High powered USB/mini PCIe card in AP mode

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.

Guest

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.