Linksys & SMC Experiences - correction

[Michael J McCafferty]

         The new version 2.5 and version 3.0 of the Linksys card ARE 
supported by the linux-wlan-ng driver. However, they require adding a 
definition to a config file for the cards. This is according to and e-mail 
exchange with the author of the driver.
         Also, the SMC LED *blinks* when not on a network. I mistakenly 
said it was off.

At 09:56 PM 3/26/2002 -0800, you wrote:

>         I had been happily using a Linksys WPC11 in my Dell C810 laptop 
> with Red Hat 7.1. Last night, for whatever reason it smoked (no actual 
> smoke... it just died). I called Linksys for warranty service. After 
> waiting the usual long time on hold fior a tech, I was pleased that htey 
> weren't gonna send me through the usual Windows 98 steps. I told them it 
> was in aLinux machine, they asked if it was a Linksys driver, I said 
> "No". They asked if I had tested it in another machine, I said "Sure". 
> They said, "Ok, we'll e-mail you the return instructions... it will take 
> 24 to 48 hrs to receive the e-mail, and 10 days to get the new card".
>         Since I was happy with it, I and wanted to get another one ASAP, 
> I went to buy a new one and worry about the other one later. All of the 
> new Linksys WPC11 cards now say "Version 2.5" or "Version 3.0" on them. 
> This worried me that they may have changed the chip, and I wouldn't be 
> able to use the linux-wlan-ng driver with it. My suspicions turned out to 
> be true. So, I had to return it.
>         I decided to get an SMC 2632W instead. I plugged it into the 
> laptop, no configuratrion required, it used the same driver as the WPC11 
> and away I went.
>
>Comparison:
>         The Linksys had two LEDs on it. The green one would flash once 
> for every beacon packet it received and flash brighter when picking up 
> data packets. You could see faint flashes if you were near an AP but not 
> close enough to get a legible packet. The Red LED would indicate if you 
> were at full speed (solid) or not (blinking), or it would be solid when 
> the card is in monitor mode. The LEDs were GREAT !
>         The SMC has one LED. It doesn't do anything interesting. It is 
> off when your not on a network, it's on when you are. It's on when the 
> card is in monitor mode.
>
>         The SMC has noticeably better range. I am picking up networks 
> that I didn't know existed before. I have had the new card for a little 
> over 30min now, and I am impressed with the range difference. I miss the 
> functionality of the LEDs on the Linksys though.... but then, I'm the 
> kind of kook that likes to "feel" the traffic on my networks by looking 
> at the LEDs on my switches. I have caught suspicious activity on networks 
> before, just by looking at the LEDs. I suppose I'll get over it.
>
>Mike
>
>
>**************************************************
>Michael J. McCafferty
>M5 Computer Security
>858-576-7325 Voice
>PGP Key ID:   0x2206347F
>http://www.m5computersecurity.com
>**************************************************
>
>
>--
>  http://www.kernel-panic.org
>  list archives http://www.ultraviolet.org
>  To unsubscribe, send a message to the address shown in the list-unsubscribe
>  header of this message.

**************************************************
Michael J. McCafferty
M5 Computer Security
858-576-7325 Voice
PGP Key ID:   0x2206347F
http://www.m5computersecurity.com
**************************************************