com> Cc: freebsd-mobile@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: DWL-650 NIC and access points -- what have people used? Message-ID: <3C73299B.9051AB60@garbonzo.hos.ufl.edu> References: <15474.41467.217901.912144@chlx169.ch.intel.com>
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John Reynolds~ wrote: > > Hi all, > > I am wondering what access points people have used in combination with the > D-link DWL-650 NIC? > > I just bought the DWL-650 and their AP the DWL-1000AP and I am questioning the > choice of access point (I've had no issue with the NIC itself). > > To make a very long story short, I had a weekend-long ordeal getting the > DWL-1000AP to be "seen" by their stupid "manager" software. Once configured > and working (within Windoze just now, FreeBSD tonight :) together with the NIC > I was pleased, but upon trying to upgrade the AP's firmware to the latest > which supports 128-bit WEP and "web configuration" (which is what I really > wanted from the upgrade) I found it impossible to do so with my configuration > (another long story, but their "installer" is a P.O.S.). So, I'm considering > ditching this AP in favor of something easier to deal with. I have a D-Link DWL-650 and a D-Link DI-713P AP+switch+NAT+firewall+lpr. The AP mostly works just fine, including 128-bit WEP. I'm surprised yours doesn't support it out of the box: perhaps it's been on the shelf a while. Once in a while (every few days or week), the AP just locks up and won't talk to my wireless card any more until I power cycle the AP. I haven't tried to upgrade the firmware so I don't know if that will help, or even work. It's on my list of things to do. It is managed through a web interface that works as far as it goes. It would be nice if the firewall logged more than it does, but it seems to work effectively. In fact, it is fairly flexible for a low end turnkey box. The DWL-650 has a reputation for a fairly crummy antenna, even for a patch antenna, but if you don't need max possible range, it works OK. My experience is that using power saving mode slows down things to dialup modem speeds, so I leave it turned off. I don't know whether the problem there is the DWL-650, the AP, or the FreeBSD driver(?). > > What are some access points that people have used in conjuction with the > DWL-650? I've seen off www.wi-fi.com that the Linksys WAP11 is about the same > price as the DWL-1000AP. Are there 'known issues' with Linksys 802.11b > products? (I remember hearing something many months back about something > Linksys was not doing "by the 802.11b book" and it was causing people grief) My recollection is that the Linksys PC card uses the PRISM II chipset in a nonstandard way that required changes to the wi driver. Or maybe I'm remembering another brand. It should be in the -mobile archives from several months ago. I don't know of problems with their AP. I've got a Cisco AP at work I can test the DWL-650 with if that will be useful info for you. Another one of those things on my list of things to do. In fact, there's an entire campus full of public-access APs that I need to try it out on. > > Can people please reply with access points that they're using with the DWL-650 > card and what sort of configuration they had to go through (i.e. was it > Windows software or a web interface or ...). Overall, I've been happy with mine. A bit more range out of the DWL-650 would make it easier to use out in my shop, but it covers the rest of the house no problem. I don't think any of my neighbors are using my AP yet. I use WEP to slow them down a little. > > Thanks, > > -Jr > > ps: has anybody else recently dealt with the nightmare of configuring a > DWL-1000AP sitting off of an unmanaged switch with D-link's cute Windows > software? I didn't even know it required special software. I'm glad I decided to go with the multi-function box. The web interface works fine. - Bob bob88@garbonzo.hos.ufl.edu > > -- > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > | John Reynolds WCCG, CCE, CDS - Senior CAD Engineer | > | Intel Corporation MS: CH6-210 Phone: 480-554-9092 pgr: 602-868-6512 | > | jreynold@sedona.ch.intel.com http://www-aec.ch.intel.com/~jreynold/ | > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-mobile" in the body of the message
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