05.15.07

Repost from old blog: Linux Wireless: Dynex DX-WGDTC Good, Zonet ZEW1601 Bad

Posted in Uncategorized at 11:00 pm by

I have recently been trying to setup a desktop PC running Ubuntu 6.10 for my kids. I installed the Edubuntu suite so that it has all of the educational software and set my son up with a limited number of links to the internet. The trouble is… wifi.

Linux is a great operating system, and I trust it much more with the kids than I would Windows (of any version). The one big thing that I’ve never had much success with was getting 802.11 wireless to work.

I had purchased a Zonet ZEW1601 card from Tiger Direct because it was cheap and because it was advertised as being Linux compatible. The manufacturer even has some Linux drivers for download on their site. I had originally tried to set this up using Fedora Core 5 to create a secondary MythTV box in my bedroom. I wracked my brain with this during my spare time for weeks before I gave up. When I decided to create a machine for the kids, I decided that I would give it another try with a slightly newer and different distribution (Ubuntu). The system recognized the card automatically and it shows up in the network devices list, but that’s the extent of it. I worked on this for hours and the best thing I could come up with was that the driver didn’t know how to properly turn on the wireless radio.

I gave up on the built-in drivers and downloaded the ones form Zonet’s web site. They are only available as source, so I had to compile it. I found a nice HOWTO on the web and followed it step by step. (It’s nice when they post the exact commands to type, so I can just copy and paste!) Well, I got the same result as I did with the MythTV box… complete freeze when the kernel driver loads. It was at that point that I decided to give up on the Zonet card. I don’t know if there are other cards out there based on the same chipset (RT2561 / RT61) that will work, but this one definitely does not!

I was out shopping and ended up in Best Buy to pick up some music CD’s. I asked one of the employees about Linux compatibility on the PCI wifi cards. Apparently, he has been asked this before because his quick response was “It doesn’t say Linux compatible on any of the packages.” I looked briefly around to see if any of them even mention what chipset they use, but no luck. I went home and started my web research. I came across the MadWifi project’s compatibility list: http://madwifi.org/wiki/Compatibility

That was VERY helpful. It let me search the big retails web sites and see what was available that was known to be compatible with their drivers. When I came across Best Buy’s web site, I found this card was on sale: Dynex DX-WGDTC Since the entry on MadWifi was a little less than concrete, I did a google search and found this article: $35 wifi PCI card works out of the box with Ubuntu linux =)

I was excited! Not only did I find one that says it works out of the box with Ubuntu, but it’s the cheapest one and it’s on sale! I ran out to BB yesterday and picked it up. Installed it in place of the Zonet card and had the wireless working in 5 minutes. All I had to do was go into the networking control under Adminitration and set the SSID and WEP key and I was in business. I was also impressed with the size of the antenna. Usually the cheaper cards have short little wimpy antennas, but this one was formidable and seems to pick up a good signal.

Summary: If you need an inexpensive PCI wireless card that works out of the box with Ubuntu Linux (and probably others as well since the drivers come with the kernel), you want this card. And while you’re at the store, mention to the sales guy that if anyone asks for a Linux compatible card to sell them this one!

PS. It turns out the sale price ($31.49) was online only, so I ended up paying full price at the store ($35). If you want the sale price, I think you can order it online for in-store pickup to get the $3.50 off. I wasn’t feeling patient enough to go back and do it for the 3 bucks.

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