Re: fun stuff - dvd - 802.11g

[Alvin Oga <aoga@ns.Linux-Consulting.com>]

hi ya david

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003, David Z Maze wrote:

> Alvin Oga <aoga@ns.Linux-Consulting.com> writes:
> 
> > i've just gotten the distro to recognize the Netgear WG311 pci 
> > 802.11g card  ( have a linksys card too but havent tested it yet )
> >
> > 	- note that its "g" 54Mbps  ... vs the slower 802.11[a/b]
> 
> Nitpicking, 802.11a is also advertised as 54mbps, but runs on a
> different frequency than 802.11b/g.  So on a mixed b/g network, you
> can wind up with the g clients slowing down to b rates to accomodate
> the slower hosts; since 802.11a runs on a separate frequency, it
> always runs at full speed.  I also know there are some
> interoperability problems with 802.11g (I had trouble earlier this
> summer trying to use a Dell-brand 802.11b card vs. some big-name
> 802.11g APs), but those might be cleaned up with newer hardware.

yup..

but i wanna try to make my own AP too .. for the cost of a PC
instead of buying a ready made linksys/netgear for $150 - $250 ..
	- silly huh ..
	- new challenges are fun sometimes

> The downside of 802.11a under Linux is that
> 
> > 	- i got it working with the athros drivers from madwifi
> > 		http://www.sourceforge.net/madwifi
> 
> there's only one manufacturer of 802.11a chipsets (Atheros), and one
> driver for it, which works well enough for most purposes but isn't
> DFSG-free.

i'm only worried about 802.11g ... 

while 802.11a runs 54Mbps, its also running "regulated" and has
problems going thru walls/building/glass ???

i'm gonna be going into multiple floor environment, and trying to
avoid the internal rewiring of the building ( especially between floors )

differences between a/b/g
	http://www.Linux-Sec.net/Wireless/

> > 	- now the trick is to setup another box just like it
> > 	and the two machines should be able to talk to each other
> > 	over 802.11g  ...
> 
> I don't know whether things besides 802.11b support "ad-hoc"
> networking.  But access points are comparatively cheap these days, and
> they pretty much all advertise 802.11g support.

me neither... am just getting on the wireless bandwagon ... :-)

- fromt what i gathered, 802.11g is the way to go for us...
	since we dont need to worry about backward compatibility
	but do have to worry about going between floors of the building

> > 	- not that WEP is NOT secure ... ( its been cracked )
> 
> Google-search for "end to end argument"; this doesn't concern me
> terribly (though my housemates think I shouldn't have a completely
> open 802.11b AP).

.. dont tell the spammers where you live :-)
	- we wouldnt want them to send the spam and than disappear
	from down the street 

> > and the other fun stuff... i just bought my first dvd .. w/out having
> > a player or system setup ...
> > 	- played w/ ogle, xine, mplayer, few others..
> >
> > 	- after a few hours of fiddling ( installing various packages )
> >
> > 	- "dvd player" is now working .. so now i need a new set of
> > 	real speakers and real audio amps
> 
> Which software package did you wind up using?

i'm using ogle and goggles for its gui

	- xine and others would not compile on the distro i tested (
	suse-9.0pro )  -- for a customer
 
	- mplayer is what we use now for all mpeg and mpeg4
	but it didnt work with the one test dvd i got

	- i just tried xmms under slackware-9.1 and it too crashed

	- havent tried under sid/woody/testing/... yet
	( just have 2 fingers .. :-)

thanx
alvin