wireless usb advice needed

paulo_andre · 04-17-2005

I need a new wireless card, but since my laptop's pcmcia is not working well, usb is the only option. I need something that supports 802.11g, that works with aireplay (doesn't have to be in single NIC mode) and something that I can get in europe (ebay is an option). Preferably something cheap and with the ability to conect (or use in) an external antenna. I tried to search, but couldn't find anything good. If anyone could help...

Dutch · 04-17-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulo_andre

I need a new wireless card, but since my laptop's pcmcia is not working well, usb is the only option. I need something that supports 802.11g, that works with aireplay (doesn't have to be in single NIC mode) and something that I can get in europe (ebay is an option). Preferably something cheap and with the ability to conect (or use in) an external antenna. I tried to search, but couldn't find anything good. If anyone could help...

AFAIK, 802.11g USB adapters need USB 2.0 ports, and those I've seen use the Prism54GT chipset. No support in aireplay for that chipset.
Also, I haven't seen any USB WiFi card with an external antenna connector, unless they've been modded by their owner.
So I guess you are SOL.

Dutch

paulo_andre · 04-17-2005

in the aircrack documentation it says:

Quote:

the current aireplay beta now support single-NIC injection/monitor on prism2 (wlan-ng), atheros (madwifi) and prism54

So it seems that prism54 does have support in areplay...
also, most really don't have external antenna connectors, but they can be used as external cantennas (i have seen many pages showing this) provided they are small enough

Dutch · 04-17-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulo_andre

in the aircrack documentation it says:

So it seems that prism54 does have support in areplay...
also, most really don't have external antenna connectors, but they can be used as external cantennas (i have seen many pages showing this) provided they are small enough

Then go get one, tiger...

Question is if the Prism54GT support in aireplay supports USB adapters, or just PCMCIA/PCI support. Go get one, and test. Remember to post results back here.

Dutch

paulo_andre · 04-17-2005

I thought there was no difference in pci/pcmcia and usb devices. if the drivers and the chipset are the same, everything should work.... but maybe I'm wrong... anyway, this is the best I can get, I found this: Linksys wusb54gp. I think I'll buy this one and then test it. After that I'll post some results.

paulo_andre · 04-17-2005

looks like you were right... I just searched and found that there are no (completely) funcional prism54 drivers for usb devices. however, it is a work in progress, so hopefully there will be in a short time. Since there appears to be no better option, I'll still buy that usb

EDIT: V4 of that usb doesn't use prism54, but ra2500 drivers...

Dutch · 04-17-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulo_andre

looks like you were right... I just searched and found that there are no (completely) funcional prism54 drivers for usb devices. however, it is a work in progress, so hopefully there will be in a short time. Since there appears to be no better option, I'll still buy that usb

ButOfCourse® I'm right.
It is exactly like the 3 rules of robotics, as defined by Isaac Asimov, except here at the Netstumbler forums, there are only 2 rules :

Rule 1: The moderators are allways right.

Rule 2: Should it happen a seldom time that the moderators aren't right, rule 1 takes precedence.

Dutch

paulo_andre · 04-19-2005

I know that wireless usb support in linux is only starting, but from what I see, the best option now is prism54 usb, since there is already a driver for it. Since I want to use kismet and aircrack, I can´t use ndis wrappers, and since I need a new usb wireless card, it is better to search for a prism54 card. Am I wrong on this or should I really continue to search for a prism54 usb card?

whoisvince · 04-19-2005

I have a Prism2 usb card that works just fine using the linux-wlan-ng drivers built from source using the aireplay patch. The card can inject and sniff packets at the same time with aireplay and kismet/airodump/whatever. Before you buy a Prism GT usb card, check to see if there is single nic support for it the latest aircrack release, and make sure that it's specific for usb, not just PCI and PCMCIA.

If you want something that is proven to work though, I can vouch for the Prism2.

whoisvince · 04-19-2005

If you can live without 802.11g (i.e. b only), a Prism2 usb card will work just fine...

http://forums.netstumbler.com/showthread.php?t=15604

grcore · 04-20-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch

Also, I haven't seen any USB WiFi card with an external antenna connector, unless they've been modded by their owner.

Dutch

The Buffalo WLI2-USB2-G54 adapter has a connector for an external antenna. It uses the Prism chipset, but I believe its called Prism Nitro.

Anyone hever hear of Prism Nitro? Is that just another name for a prism54 chip?

g

wrzwaldo · 04-20-2005

PRISM Nitro

paulo_andre · 04-20-2005

@whoisvince
I don't really need single NIC, these usb are often cheap and I can buy 2. Also, if madwifi and prism54 are supported, prism54_usb (from what I read) is basically the same driver so if it's not supported now, as soon as the driver is final I'm sure it will be supported.
I CAN'T go for a 802.11b card because I want to find wep in 11g networks, so prism2 is not an option (but I know, it would be great since it's supported by everything)

@grcore
I have a smc2835 card, so I know well what Prism NITRO is. About that card, I'll do some googling to find out more. it may be the solution..

paulo_andre · 04-21-2005

well, I searched a lot and found little... however, in the ndiswrapper page it seems to work with the WUSB54Gv1 and v2 drivers, which are prism54 (only v4 is not). The external antenna is also a good option, I don't know if it selectable or it switches automatically (it's important to know if I'll be able to use it in linux) but I think I'll try it anyway. I'll post results as soon as I got them.

Dutch · 04-21-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulo_andre

well, I searched a lot and found little... however, in the ndiswrapper page it seems to work with the WUSB54Gv1 and v2 drivers, which are prism54 (only v4 is not). The external antenna is also a good option, I don't know if it selectable or it switches automatically (it's important to know if I'll be able to use it in linux) but I think I'll try it anyway. I'll post results as soon as I got them.

Just don't come and ask why you can't get Kismet or other RFMON dependent tools working...

Dutch

04-17-2005	#1 (permalink)
paulo_andre Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 18	wireless usb advice needed I need a new wireless card, but since my laptop's pcmcia is not working well, usb is the only option. I need something that supports 802.11g, that works with aireplay (doesn't have to be in single NIC mode) and something that I can get in europe (ebay is an option). Preferably something cheap and with the ability to conect (or use in) an external antenna. I tried to search, but couldn't find anything good. If anyone could help...

04-17-2005	#6 (permalink)
paulo_andre Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 18	looks like you were right... I just searched and found that there are no (completely) funcional prism54 drivers for usb devices. however, it is a work in progress, so hopefully there will be in a short time. Since there appears to be no better option, I'll still buy that usb EDIT: V4 of that usb doesn't use prism54, but ra2500 drivers... Last edited by paulo_andre : 04-17-2005 at 12:59 PM.

04-19-2005	#8 (permalink)
paulo_andre Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 18	best chipset for wireless usb in linux? I know that wireless usb support in linux is only starting, but from what I see, the best option now is prism54 usb, since there is already a driver for it. Since I want to use kismet and aircrack, I can´t use ndis wrappers, and since I need a new usb wireless card, it is better to search for a prism54 card. Am I wrong on this or should I really continue to search for a prism54 usb card?

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04-17-2005	#5 (permalink)
paulo_andre Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 18	I thought there was no difference in pci/pcmcia and usb devices. if the drivers and the chipset are the same, everything should work.... but maybe I'm wrong... anyway, this is the best I can get, I found this: Linksys wusb54gp. I think I'll buy this one and then test it. After that I'll post some results.

04-19-2005	#9 (permalink)
whoisvince Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 21	I have a Prism2 usb card that works just fine using the linux-wlan-ng drivers built from source using the aireplay patch. The card can inject and sniff packets at the same time with aireplay and kismet/airodump/whatever. Before you buy a Prism GT usb card, check to see if there is single nic support for it the latest aircrack release, and make sure that it's specific for usb, not just PCI and PCMCIA. If you want something that is proven to work though, I can vouch for the Prism2.

04-19-2005	#10 (permalink)
whoisvince Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 21	If you can live without 802.11g (i.e. b only), a Prism2 usb card will work just fine... http://forums.netstumbler.com/showthread.php?t=15604

04-20-2005	#12 (permalink)
wrzwaldo I amuse you? Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 9,127	PRISM Nitro

04-20-2005	#13 (permalink)
paulo_andre Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 18	@whoisvince I don't really need single NIC, these usb are often cheap and I can buy 2. Also, if madwifi and prism54 are supported, prism54_usb (from what I read) is basically the same driver so if it's not supported now, as soon as the driver is final I'm sure it will be supported. I CAN'T go for a 802.11b card because I want to find wep in 11g networks, so prism2 is not an option (but I know, it would be great since it's supported by everything) @grcore I have a smc2835 card, so I know well what Prism NITRO is. About that card, I'll do some googling to find out more. it may be the solution..

04-21-2005	#14 (permalink)
paulo_andre Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 18	well, I searched a lot and found little... however, in the ndiswrapper page it seems to work with the WUSB54Gv1 and v2 drivers, which are prism54 (only v4 is not). The external antenna is also a good option, I don't know if it selectable or it switches automatically (it's important to know if I'll be able to use it in linux) but I think I'll try it anyway. I'll post results as soon as I got them.