Wifi for my x200

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GNUbahn
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Joined: 02/18/2016

I've got an x200 and installed Trisquel on it. It works fine except for the wifi. I seems that this card http://www.amazon.com/Atheros-AR5B95-AR9285-802-11A-PCI-E/dp/B0098VWMOE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441819790&sr=8-1&keywords=B0098VWMOE would work with Trisquel. (is that true?)

Is there a better wifi card that would connect my x200 to the internet?

Ignacio.Agullo
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Joined: 09/29/2009

name at domain, Mar 26 Abr 2016 21:16:12 CEST:

> I've got an x200 and installed Trisquel on it. It works fine except
> for the wifi. I seems that this card
> http://www.amazon.com/Atheros-AR5B95-AR9285-802-11A-PCI-E/dp/B0098VWMOE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441819790&sr=8-1&keywords=B0098VWMOE would work with Trisquel. (is that
> true?)

Think so. Got an x200 too, had to replace the Intel WiFi Link
5100 card for an Atheros-AR5B95 Mini PCI card, and now the Wifi works
right with Trisquel.

I understand "Half Mini" cards fit into just the same Mini PCI
slot, but their length is half. That means they can be used in
computers with smaller space for PCI cards. For the x200 it means no
problem at all, you are just replacing a card with a shorter one, but
with the same width and fits into the same slot.

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GNUbahn
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Joined: 02/18/2016

Thanks. I'll get one of those and see how it works. Unfortunately I don't have Libreboot installed, but I see you do

knacky
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Joined: 04/06/2016

If you are using X200 with the Lenovo bios, then yes it does have a "wifi whitelist" and the Atheros card is likely not on it.

After you get Libreboot flashed to your X200 you will no longer have this artificial restriction.

Ignacio.Agullo
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Joined: 09/29/2009

name at domain, Mér 27 Abr 2016 00:50:49 CEST:
>
> Ignacio, are you using libreboot or a custom BIOS?
>
> I haven't flashed my Thinkpads yet. It sure would be nice to loose
> the wifi dongles if the Atheros-AR5B95 is on the "whitelist".

I use Libreboot. I got it following these instructions:

the_unconventional's blog » English: Flashing Libreboot on an X200
with a Raspberry Pi - fsfe's soup
http://fsfe.soup.io/post/590865884/the-unconventionals-blog-English-Flashing-Libreboot-on

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GNUbahn
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Joined: 02/18/2016

That is really cool. Thanks for the post. Though it's out of reach for my technical skills I would like to try it some day!

Ignacio.Agullo
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Joined: 09/29/2009

name at domain, Mér 27 Abr 2016 17:20:15 CEST:

> That is really cool. Thanks for the post. Though it's out of reach
> for my technical skills I would like to try it some day!

Having Trisquel installed already, it seems that there is a easy
way to install Libreboot. There's a video explaining it:

Installing Libreboot on a Thinkpad X60 (and Wi-Fi card swap) - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEgxCg3pSyU

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GNUbahn
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Joined: 02/18/2016

For some reasons x200 can be flash easily while for instance x60 and MacBook 2.1 can

https://libreboot.org/docs/install/index.html

vita_cell
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Joined: 07/19/2015

For x200 you need external flashing.

GNUbahn
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Joined: 02/18/2016

My bad. It was supposed to say "x200 can not be flash easily"

vita_cell
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Joined: 07/19/2015

When you have a computer with Libreboot running, you can update/downgrade/reflash internally (through software or hardware) Libreboot rom, you have total control of your computer. If you running proprietary BIOS, you can flash internally Macbook 2,1, T60, x60 only (and some desktop board).

GNUbahn
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Joined: 02/18/2016

Are there any issues I should consider when buying an Atheros-AR5B95 Mini PCI card? Are some manufacturers better/worse than others? Will there be any difference between products and how can I tell? Or should I just go find the cheapest there is?

Ignacio.Agullo
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Joined: 09/29/2009

name at domain, Mér 27 Abr 2016 17:31:35 CEST:

> Are there any issues I should consider when buying an Atheros-AR5B95
> Mini PCI card? Are some manufacturers better/worse than others? Will
> there be any difference between products and how can I tell? Or
> should I just go find the cheapest there is?

I just went for the cheapest Atheros-AR5B95 Mini PCI card I
found on eBay, and it works.

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GNUbahn
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Joined: 02/18/2016

gracias

vita_cell
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Joined: 07/19/2015

Almost all Atheros wifi chips works without blobs. Just buy one or more different Atheros wifi cards. Do not pay too much for each. 1-5 euros for card, is fine. Modern Atheros cards need blobs I think.

Magic Banana

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I am a translator!

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Joined: 07/24/2010

As far as I understood, that is not true: only some ath9k chipsets have a free firmware. No free firmware for ath10k chipsets: https://github.com/kvalo/ath10k-firmware/blob/master/LICENSE.qca_firmware

SuperTramp83

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AFAIK the atheros cards that work without blobs are those with the 802.11N chip of the AR9xxx or AR5xxx series.

vita_cell
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Joined: 07/19/2015

Most of them are b/g.

SuperTramp83

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>Do not pay too much for each. 1-5 euros for card, is fine. Modern Atheros cards need blobs I think.

Well, it varies a lot. You can find a lot of mini pci express adapters for dirty cheap - I bought 2 a year ago give or take for 15 bucks.

I am now waiting for one (still ebay) for an older (2006) laptop and it is a big mini pci adapter and the price is 15 bucks for a single card. Still, they are not very expensive and are certainly worth it.

knacky
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Joined: 04/06/2016

The best wireless card I found for my Libreboot T400 is the Atheros AR5BXB92. It is full length mini PCIe, uses AR9280 chipset, is 2x2:2 and dual band a/b/g/n 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Works perfectly in Trisquel 7.

Chip info here...
https://wikidevi.com/wiki/Atheros#AR9200.2FAR9500_series

kabo
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Joined: 09/05/2015

> Is there a better wifi card that would connect my x200 to the internet?

Yes, I would recommend the ar5bhb92/ar9280.

Here's the results I got when I experimented with different Atheros wifi cards: https://trisquel.info/en/forum/what-wifi-speeds-can-i-expect#comment-79119