From owner-freebsd-wireless@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Feb 5 03:39:46 2014 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-wireless@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [8.8.178.115]) (using TLSv1 with cipher ADH-AES256-SHA (256/256 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 08337B5F; Wed, 5 Feb 2014 03:39:46 +0000 (UTC) Received: from mx.waitman.net (mx.waitman.net [136.0.16.173]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9F646179F; Wed, 5 Feb 2014 03:39:45 +0000 (UTC) Received: by mx.waitman.net (Postfix, from userid 2) id 31893436A6; Tue, 4 Feb 2014 11:46:46 -0800 (PST) Received: from 67.170.221.223 by mx.waitman.net with HTTP; Tue, 4 Feb 2014 11:46:46 -0800 Message-ID: <4003b2734601ce5f28af2eedd250d4cc.squirrel@mx.waitman.net> In-Reply-To: References: <52F16122.9010106@freebsd.org> <52F17F60.8040900@da3m0n8t3r.com> <52F18C00.2030706@freebsd.org> <52F18DB5.70407@da3m0n8t3r.com> Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2014 11:46:46 -0800 Subject: Re: recommended usb wifi device? From: "Waitman Gobble" To: "Warren Block" User-Agent: SquirrelMail/1.5.2 [SVN] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Cc: freebsd-wireless@freebsd.org, Colin Percival X-BeenThere: freebsd-wireless@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.17 Precedence: list Reply-To: uzimac@da3m0n8t3r.com List-Id: "Discussions of 802.11 stack, tools device driver development." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2014 03:39:46 -0000 On Tue, February 4, 2014 5:30 pm, Warren Block wrote: > On Tue, 4 Feb 2014, Waitman Gobble wrote: > > >> On 2/4/2014 4:55 PM, Colin Percival wrote: >> >>> On 02/04/14 16:01, Waitman Gobble wrote: >>> >>>> Ralink is a good choice esp. for USB. You might have trouble using >>>> other supported chipsets which are connected to the USB port. >>>> >>>> Also note that the wireless card in the laptop can be replaced for >>>> about ten bucks. It's typically the easiest thing to replace in a >>>> laptop. If you decide to swap out your wifi card I'd recommend >>>> Atheros. >>>> >>> >>> I considered that, but I've heard rumours about laptop BIOSes >>> blacklisting wifi cards from other manufacturers, so I figured a USB >>> device was an easier solution. >>> >> >> That's a potential issue. I've only seen that happen with HP laptops, >> but you should research before spending the ten bucks. > > Lenovo does it too. So far, I have not encountered an Acer or Dell with > the problem. Recent Toshiba models are made by Acer, but I can't recall > changing the wireless card in one. > > Dell often uses Broadcom cards. It would be nice if the new Broadcom > partipation in FreeBSD would extend to improving their wireless drivers. > Here, here. BC working would be nice indeed. I kind of helped those two guys when they started. It's possible I fabricated their first 'heartbeat' out of hmmm 1/4" rod. And the first sets of chasis. And it came back to cause me problems over the years. :) Anyway, I haven't noticed that going on with Asus either. There are documented ways around the stalled boot but none of them are pretty. -- Waitman Gobble San Jose California USA (510) 830-7975