[NCLUG] Wireless cards and Linux

[John L. Bass]

	But if you couldn't mix-n-match these things
	why is the standard there?

	It's range more than acceptably covers my
	apartment (and most of my neighbors for that matter).

	Prescott Oelke

Mixing 802.11 vendors equipment in a network is the goal of 802.11. It works pretty
well for the most part. What doesn't work well are diagnostics and mobile operation
between cells of different vendors. Some vendors are bending over backwards to lock
customers in with "value added" features not covered by the standard. What is not
supported in the standard, is mixing FHSS and DSSS systems - not a great idea.

What is prohibted by the FCC is using one vendors antenna/cable options with another
vendors radios, and third parties selling antenna/cable accessories for radios they
have not completed the certification with.  Especially where the combination violates
radiated power limits (using dish antennas with 500mw radios for example). Selling "N"
male adapters, with 30dBi dish antennas, for use with an arbitrary 802.11 mfgrs radios
without certification would subject the seller to at least $275,000 in fines and criminal
penalties. Some people are doing this to allow two people to connect homes/businesses
outside the nominal 300-1000' range of the radios with stock antennas - not wise in the US.

I think Airport's are great, and certainly do a great job in mixed PC and Mac shops.
A great read on setting them up is:

	http://www.macintouch.com/airport.html

An interesting read on hacking the antenna connection on the AirPort is (nice inside pics):

	http://www.wwc.edu/~frohro/Airport/Airport.html

But I would limit your choice of antennas to those sold by Lucent, like the range extender.
The other suggestions offered could get you in trouble in the US.

John