Wireless Network Adapters

2006-11-28T23:17:51Z

Claude rubinson: /* Finding out which adapter you have */

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This document covers IBM integrated (MiniPCI), Cardbus and PC Card (PCMCIA) Wi-Fi devices.
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== Finding out which adapter you have ==
For MiniPCI or Cardbus adapters run the command:
:{{cmdroot|lspci -n <nowiki>|</nowiki> grep "Class 0200"}}
If that produces no output, run this command instead:
:{{cmdroot|lspci -n <nowiki>|</nowiki> grep "0200"}}

(Alternatively, grep for "0280" which identifies "Network" controllers, as opposed to "0200" which identifies "Ethernet" controllers.)

And compare the PCI IDS with the ones below.

{{NOTE| This will also return the PCI IDS of any Ethernet adapters, as Ethernet adapters and Wireless adapters share the same PCI Class ID.}}

== MiniPCI adapters ==
=== Atheros ===
*[[IBM Dual-Band 11a/b Wi-Fi Wireless Mini PCI Adapter]] <tt>(PCI-ID: 168c:0012)</tt>
*[[IBM 11b/g Wireless LAN Mini PCI Adapter]] <tt>(PCI-ID: 168c:0013)</tt>
*[[IBM 11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini PCI Adapter]] <tt>(PCI-ID: 168c:1014)</tt>
*[[IBM 11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini PCI Adapter II]] <tt>(PCI-ID: 168c:1014)</tt>
*[[ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini Express Adapter]] <tt>(PCI-ID: 168c:1014)</tt>
*[[SparkLAN WMIA-166AG Wireless LAN Mini PCI Adapter (AR5006XS)]] <tt>(PCI-ID: 168c:001b)</tt>

=== Cisco ===
*[[Cisco Aironet Wireless 802.11b]] <tt>(PCI-ID: 14b9:a504)</tt>
=== Intel ===
*[[Intel PRO/Wireless LAN 2100 3B Mini PCI Adapter]] <tt>(PCI-ID: 8086:1043)</tt>
*[[Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG Mini-PCI Adapter]] <tt>(PCI-ID: 8086:4220)</tt>
*[[Intel PRO/Wireless 2915ABG Mini-PCI Adapter]] <tt>(PCI-ID: 8086:4224)</tt>
*[[Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Mini-PCI Express Adapter]]

=== Prism ===
*[[IBM High Rate Wireless LAN Mini-PCI Adapter with Modem]] <tt>(PCI-ID: 1260:3873)</tt>
*[[IBM High Rate Wireless LAN Mini-PCI Adapter with Modem II]] <tt>(PCI-ID: 1260:3873)</tt>
*[[IBM High Rate Wireless LAN Mini-PCI Adapter III]]

=== Error 1802 - "Unauthorized" MiniPCI network card ===
Attempts to install an unsupported card will result in the following message:

1802: Unauthorized network card is plugged in - Power off and remove the miniPCI network card.

For a resolution, see the [[Problem with unauthorized MiniPCI network card]] page.

== Cardbus adapters ==
Cardbus is a 32bits bus that runs at 33MHz, and is in many ways simular to the PCI bus. In fact under Linux Cardbus adapters are handled by the PCI subsystem. 
You can differentiate a PC Card adapter from a Cardbus adapter as the later has a gold coloured grounding strip
=== IBM 11 a/b/g Wireless Cardbus Adapter ===
Chipset: Atheros 
Driver: [[madwifi]] 
Supported wireless modes: 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g

Specifications: [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-51855 MIGR-51855] 
Users Guide: [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-51959 MIGE-51855] 
Service Parts: [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-51874 MIGR-51874]
Looking for a reverse PCI to cardbus (ie - want to fit a PCI card into a cardbus slot)

=== IBM 802.11a Wireless LAN Cardbus Adapter ===
Chipset: Atheros 
Driver: [[madwifi]] 
Supported wireless modes: 802.11a

Specifications: [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-42209 MIGR-42209] 
Users Guide: [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-42233 MIGR-42233] 
Service Parts: [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-42231 MIGR-42231]

== PC Card (PCMCIA) adapters ==
PC Card or PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) as it used to be called, is an 8 or 16bits bus limited to 8MHz, in many ways simular to the old ISA bus and not suitable for highspeed devices.
=== Cisco Aironet 350 802.11b wireless PC card with 128bit ===
Chipset: Cisco 
Driver: airo_cs 
Supported wireless modes: 802.11b
=== IBM High Rate Wireless LAN PC Card ===
Chipset: Hermes I 
Drivers: [[orinoco|orinoco_cs]] 
Supported wireless modes: 802.11b

[[Category:Components]]

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Wireless Network Adapters