The Holy Grail for Linux users.....a USB wifi adapter that works “out-of-the-box”!

Posted 01-15-2017 at 08:43 AM by beachboy2
Updated 12-27-2019 at 02:03 PM by beachboy2

Tags adapter, linux, out-of-the-box, wifi, works

One of the most common complaints on LQ Forums and other Linux forums is about wifi cards or adapters not being recognised in Linux.

Here are some typical lamented cries:

Quote:

But it works perfectly in Windows. Why doesn’t it work in Linux?

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How do I get my Ralink, Atheros, Broadcom, Realtek, Edimax etc wifi card working in Ubuntu/Mint/Debian etc?

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Can anybody recommend a wifi card that works "out-of-the-box in Linux”?

Here is a recent example:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...5/#post5655255

I am pleased to report that the fruitless search for a USB wifi adapter that works “out-of-the-box” is finally over!

Despite so many promising candidates being tested and failing miserably, I have actually found one that really works without any modification whatsoever.

I guarantee that there is no lengthy command line torture involving the blacklisting of drivers or the use of modprobe or any file amendments.

This is the USB wifi adapter in question:

D-Link N150 USB wifi adapter:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/D-Link-Wire.../dp/B008PC19DC

https://www.amazon.com/D-Link-Wirele.../dp/B008PC19DC

Do make sure that it looks exactly like the illustrations in the above links.

This has been tested by installing Ubuntu 16.04 MATE, Linux Mint 18 MATE and MX-16 in a desktop PC with no original wifi card.

This D-Link N150 USB wifi adapter was recognised automatically and immediately.

It was then simply a matter of entering the wifi network name and wifi password before continuing with the installation which went perfectly.

The D-Link USB N150 wifi adapter works “out-of-the-box” and performs flawlessly.

UPDATE-1
Just to add that this TP Link TL-WN727N wifi adapter which years ago never used to work in Linux now works fine OOTB in a desktop PC running Linux Mint 18.2:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wirel.../dp/B001WU2N1G

Panda Wireless makes several USB wifi adapters that are "plug and play" in Linux:
http://www.pandawireless.com/

UPDATE-2
According to recent (2019) customer feedback from Linux users, this Panda Wireless PAU06 300Mbps Wireless N USB Adapter works OOTB:
https://www.amazon.com/Panda-Wireles...ct_top?ie=UTF8

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This has worked well for me. The installation CD is for Windows and not used for Linux. I simply unplugged my Ethernet line and started up my computer with the WiFi dongle in the USB port. After I logged in, I clicked on my WiFi icon and selected my network. I then put in my password; and I was in. The speed of the connection was not noticeably slower than the hard wired connection. I rebooted the computer to see if I would have to go through the process again; but I didn't have to do anything. I just clicked on Chrome, and I was connected. Thanks again to beachboy2 for sticking with me over several posts.

Posted 07-27-2017 at 04:02 PM by LesBarrett LesBarrett is offline

Updated 07-28-2017 at 01:27 AM by LesBarrett

The best pcmcia card I have ever bought that is plug and play with any Linux connection manager with newer kernels than 3.4 on my old rigs is

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The EZ Connect™ N Pro Draft 11n Wireless Cardbus Adapter (SMCWCB-N2) is another cutting edge introduction in 2.4GHz wireless communication for notebook computers. Designed for the home and ofﬁce, this wireless cardbus adapter provides the speed, coverage and security expected by today’s wireless users. The SMCWCB-N2 is Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ for full compliance with the 802.11n draft v2.0 standard, as well as the popular Wireless-G (802.11g) and Wireless-B (802.11b) standards. This next generation Cardbus Adapter utilizes advanced MIMO (Multiple-In, Multiple-Out) technology to deliver incredible speed and range. With wireless speeds up to 300Mbps and up to 11x the coverage, there is enough bandwidth to simultaneously stream video and audio, play online games, transfer large ﬁ les, make VoIP calls and surf the Internet. With security being a key consideration, SMCWCB-N2 supports the latest WPA andWPA2 wireless encryption standards, which prevent unauthorized access to wireless networks and ensure data is secure.

They are not easy to find since wireless N and pcmcia are not widely made because wirless usb is the fad and norm now a days. Here is picture of one.

picture link

I cannot comment on other wireless N pcmcia cards because I only own wireless G in other brands. Which is usually the norm for pcmcia. I just figured if anyone with a pcmcia slot on their laptop might be interested in this response.

Another nice thing about that card is it's low profile sitting in the slot. On a dual slot pcmcia laptop. One can still have room to install a second card if they wish in the other slot. Like usb, fire-wire, cf & SD card reader. I am pretty experienced in making a older panasonic CF-48 or IBM T-23 still be functional in today's modern internet world.

I'm not a breadline dude. Just a tinkerer.

Posted 08-01-2017 at 08:35 AM by rokytnji rokytnji is offline