Can anyone recommend a natively compatible PCMCIA/PC-Card wireless G nic that has a connector for an external antenna? I bought the Buffalo model but it is not natively compatible, requires a NDIS-wrapper/XP Driver kludge. Or, has 9.2 addressed this problem and the kludge will no longer be necessary? -- Thanks! & 73, doc kd4e West Central Florida 100% Linux. Suse 9.1 Drake, Hallicrafters, Heathkit, TenTec, Yaesu Radio Life: http://www.gospelcom.net/twr/ Linux-Incompatible hardware is defective! USA Pres. Election 2004: http://www.rnc.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At 06:51 PM 10/14/2004 -0400, doc wrote:
Can anyone recommend a natively compatible PCMCIA/PC-Card wireless G nic that has a connector for an external antenna?
I bought the Buffalo model but it is not natively compatible, requires a NDIS-wrapper/XP Driver kludge.
Or, has 9.2 addressed this problem and the kludge will no longer be necessary?
-- Thanks! & 73, doc kd4e West Central Florida 100% Linux. Suse 9.1 Drake, Hallicrafters, Heathkit, TenTec, Yaesu Radio Life: http://www.gospelcom.net/twr/ Linux-Incompatible hardware is defective! USA Pres. Election 2004: http://www.rnc.org/
If I understand your question correctly, you would like a wireless card with a connection for an external antenna. That's never going to happen. All these devices are manufactured and certified to FCC Part 15 requirements, which specify a maximum RF field strength. This can only be guaranteed by shipping the equipment with a built-in antenna, or an external one that has a unique connection, so that no off-breed or gain antenna may be connected. I spent the last 20 years of my active employment building stuff that complied with FCC requirements, both Part 15 and others. Imagine the problems that could be created if you could attach a Yagi antenna to your wireless card! And would you really want everyone in the entire county to be able to demodulate your data? --doug (wa2say)
Doug McGarrett wrote:
At 06:51 PM 10/14/2004 -0400, doc wrote:
Can anyone recommend a natively compatible PCMCIA/PC-Card wireless G nic that has a connector for an external antenna?
I bought the Buffalo model but it is not natively compatible, requires a NDIS-wrapper/XP Driver kludge.
If I understand your question correctly, you would like a wireless card with a connection for an external antenna. That's never going to happen. All these devices are manufactured and certified to FCC Part 15 requirements, which specify a maximum RF field strength. This can only be guaranteed by shipping the equipment with a built-in antenna, or an external one that has a unique connection, so that no off-breed or gain antenna may be connected. I spent the last 20 years of my active employment building stuff that complied with FCC requirements, both Part 15 and others. Imagine the problems that could be created if you could attach a Yagi antenna to your wireless card! And would you really want everyone in the entire county to be able to demodulate your data? --doug (wa2say)
My Buffalo AirStation WLI-CB-G54A has an external antenna connection, problem is that no native Linux driver is available & I don't want the mess of the NDISwrapper kludge. I am guessing that someone other than Buffalo makes one with the connector, just need one with a Linux native driver. -- Thanks! & 73, doc kd4e West Central Florida 100% Linux. Suse 9.1 Drake, Hallicrafters, Heathkit, TenTec, Yaesu Radio Life: http://www.gospelcom.net/twr/ Linux-Incompatible hardware is defective! "...a plan is not a litany of complaints." USA Pres. Election 2004: http://www.rnc.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At 09:10 PM 10/14/2004 -0400, you wrote:
Doug McGarrett wrote:
At 06:51 PM 10/14/2004 -0400, doc wrote:
Can anyone recommend a natively compatible PCMCIA/PC-Card wireless G nic that has a connector for an external antenna?
I bought the Buffalo model but it is not natively compatible, requires a NDIS-wrapper/XP Driver kludge.
If I understand your question correctly, you would like a wireless card with a connection for an external antenna. That's never going to happen. All these devices are manufactured and certified to FCC Part 15 requirements, which specify a maximum RF field strength. This can only be guaranteed by shipping the equipment with a built-in antenna, or an external one that has a unique connection, so that no off-breed or gain antenna may be connected. I spent the last 20 years of my active employment building stuff that complied with FCC requirements, both Part 15 and others. Imagine the problems that could be created if you could attach a Yagi antenna to your wireless card! And would you really want everyone in the entire county to be able to demodulate your data? --doug (wa2say)
My Buffalo AirStation WLI-CB-G54A has an external antenna connection, problem is that no native Linux driver is available & I don't want the mess of the NDISwrapper kludge.
