Any suggestions for laptops with ath9k NIC?

Any suggestions for laptops with ath9k NIC?

[Ben Greear]

Someone stole my previous laptop I was using for ath9k testing...


Any suggestions for a new mid-range laptop that comes standard with
ath9k NICs, or is known to work with ath9k NICs w/out having to
hack the NIC eeprom or laptop BIOS?

I'd prefer a 3x3, but not sure they exist, so a 2x2 a/b/g/n would be
OK as well..

Thanks,
Ben

-- 
Ben Greear <greearb@candelatech.com>
Candela Technologies Inc  http://www.candelatech.com

Re: Any suggestions for laptops with ath9k NIC?

[Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli]

Hi,

On Thu, 28 Mar 2013 10:59:29 -0700
Ben Greear <greearb@candelatech.com> wrote:

> Someone stole my previous laptop I was using for ath9k testing...
> 
> 
> Any suggestions for a new mid-range laptop that comes standard with
> ath9k NICs, or is known to work with ath9k NICs w/out having to
> hack the NIC eeprom or laptop BIOS?
> 
> I'd prefer a 3x3, but not sure they exist, so a 2x2 a/b/g/n would be
> OK as well..

In the free software community ath9k are quite common, because many
other cards require non-free firmware and so are not supported by 100%
free software GNU/Linux distributions.

http://h-node.org/ is a website that reference laptops that work with
100% free software distributions.

So there are a high number of laptops that have ath9k in that list,
however the number of users is quite low.

There is also the website https://www.thinkpenguin.com/ which sells
laptops(and wifi cards).

Since many electronic devices are changed without changing the product
name, double check the hardware before buying...

Denis.

Re: Any suggestions for laptops with ath9k NIC?

[Brandt Deakin]

Ben,

It may not be an ideal solution, but I've used a Expresscard to PCI-E 
Mini adapter that basically plugs into the common express card slot and 
provides a pci-express slot so you can use your choice of AR9xxx radio.  
That way the BIOS of the Lenovos or HPs of the world don't stop you up.

Admittedly, it's less than elegant having a 10 cm card hanging out of 
your machine, but it does allow great flexibility in testing different 
radios.

If you have any difficulty finding an adapter PM me and tell you the one 
I use.

Brandt

On 3/28/2013 11:59 AM, Ben Greear wrote:
> Someone stole my previous laptop I was using for ath9k testing...
>
>
> Any suggestions for a new mid-range laptop that comes standard with
> ath9k NICs, or is known to work with ath9k NICs w/out having to
> hack the NIC eeprom or laptop BIOS?
>
> I'd prefer a 3x3, but not sure they exist, so a 2x2 a/b/g/n would be
> OK as well..
>
> Thanks,
> Ben
>

Re: Any suggestions for laptops with ath9k NIC?

[Ben Greear]

On 03/29/2013 08:11 AM, Brandt Deakin wrote:
> Ben,
>
> It may not be an ideal solution, but I've used a Expresscard to PCI-E Mini adapter that basically plugs into the common express card slot and provides a
> pci-express slot so you can use your choice of AR9xxx radio. That way the BIOS of the Lenovos or HPs of the world don't stop you up.
>
> Admittedly, it's less than elegant having a 10 cm card hanging out of your machine, but it does allow great flexibility in testing different radios.
>
> If you have any difficulty finding an adapter PM me and tell you the one I use.

I'd like to have something I could potentially sell to a customer,
so probably that would not work for me.

I ordered a Samsung x86 chromebook on another person's suggestion.  I
understand it comes standard with ath9k NIC, so hopefully even if I
need a different variety of ath9k, it will function OK in the system.

Thanks,
Ben

>
> Brandt
>
> On 3/28/2013 11:59 AM, Ben Greear wrote:
>> Someone stole my previous laptop I was using for ath9k testing...
>>
>>
>> Any suggestions for a new mid-range laptop that comes standard with
>> ath9k NICs, or is known to work with ath9k NICs w/out having to
>> hack the NIC eeprom or laptop BIOS?
>>
>> I'd prefer a 3x3, but not sure they exist, so a 2x2 a/b/g/n would be
>> OK as well..
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Ben
>>


-- 
Ben Greear <greearb@candelatech.com>
Candela Technologies Inc  http://www.candelatech.com