HCL/Network Adapters (Wireless)

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Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) Full systems Laptops - Desktops - Servers - Virtual Machines Components Video Cards - Sound Cards - Wired Net Adapters - Wireless Adapters - Bluetooth Adapters - Printers - Scanners - TV Cards - Digital Cameras - Web Cameras - UPS - Floppy Drives

Welcome to the wireless network adapters hardware compatibility list (HCL)! In this page you can find instruction on how to identify your current wireless network adapters. There is also a list of wireless chipsets / cards and their working states in openSUSE as reported by the users.

Please note that if a piece of hardware was working with a previous openSUSE release, it is likely it will work with the most recent openSUSE release. However, there is no guarantee the current release did not somehow cause a problem with the driver or configuration for that piece of hardware. When updating the HCL, please do check that the hardware continues to work as expected for the most recent release. Information about updating this HCL can be found at the end of this page.

Gathering information

Before adding entries to this HCL or search for helps in case your wireless adapter does not work correctly, it is very important to first find out some basic information about your wireless adapter. The most important ones are the chipset, hardware / PCI ID, and the driver currently in use. Note that the chipset is what determines which driver you need, not the manufacturer of the card. Here are a number of ways to find out. All the commands should be run as root.

First, try to run this in the command line:

It will output quite a bit of information about the wireless adapter. Carefully note down the Vendor, Device (usually is you chipset), revision, bus type, driver in use and any other helpful information.

Sample output:

22: PCI 800.0: 0282 WLAN controller                             
 [Created at pci.318]                                          
 UDI: /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_168c_2b                 
 Unique ID: y9sn.XWhPmpaceG8                                   
 Parent ID: CvwD.f+gxXvfzBN1                                   
 SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:05.0/0000:08:00.0       
 SysFS BusID: 0000:08:00.0                                     
 Hardware Class: network                                       
 Model: "Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express)"
 Vendor: pci 0x168c "Atheros Communications Inc."
 Device: pci 0x002b "AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express)"
 SubVendor: pci 0x103c "Hewlett-Packard Company"
 SubDevice: pci 0x303f
 Revision: 0x01
 Driver: "ath9k"
 Driver Modules: "ath9k"
 Device File: wlan0
 Features: WLAN
 Memory Range: 0xf1000000-0xf100ffff (rw,non-prefetchable)
 IRQ: 17 (no events)
 HW Address: 0c:ee:e6:c1:bf:6d
 Link detected: yes
 WLAN channels: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
 WLAN frequencies: 2.412 2.417 2.422 2.427 2.432 2.437 2.442 2.447 2.452 2.457 2.462
 WLAN encryption modes: WEP40 WEP104 TKIP CCMP
 WLAN authentication modes: open sharedkey wpa-psk wpa-eap
 Module Alias: "pci:v0000168Cd0000002Bsv0000103Csd0000303Fbc02sc80i00"
 Driver Info #0:
   Driver Status: ath9k is active
   Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe ath9k"
 Config Status: cfg=no, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
 Attached to: #4 (PCI bridge)

If the first command does not work for any reason, try the following command if you have a pcmcia card or an onboard card:

Sample output:

08:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Atheros Communications Inc. AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) [168c:002b] (rev 01)
       Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:303f]
       Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17
       Memory at f1000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
       Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3
       Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
       Capabilities: [60] Express Legacy Endpoint, MSI 00
       Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
       Capabilities: [140] Virtual Channel <?>
       Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 00-15-17-ff-ff-24-14-12
       Capabilities: [170] Power Budgeting <?>
       Kernel driver in use: ath9k

Or this if you have a usb card:

Sample output:

Bus 003 Device 005: ID 0bda:8187 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8187 Wireless Adapter

These two commands won't output very detailed information, but it'll give you a unique hardware ID, for example 168c:002b. Search for it with Google or another internet search engine to find out which chipset is on the device.

