High powered USB/mini PCIe card in AP mode

Joshy

Just as the subject says. I'm new to pfsense and just got my first pfsense box up and running. I love it! Now I'm looking for a wireless device(USB or mini PCIe card) that will operate in AP mode that is high powered. I've looked at using other devices to create an AP, and while I'm 99% sure I'll go that route at the end, I like to tinker and learn by doing. My pfsense box is in the basement, so expecting wifi in my house from the basement isn't likely. This is mostly just to know I can do it.

I tried buying an Intel 6250 because I thought Intel had good driver support in FreeBSD(prior experience with FreeNAS). But I've since learned after installing the card that it doesn't support AP mode. Whoops!

I've spent the last few hours searching and every time I find a model that I think will fit the bill I find out it won't do.. It's mini PCI, very low power, doesn't support AP mode.. etc.

So which card do you recommend? If high powered isn't an option, what card should I be looking for? All of the threads I find that discuss anything like my topic are more than a year old.

If this topic has been hashed out before, please point me in the right direction. I don't want to waste the forums time with a "noob" question. I'm just surprised I don't see a thread that's applicable to the current version of pfsense that lists some hardware alot of people have had good results with.

Thanks.

-Josh

Edit: Forgot the important stuff. My machine is a D2500CC with 4GB of RAM running pfsense 2.0.1-i386.

wallabybob

You could try a http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB2-0-High-Power-500mw-RT3070-150Mbps-150M-b-g-n-11n-Wireless-WiFi-Adapter-card-/230689039571 which is reported to have a chipset supported in FreeBSD by the run driver which supports AP mode.

If you prefer a mini-PCe card a search on eBay for Atheros mini PCIe will likely turn up a number of cards with Atheros chipset. I have seen reports of Atheros cards with chipsets supporting 802.11N working in "802.11G compatible" mode on FreeBSD. The FreeBSD Atheros driver, ath, supports AP mode. I have also seen a small number of reports of problems with specific Atheros chipsets in FreeBSD.

I have no experience with either of these suggestions.

Joshy

Thanks for the input! I'd really like to get a mini-PCIe, but I read somewhere that some Atheros chipsets didn't support AP mode. The waters get so muddy sometimes. I'll do a little more searching and see what I can come up with. As cheap as that USB adapter is I might get it even if just for laptop use. That's a great price and 500mw is alot of power.

Edit: I did try looking on ebay for "atheros mini pcie" and there's tons. But alot of them are low power per the FCC ID. After 3 hours of searching FCC IDs I never found one over about 20dbm. I was hoping for at least 23dbm.

wallabybob

@Joshy:

I'd really like to get a mini-PCIe, but I read somewhere that some Atheros chipsets didn't support AP mode.

In FreeBSD the supported Atheros USB chipsets don't support AP mode. (see the FreeBSD man page for uath at http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=uath&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+8.3-RELEASE&arch=default&format=html
As best I can tell, the supported Atheros PCI/PCIs chipsets all support AP mode. (See the ath man page at http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=ath&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+8.3-RELEASE&arch=default&format=html ).

@Joshy:

Edit: I did try looking on ebay for "atheros mini pcie" and there's tons. But alot of them are low power per the FCC ID. After 3 hours of searching FCC IDs I never found one over about 20dbm. I was hoping for at least 23dbm.

Sometimes a better antenna (directional but higher gain) is a better (more considerate) option than higher power.

See http://www.compex.com.sg/productinfo.asp?item=miniPCIe&acc1Panel=1&acc2Panel=0 for some mini PCIe cards with Atheros chipsets claiming 23dBm power at 5GHz or 2.4GHz.

Edit: Add a couple of missing URLs.

Joshy

Thank you for the feedback wallabybob. Since the permanent installation of a high powered card would be in the middle of nowhere(nothing but farmland for at least 1/4 mile in all directions) I think I'm being fairly considerate of others. If the permanent installation would be in a city I would definitely agree with you. I try to be considerate when I can. At home I have a low powered router with a 14dbi antenna(it looks like a baseball bat) and I get great coverage in my entire house.

BTW… Your first link doesn't work. Not sure what exactly you were linking to.

The last link is very nice! I would order a WLE200N2-23 but I can't find anyone selling it on ebay/Amazon/Google. Rather odd. I've emailed them(Singapore!) to see how to purchase one.

wallabybob

@Joshy:

BTW… Your first link doesn't work. Not sure what exactly you were linking to.

Sorry, try this: and http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=ath&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+8.3-RELEASE&arch=default&format=html for the man pages for the uath and ath drivers.

@Joshy:

I would order a WLE200N2-23 but I can't find anyone selling it on ebay/Amazon/Google. Rather odd. I've emailed them(Singapore!) to see how to purchase one.

If you say where you live, another reader might be able to suggest a local seller of Compex cards.

I have no idea if any of those Compex cards work with FreeBSD. Compex may be able to tell you.

Now I'll go fixup that earlier reply.

