[ltp] Wireless solution for T23

[Nathan Templeton]

Simon Williams wrote:
> Marcin Trybus wrote:
>> I just got a broadband Internet connection and bought a Linksys 
>> WAG200G router with a wireless access point (as the name implies it's 
>> a G standard). I bought wireless only because it was not that much 
>> more expensive than a wired-only model. Since my T23 comes without a 
>> built-in WiFi adapter I am considering various options of making it 
>> wireless capable. There are only two reasonable options, a PCMCIA 
>> adapter and an internal, preferably Intel-based, miniPCI card. I 
>> discount the USB adapters, as the T23 has only 2 ports anyway. The 
>> problem is that my machine does not have the built in antenna. So is 
>> it worth the hassle to install it?
>>
>> I'd appreciate any feedback.
>>
>> My uptime is ca. 98% Debian GNU/Linux (with the approx. 2% Win2k), so 
>> whatever the solution will be it should be as Open as possible.
>
> I've done it with my T23. If you're good with a screwdriver, can 
> remember where everything goes back and don't mind spreading the 
> *entire* laptop across your desk then it's not too hard to fit them. 
> That said, it's a right pig trying to get them to fit behind the LCD.
>
> I only got generic internal antennas and they 1. Were even more 
> difficult to fit, and 2. *SUCK*. Buying the antennae alone will 
> probably make it not worthwhile on cost if you get them from IBM. 
> Also, I think my Atheros card *SUCKS* as well, despite spending 90 
> quid on it. It freezes my machine fairly regularly (haven't tracked 
> down why), and is guaranteed to kill it if I try and scp something 
> over it.
> It's supposed to be a really good extended range 802.11G+ (108Mbps) 
> card, but with my combination of card and antennae I barely get 5% 
> signal and 1Mbps *SITTING BESIDE THE ACCESS POINT*.
>
> It will cost you way more straight off. It's just not worth it. You 
> can get a really nice PCMCIA card for about a 10th of the price.
Just to put my 0.02 in here. I've used a lucent orinocco gold here in my 
T20 with ZenWalk  since 4.8, up to 5.0 stable now. Everything worked 
from the word go, it is 802.11b, but to be honest I really don't see a 
drag unless I really load the card. The upside? It's a dirt cheap card. 
Debian Sarge saw it with no issues, come to think of it, I've had pretty 
much every main line distro on here at one time or another. Only ran 
into issues with FreeSpire. Could not get it to work no matter what I did.

Good Hunting,

Nathan
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