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The idea behind the HLUG Real Life Compatability Test, is to provide current information about hardware compatability for peripherals, under Linux, in an effort to help members make more informed purchase decisions.

Updated Oct 12, 2005

The Hawking HWU54G card, and others, are operable via the ZyDAS GPL drivers, available here, and here. This was relayed to us by Manpreet Sangha, of the OCLUG. Thanks! The website notes identifying devices by their USB ID, which we did not do during our initial tests. a list of compatible devices is listed. We will try some of these out, and report back.

We also received correspondance directly from KTI, a manufacturer of wireless networking devices, who let us know that none of their USB devices are Linux-friendly, due to their choice of chipset. For this reason, we do not reccommend purchasing any USB network device branded by them.

August 2005

This test: Wi-Fi cards, of USB 1.1 varitety, in stock @ Houston area Fry's Electronics, used on an 802.11b network, for use on residential broadband.

How the test works: We purchase several different devices to test. Then, we carefully open each box with a razor blade to minimize packaging damage, and proceed with intial test; USB device recognition. after recognition passes, we continue to the next step; configuration via built-in GUI tools. If GUI configuration testing fails, we give command-line configuration a quick try. If both efforts fail, we give the unit a "thumbs down," and move on to the next device. If it succeeds we rejoice, verify connectivity, and give the device a "thumbs up."

At the end of the test, we return the devices, in the original packaged condition.

Test Distros: Ubunutu, MEPIS, Debian Sid

Machines: Compaq 2010US, HP z7000, Compaq 2100, Intel PII 450 MHZ Desktop

Cards Tested:

  1. D-Link DWL-G122
  2. SMC 2862w
  3. Hawking HWU54G
  4. Belkin F5D7050
  5. AIRlink AWLL3026/NA
  6. Linksys WUSB54G

Results/Cursory Observations:

We never got past device recognition. For starters, Fry's in Houston (Clear Lake Store), does not carry USB 1.1 network devices, only 2.0. This may have contributed heavily to the end result, which was totally incompatability. Also, it simply was not possible to determine the device chipsets, without cracking the devices open, causing great frustration, and keeping us from hacking our way into functionality. Though it may be possible to get these cards working, we could not, between ten people over the course of two hours. It appears to be a nontrivial task, and a world of sorrow for the novice user.

The cards were detected, but no driver could be loaded.This happened the exact same way, regardless of computer, or distribution. The folks at Fry's Customer Service were curteous, and accepted our returns, based on Operating System incompatability. (We have no affiliation with Fry's, or any other retailer)

My recommendation is to forego the purchase of any USB 2.0 Wireless Network device for Linux, with specific blacklisting of these cards. Kernel/Distro development may one day provide support, but certainly not any time soon. We will soon find some USB 1.1 cards to test, and we hope to have positive results, at that time. It is our hope that this has helped steer your decisions toward simpler, compatible solutions, and we would like to hear from you. Send comments to lugnut_at_houston.rr.com.

Winner/Loser:

Total loss. No cards worked.

Better luck next time..

-- AaronEstrada - 31 Aug 2005

Topic SmartShopping . { Edit | Attach | 5B%5EA-Za-z%5D">Ref-By | Printable | Diffs | r1.4 | > | r1.3 | > | r1.2 | More }
Revision r1.4 - 12 Oct 2005 - 21:59 GMT - AaronEstrada
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