JordanStorm

When I work in Windoze, particularly older versions, I find one of the more problematic areas to be wireless cards and networking between computers (via wireless router) and simply picking up signals at wireless hotspots.

Which Linux distro has a reputation for being the easiest to use for wireless. I.E., natively supports the most wireless cards, most easily sets up to log-in to any wireless hotspot, etc.

TIA for any input!!!

~jordan

daark.child

Instead of worrying about which distro has the best wireless support, get a card thats natively supported by Linux and it will work fine on all distros.

JordanStorm

Is there a way to determine if a particular *mini* wifi card not only is supported, but will work with WPA security on my wireless router? I've read that WPA can be a hassle for wireless using Linux......and WEP is too weak for me.

~jordan

daark.child

I don't know of a way to check wpa support. I have had very little success with WPA, so I use WEP.

easuter

Cards that have Ralink chips are possibly the best to buy when using any Linux distro, since Ralink has released all the drivers under GPL.

Read here for more information:

http://www.fsf.org/resources/hw/net/wireless/cards.html

I have an SMC PCI card that has a Ralink RT61 chip, and it works just great.

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truoc444

i've always had the best success with the Atheros Chipset cards. a mini PCI a/b/g is usually less than $30 on ebay. That's one upgrade all my laptops get.

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angsty

personally ive switched wireless cards multiple times and pclinuxos has worked all other times except once where a little config in its controll center made it work perfectly http://www.pclinuxos.com

Abenenati

Ubuntu was very easy setting up my wireless connection (via the Network Config), yet now I'm currently using Debian Etch (love it) but it was just a little harder to set up. Nothing too complicated, just took some firmware and NetworkManager to work.