HardwareComparison | LinuxDrivers | WirelessChipset | WirelessExtensions | WirelessTools

See also Linux Drivers section or Linux on the PcmciaBridges, OrinocoDriver, TexasInstrument1410 pages.

Tables

Drivers 802.11b Features Comparison

WE := WirelessExtensions, it means yes; (1) 8211 patch MiB := 802.11 standard MIB support

References:

• The devices, the drivers - 802.11b (Jean Tourrilhes HowTo)

  The devices, the drivers - 802.11b+, 802.11a and 802.11g (Jean Tourrilhes HowTo)

Drivers 802.11g Features Comparison

Refgerence: Jean T. HowTo

Selected drivers

ACX100 cards

The open source driver is out and quite usable.
Note: the "leaked" binary driver was a God-send (thanx ivor!) but it is far and away inferior to the open-source driver now being actively developed; get it at acx100.sourceforge.net via cvs. See my howto for some pre-compiled modules and if you need furthur assistance.

See also Acx100ReverseEngineering

Aironet/Cisco drivers

- Cisco airo driver:

• Status: stable
• Version: ? no public cvs, last public version always in kernel
• License: GPL/BSD

• More info: Solid driver, works great. http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/Linux.Wireless.drivers.802.11b.html#Arlan802

- cisco_closed_source:

• Status: Stable, but not up to date with the GPL driver above
• Version: 1.5
• License: mixed?
• More info: Supports Cisco's closed API--you can load up new firmware with this driver, directly under Linux.

Prism 2/2.5·3 -based card drivers

- wvlan_cs:

• Status: stable but not longer maintained
• License: GPL
• Version: 1.0.7

• Where: not in kernel, pcmcia package > 3.1.10

• More info: This driver will support some Prism2 & Prism2.5-based cards. YMMV

- HostAp:

• Status: stable & active development

• License: GPL
• Version: 4-24 is quite stable

• RPMS: you can find binary rpms in http://www.cat.pdx.edu/~baera/redhat_hostap/

• More info: While this driver is focused on the so-called BSS AP mode, it works great as a client driver. The author, Jouni, is one of the BEST opensource developers out there. He's very prompt with accepting patches & helping folks out.

- linux-wlan aka prism2_cs, prism2_plx, prism2_pci:

• Status: beta, but many folks use it.
• License: MPL
• Version .1.10

• RPMS: you can find binary rpms by unixguru.raleigh.nc at http://prism2.unixguru.raleigh.nc.us/ prism2]

• More info: This is the grand-daddy of drivers. While getting used to the config tools may take some time, this driver does support a number of USB+prism -based WLAN devices. It also has direct support for PLX-based bridges, so it makes it easier to get a WLAN device running on a desktop system.

Prism GT -based card drivers

Access Point with PrismGT, article in Spanish. Babelfish or these links can translate.

Wavelan IEEE 802.11/ORiNOCO (Silver, Gold) and rebranded cards drivers

- Orinoco Family

• License: GPL
• Version: 0.13b
• Where: kernel, pcmcia_cs packages
• More info: default driver for ORiNOCO cards, stable but has no scanning support.

- wvlan_cs:

• Status: stable but not longer maintained
• License: GPL
• Version: 1.0.7

• Where: not in kernel, PCMCIA package > 3.1.10

• More info: -

- Wavelan family:

• wavelan / wavelan_cs
• License: Propietary (binary driver)
• Version: ?

- mwvlan_cs:

• Status: last development release May 2002
• License: GPL/BSD
• Version: 1.0
• Where: not in kernel, not in PCMCIA package, distributed alone
• More info: -

- wavelan2_c

• Status: ?

• Version: 6.16

• License: Lucent Propietary

- airport:

• Status: Stable
• Version 0.06c in kernel 2.4.6

- hermesap:

• Status: beta
• Version: 0.2
• More info: This driver needs to get the windows XP drivers to get the firmware to be able to switch to master mode. Already tested with ORiNOCO and Avaya cards.

To Do

• Linux ar5k 802.11a/b/g driver (GPL) http://team.vantronix.net/ar5k/ (Project discontinued)

• List of Native Linux Drivers and cards. (May want this as a high-level section of this page, in order to keep together.)

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