I am guessing that someone other than Buffalo makes one with the connector, just need one with a Linux native driver.
You can look up Part 15 yourself. All the FCC regs are on the Internet. I don't have the hard-copy book here, so I can't tell you the specific paragraph. But it definitely states that any antenna connection shall be unique, and not standard-- you can't have a BNC, or an RCA jack, or an SMA, etc. There are specially manufactured "reverse" connectors that you can't buy in stores, for detachable antennas. And the unhit must be tested and certified with the antenna that it's intended to be used with. --doug--wa2say
Doug McGarrett wrote:
My Buffalo AirStation WLI-CB-G54A has an external antenna connection, problem is that no native Linux driver is available & I don't want the mess of the NDISwrapper kludge.
I am guessing that someone other than Buffalo makes one with the connector, just need one with a Linux native driver.
You can look up Part 15 yourself. All the FCC regs are on the Internet. I don't have the hard-copy book here, so I can't tell you the specific paragraph. But it definitely states that any antenna connection shall be unique, and not standard-- you can't have a BNC, or an RCA jack, or an SMA, etc. There are specially manufactured "reverse" connectors that you can't buy in stores, for detachable antennas. And the unhit must be tested and certified with the antenna that it's intended to be used with.
Sorry, I missed the subtle distinction there. No, I am not at all concerned about the connector being "standard", just that there is one there ... I will worry about rigging an adapter or changing the connector ... I am also a Ham. ;-) I just need a pcmcia nic that it natively Suse compatible and that has an external connector, any external connector. -- Thanks! & 73, doc kd4e West Central Florida 100% Linux. Suse 9.1 Drake, Hallicrafters, Heathkit, TenTec, Yaesu Radio Life: http://www.gospelcom.net/twr/ Linux-Incompatible hardware is defective! "...a plan is not a litany of complaints." USA Pres. Election 2004: http://www.rnc.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
doc wrote:
My Buffalo AirStation WLI-CB-G54A has an external antenna connection, problem is that no native Linux driver is available & I don't want the mess of the NDISwrapper kludge.
I am guessing that someone other than Buffalo makes one with the connector, just need one with a Linux native driver.
So, in conclusion, the collective knowledge base here says that only Buffalo makes a pcmcia wireless g nic with an external connector (non-standard connector type) and that unfortunately that device lacks a natively compatible driver for Linux/Suse 9.2? Sorry state of affairs. OK, not to give up without making the best effort ... Anyone know of a pcmcia wireless g nic for which native drivers are available for Linux/Suse 9.2 and that is easily modified to accept a SMA or other external antenna connector? -- Thanks! & 73, doc kd4e West Central Florida 100% Linux. Suse 9.1 Drake, Hallicrafters, Heathkit, TenTec, Yaesu Radio Life: http://www.gospelcom.net/twr/ Linux-Incompatible hardware is defective! "...a plan is not a litany of complaints." USA Pres. Election 2004: http://www.rnc.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
doc wrote:
doc wrote:
My Buffalo AirStation WLI-CB-G54A has an external antenna connection, problem is that no native Linux driver is available & I don't want the mess of the NDISwrapper kludge.
I am guessing that someone other than Buffalo makes one with the connector, just need one with a Linux native driver.
So, in conclusion, the collective knowledge base here says that only Buffalo makes a pcmcia wireless g nic with an external connector (non-standard connector type) and that unfortunately that device lacks a natively compatible driver for Linux/Suse 9.2?
Sorry state of affairs.
OK, not to give up without making the best effort ...
Anyone know of a pcmcia wireless g nic for which native drivers are available for Linux/Suse 9.2 and that is easily modified to accept a SMA or other external antenna connector?
Lucent, Orinoco, Linksys, Xircom, Aviator/Raytheon and more, look at the kernel sources, "make xconfig", select Wireless LAN drivers and you'll see them all. Regards Sid. -- Sid Boyce .... Hamradio G3VBV and keen Flyer =====LINUX ONLY USED HERE=====
Anyone know of a pcmcia wireless g nic for which native drivers are available for Linux/Suse 9.2 and that is easily modified to accept a SMA or other external antenna connector?
Sid Boyce wrote: Lucent, Orinoco, Linksys, Xircom, Aviator/Raytheon and more, look at the kernel sources, "make xconfig", select Wireless LAN drivers and you'll see them all.
