From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Aug 12 01:46:31 2011 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 41A60106566C for ; Fri, 12 Aug 2011 01:46:31 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from wblock@wonkity.com) Received: from wonkity.com (wonkity.com [67.158.26.137]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id F1C5B8FC16 for ; Fri, 12 Aug 2011 01:46:30 +0000 (UTC) Received: from wonkity.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by wonkity.com (8.14.5/8.14.5) with ESMTP id p7C1kT10052770; Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:46:29 -0600 (MDT) (envelope-from wblock@wonkity.com) Received: from localhost (wblock@localhost) by wonkity.com (8.14.5/8.14.5/Submit) with ESMTP id p7C1kTTE052767; Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:46:29 -0600 (MDT) (envelope-from wblock@wonkity.com) Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:46:29 -0600 (MDT) From: Warren Block To: Christian Barthel In-Reply-To: <20110811210934.GB1131@nyx.user-mode.org> Message-ID: References: <9c9f2da49c6bbc6ca01b618fbe6b6709.squirrel@localhost> <20110811210203.GA1131@nyx.user-mode.org> <20110811210934.GB1131@nyx.user-mode.org> User-Agent: Alpine 2.00 (BSF 1167 2008-08-23) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed X-Greylist: Sender IP whitelisted, not delayed by milter-greylist-4.2.7 (wonkity.com [127.0.0.1]); Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:46:29 -0600 (MDT) Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: FreeBSD WIFI USB adapter X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2011 01:46:31 -0000 On Thu, 11 Aug 2011, Christian Barthel wrote: > On Thu, Aug 11, 2011 at 04:27:29PM -0000, bud@taiotoshi.org wrote: >>> Folks: >>> >>> I have a Dell XPS Studio laptop with a broadcom wifi adapter built in. >>> I've had no luck trying to compile in the BWI option into the kernel to >>> get it to work and think that buying a cheap usb WIFI adapter is the >>> quickest way to make wireless 802.11 b/g work. >>> >>> Realizing that some chip sets are better supported than others, I was >>> hoping some list subscribers might be able to identify currently offered >>> USB WIFI adapters that they know to work. I will then purchase one that >>> has a good track record. >>> >>> Any suggestions/comments on adapters that work would be greatly appreciated. > > Here is a list with different chips... > > http://www.freebsd.org/releases/8.2R/hardware.html#WLAN > > "The rum(4) driver supports USB 2.0 wireless adapters based ..." > > I don't know any Dell devices, but maybe it's possible to replace the > builtin chip with another wireless lan chip. Usually yes, with some details. Any recent machine will use mini-PCIe wireless cards. There are full-size 30x51mm and half-size 30x27mm spaces. IBM/Lenovo and HP have BIOS code that only allows certain cards, generally ones they sell. Atheros AR5BXB63 b/g full-size cards have worked well for me in place of Broadcom cards.