Wireless N USB Adapter (TPE-N150USB)
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My second Think Pinguin adapter Wireless N USB Adapter (TPE-N150USB) stopped working with my Macbook Air 2011. It happened in a very similar fashion to my last USB adapter; which was the same model.
I hadn't used the adapter because I was still working in OS X. But after a year of gradually transitioning to Free software within Mac OS X, last week, I finally made the full time leap to Trisquel 7!
Unfortunately, the wireless adapter became spotty a few days ago and finally, yesterday, wouldn't connect at all. I then found that if I pressed on the back side and lifted the adapter, it would temporarily connect—but it was still very spotty.
Chris, Think Pinguin, had mentioned that only a handful of people have this problem, and that it tends to be there system that is the culprit (1). This could mean that Macbook Air 2011s aren't Think Pinguin friendly for the smaller N USB adapter. Has anyone else experienced this problem with the wireless adapter and a Macbook Air or Apple computer?
I have since ordered another Wireless N adapter in addition to a G model. I don't want to give up on the smaller adapter yet, and I'd like to see how the G model compares.
(1) http://trisquel.info/en/forum/help-my-think-pinguin-wireless-usb-adapter#comment-51124
I have the same problem on a Late 2011 MacBook Pro, the issue however is the USB port.
For all the build quality that Apple goes for, they don't get it right all the time.
Maybe they break easy to push people to buy stuff online through Apple rather than transfer it on? ;P
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I'm not sure Apple is at fault here. Apple's utilizing OTHER companies products within its designs like every other company. Those companies are the ones generally responsible for the driver development or the core of it anyway. The problem goes much deeper and probably does not impact every Apple machine. Particularly given older models, etc.
That said it's not this USB adapter, but this adapter is impacted by the issue on some machines. There have been some improvements and fewer systems are impacted by the USB controller bug now. There were some improvements in the USB controller driver. I believe jxself was the one who first posted about this on the forums. I can confirm upgrading the kernel has resolved the problem for about half the people who've encountered it with this adapter.
Short of that I've recommended the USB G adapter as I've had at least a handful of people confirm it worked even with the bug. I think the other two USB adapters may also be just fine, but there is less certainty as most people don't want to spend more than they absolutely have to.
Last thing last. If one of these adapters dies we do provide a warranty on them and you should contact us about it. We're more than willing to replace or give credit toward a different adapter even if its past the 14-day return period (provided its still within the warranty period anyway).
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I have since received the two adapters, the Wireless N and G. They were promptly shipped, and - shortly after Thanksgiving - I was back to working in Trisquel.
I ordered the N again to compare and contrast, and to see how it would react if I did things a bit different. Plus, if it does happen to stop responding, I would like to try some of the trouble shooting tips offered by Think Penguin. After the prior adapter went out, I attempted some physical alterations that ended up damaging the device, so I couldn't run the suggested tests. I'm also going to avoid having the device plugged in if I have to bounce back to OS X; perhaps something in that OS was throwing it for a loop.
Notably, I will be switching between the G and N. Off the bat, the G has great reception – and if the N went out of commission, I would not have any objections, regardless of its larger size.
I'm also interested in giving the Wireless N Dual-Band a try and am considering it for later.
There are a lot of Macbooks out there, which means that there are a lot of people who could be using Trisquel. I hope these tests will make it easier for them to transition.
With that said, becoming a full time Trisquel and Free Software user has been a long process, but it is certainly liberating and exciting. As I fine tune the map, I hope to provide a more detailed report on my transition...down the road, of course. I'm still learning.
Chris, no return is needed. It's an investment. Thanks for the products, detailed support and prompt delivery. On a side note, I'd love to see Switch Kits, i.e., everything needed to make “popular” used computers/laptops freer.
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We just got done testing some new firmware for the USB N adapters you may want to try. I don't think its going to solve the problem your having, but just in case. Basically on some systems the stability of the adapter can be a problem where the USB controller is flaky (that is the issue is in the computer rather than the USB N adapter). Not all USB controllers like larger packet sizes apparently and can be flaky as a result with many USB devices. The new firmware for the USB N adapter reduces the packet size to improve the stability on these problematic systems. It basically won't solve the problem for other USB devices that you might run into problems with on these systems, but it'll solve it for our two USB N adapters.
We have to package up the source code for the firmware still, but when its done we'll go and post it under the support section of ThinkPenguin.com/support
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We have posted new firmware which works around bugs on machines with flaky USB controllers. If your experiencing connection stability issues (getting disconnected frequently) update your firmware in /lib/firmware with the following:
https://www.thinkpenguin.com/files/ath9k-htc/version-1.4-beta/index.html
* This firmware includes a patch which reduces the packet size. Some USB controllers don't like larger packets which is why users on some systems were experiencing frequent disconnects. This firmware has been pretty well tested already and we do recommend it to anybody experiencing issues. If you do experience any problems with it please let us know.
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Chris, thanks. The N is still running fine. Do you recommend that I update the firmware as a precaution? Or should I only do so if symptoms arrise?
Finally, how do I install the firmware? Do I just drop the files into the /lib/firmware directory?
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If things are working fine you probably don't really need to upgrade, but that said, I probably would anyway.
Installing the firmware is as simple as dropping it into /libre/firmware and overwriting the old file. It is generally wise to back it up first. Should be safe to just append "backup" to the name of the older firmware and leave it in the same directory. That way if you experience problems with the new firmware you can always revert. I wouldn't anticipate any problems... but... there is a limited amount of real-world testing that can realistically be performed and you would certainly be an early adopter of this new firmware.
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The N USB just went out on me, unfortunetly just before I got to the new firmware. It had the same symptoms as the last few times.
Fortunately, I have the G and it is working fine. It has really great reception too. Should I use the new firmware with the G, or should I stick with the older firmware? Or is that firmware only for the N?