Rosewill RNX-N300X or ASUS PCE-N13?

[Fmstrat]

Hi all,

Looking for a PCI/PCI-E/USB wireless card to incorporate into my PFSense box so I can ditch my wireless router. I'm thinking one of the below two models since they appear to be RALink which is labeled in the spreadsheet as supporting hostap (which is necessary to have more than one laptop connected, right?).  Thoughts on which one? Other suggestions? I like the idea that both of these support 802.11n Draft 2.

Rosewill RNX-N300X: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=33-166-051&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Keywords=ralink#scrollFullInfo
ASUS PCE-N13: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=33-320-048&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Keywords=ralink#scrollFullInfo

Thanks,
B.

[LoCrux]

Already tried the ASUS… Does't work as hostap only station possible.

[Fmstrat]

Bah! Have any suggestions on a good Draft 2 card to use?

[wallabybob]

As best I know there is not yet an "official" FreeBSD driver for the Ralink PCI chipsets that support 802.11n.

I have used the following wireless NICs that support AP mode.
PCI: TP-Link TL-WN6651G
USB: TP-Link TL-WN321G and Tenda W311U
These were all available where I live for less than the local equivalent of US$20. The Tenda has some 802.11n capability. At that price it won't be a big expense to replace them with 802.11N devices when the FreeBSD support is available.

[Fmstrat]

@wallabybob:

As best I know there is not yet an "official" FreeBSD driver for the Ralink PCI chipsets that support 802.11n.

I have used the following wireless NICs that support AP mode.
PCI: TP-Link TL-WN6651G
USB: TP-Link TL-WN321G and Tenda W311U
These were all available where I live for less than the local equivalent of US$20. The Tenda has some 802.11n capability. At that price it won't be a big expense to replace them with 802.11N devices when the FreeBSD support is available.

I've heard a number of good things about the Tenda W311U. By "some 802.11n" capability, do you mean it has support but not in PFSense? Or that it works at a lower speed (150 vs 300)?

Edit I should note I have looked at https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AojFUXcbH0ROdHgwYkFHbkRUdV9hVWljVWl5SXkxbFE&hl=en#gid=0 but it has a "YM?" next to Ralink USB 802.11n hostap.

Thanks,
B.

[wallabybob]

@Fmstrat:

By "some 802.11n" capability, do you mean it has support but not in PFSense? Or that it works at a lower speed (150 vs 300)?

I think its rated for 150Mbps. If I recall correctly, there is a W322U which is not much more expensive and rated for 300Mbps. I have no experience with the W322U. There is no support yet in pfSense for 802.11n features.

[Fmstrat]

@wallabybob:

I think its rated for 150Mbps. If I recall correctly, there is a W322U which is not much more expensive and rated for 300Mbps. I have no experience with the W322U. There is no support yet in pfSense for 802.11n features.

Ahh, thanks. One final question though. If pfSense doesn't support 802.11n at all, why is there an entry for "run" (RaLink 802.11n USB) support in the wireless interfaces spreadsheet that shows support? Or is it just that the run driver exists but doesn't actually run at 802.11n speeds?

Thanks,
B.

EDIT Found my answer here: http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=31889.0

Thanks again.