For some device it is very important to note the hardware ID. For example Broadcom BCM4312 has two variants with different PCI ID and two different support scenario

Chipsets

Airgo

Chipset	Type	Bus	openSUSE Release	Driver	Works with network			Version specific remarks	General Remarks
					Unencrypted	WEP	WPA
700		PCMCIA	11.1	ndiswrapper				Use ndiswrapper install from YaST. Blacklist the agnx driver in /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.local before you insert your card. Disable ipv6 in Yast. Do not configure in Yast. Let Gnome NetworkManager do its normal thing. Ndiswrapper will require driver from the Netgear equivalent card called the WPNT511

Atheros

Chipset	Type	Bus	openSUSE Release	Driver	Works with network			Version specific remarks	General Remarks
					Unencrypted	WEP	WPA
5005G	802.11bg	PCI/Cardbus	11.0	madwifi				Compiling madwifi driver from source, revision 3745 works fine
5006EG	802.11bg	PCI/Cardbus	11.0	madwifi				Requires adding the wireless drivers repository, which contains up-to-date wireless drivers, and also blacklisting the ath5k driver
5007EG	802.11bg	PCI-e	11.1	ath5k				Works out of the the box	This device is typically misidentified in lspci as a 5006eg. Look for pci device ID 001c. Some laptops are marked as having an AR5BXB53 which is the same device.
5212	802.11abg	PCI/Cardbus	11.0	madwifi				Blacklist ath5k as described on the madwifi page and reboot. Then install madwifi and madwifi-kmp-<your kernel flavor> manually through the madwifi openSUSE repositories and make sure you have the latest version - for some reason one-click-install didn't work for me. Run "modprobe ath_pci" and use NetworkManager and everything should work fine.
AR242x	802.11abg	PCI/Cardbus	11.0	madwifi				You will need to install madwifi hal (>0.10.5.6, check with modinfo ath_hal), and then blacklist ath5k. Reboot, and it should work.
			11.1	ath5k				Works fine out of the box on Toshiba Satellite P200D-130
AR9170		USB	11.1	not sure				Needs compat-wireless-kmp-pae/default + ar9170-firmware
AR9280 / AR9280X	802.11bgn	PCI-e	11.1	compat-wireless				Stock driver works incorrectly and limits the connection speed to 1 Mbits/second. Much faster connection speeds are made possible by installing the compat-wireless package of drivers. Versions of this driver are available for kernels kernel-kmp-debug, kernel-kmp-default, kernel-kmp-pae, kernel-kmp-trace, kernel-kmp-vmi, and kernel-kmp-xen. The YaST Software Manager will only install the Atheros AR928X diver that is appropriate for the kernel installed.	This chip is used in the Asus Eee PC 1000HE.
AR9285	802.11bgn	PCI-e	11.2	ath9k				Works correctly without any manual configuration	Unstable with Asus F50SF, see HCL/Laptops/Asus#Asus_F_xxxx_X

Broadcom

• Useful link: Broadcom BCM43xx

Chipset	Type	Bus	openSUSE Release	Driver	Works with network			Version specific remarks	General Remarks
					Unencrypted	WEP	WPA
BCM4310 (PCI ID 4315)	802.11b/g		11.0	wl/ compat-wireless/ b43(2.6.32 and above only)					For wl driver, get broadcom-wl and broadcom-wl-kmp-desktop from Packman repository
			11.1	wl/ compat-wireless/ b43(2.6.32 and above only)
			11.2	wl/ compat-wireless/ b43(2.6.32 and above only)
BCM4312 (PCI ID 4312)	802.11a/b/g	PCI	11.1	b43					Need to install b43 firmware.
			11.2	b43
BCM4312 (PCI ID 4315)	802.11b/g		11.0	wl/ compat-wireless/ b43(2.6.32 and above only)					For wl driver, get broadcom-wl and broadcom-wl-kmp-desktop from Packman repository
			11.1	wl/ compat-wireless/ b43(2.6.32 and above only)
			11.2	wl/ compat-wireless/ b43(2.6.32 and above only)
BCM4318 (PCI ID 4318)	802.11b/g	PCI	11.0	b43					Need to install b43 firmware.
			11.1	b43
			11.2	b43
BCM4328	802.11a/b/g/n	PCI	11.2	wl
BCM4329	802.11a/g/n	PCI	11.0	ndiswrapper				Use ndiswrapper and the drivers from the website. Comes in self-extracting zip, use wine to extract.
BCM94311 MCG, rev 2	802.11b/g		11.0	b43