They are all complete with external antenna connector or are all easily modified with one? -- Thanks! & 73, doc kd4e West Central Florida 100% Linux. Suse 9.1 Drake, Hallicrafters, Heathkit, TenTec, Yaesu Radio Life: http://www.gospelcom.net/twr/ Linux-Incompatible hardware is defective! "...a plan is not a litany of complaints." USA Pres. Election 2004: http://www.rnc.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
doc wrote:
Anyone know of a pcmcia wireless g nic for which native drivers are available for Linux/Suse 9.2 and that is easily modified to accept a SMA or other external antenna connector?
Sid Boyce wrote:
Lucent, Orinoco, Linksys, Xircom, Aviator/Raytheon and more, look at the kernel sources, "make xconfig", select Wireless LAN drivers and you'll see them all.
They are all complete with external antenna connector or are all easily modified with one?
Oops, must have missed the last line in your post. I'll have to look again to see which have external antennas that can then be modified. Some have a built-in antenna, part of the PCMCIA card that protrudes, lending them to modification. I've looked up this stuff before, but didn't save it for reference as I'm thinking first about using the desktop or USB to the laptop. Regards Sid. -- Sid Boyce .... Hamradio G3VBV and keen Flyer =====LINUX ONLY USED HERE=====
On Friday 15 Oct 2004 02:48, Doug McGarrett wrote:
At 09:10 PM 10/14/2004 -0400, you wrote:
Doug McGarrett wrote:
At 06:51 PM 10/14/2004 -0400, doc wrote:
Can anyone recommend a natively compatible PCMCIA/PC-Card wireless G nic that has a connector for an external antenna?
I bought the Buffalo model but it is not natively compatible, requires a NDIS-wrapper/XP Driver kludge.
If I understand your question correctly, you would like a wireless card with a connection for an external antenna. That's never going to happen. All these devices are manufactured and certified to FCC Part 15
requirements,
which specify a maximum RF field strength. This can only be guaranteed by shipping the equipment with a built-in antenna, or an external one that
has a
unique connection, so that no off-breed or gain antenna may be
connected. I
spent the last 20 years of my active employment building stuff that
complied
with FCC requirements, both Part 15 and others. Imagine the problems that could be created if you could attach a Yagi antenna to your wireless card! And would you really want everyone in the entire county to be able to demodulate your data? --doug (wa2say)
My Buffalo AirStation WLI-CB-G54A has an external antenna connection, problem is that no native Linux driver is available & I don't want the mess of the NDISwrapper kludge.
I am guessing that someone other than Buffalo makes one with the connector, just need one with a Linux native driver.
You can look up Part 15 yourself. All the FCC regs are on the Internet. I don't have the hard-copy book here, so I can't tell you the specific paragraph. But it definitely states that any antenna connection shall be unique, and not standard-- you can't have a BNC, or an RCA jack, or an SMA, etc. There are specially manufactured "reverse" connectors that you can't buy in stores, for detachable antennas. And the unhit must be tested and certified with the antenna that it's intended to be used with.
--doug--wa2say
Hummmmmm FCC is that like MPAA ect .. ie more flaming hassle by the money men . -- Linux user No: 256242 Machine No: 139931 G6NJR Pete also MSA registered "Quinton 11" A Linux Only area Happy bug hunting M$ clan, The time is here to FORGET that M$ Corp ever existed the world does not NEED M$ Corp the world has NO USE for M$ Corp it is time to END M$ Corp , Play time is over folks time for action approaches at an alarming pace the death knell for M$ Copr has been sounded . Termination time is around the corner ..
On Thursday 14 October 2004 05:48 pm, Doug McGarrett wrote:
You can look up Part 15 yourself. All the FCC regs are on the Internet. I don't have the hard-copy book here, so I can't tell you the specific paragraph. But it definitely states that any antenna connection shall be unique, and not standard-- you can't have a BNC, or an RCA jack, or an SMA, etc.
So the original poster, who was looking for ANY external connector, was: 1) told useless information implying there was no such thing 2) told of a commercially available unit that had EXACTLY what he was looking for. 3) treated to a picking of nits when the source of #1 above was completely embarrassed by the prompt appearance of what he assured us did not exist. Aint the net great!!! -- _____________________________________ John Andersen
John Andersen wrote:
2) told of a commercially available unit that had EXACTLY what he was looking for.
