From nobody Tue Mar 31 09:49:01 2026 X-Original-To: questions@mlmmj.nyi.freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2610:1c1:1:606c::19:1]) by mlmmj.nyi.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4flNcH0KTLz6Wbdx for ; Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:49:03 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd-doc@fjl.co.uk) Received: from smtp.fjl.org.uk (smtp.fjl.org.uk [185.174.224.37]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4flNcG19Y5z3gtl for ; Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:49:01 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd-doc@fjl.co.uk) Authentication-Results: mx1.freebsd.org; dkim=none; dmarc=none; spf=pass (mx1.freebsd.org: domain of freebsd-doc@fjl.co.uk designates 185.174.224.37 as permitted sender) smtp.mailfrom=freebsd-doc@fjl.co.uk Received: from [192.168.1.154] (mux.fjl.org.uk [92.62.9.11]) (authenticated bits=0) by smtp.fjl.org.uk (8.14.4/8.14.4) with ESMTP id 62V9mxPJ053837 for ; Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:48:59 +0100 (BST) (envelope-from freebsd-doc@fjl.co.uk) Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="------------0C0fjxYT97DIRzfxJAckbRxu" Message-ID: Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:49:01 +0100 List-Id: User questions List-Archive: https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-questions List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: List-Unsubscribe: X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Sender: owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.org MIME-Version: 1.0 User-Agent: Mozilla Thunderbird Subject: Re: [List] Re: Seeking WiFi card supporting hostap Content-Language: en-GB To: questions@freebsd.org References: <4935ace9-97ee-461c-aae8-95d42ab308be@fjl.co.uk> From: Frank Leonhardt In-Reply-To: X-Spamd-Result: default: False [-1.02 / 15.00]; NEURAL_HAM_LONG(-0.92)[-0.923]; NEURAL_HAM_SHORT(-0.26)[-0.264]; ONCE_RECEIVED(0.20)[]; R_SPF_ALLOW(-0.20)[+ip4:185.174.224.37]; NEURAL_SPAM_MEDIUM(0.17)[0.173]; RCVD_NO_TLS_LAST(0.10)[]; MIME_GOOD(-0.10)[multipart/alternative,text/plain]; MIME_TRACE(0.00)[0:+,1:+,2:~]; ASN(0.00)[asn:12703, ipnet:185.174.224.0/24, country:GB]; RCPT_COUNT_ONE(0.00)[1]; RCVD_COUNT_ONE(0.00)[1]; MID_RHS_MATCH_FROM(0.00)[]; R_DKIM_NA(0.00)[]; TO_DN_NONE(0.00)[]; FROM_EQ_ENVFROM(0.00)[]; ARC_NA(0.00)[]; TO_MATCH_ENVRCPT_ALL(0.00)[]; DMARC_NA(0.00)[fjl.co.uk]; PREVIOUSLY_DELIVERED(0.00)[questions@freebsd.org]; MLMMJ_DEST(0.00)[questions@freebsd.org]; FROM_HAS_DN(0.00)[] X-Rspamd-Queue-Id: 4flNcG19Y5z3gtl X-Spamd-Bar: - This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------0C0fjxYT97DIRzfxJAckbRxu Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit On 31/03/2026 00:42, Waitman Gobble wrote: > On Mon, Mar 30, 2026 at 1:05 PM Frank Leonhardt wrote: >> Can anyone point me to a PCIe (or possibly USB) WiFi NIC that supports >> hostap, that I can actually buy? Link to Amazon UK or similar appreciated. >> >> I believe the best choice may be something based on the Qualcomm Atheros >> AR9380. Finding a card for sale that says it's base on this chip is, >> however, proving difficult. They're all "super-fast" or "mega-fast" or >> "ultra-fast" but the silicon doesn't feature in the description. If you >> know of a card but you're not sure it will probably be connected using >> the ath driver, or run ifconfig and see if HOSTAP is one of the flags. >> >> Any pointers much appreciated. >> >> Thanks, Frank. >> >> >> >> >> > It's been ages but I recall only finding one that does host ap, and my > memory is it was the usb dongle raspberry pi sold before they had > wifi... might check ebay. Thanks. I've read some notes to say that Atheros support is lagging, and FreeBSD 15 has a partial update to the newer chips so suspect I'll have to use an older one if stable. At least they're cheap! But I can't locate a PCIe card. The QCNFA222 module for laptops seems to be well supported for a fiver, but only goes up to 802.11n (which is probably okay). There is also a world of laptop -> PCIe adapters I wasn't aware of, and the GLOTRENDS WA01 looks idea as it has the antennas built in. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tyatocepy-QCNFA222-AW-NB234NF-Wireless-Bluetooth-White-green/dp/B0CXDT8WTW https://www.amazon.co.uk/GLOTRENDS-Wireless-Adapter-Network-Antenna-Gold/dp/B09ZDPP43X It's annoying because Intel chipset cards are more modern, higher throughput, cheap and plentiful. I'm tempted to see if I can do anything with the drivers myself, but I suspect it's non-trivial. Regards, Frank. --------------0C0fjxYT97DIRzfxJAckbRxu Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
On 31/03/2026 00:42, Waitman Gobble wrote:
On Mon, Mar 30, 2026 at 1:05 PM Frank Leonhardt <freebsd-doc@fjl.co.uk> wrote:

Can anyone point me to a PCIe (or possibly USB) WiFi NIC that supports
hostap, that I can actually buy? Link to Amazon UK or similar appreciated.

I believe the best choice may be something based on the Qualcomm Atheros
AR9380. Finding a card for sale that says it's base on this chip is,
however, proving difficult. They're all "super-fast" or "mega-fast" or
"ultra-fast" but the silicon doesn't feature in the description. If you
know of a card but you're not sure it will probably be connected using
the ath driver, or run ifconfig and see if HOSTAP is one of the flags.

Any pointers much appreciated.

Thanks, Frank.






It's been ages but I recall only finding one that does host ap, and my
memory is it was the usb dongle raspberry pi sold before they had
wifi... might check ebay.

Thanks.

I've read some notes to say that Atheros support is lagging, and FreeBSD 15 has a partial update to the newer chips so suspect I'll have to use an older one if stable. At least they're cheap! But I can't locate a PCIe card.

The QCNFA222 module for laptops seems to be well supported for a fiver, but only goes up to 802.11n (which is probably okay). There is also a world of laptop -> PCIe adapters I wasn't aware of, and the GLOTRENDS WA01 looks idea as it has the antennas built in.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tyatocepy-QCNFA222-AW-NB234NF-Wireless-Bluetooth-White-green/dp/B0CXDT8WTW
https://www.amazon.co.uk/GLOTRENDS-Wireless-Adapter-Network-Antenna-Gold/dp/B09ZDPP43X

It's annoying because Intel chipset cards are more modern, higher throughput, cheap and plentiful. I'm tempted to see if I can do anything with the drivers myself, but I suspect it's non-trivial.

Regards, Frank.


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