InProComm

Chipset	Type	Bus	openSUSE Release	Driver	Works with network			Version specific remarks	General Remarks
					Unencrypted	WEP	WPA
IPN 2220		PCMCIA	11.2	ndiswrapper				Worked with "ndiswrapper -i WLIPNDS.INF". WLIPNDS.INF was from "WPC54G v4 driver rev 1.22.1.2004" from Linksys support.

Intel

Chipset	Type	Bus	openSUSE Release	Driver	Works with network			Version specific remarks	General Remarks
					Unencrypted	WEP	WPA
PRO/Wireless 2100	802.11b	PCI	11.0	ipw2100
PRO/Wireless 2200BG	802.11bg	PCI	11.0	ipw2200
			11.1	ipw2200
PRO/Wireless 2915ABG	802.11abg	PCI	11.0	ipw2200
PRO/Wireless 3945ABG	802.11abg	PCI-e	11.0	ipw3945				Works,perfect for me on Lenovo R61e from default install. Using both kde3 and kde4 with knetworkmanager which will auto start the connection again on Wake.
			11.1	ipw3945				Works,perfect for me on Lenovo R61e from default install. Using both kde3 and kde4 with knetworkmanager which will auto start the connection again on Wake.
			11.2	ipw3945				Flawless. Works anyway you want.
Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN	802.11a/b/g/n	PCI-e	11.0	iwlwifi (iwl4965)					Use IFUP instead of the gnome or KDE network manager (KDE4 network manager might work.. but's in beta still)
			11.1	iwlwifi (iwl4965)
Wireless WiFi Link 5300 AGN	802.11a/g/n	PCI-e	11.0					Requires the 2.6.27 kernel
			11.1	iwlwifi (iwl5300)

Intersil

Chipset	Type	Bus	openSUSE Release	Driver	Works with network			Version specific remarks	General Remarks
					Unencrypted	WEP	WPA
ISL3886		PCI	11.1	p54pci				modprobe p54pci
ISL3890		PCI	11.0	prism54					You need to download the firmware, version 1.0.4.3 from Prism54 Project and saved the firmware file as isl3890 (no Capitals) in the /lib/firmware/ directory. Run as root the command modprobe prism54 and configure the wireless card completely with YAST or partly with YAST and the rest with NetworkManager.
			11.1	prism54

Marvell

Chipset	Type	Bus	openSUSE Release	Driver	Works with network			Version specific remarks	General Remarks
					Unencrypted	WEP	WPA
88W8686		USB	11.2	ndiswrapper				Worked with ndis-wrapper and XP driver from Zio X7 http://www.globalzio.com/download_file.asp?no=64&file=1.

Ralink

Chipset	Type	Bus	openSUSE Release	Driver	Works with network			Version specific remarks	General Remarks
					Unencrypted	WEP	WPA
RT2501	802.11bg	USB	11.0	rt73				'ralink-firmware' package required -> auto installed by YaST
			11.1	rt73				'ralink-firmware' package required -> auto installed by YaST
RT2561		PCI	11.0	rt61				Card almost works out of the box. Just need to download RT61 Firmware and copy bin files to /lib/firmware/. Then reload modules.
RT2571		USB	11.1	rt73usb				Tested with 32 and 64 bits. Use rt73usb instead of rt2500usb.
RT2870	802.11n	USB	11.1	rt2870				Not recognised by YAST. Driver must be downloaded and built from Ralink support. Follow the README_STA to build the driver. Module must then be configured to load at startup then wpa_supplicant and ifup configured. Could not get this configured within YAST or Network Manager but it works perfectly using ifup.

