Libre supported wifi cards

Joemama12037 · 01-05-2022, 03:00 PM

Hi folks, not sure if this thread is better posted here or under “Networking”, but I’m looking for a wifi card for my T60 Thinkpad (and possibly my T500) that’s supported by libreboot and fully free distros such as Parabola.
I see people online mention the Atheros cards, but I want to find an exact model I can buy for my T60.
Model names are highly appreciated, and relevant links would earn you my eternal gratitude.

frankbell · 01-05-2022, 08:06 PM

I can't give you a direct answer, but I can say that ThinkPenguin offers a number of wireless cards and devices that work with Linux.

Full disclosure: I have no relationship with ThinkPenguin other than as an occasional customer.

rokytnji · 01-05-2022, 09:37 PM

https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/dow...ss-2.6/welcome

Edit: if looking for internal card. All I can post is what is in my IBM t430

Code:

harry@biker:~
$ inxi -N
Network:
  Device-1: Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network driver: e1000e
  Device-2: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 [Taylor Peak] driver: iwlwifi

You can also look at linux reviews on their wireless stuff for sale at Amazon or newegg electronic store.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=linux+wireless+adapter

I have no affilation with newegg or amazon.

https://wiki.parabola.nu/WiFi_device...NU/Linux-libre

Joemama12037 · 01-05-2022, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankbell

I can't give you a direct answer, but I can say that ThinkPenguin offers a number of wireless cards and devices that work with Linux.

Full disclosure: I have no relationship with ThinkPenguin other than as an occasional customer.

Thanks lad, I’ll have a look.

Joemama12037 · 01-05-2022, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokytnji

https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/dow...ss-2.6/welcome

Edit: if looking for internal card. All I can post is what is in my IBM t430

Code:

harry@biker:~
$ inxi -N
Network:
  Device-1: Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network driver: e1000e
  Device-2: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 [Taylor Peak] driver: iwlwifi

You can also look at linux reviews on their wireless stuff for sale at Amazon or newegg electronic store.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=linux+wireless+adapter

I have no affilation with newegg or amazon.

https://wiki.parabola.nu/WiFi_device...NU/Linux-libre

T430? Nice. I’ll see what I can find on these sites, big thanks.

mameko · 02-05-2022, 05:09 PM

Actually I use Trisquel 10 on my laptop, a fresh installation from today. My wifi Intel 9560 doesn't work with it, of course. I'm looking for a good USB 3 for 5 GHz and 800 MBit/s for the free software Linux, working out of the box. Perhaps somebody has an advice.

A good help for me is the use of the normal eth0 with a network cable and a wifi bridge. Our router provides 1000 MBit/s and with this bridge I get around 450 MBit/s on my laptop. That's okay so far.

Merlin2 · 02-05-2022, 10:12 PM

I have two (2) T60 laptops with Intel 4965AG Wireless adapters, three (3) T410 laptops with both an Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 and an Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 wireless adapters. I have never tried to use the Centrinos in the T60 laptops since the 4965 adapters are twice as long as the Centrino adapters.
I had to download the correct adapters from the Intel archives to get them to work.

Timothy Miller · 02-05-2022, 11:00 PM

I know the most common absolutely libre wifi adapters are going to be the Ath9K adapters. AKA - the various Qualcomm/Atheros 802.11N wifi adapters (AR5416, AR5418, AR9160, AR922X, AR928X, AR9285, AR2427, AR9227, AR9287, AR93xx, AR9485, AR9580, AR9462, QCA9565 / AR9565, AR9485). I don't BELIEVE anything made that's AC is ABSOLUTELY libre. Both the Ath10K (Qualcomm/Atheros AC) and Intel AC & AX are all open source DRIVERS, but they do require proprietary non-libre firmware blobs.

Merlin2 · 02-06-2022, 12:07 AM

IMHO
If ... until there are no blobs of any sort, one can only hope there is nothing hidden in the blobs.

mameko · 02-06-2022, 04:23 AM

I don't like to install nonfree software. That's why I'm looking for a good working USB wifi. I have a pretty old one USB 2 for 2.4 GHz which works fine. But I try to get a faster one. Thanks for your advices.

ondoho · 02-06-2022, 04:31 AM

^ Read post #8. You can avoid software blobs, but you cannot avoid firmware blobs.
Or if you can, I'd like to know, too!