Which Distro Has The Best (Mini) Wifi and Wireless Networking Support?

[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.

[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.

[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.