If the laptop is older, it might have an older Intel or Atheros 5xxx which work fine. Or another good working card. If hardware is a bit old, there has been time to write a driver.
And nowadays HP, Dell and Lenovo test the Linux compatibility, that's a major step forward. The wireless problem on newer laptops is quite solved, at least on these three manufacturers, today's problem is hybrid graphics.
The number of Linux users is steadily increasing. More users means more coders and more interest, and hopefully better compatibility.
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Originally posted by kraftman View PostI can find the same about winblows, so stop saying bullshit. Atheros has very good support on Linux.
Atheros WAS very good but now they have so many chipsets now. I still read in networking sections about people having problems. Intel seems like the only one that doesn't have so many wireless chips... yes, they have new ones but it just requires firmware and I suspect they have one or two cover a bunch.
If you can't have an Intel one, then Atheros is a 2nd choice. But, none of the other ones seem to work too well.
Doesn't matter much since Intel seems to be cornering the market on laptops these days anyway. But, if you only have an old laptop, pray you can change it to an Intel card.
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Please don't blame Atheros as a whole company for the bad performance of just one chip of them. Most Atheros things work just fine.
And Ralink sometimes have conflicts between different modules claiming a card so they also aren't perfect.
I don't have any Realtek experience.
I am having good experience with Intel, and the Broadcom situation is improving by the time with their open-source driver for 4 chips in 2.6.39+. But indeed, there's much wireless hardware out with bad Linux support.
But do you know the situation of some years ago? More Linux users has improved the wireless compatibility much in my opinion. As Linux gains users over the years, the hardware compatibility increases. We're still some 1-2% at the moment, don't forget that.Last edited by AlbertP; 20 June 2011, 03:55 PM.
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Originally posted by Panix View PostI can go to any forum and find tons of posts of people having problems with those chips. So, I laugh at your comment....
Realtek, Atheros, Ralink have so many chipsets so because one person isn't having trouble doesn't indicate anything.
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Originally posted by Panix View PostOnly laptops with Intel wifi chips. Anything else, you are out of luck. There are still laptops with Broadcom (the absolute worst!), Realtek and Atheros chips and I bet most of those are major problems. Since most newer laptops are using Intel wifi chips, maybe it's not so bad now.
I have an ancient laptop with a Broadcom wifi chip and it's useless in Linux. 'Will NOT WORK. I also have a crappy laptop with an Intel wifi chip and I'm on it right now via wireless in Debian.
But, overall, I would say if it wasn't for Intel wifi support, wireless in Linux would totally suck.
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Originally posted by kbios View Post???
No problem here both with Atheros and Ralink chips. Actually, I chose Atheros for a server as it was one of the first drivers to support AP mode. And it's working rock solid 24/7 since 2008.
Realtek, Atheros, Ralink have so many chipsets so because one person isn't having trouble doesn't indicate anything.
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Originally posted by Panix View PostOnly laptops with Intel wifi chips. Anything else, you are out of luck. There are still laptops with Broadcom (the absolute worst!), Realtek and Atheros chips and I bet most of those are major problems. Since most newer laptops are using Intel wifi chips, maybe it's not so bad now.
I have an ancient laptop with a Broadcom wifi chip and it's useless in Linux. 'Will NOT WORK. I also have a crappy laptop with an Intel wifi chip and I'm on it right now via wireless in Debian.
But, overall, I would say if it wasn't for Intel wifi support, wireless in Linux would totally suck.
???
No problem here both with Atheros and Ralink chips. Actually, I chose Atheros for a server as it was one of the first drivers to support AP mode. And it's working rock solid 24/7 since 2008.
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Originally posted by cobratbq View PostHmmm... interesting. I got the impression that over the last few years it had advanced quite a lot. I don't have any troubles anymore with my notebooks. Granted, they aren't brand new anymore, but I can work without a hitch.
I have an ancient laptop with a Broadcom wifi chip and it's useless in Linux. 'Will NOT WORK. I also have a crappy laptop with an Intel wifi chip and I'm on it right now via wireless in Debian.
But, overall, I would say if it wasn't for Intel wifi support, wireless in Linux would totally suck.
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