[tlinux-users:08753] Re: Toshiba A15-S129 Satellite - What mini wifi cards work with Linux?

On Tue, 2007-12-25 at 20:50 -0800, Rex Buddenberg wrote:
> Rick,
> 
> You may already have a wifi card installed.  see below
> 
> On Tue, 25 Dec 2007 21:46:39 -0500
> Rick Bilonick <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > I have a Toshiba A15-S129 Satellite that runs Fedora 8 very nicely. It's
> > been running a version of Fedora since I first bought it. Wireless works
> > with a D-Link 650 pc card but I would like to insert a mini pci wifi
> > card in the easily accessible slot. It's a nice design - only one screw
> > needs to be removed to allow access to the port. I can see the antenna
> > wires taped down when I open the port.
> 
> If you can 'see the antenna' you probably already have a WiFi interface installed.
> 
> 
> 
> > 
> > What mini pci wifi card would you suggest that would work with the
> > laptop and have Linux drivers?
> 
> Can't answer the question directly. ... but ...
> 
> Run /sbin/lspci   (list pci thingies) from the terminal.  (In Fedora 8 they hid the terminal in Applications --> System Tools).
> 
> These are the relevant lines on my P15-S409:
> 02:01.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
> 02:02.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications, Inc. AR5212 802.11abg NIC (rev 01)
> 
> The Realtek is the wired ethernet controller; the Atheros is the (factory installed) WiFi interface.
> 
> My machine has an external on-off switch that turns the WiFi interface physically off.
> 
> > Rick B.
> > 
> > 
> > 

Unfortunately I have the A15-S129 which definitely does NOT have a mini
pci wifi card. I had no doubts as neither XP or Fedora detected any
installed mini pci card. I was not surprised when I opened the cover to
find no installed card - you can see wires for the antenna (taped down)
but otherwise unattached. There is a switch to turn the card on/off but
of course you need a card. I'm assuming the Toshiba bios does not do
anything "funny" to prevent generic mini pci wifi cards from working. So
I guess I can check out the Atheros Communications, Inc. AR5212
802.11abg NIC. Thanks.

Rick B.