Re: Wifi adaptor recommendations

Joel Wir=C4=81mu Pauling posted on Wed, 25 May 2016 11:29:18 -0700 as
excerpted:

> Openwrt's build system is great. But as others have said running any no=
n
> single purpose router at your edge has a lot of drawbacks. Not least
> that usable pcie wireless cards that work well in station mode are
> expensive. Whereas you can get the same chip in wifi router form for
> pennies AND you get a whole SoC platform and switch to go with it. You
> can always use you general purpose machine as a router and have the AP
> just be your air interface. But seriously Openwrt is MUCH easier to
> manage and cheaper.

[Replying to both your post and Mark's]

I've left out much of the context of the amd64 router discussion as it it=
=20
happened in a thread here last year, as it wasn't apropos to the=20
immediate adapter discussion.  Here's a link to my original post starting=
=20
that thread, and you can follow the links from there to the thread in the=
=20
fancy or classic interface:

http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.linux.gentoo.amd64/17039

(I asked two questions there, but only the router one got much response.)

The recommendation there (originally by Thanasis, whose reply I like here=
=20
as well, tho I'm not replying directly to it ATM) was a 25-watt 4-core=20
amd cpu and a matching mini-ITX or micro-ATX mobo and case.

As originally envisioned, I'd get a mobo with one free PCIE slot, into=20
which I'd plug a 4xGigabitEthernet card, which runs about $100 on=20
pricewatch.com (tho refurbished are available somewhat cheaper), making=20
that card the single most expensive component.  Making it into a wireless=
-
AP was an option, but I mostly intended to stay wired, for better=20
security.

25 watt peak CPU, probably 12 watt or so idle, say 25 watt idle total=20
power draw.  That's not /too/ bad.  Certainly better than repurposing and=
=20
old normal machine at perhaps 100 watt idle, especially here in Phoenix,=20
where all that heat has to be paid for in AC costs as well.

And I meant what I said there about finding the hassle of keeping=20
openwrt's somewhat different setup and config in mind, as opposed to all=20
gentoo, and about the hassle of having to build everything multiple=20
times.  That's the biggest factor that kept me from doing much with=20
either my existing limited router or my netbook, and would consequently=20
be for me the biggest advantage of an amd64 router (and netbook=20
replacement).

I could use it for other things too, then, of course, and would, possibly=
=20
including streaming music or youtube, etc (if I didn't care about 1080p
+), when I didn't want to turn on the main machine, maybe as a personal=20
server, etc.

--=20
Duncan - List replies preferred.   No HTML msgs.
"Every nonfree program has a lord, a master --
and if you use the program, he is your master."  Richard Stallman