Re: [Wirelessdriver-support] Confused about "G" support currently.

[Nick S. <ns...@qu...>]

Robert Engstr=F6m wrote:
>=20
> On onsdag, feb 19, 2003, at 13:23 Europe/Stockholm, Robert Nicholson wr=
ote:
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>> So if I've got a DVI 800 powerbook and I go out and buy an Extreme=20
>> basestation will I be able to use the LinkSYS Extreme PC Card?
>>
>> It's not clear to me exactly what Nick has got working.

You can use a Linksys WPC54G in CardBus equipped PBooks or a WMP54G in=20
PCI equipped desktop machines. Such cards behave exactly the same as=20
Apple's AE module.

>>
>> I'm trying to decide b/w going "B" or "G" in my basestation purchase.

Personally, I'd buy a Linksys WAP54G. They're half the price of the=20
cheaper Apple product, and from what I've heard they work a WHOLE lot=20
better.

>> I don't think I see any reason to upgrade my 800 PB for at least=20
>> another year.
>=20
>=20
> Apples Airport Extreme uses regular PC cards similar to how Wireless=20
> Driver works.

No, it uses a Mini-PCI-like device in a different type of proprietary slo=
t.

> All you have to do is to add support for your PC Card to=20
> use Apples Airport Extreme driver. To do it edit the Info.plist file=20
> inside /System/Library/Extensions/AppleAirport2.kext/Contents/ folder=20
> and add your PC Card name to the list.

They broke this in 10.2.4. It is still possible to use Broadcom-based=20
802.11g CardBus and PCI cards (Linksys and Buffalo are the two most=20
popular vendors) using The Infamous Hack (see http://www.osxhax.com/).=20
There are some caveats, however. The biggest is that Apple has tried=20
once already to disable this sort of hack and failed. If they want, they=20
can start a battle similar to past battles over copy protection. In such=20
a war, we will always be in a reactive position, waiting for Apple's=20
next move, and then waiting for someone to counter it.

At least until someone writes a 3rd party driver. The bad news there is=20
that Broadcom is *notorious* for shutting out open-source driver=20
developers. Linux message boards are littered with this:

Q. What about drivers for my (insert Broadcom product here)?
A. There aren't any. Try whining to Broadcom to get them to release=20
specs for us.

Feh.


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> <key>IONameMatch</key>
>     <array>
>         <string>pci106b,4e</string>
>     </array>
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> You should add another string with your PC Cards name and then save the=
=20
> file. It should then recognize the card as a Airport Extreme card and=20
> work as an Apple built in card. To get the name of your card you have t=
o=20
> insert it in the PB. Then run this command in the console.
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> ioreg -l | grep pccard

You actually have to do 'ioreg -l -w 0' and look for the first=20
"compatible" entry for the device who's chip has a 14e4 vendor id, but=20
all of this is covered at http://www.osxhax.com/