[PLUG] Linksys WPC11 wifi card - warning! (Was Senao PCMCIA card)

[Keith Lofstrom]

Mike Layne writes:
> The Linksys WPC11 is a 16 bit card and they are generally available on
> eBay for $20 - $57.
> Mine works flawlessly.

Warning!  Warning!

The WPC11 comes in multiple versions.  The original versions are PRISM
chipsets, with Linux drivers. Good stuff, and working fine for Mike and
many other people.  Version 4.0, the currently shipping version, is a
Cardbus card using the RealTek chipset, *without* Linux drivers.  Unless
you know exactly which version you are getting, the WPC11 is a crapshoot.

Note also, the WPC11 (version 3) is a 13mW card (11.2dB on channel 11)
while the Senao is 200mW.  Sometimes power and range matters;  talking
to a >=200mW WAP, the Senao will work at four times the distance.  See
page 35 of the FCC test report at:

https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=224093&native_or_pdf=pdf

To find out what kind of chipset a particular card uses, check the list
at  http://www.linux-wlan.org/docs/wlan_adapters.html.gz .  It doesn't
cover everything, but it will prevent a few sad mistakes.  Before you
bring a PCMCIA card to the Linux Wifi clinic, please check this list.

Keith

-- 
Keith Lofstrom           keithl at ieee.org         Voice (503)-520-1993
KLIC --- Keith Lofstrom Integrated Circuits --- "Your Ideas in Silicon"
Design Contracting in Bipolar and CMOS - Analog, Digital, and Scan ICs