Which Mini-PCI board for WRAP Platform?

rneily · Apr 4, 2006, 6:13 PM

I am thinking of adding a Mini-PCI Wireless card to my wrap platform that is running PFSense. Can someone recommend a Mini-PCI board that is supported and easy to set up..

I was looking at Ubiquiti Super Range 2 SR2 400mw 802.11b/g miniPCI at www.mini-box.com which seems to have the most power output, but it seems it's out of stock? Is this a good one to get?

pcatiprodotnet · Apr 4, 2006, 8:05 PM

EMP-8602 400mW is similar and in stock, see froogle.com.
It works with WRAP (1.11 bios) and pfSense (v03-27-2006).
-pc

hoba · Apr 4, 2006, 9:18 PM

I use CM9. They are nearly available anywhere and can do a/b/g including turbo modes (depending on country settings).

rneily · Apr 4, 2006, 9:42 PM

Thanks I will look into those. Here is another question. I have access to some Thinkpads that have built in Mini-PCI Wireless. I belive that they are Intel Wireless cards (2100/2200) will these work for something quick and cheap???

Am I reading right that the higher the mW'age the better?

hoba · Apr 4, 2006, 9:49 PM

You most likely want better antennas and not higher power. Higher power adds additional noise AND might even be forbidden due to restrictions for your location. Additional to that wraps need to be modified to drive high power wifi cards (some soldring needed).
Intel nic's will work in client mode afaik but not as accesspoint. This is due to firmware copyrights I think.

billm · Apr 9, 2006, 4:11 PM

@hoba:

You most likely want better antennas and not higher power. Higher power adds additional noise AND might even be forbidden due to restrictions for your location. Additional to that wraps need to be modified to drive high power wifi cards (some soldring needed).
Intel nic's will work in client mode afaik but not as accesspoint. This is due to firmware copyrights I think.

And we don't include the driver in pfSense. I'm not sure there's even an opensource driver for FreeBSD for this card anyway.

–Bill

nima.m · Apr 9, 2006, 7:23 PM

I have access to some Thinkpads that have built in Mini-PCI Wireless. I belive that they are Intel Wireless cards (2100/2200) will these work for something quick and cheap???

rneily,
I have two thinkpad at home, one Z60m and one R50p, I can try to use pfsense through CD image and find out if pfsense can detect the min-pci wirless card inside them.

lsf · Apr 10, 2006, 2:00 AM

The intel cards will work with the firmwares in ports, atleast they did last time i checked. The intel 2915 card is atheros based so that one will work, the rest needs the firmware afaik. We do not currently support those cards, and also as hoba mentioned, they work in client mode only (or they did last time i checked).

pcatiprodotnet · Apr 21, 2006, 5:56 PM

" … WRAPs need to be modified to drive high power wifi cards (some soldring needed). "

You won't need to do it with current production boards.

-pc

lsf · Apr 21, 2006, 7:00 PM

That is correct, the soldering for highpower cards was a older mod iirc.