I missed this post. What device was this? The only one I know of remains the Buffalo that I already own. There is no native Linux driver for it. Did you read of a pcmcia wireless g nic that has an external connector and a native Linux driver that I missed? Sure would like the manufacturer & model of that! -- Thanks! & 73, doc kd4e West Central Florida 100% Linux. Suse 9.1 Drake, Hallicrafters, Heathkit, TenTec, Yaesu Radio Life: http://www.gospelcom.net/twr/ Linux-Incompatible hardware is defective! "...a plan is not a litany of complaints." USA Pres. Election 2004: http://www.rnc.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Friday 15 October 2004 06:52 pm, doc wrote:
The only one I know of remains the Buffalo that I already own. There is no native Linux driver for it.
So what? Use driverloader by linuxant or ndiswrapper. Even when you THINK you have a native linux driver you don't because you don't have source code to the radio control, and probably will never have it. -- _____________________________________ John Andersen
John Andersen wrote:
On Friday 15 October 2004 06:52 pm, doc wrote:
The only one I know of remains the Buffalo that I already own. There is no native Linux driver for it.
So what?
Use driverloader by linuxant or ndiswrapper.
Even when you THINK you have a native linux driver you don't because you don't have source code to the radio control, and probably will never have it.
For some reason every time I try to get NDISwrapper running it trashes my Suse setup. The fewer code kludges the better. Is the Buffalo truly unique in the pcmcia wireless g nic marketplace? -- Thanks! & 73, doc kd4e West Central Florida 100% Linux. Suse 9.1 Drake, Hallicrafters, Heathkit, TenTec, Yaesu Radio Life: http://www.gospelcom.net/twr/ Linux-Incompatible hardware is defective! "...a plan is not a litany of complaints." USA Pres. Election 2004: http://www.rnc.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Saturday 16 October 2004 07:08 am, doc wrote:
John Andersen wrote:
On Friday 15 October 2004 06:52 pm, doc wrote:
The only one I know of remains the Buffalo that I already own. There is no native Linux driver for it.
So what?
Use driverloader by linuxant or ndiswrapper.
Even when you THINK you have a native linux driver you don't because you don't have source code to the radio control, and probably will never have it.
For some reason every time I try to get NDISwrapper running it trashes my Suse setup.
The fewer code kludges the better.
Is the Buffalo truly unique in the pcmcia wireless g nic marketplace?
Part of this is the newness to wireless to Linux in general and the nature of the SuSE setup, which only started handling wireless well in 9.1. I use Driverloader (conexant.com) and have since suse 8.2 and find it works well. At that time ndiswrapper was imature and buggy. It may be better now, I have no reason to even test it. Driverloader works perfectly. You DO have to understand a little bit about how configures nics so that you know where your settings are going. Yeah, driverloader cost me $19 bucks. You may choose to call it a code Kludge. I call it running the software that was designed for the card by the card manufacturer. -- _____________________________________ John Andersen
Doug McGarrett wrote:
At 06:51 PM 10/14/2004 -0400, doc wrote:
Can anyone recommend a natively compatible PCMCIA/PC-Card wireless G nic that has a connector for an external antenna?
I bought the Buffalo model but it is not natively compatible, requires a NDIS-wrapper/XP Driver kludge.
Or, has 9.2 addressed this problem and the kludge will no longer be necessary?
-- Thanks! & 73, doc kd4e West Central Florida 100% Linux. Suse 9.1 Drake, Hallicrafters, Heathkit, TenTec, Yaesu Radio Life: http://www.gospelcom.net/twr/ Linux-Incompatible hardware is defective! USA Pres. Election 2004: http://www.rnc.org/
If I understand your question correctly, you would like a wireless card with a connection for an external antenna. That's never going to happen. All these devices are manufactured and certified to FCC Part 15 requirements, which specify a maximum RF field strength. This can only be guaranteed by shipping the equipment with a built-in antenna, or an external one that has a unique connection, so that no off-breed or gain antenna may be connected. I spent the last 20 years of my active employment building stuff that complied with FCC requirements, both Part 15 and others. Imagine the problems that could be created if you could attach a Yagi antenna to your wireless card! And would you really want everyone in the entire county to be able to demodulate your data?