Realtek

Chipset	Type	Bus	openSUSE Release	Driver	Works with network			Version specific remarks	General Remarks
					Unencrypted	WEP	WPA
8180	802.11b	PCI/Cardbus	11.0	rtl8180-sa2400				Works perfectly from 11.0 i386-DVD installation with network manager
8185L	802.11a/b/g	PCI	11.0	not sure				Worked fine out of the box
8187	802.11a/b/g	USB	11.0	not sure
			11.1	not sure				Works out of the box

Texas Instruments

Chipset	Type	Bus	openSUSE Release	Driver	Works with network			Version specific remarks	General Remarks
					Unencrypted	WEP	WPA
ACX111	802.11g	PCI/Cardbus	11.1	acx				Requires using ifup instead of networking manager.	Very buggy driver (currently alpha), packet loss, connection loss, Linux-unfriendly vendor, requires acx_111 firmware.

Zydas

Chipset	Type	Bus	openSUSE Release	Driver	Works with network			Version specific remarks	General Remarks
					Unencrypted	WEP	WPA
zd1211		USB	11.0	zd1211rw					Works out of the box. (1) install zd1211-firmware-1.4-1.80, (2) configure using yast
			11.1	zd1211rw

Cards

With known chipsets

This table list cards with known chipsets. Note that the driver that you need depends on the chipset and not the make of the card. Please do not add compatibility info here, instead add to the chipset section.

With unknown/unspecified chipset

This table lists cards that are known to work/do not work with openSUSE but the chipsets are unknown/unspecified. Please do not add new entries here, you should always find out the chipsets of your wireless network adapter and add them to the appropriate tables. You can also help by identifying the chipsets of the cards below and add them to the HCL accordingly.

