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    Atheros WLAN card without ath0: device timeout or fix it for me- 25$

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    • S
      srynoname
      last edited by

      I tried 3 different atheros cards (9280, 9287, 9281), all 3 end up with "ath0: device timeout" in infrastructure (client) mode after some time.

      Your task:
      Recommend me a an atheros based mini pcie card (full or half height), that does not have this problem, supports at least g mode (54 mbit/s), wpa2 and has 2 antenna connectors. The card has to be available in stock in a german onlineshop with a good reputation for max. 50 EUR.

      I will test the card one week for stability in general using infrastructure (client) mode (it does not help me if the card then has another problem), if all works fine, I will pay 25$ to you.

      Alternative:
      Provide me a solution for one of my existing cards (9280, 9287, 9281 based). Solution should survive pfsense upgrades etc. Explain me your solution on a high level, then we will see if it would be OK for me and then we can think about implementing your proposed solution.

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      • A
        Aluminum
        last edited by

        Instead put your bounty towards a cheap router that is flashable to your choice of WRT-based distribution (but not DD).
        Consider money spent on cards as a learning experience, they can still work as client cards in laptops :)

        Put it on one of your LAN subnets or ideally give it its own interface. (wifi security track record is terrible, even current "safe" WPA2/AES is brute forcible without a longer password, gpus are monsters these days)

        Yes its another device to manage, but you will get much better end results, at the very least least N support if not more.

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        • S
          srynoname
          last edited by

          Yeah, I already have a WLAN router, but I am lacking some space in general or lets say it doesn't look very nice to have dozens of devices ;-) BTW why no DD-WRT?
          As there has to be some working card, I am still looking for a solution ;-)

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          • A
            Aluminum
            last edited by

            @srynoname:

            Yeah, I already have a WLAN router, but I am lacking some space in general or lets say it doesn't look very nice to have dozens of devices ;-) BTW why no DD-WRT?
            As there has to be some working card, I am still looking for a solution ;-)

            Not going to start a ddwrt flame on pfsense forum, going to leave it at wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. Still better than a lot of the absolutely broken consumer firmware I suppose.

            There is no confirmed working pci express card in 2.0.3 or 2.1. (for most atheros chipsets, I probably own a card with it)
            Your solution is basically to wait for the next major release and /crossfingers.

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            • J
              jonesr
              last edited by

              Sorry I am confused, you dismissed the possibility of using a separate wireless router but you want to get infrastructure client mode working, what are you trying to achieve? Using the wireless card in your pfSense to become a wireless access point? Or for your pfSense to become a wireless client connected wirelessly to another wireless access point?

              Either way I use mine in HOST AP mode so my pfSense acts as the wireless AP that client devices connect to. I was under the impression "Infrastructure Client" mode is for making your pfSense a wireless client, which connects to another device acting as a wireless access point.

              I am 90% certain the one I am using myself is this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ASUS-B53F-C1B-wireless-module-new-genuine-/130598853538 - but I use mine in HOSTAP mode ("Access Point" now in the interface), not client.

              I pulled it out of my Asus B53F notebook. Also I can't say with absolute certainty but I think before that (again, in HOSTAP) I was using the one I pulled from an old Apple Mac Mini, although there is no promise they only ever shipped with one version of card the model I had can be googled as "macmini2,1"

              If this is helps you achieve your goal please donate the bounty to the pfSense community, not me personally.

              pfSense AMD64 VGA - Assume latest version.
              Suricata, pfBlockerNG, SquidGuard, squid3.

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              • S
                srynoname
                last edited by

                I hereby close this bounty, I gave up and ended up using a wlan router at each pfsense box.

                @jonesr:
                I need both, infratructure and access point. access point seems to work quite well though. infrastructure however is a total pity ):

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                • J
                  jonesr
                  last edited by

                  @srynoname:

                  @jonesr:
                  I need both, infratructure and access point.

                  No wonder I was confused then. Sorry I couldn't be of help in that case.

                  pfSense AMD64 VGA - Assume latest version.
                  Suricata, pfBlockerNG, SquidGuard, squid3.

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                  • S
                    srynoname
                    last edited by

                    well, you tried it and I appreciate this :-)

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