--doug (wa2say)
I've been doing some research on the subject, hoping to do a hop of about 1 mile from one side of a slope to the other, hoping I can get both antennas to clear the rise. Nothing in any of the blurbs to say amplifiers can't be used, but there may be special rules to say who can use them, perhaps commercial. There are so many photos of setups using external antennas, the FCC may be looking the other way. http://www.radiolabs.com/products/wireless/wifi-amplifier.php http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/has.html google.com and search on "wifi antenna shootout". http://www.nodomainname.co.uk/SMC2632W/index.html shows a mod for a PCMCIA card to fit a surface mount N-type connector. Regards Sid. -- Sid Boyce .... Hamradio G3VBV and keen Flyer =====LINUX ONLY USED HERE=====
Doug McGarrett wrote:
At 06:51 PM 10/14/2004 -0400, doc wrote:
Can anyone recommend a natively compatible PCMCIA/PC-Card wireless G nic that has a connector for an external antenna?
I bought the Buffalo model but it is not natively compatible, requires a NDIS-wrapper/XP Driver kludge.
Or, has 9.2 addressed this problem and the kludge will no longer be necessary?
-- Thanks! & 73, doc kd4e West Central Florida 100% Linux. Suse 9.1 Drake, Hallicrafters, Heathkit, TenTec, Yaesu Radio Life: http://www.gospelcom.net/twr/ Linux-Incompatible hardware is defective! USA Pres. Election 2004: http://www.rnc.org/
If I understand your question correctly, you would like a wireless card with a connection for an external antenna. That's never going to happen. All these devices are manufactured and certified to FCC Part 15 requirements, which specify a maximum RF field strength. This can only be guaranteed by shipping the equipment with a built-in antenna, or an external one that has a unique connection, so that no off-breed or gain antenna may be connected. I spent the last 20 years of my active employment building stuff that complied with FCC requirements, both Part 15 and others. Imagine the problems that could be created if you could attach a Yagi antenna to your wireless card! And would you really want everyone in the entire county to be able to demodulate your data?
--doug (wa2say)
I just remembered I've been talking to a guy (via Skype) in Clearwater, Fla. in the last hour and his setup to his ISP is WI-FI with an amplifier/power supply up the pole, covering a distance of about 20 miles. The setup was supplied and installed by his ISP. Regards Sid. -- Sid Boyce .... Hamradio G3VBV and keen Flyer =====LINUX ONLY USED HERE=====
I just remembered I've been talking to a guy (via Skype) in Clearwater, Fla. in the last hour and his setup to his ISP is WI-FI with an amplifier/power supply up the pole, covering a distance of about 20 miles. The setup was supplied and installed by his ISP. Regards Sid.
-- Sid Boyce .... Hamradio G3VBV and keen Flyer
I'm not sure what part of the FCC regs that comes under. There is a reg that allows 1 watt ERP using frequency-hopping spread spectrum, and that's almost surely what this system is using. A 1 watt signal, especially if the receiver is using a directional (gain) antenna, would easily cover a 20 mile range, at line-of-sight. This is not the same sort of thing as is used for in-building routers. --doug, wa2say
Doug McGarrett wrote:
I just remembered I've been talking to a guy (via Skype) in Clearwater, Fla. in the last hour and his setup to his ISP is WI-FI with an amplifier/power supply up the pole, covering a distance of about 20 miles. The setup was supplied and installed by his ISP. Regards Sid.
-- Sid Boyce .... Hamradio G3VBV and keen Flyer
I'm not sure what part of the FCC regs that comes under. There is a reg that allows 1 watt ERP using frequency-hopping spread spectrum, and that's almost surely what this system is using. A 1 watt signal, especially if the receiver is using a directional (gain) antenna, would easily cover a 20 mile range, at line-of-sight. This is not the same sort of thing as is used for in-building routers.
--doug, wa2say
Agreed with all that, but I read into the post, perhaps wrongly, that the idea of an outside antenna was needed perhaps for a WAP or an application similar to what I'm considering - a connection over a distance of about a mile. There is bound to be some loss in the coax to the antenna, then add say 15dB gain of a reasonable antenna - my wet finger in the wind and nothing more scientific as yet says that should be OK with a 300mW source. The guy isn't sure what's been installed by his ISP, I guess it probably is a 1W amp. Regards Sid. -- Sid Boyce .... Hamradio G3VBV and keen Flyer =====LINUX ONLY USED HERE=====
participants (5)
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doc -
Doug McGarrett -
John Andersen -
peter Nikolic -
Sid Boyce