WiFi, USB, Antennae that work well with Ubuntu Linux

[sinergy]

Hi,
can anyone suggest any good USB WiFi antenna that works well with ubuntu linux?
I found that in places like Amazon there are tons on display but the specs sometimes don't say if will work with linux, let alone Ubuntu, often only Windows is mentioned.
Maybe they all work, but if anyone has experience with them to share here, that would be appreciated
Thanks

 

[KGIII]

The last one I purchased was from NewEgg - and I just searched for 'wireless adapters linux'.

This is what I purchased:

NETIS WF2116 USB 2.0 Wireless-N Adapter - Newegg.com

Buy NETIS WF-2116 N300 Wireless High Gain USB Adapter with Double 5dBi Antennas and USB Cradle Extension Compatible with Windows MAC Linux OS with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.com

I still have it and it still works just fine. I don't really need higher speeds, 'cause I have low bandwidth anyhow. But, in my experience, just toss Linux in with the search terms and you'll have good luck. The above one 'Just Works®' out of the box, no finding drivers required.

 

[Brickwizard]

Unfortunately they don't tell you which chip set is used, some Realtek chipsets are a right pain to get working

 

[NorthWest]

brickwizard wrote:

Unfortunately they don't tell you which chip set is used, some Realtek chipsets are a right pain to get working

This is also my experience. Chipsets can change and the manufacturer still retain the same model number. It means that one needs to research the models to determine the chips and not simply rely in the model number. Sometimes the version number of a model might change on the adapter which is easily missed and often simply not printed in the advertising of the adapter, and sometimes not even on the box the unit comes in, and it's that version number that may be the signal of critical change in chip. It's usually possible to discover the chip's identity after some meticulous online searching, or ultimately when one plugs it into the socket on the computer. I've read online testimonies by linux users that some model works "out of the box", bought the unit only to find that it's a chipset that has no driver in the kernel, or in any kernel, even the most recent. The chip was different. Anyway, after you have identified the chip in an adapter that doesn't work "out of the box", the search begins to find the driver. Sometimes there are several alternative drivers that developers have made, usually found on github, which means that one has to find the correct one for the chip. They are not all the same. Sometimes it's been trial and error, other times I've hit the jackpot and been able to compile the source of the driver, install it and have a reliable network with it first go. One way to approach this problem, if it is a problem, is to collate a list of drivers known to work and be available, and then acquire an adapter that has one of those chips for which there is an available driver.

 

[wizardfromoz]

Moving this to Linux Hardware, where wifi issues are handled.

Good luck.

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz