OS2 World Community Forum

OS/2, eCS & ArcaOS - Technical => Hardware => Topic started by: TNG999 on February 14, 2023, 08:32:23 pm

Title: USB wifi adapters
Post by: TNG999 on February 14, 2023, 08:32:23 pm
Hi,

I want to try to add wifi to my HP laptop that might be supported under ArcaOS 5.0.7....  Are there any and if so, what brand/model or chipset should I look for?

Thanks much!!

-m
Title: Re: USB wifi adapters
Post by: Andy Willis on February 15, 2023, 03:21:21 am
Currently, something along these lines (I have one of these, works, gets quite hot):
https://www.iogear.com/product/GWU637/
I have not used the mango router on myself, but as Neil likes it, I would recommend it:
http://www.blondeguy.com/MangoCom.html
Currently, the only USB network devices are ethernet and not wifi.
Title: Re: USB wifi adapters
Post by: Neil Waldhauer on February 15, 2023, 03:35:23 pm
The Mango router is excellent, but it is not a USB router. It uses USB for power, but Ethernet for a LAN connection. Mango is just one of a family of routers with different capabilities. They are using Open Source ddwrt and GL.inet software. You can do a lot with them if you are a network geek.
Title: Re: USB wifi adapters
Post by: Doug Bissett on February 16, 2023, 06:29:43 am
To expand, a bit, on what Neil said:

I expect that the Mango works well, but it is limited by a 100 Mbs network connection. That limits you to 100 Mbs.

I got a GL-AR750s (https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-ar750s/ (https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-ar750s/)), which has 3, Gbit interfaces (read the docs), and that allows you to operate at the full speed that the wiFi is capable of. It is a router, that can connect to the internet through a modem, or another router, using either wired, or WiFi connections. It is dual band (2.4, and 5) which can be useful.

At the time that I got the GL-AR750s, it was the only one that had Gbit interfaces. I expect that more of those things have that now, but watch for it.
Title: Re: USB wifi adapters
Post by: Neil Waldhauer on February 16, 2023, 03:40:00 pm
The gl-ar750s that Doug recommends is part of the same line of routers. I expect newer routers will not be limited to WPA2 as the gl-ar750s is. My use case is for travel, and single band is fine. For home use, Doug's is better, and faster ones are coming.
Title: Re: USB wifi adapters
Post by: TNG999 on February 16, 2023, 05:23:52 pm
Oh interesting solution...  I haven't seen that type of "converter" before...  Thanks for this , I'll look to get one.

-m
Title: Re: USB wifi adapters
Post by: Martin Iturbide on February 26, 2023, 03:00:50 pm
Hi

There is an issue with "Ethernet to Wifi" adapters, there are laptops without Ethernet port. -- It is more of an issue of the laptop  ;D

So, without internal wifi support we require maybe:
1) USB Ethernet support so we can plug it to "Ethernet to Wifi" adapter.
or
2) USB Wifi support

I would love to have USB Wifi support, at least a variate of a couple of cheap adapters, just to have a fall back plan for wifi.
If someone will be willing to create a driver, maybe we can raise some money for it. I want to support this if someone wants to create a driver.

Regards
Title: Re: USB wifi adapters
Post by: Neil Waldhauer on February 26, 2023, 03:05:03 pm
Wouldn't plain WiFi support, which at Arca Noae is apparently nearly done, be better? Do you see machines with USB, but without WiFi?
Title: Re: USB wifi adapters
Post by: Martin Iturbide on February 26, 2023, 03:50:36 pm
Wouldn't plain WiFi support, which at Arca Noae is apparently nearly done, be better? Do you see machines with USB, but without WiFi?
Yes, it will be better, but...
- We had been waiting for it for very long, I personally haven't hear of any beta or have any access to early version.
- I remember David A. saying that Wifi support was going to be focused only on Intel, at least at first. There may be some other laptops with other brands that may require a different solution, like an USB wifi adapter.

Regards
Title: Re: USB wifi adapters
Post by: Dave Yeo on February 26, 2023, 07:37:15 pm
There is at least one USB Ethernet chipset that works on OS/2, thought it was documented at Arca Noae but can't find it currently.
Seems the big problem with WiFi is turning the radio on and off, no standard and ever changing. USB WiFi will have the same problem.
Edit: USB ReadMe.txt mentions USBMOS.OS2 (Moschip USB to Ethernet driver) so I assume any USB Ethernet stick based on Moschip would work.
Title: Re: USB wifi adapters
Post by: Martin Iturbide on February 27, 2023, 12:05:23 am
Thanks Dave

I found it here:
https://www.arcanoae.com/wiki/arcaos/installation-planning/special-installation-considerations/

Under "Working around an unsupported network adapter". Still very limited to Moschip only, but it is good to know. But I insist if there is any interest on someone to develop that driver, maybe something can be worked out.

Regards
Title: Re: USB wifi adapters
Post by: David Graser on March 01, 2023, 05:09:27 am
Topic was brought up in 2019

https://www.os2world.com/forum/index.php/topic,2019.msg20948.html#msg20948

TP LInk AC 750 works great with Arco 5.07

Be sure and turn wifi off on the laptop when using it. works great with Win 10 also.