[PLUG] Linux-compatible laptops

Keith Lofstrom keithl at kl-ic.com
Tue Jul 14 23:44:28 UTC 2009


On Tue, Jul 14, 2009 at 01:08:13PM -0700, Robert Kopp wrote:
> I'm about to get a new laptop, and it would be nice to get one
> at a retail store whose hardware was supported by Linux. The
> only problem I have ever encountered with earlier laptops was
> with the Wifi adapter, but now that most of the new ones don't
> have PCMCIA slots (to provide Wifi connectivity if the built-in
> Wifi adapter doesn't work), this is an important point. 

Alternative - USB2.0 WIFI adapters.   The ZD1211B based devices
are cheap, and work out of the box with Ubuntu.  If you are running
an older driver, you may need to compile a driver module.

Although Wifi is built into most laptops, it is usually low power
5mW stuff, not a lot of range.  Drivers can be a problem, and they
often change chipsets on the supposed same model of laptop. 

Lastly, for security purposes I want the wifi to be OFF when I
unplug the USB or PCMCIA card;  without a direct power switch I
am relying on corruptable software and firmware to take internal
Wifi offline.  Sometimes you just want to raise the drawbridge,
rather than trust the guards.

Keith

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



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