Does the ASUS PCE-AC66 work with pfSense?

Hello forum members,

I ran across this while looking for a wireless card. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320136 I did a little Googling and I can't figure out if it's supported by pfSense. The Asus website says nothing about Linux. Also, what would be a good N or AC wireless card that works with pfSense?

wallabybob

@xamranshamsi:

The Asus website says nothing about Linux.

Irrelevant because pfSense is based on FreeBSD not Linux.

@xamranshamsi:

Also, what would be a good N or AC wireless card that works with pfSense?

pfSense does not yet have support for WiFi N but does support some WiFi N capable cards in WiFi G mode. pfSense does not yet have support for WiFi AC. If you need either WiFi N or WiFi AC you will have to get it through an external Access Point.

Flybye

What a shame. I have been piecing together my system, I also came across the asus card and started wondering if pfSense would support it.

Asus does mention it uses the Broadcom chipset, though. I don't recall, but could pfSense set this card to only be used at G? Or would the card have to be set somehow with its own software it comes with?

wallabybob

@Flybye:

Asus does mention it uses the Broadcom chipset, though. I don't recall, but could pfSense set this card to only be used at G? Or would the card have to be set somehow with its own software it comes with?

I suspect " NO" (or at least "not easily") to all questions. Broadcom WiFi chipsets don't seem to be well supported in FreeBSD/pfSense and not supported for AP mode.

The easiest way to get WiFi support with pfSense is likely to be to use an external AP. However if you ever have to do some serious troubleshooting of your WiFi link you might wish you had used a card (or USB dongle) in pfSense.

There has been at least one recent report in this forum of a reader having success with a recent TP-Link card in pfSense (WN881ND, if I recall correctly). That particular card supports "WiFi" N but pfSense will run it in "WiFi G compatibility" mode. You could then upgrade that card when FreeBSD/pfSense supports "WiFi AC". which is (on my speculation) at least a couple of years away.

Flybye

I was hoping to use the Asus because of its features and external antennas. My home server is pretty low to the ground, and the external walls of my house are of those thick 6 or 8" thick concrete blocks. So signal strength is a consideration. Just trying to have as few external components as possible, but being compatibility is a big issue with wifi, then I'm thinking might as wel just go with an external AP. Plug in power and RJ45 and DONE.

rodymcamp

this is not ac but after you set it up I bet this would work awesome as an access point for pfsense.

http://www.amazon.com/EA-N66-Ultra-Fast-Wireless-Repeater-High-Power/dp/B007ZT23ZE/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1366255114&sr=8-7&keywords=asus+ac+wireless

just have a 3rd nic and plug this in as an access point.