Joshy

I'm outside Chicago, Illinois in the USA.

Joshy

Got those devices in the mail from the ebay link. They work great! Thanks for the help!

MaxPF

Just ordered the one in the ebay link. Not bad for $11.55.

Clear-Pixel

There seem to be a few cheap Chinese USB devices based on the Ralinktech RT3070.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB2-0-High-Power-500mw-RT3070-150Mbps-150M-b-g-n-11n-Wireless-WiFi-Adapter-card-/230689039571?pt=US_USB_Wi_Fi_Adapters_Dongles&hash=item35b62364d3 - Reported as Functioning in hostap mode
http://www.geetek.net/products/janus-ii/6/2
http://www.meritline.com/geetek-janus-ii-usb-high-power011n-300mbps-adapter-with-dual-high-gain-5dbi-depole-antennas–-p-92493.aspx?source=s2010&strcoup=MLCR19JN&dealid=47025
http://www.ebay.com/itm/EDUP-High-Power-150M-1000mW-WiFi-USB-Wireless-N-Adapter-Card-RT3070-Ralink-6DBI-/321004532728?pt=US_USB_Wi_Fi_Adapters_Dongles&hash=item4abd5c73f8
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ralink-RT3070-Long-Range-High-Gain-1000-mW-Wireless-N-USB-WIFI-B-G-N-Adapter-/290661632668?pt=US_USB_Wi_Fi_Adapters_Dongles&hash=item43acc88a9c
http://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Power-150M-1000mW-WiFi-USB-Wireless-Adapter-RT3070-/250824909812?pt=US_USB_Wi_Fi_Adapters_Dongles&hash=item3a665463f4
http://www.ebay.com/itm/150M-Hight-Power-USB-Wireless-Wifi-Adapter-1000mW-RT3070-/150937983715?pt=US_USB_Wi_Fi_Adapters_Dongles&hash=item23249adae3
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wlan-WiFi-Wireless-150Mbps-802-11N-USB-Adapter-6dBi-Antenna-LG-N23-Ralink-RT3070-/200845866526?pt=US_USB_Wi_Fi_Adapters_Dongles&hash=item2ec358b61e

Some venders are posting the chip with a suffix on the end RT3XXXL
Anyone know why the L?

<–----------------------------------------
It's been posted and reported that the Ralinktech RT3572 chip is functioning in client mode.
http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,55794.0.html
Ralinktech
http://www.ralinktech.com/en/02_products/product_list2.php?cata2_sn=301&cata3_sn=

Device: Rosewill RNX-N600UBE - RT3572 chip
Reported as Functioning in client mode
Problems Reported: None as of Yet

Device: Linksys/Cisco AE1000 300Mbps 802.11n Dual-Band Wireless - RT3572 chip
No Data as of Yet
Problems Reported: N/A
–---------------------------------------->

Please test and report back details.

Wireless Range?
Are Connections/Connectivity Rock Solid?
Up and Download speed on USB 2.0?
Unit Cold, Warm or Hot to the touch?
What your setup - IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n?
What Ver. of Pfsense are you running?
What Driver for hostap mode?
And anything else worth mentioning.

Clear-Pixel

Has Anyone tried the TP-LINK TL-WN7200ND word is it's based on the RT3070

I would think there would be less chance of burning your house down versus these CHEAP fly by night China outfits.

http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/?model=TL-WN7200ND
http://wikidevi.com/wiki/TP-LINK_TL-WN7200ND

MaxPF

The slow boat from China finally arrived and I can confirm that this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB2-0-High-Power-500mw-RT3070-150Mbps-150M-b-g-n-11n-Wireless-WiFi-Adapter-card-/230689039571?pt=US_USB_Wi_Fi_Adapters_Dongles&hash=item35b62364d3

works perfectly in hostap mode on my Alix box running 2.0.2

MaxPF

UPDATE:
After a couple of weeks of testing, unfortunately I have found that this wifi dongle causes my Alix boards to reboot randomly at least once a day or more and when it is working, the wifi signal is not very stable.
Oh well, I can't expect much from a $11 device.

MaxPF

UPDATE #2:

After changing all the "Regulatory settings" back to default instead of setting them manually, I haven't had a reboot in 5 days, so it may be working after all.
For the record I'm running 2.1 build from dec.23.

I bought the same USB wifi device as you did on ebay.

I tried it twice, it worked somewhat, but my pfsense system crashed twice and my config got wiped both times. I had perform a restore/reload of the firmware/config.
I have since removed the device from the system, hasn't crashed since.

The signal level was lower than using a separate WRT54G running Tomato as an access point. Not sure I will retry this device as it , I think, caused the only crashes I have ever had of pfsense.
Running the latest 2.1 beta.

MaxPF

Mine keeps working well and I have reached 7 days uptime since I made the changes in the configuration. As for signal strength I can't complain, I have my Alix box setup in the basement and get good signal up to the 2nd floor of my house. Hopefully it will stay this way.