On Mon, May 08, 2006 at 05:13:02PM +0200, Jochen Schulz wrote:
>Bob:
>>
>> Is it as easy as pluging the card in and it all just working, or do I
>> need to install some other packages? I'm running Etch with a 2.6 kernel.
>
>It depends on your card. And most probably (if you go out and just buy
>some random card) it will involve some work. It may even be impossible
>if you pick the wrong card.
>
>You might want to google around for supported cards. Chipsets which I
>have positive experience with are prism54, ipw2100, ipw2200 and the
>atheros chips (supported by madwifi). All except the latter one are in
>the vanilla kernel (but I don't think there are PCI versions of the ipw
>chips). It helps if you know how to compile a custom kernel and/or how
>to compile kernel modules against the appropriate linux-headers
>package.
>
>Your biggest problem will be to find out what chipset a specific card
>you are holding in your hands has. But every project I mentioned
>maintains some sort of compatiblity list.
Yes, that is a BIG problem. Especially since quite a few manufacturers
are in the habit of switching the chipset without disclosing that
anywhere on the boxes :-( When I was shoping around I ended up buying
from an online store that offered Linux compatible HW. It ended up being
about £5 more (including shipping) but it was worth not having to worry
about compatibility.
The RT cards are also well supported in Linux, the package is called
rt2500-source and the module can be built with module-assistant.
/M
--
Magnus Therning (OpenPGP: 0xAB4DFBA4)
magnus@therning.org
http://therning.org/magnus
Software is not manufactured, it is something you write and publish.
Keep Europe free from software patents, we do not want censorship
by patent law on written works.
Here's the social reason that DRM fails: keeping an honest user honest
is like keeping a tall user tall.
-- Cory Doctorow, Microsoft Research DRM talk
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