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    Getting RTL8188SU to work on pfSense

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved 2.0-RC Snapshot Feedback and Problems - RETIRED
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    • E
      edmondt
      last edited by

      My first post :)
      I have been playing around with pfSense and it is by fast the fastest and easiest to get going for my routing needs.

      Previously I was setting up routing with Ubuntu 10.04 a few times, but it takes a lot longer to get it up and running…

      Anyway I'm not sure if this can be done, but I compiled a driver in ubuntu for my usb wireless card using this file: RTL8188SU_usb_linux_v2.6.0006.20100625.zip from http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=48&PFid=48&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false&Downloads=true#2302

      Is there somehow a way to compile this card in pfsense or install a vmware FreeBSD compile and drop it to pfsense? I just want to get it to work...

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      • C
        cmb
        last edited by

        Doesn't look like there are any FreeBSD drivers on that page, so no.

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        • E
          edmondt
          last edited by

          Doh! Oh well…

          Willl this for sure work with pfSense? Its a Realtek 8187L: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.35405

          sku_35405_1_small[1].jpg

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          • _
            _igor_
            last edited by

            You could have luck:

            http://www.freebsd.org/releases/8.0R/hardware.html#ETHERNET

            The urtw(4) driver supports Realtek RTL8187B/L based wireless network devices, including:
            Netgear WG111v2
            Safehome WLG-1500SMA5
            Shuttle XPC Accessory PN20

            Maybe if the driver is included in the pfsense-distri, it "should" work…

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            • W
              wallabybob
              last edited by

              Do you want your wireless NIC to act as an access point? If so, then you probably want to use a different NIC.

              I've successfully used two different USB devices based on the Ralink chipset (a DLink G122 rev C and TP Link TL-WN321G) with pfSense 1.2.3. Unfortunately I've had problems using these devices with pfSense 2.0 snapshot builds including one I downloaded about 24 hours ago. I've bought the TP Link device from a local computer shop for under US$20 (after conversion at current exchange rates). Both these devices are supported by the rum driver and will operate in access point mode.

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              • jimpJ
                jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                last edited by

                urtw(4) is in 2.0 but it is not capable of being an access point.

                Here is the current list of supported wireless drivers:
                http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AojFUXcbH0ROdHgwYkFHbkRUdV9hVWljVWl5SXkxbFE&hl=en

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                • E
                  edmondt
                  last edited by

                  Actually I live very close to a Plaza where I can pickup many free open wifi by businesses :) I just want to have a bit of fun gathering them and use the USB WIFI and do a little load balancing between my own internet connection and the free ones.

                  I tried using Ubuntu Server, cos I can make RTL8188SU work… I played around with bonding mode 4 and tried to bond wlan1 and wlan2 together, but playing around with it a few days its not very reliable and its a bit of a pain to script the whole thing in /etc/network/interfaces, upon dropped connection you have to write a script to detect and reconnect... long story short, its a painful process (I tried ebox as well, its um...rubbish)...

                  pfSense is the only one I know that has a Web GUI for connecting WIFI, I haven't tried vyatta yet but hopefully the ones I just ordered from dealextreme would be detected by pfsense.

                  Should I write the following to enable urtw(4)?
                  /boot/loader.conf

                  if_urtw_load="YES"
                  wlan_wep_load="YES"
                  wlan_tkip_load="YES"
                  wlan_ccmp_load="YES"

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                  • jimpJ
                    jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                    last edited by

                    It's built into the 2.0 kernel. You do not need to touch loader.conf at all.

                    Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

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                    Do not Chat/PM for help!

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