Make	Model	Bus	Driver	11.0	11.1	11.2	Comments
Asus	WL-167G V2	USB	RT73				openSUSE 11.0 & 11.1: Requires 'ralink-firmware' package, auto selected by YaST, when rt73usb driver got loaded. Connection configurated by YaST. Support WEP, WPA & WPA2 security standards. (ID 0b05:1723 ASUSTek Computer, Inc. WL-167G v2 802.11g Adapter).
Asus	WL-169gE	USB					Worked out of the box under openSUSE 11.1. No additional drivers or software needs. Just plug and play. Interface wlan0 is configured by NetworkManager.
AVM	Fritz!WLAN Stick USB	USB	ndiswrapper				11.1 (probably 11.0 too): You have to use ndiswrapper (see How-To below) - Unencrypted network worked fine - however WPA (2) failed due to some troubles with wpa_supplicant, search the web. I'm not the only one so be cautios when intending to buy it for an WPA encrypted environment. How-To: SDB:AVM Fritz!WLAN Stick USB
Belkin	F5D7050 v5012	USB	rtl8187				openSUSE 11.1: (1) configured using YaST. Worked out of the box, with WPA Ver 1
Belkin	Wireless G + Mimo v3002uk (F5D9050)	USB	rt73				11.0 Requires 'ralink-firmware' available in yast (was auto selected for me) works perfectly. (11.1 needed ndiswrapper. Firmware package installed but wouldn't connect. Not tested unencrypted though.) Both 32bit installs
Cisco	Aironet 340	PCMCIA	aironet				WPA does not work
D-Link	DWA-110	USB	RT73				(1) Works out of the box. Set up connections. Download wifi-radar and it connects. Did not need to install drivers. (2) openSUSE 11.0 & 11.1: Requires 'ralink-firmware' package, auto selected by YaST, when rt73usb driver got loaded. Connection configurated by YaST. Support WEP, WPA & WPA2 security standards. (ID 07d1:3c07 D-Link System Wireless G DWA-110 Adapter, H/W ver: A1, F/W ver: 1.00).
D-Link	DWL-G122 ver C1	USB	RT73				Need to install the ralink-firmware package on openSUSE 11.0
D-Link	DWL-G510 Rev C2	PCI	rt61pci				Kernel driver is detected automatically by Yast when configuring the interface
D-Link	DWL-G520 version b	PCI	ath_pci				March 07: HW ver B4 & FW ver 4.3 works fine in 11.1, 11.2 (32 bit)
D-Link	WDA-2320	PCI	Atheros				Card works great under ndiswrapper. I also read it should work with madwifi. Works great with madwifi in 11.0. Good signal strength, WPA (Personal) also works well. See the madwifi page for how to set it up: http://en.opensuse.org/Atheros_madwifi
D-Link	WUA-1340	USB	RT73				ID 07d1:3c04. Recognized immediately without any driver installation, added to Network Manager and works flawlessly on WPA-2 and open hosts
Edimax	7711Uan	USB	rt3070sta				Works with extra modules from update repo but openSUSE 11.1 refuses to work out of the box due to missing driver. Recommend running kernel update to use hardware on openSUSE 11.1. Works with openSUSE 11.2 with rt3070 driver in staging. **Blacklist rt2870sta driver as this is loaded by default but has very bad reliability/speed with later issued hardware (in openSUSE 11.2 also blacklist rt2x00lib rt2x00usb).**
INTELLINET	Wireless G USB Adapter (Rev. 3.02)	USB	rt73				RT2501 chipset (see Chipsets above). Easily configured through YaST. Highly recommended. IEEE 802.11g and -b only. See also [1]
LinkSYS	WUSB11 ver. 2.6	USB					Plugged it in and it worked right away
LinkSyS	WUSB54G	USB					In 11.1 just plug it in, hotplug is working too. Immediately seen and configured (HW) with the bundled Rt73 driver. Choose the network and go. NOTE: It works between Radio Channels from 1 through 11. Check Your router config (mine was on the 13th channel, for security reason). WUSB54GC worked straight out of the box with openSUSE 11.1.
Netgear	WG311 T/G/R	PCI	madwifi/ath5k				After installing the NON-GPL kernel module, card works out of the box. Yast2 uses module ath_pci. Works with openSUSE 11.0 after installing madwifi (tested with madwifi-0.9.2.1-0.1 and WG311-T card). WG311-T works straight away using the ath5k kernel driver in 11.1. Better performance after installing madwifi.
Netgear	WG511 v1.0	PCMCIA					Download the firmware from www.prism54.org and change the name of the file to isl3886

If your card/chipset is not listed

If your card/chipset is not listed here, it is still likely your card/chipset is supported

There are other websites that documents the compatibility of wireless network adapters with GNU/Linux in general. Please check these resources:

• linux-wless.passys.nl chipset and driver search
• LinuxWireless.org List of wireless network drivers
• LinuxWireless.org List of wireless network devices

Getting the latest Linux wireless subsystem

Compatibility drivers are likely to provide support for cards/dongles not listed in the HCL. They can be installed as kernel modules, for more informations, and how to install firmwares go to Linux Wireless.

For more information about compat-wireless, see here [2]

Version: 11.2

Besides compat-wireless, it will install CRDA and IW tools

Version: 11.1

Besides compat-wireless, it will install CRDA and IW tools

Using Windows drivers

If there is no native Linux driver for your card/chip, you may be able to use a Windows driver with Ndiswrapper. When possible, it is preferable to use a native Linux driver.

Updating this HCL

Finally, if you succeed in getting your wireless networking card/chip to function properly with openSUSE, and if it is not listed in this page, then please update this wiki page accordingly in line with the openSUSE Wiki Guidelines. Information about editing the tables can be found here in the source (go to edit mode).

External links

Novell SUSE Linux Certified Hardware

• MadWifi - Additional Multi WLAN Driver