I have felt your pain...
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| dinotrac Feb 02, 2008 6:35 AM EDT |
The way makers keep changing chipsets can drive a body up a wall. I bought a USB dongle from Trend Micro expecting to find a ZDwhatever, but got the 87B instead. I got it working with a driver from Realtek, but their driver didn't work with the latest (2.6.22 and beyond) kernels, so I fobbed it off on a Windows-using friend. Other common chips really do fare better, including some broadcom and ralink numbers. Still -- wouldn't it be nice not to have to care? |
| zenarcher Feb 02, 2008 7:57 AM EDT |
I could not agree more! When a Windows user asks me about moving to Linux....I dread them bringing up the subject of "wireless." I tried to get wireless working with two or three different distros, over the course of about two years...mainly the Broadcom BCM4318 wireless in my HP notebook computer. I followed all the "easy to configure" tutorials for using ndiswrapper, etc...and after maybe a week of frustration and a dozen pleas on different forums, I usually could get it working....until there was a kernel update....then it was start all over again! No matter how "easy" it was supposed to be to configure wireless, it seems there are unlimited "tweaks" necessary for this or that specific configuration. Eventually, after buying a few wireless cards, which were supposed to be easy to set up....which gathered dust on my desk, because they didn't work.....I discovered the inexpensive TrendNet TEW-443PI wireless PC card. They use an Atheros chipset. At least with Mandriva 2008....I merely install the card....tell Mandriva I want to use wireless for my connection....MadWiFi is installed automatically...and two clicks with the mouse and wireless works flawlessly. As for the HP with the Broadcom...I only have to download a Windows driver...stick in in Home.....and about three clicks on Mandriva and all is installed and working. Takes maybe 30 seconds total. As such, I've picked up a few of the TrendNet cards on eBay for under $20.00 each...and I keep them handy. Anyone wants to switch from Windows to Linux....I install one of the TrendNet cards and Mandriva and everything works. They are happy and I'm happy....I'm not fighting wireless problems! How nice it would be if someone could come up with a way to make wireless this easy with other wireless cards and drivers. |
| Bob_Robertson Feb 02, 2008 8:16 AM EDT |
It's all about the vendors. The F/OSS hardware driver software engineers have performed near miracles in their efforts of reverse engineering drivers in the absence of clear specifications and "example" code from the hardware manufacturers. Every time the makers change something, the work must be repeated in order to support the new cards. I put the blame solidly in the laps of the hardware makers where it belongs. |
| zenarcher Feb 02, 2008 10:41 AM EDT |
I find it aggravating that at least with some wireless...as the ones I mentioned earlier...that some Linux distros can make installation as simple as a couple of mouse clicks, while others insist on making a user jump through hoops, with the same hardware, to the point where a new user will be ready to give up on Linux. If one distro can make it easy, it seems others could do the same. I realize that's not the complete solution...but it's a start! Maybe it's time for someone to start designing and manufacturing a wireless card that will be open and friendly with Linux. I'm sure far more complex things have been accomplished. Maybe someone new to the hardware business. |
| Bob_Robertson Feb 02, 2008 3:11 PM EDT |
> that some Linux distros can make installation as simple as a couple of mouse clicks, while others insist on making a user jump through hoops, with the same hardware, to the point where a new user will be ready to give up on Linux. That's because some distributions go through the hoops themselves. Those are also not going to be updated as often, due to the fact that it's harder for the distribution people. Those drivers _in_the_kernel_ are common to all and "just work", unless the hardware makers have changed things again. |
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