Ubuntu

Purchase advice: Looking for Wifi PCMCIA or USB

Asked by komputes

I would like to get a wireless adapter with the best rating for ubuntu. It must be either PCMCIA or USB and use supported open source drivers. No NDISwrapper, no madwifi setup, no extra packages or third party downloads. No configuration, just install Ubuntu, pop in and connect to wifi, anything more would be too much for the person this is for.

I know that intel has great chips that are integrated into most laptops and work seamlessly with ubuntu, but I need an external one that will work out of the box with Gutsy or Hardy. Are there any good recommendations?

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
komputes
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
douglas_smith (hamsterzombie-deactivatedaccount) said : 		#1

google is amazing.
http://www.linuxemporium.co.uk/products/wireless/
just the beginning, but the chipsets listed are pretty easily found.

Revision history for this message
douglas_smith (hamsterzombie-deactivatedaccount) said : 		#2

Oh, personal preference is for usb. you can position it more easily for optimum signal, among other benefits.

Revision history for this message
ScottAS (scottas) said : 		#3

Komputes

I received an Edimax Technology EW-7128G PCI Wi-Fi Adapter and an Edimax Technology EW-7318UG USB 2.0 Wi-Fi Adapter last year as a Christmas present and each function out of the box within Ubuntu GNU/Linux 7.10 and Ubuntu GNU/Linux 8.04. Of most importance aside from a preference of hardware manufacturer as to which Wi-Fi chipset is in use by the device itself.

Edimax Technology EW-7128G PCI Wi-Fi Adapter and Edimax Technology EW-7318UG USB 2.0 Wi-Fi Adapter each utilise a RaLink RT2561 chipset and a RaLink RT2571 chipset respectively. Each Wi-Fi chipset is supported very well within a majority of modern GNU/Linux Operating System(s) because of the fact that the software device driver(s) are distributed alongside a GNU General Public License. Ubuntu GNU/Linux 7.04; Ubuntu GNU/Linux 7.10 and Ubuntu GNU/Linux 8.04 each support the aforementioned Wi-Fi chipsets out of the box without requirement of additional device configuration.

If I were to recommend an appropriate PCMCIA Wi-Fi Adapter, I would suggest the purchase of an Edimax Technology EW-7108PCG PCMCIA CardBus Adapter. The device features a RaLink RT2561 Wi-Fi chipset.

Scott

Revision history for this message
komputes (komputes) said : 		#4

Hey Scott,

Re: EW-7318UG
There is a 3rd party driver in this case which is not what I am looking for. As well, I don't want to have to download a WPA supplicant to be able to get access to WPA networks. I simply need it to work out of the box.
When I look at the following, I see that some people are having issues. I know you said it works out of the box, but these posts make me think otherwise.

ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=279946

Re: EW-7108PCg
It seems that people have had issues with this, but no longer experience them, so I think I will go with this one.
ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=737998
ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=291508

Please let me know if you need to add anything to get WPA capability. Remember, I am looking for something that will fully work out of the box no extra packages or third party downloads. If anyone else has an EW-7108PCg, please post your experiences.

Revision history for this message
ScottAS (scottas) said : 		#5

Komputes

I would like to thank you for your additional query. As far as I am aware my Edimax Technology EW-7128G PCI Wi-Fi Adapter does not require additional software device driver(s) or additional software application(s) in order to obtain functionality because of the fact Ubuntu GNU/Linux 8.04 contains such function(s) out of the box within a default installation of the Operating System.

I installed my device into my Desktop PC therefore I am able to confirm its functionality out of the box; furthermore I am able to confirm it is able to utilise Wi-Fi Protected Access functionality, however I am unsure as to if it is able to utlitise Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 functionality. I will investigate such a matter in due course on your behalf.

Scott

Revision history for this message
komputes (komputes) said : 		#6

Scott, EW-7128G PCI is nor PCMCIA or USB. I have checked the

I've been looking for Edimax products yet nobody carries them. I am amazed at the lack of linux supported plug and play wireless adapters out there. Would you guys recommend any other brand that is plug and play with GPL'd drivers.

By the way, since I didn't get a decent response, I just ended up getting a 3COM 3CRUSB10075 because it had a few good comments on it by Ubuntu users. I'm still open to any other models you guys would really recommend (hopefully by larger companies with better distribution).

Revision history for this message
Quentin Wright (q-clocksoft) said : 		#7

The EW-7128G is a PCI card and has the same chipset as the EW7108PCG PCMCIA card. Both work out of the box with Ubuntu 7.04/Ubuntu 7.10/Ubuntu 8.04
Configuration becomes progressively easier with each version as Network Manager improves. WEP, WPA and WPA2 can be configured using Network Manager with Ubuntu 8.04.

The EW-7318USg usb stick requires different driver builds with each of Ubuntu 7.04 and Ubuntu 7.10 and configuration is difficult.

With Ubuntu 8.04 the EW-7318USg works with the built-in driver and Network Manager can be used to configure WEP, WPA and WPA2. There is no need for a third-party driver or installation of wpa-supplicant as referred to above.

It's not really fair to talk about a "third party driver" - the Ralink drivers that have been used with most distributions have come from the serialmonkey project and from kernel 2.6.22 on the serialmonkey 2x00 drivers have been incorporated into the kernel.

Q