I recently assembled a computer (running on an AMD Sempron 3200+ CPU) that will have only wireless networking installed (serial and parallel ports, as well as on-board ethernet, are disabled in BIOS).
For networking, I'm using a Peabird Wireless G PCI Adapter 802.11 G that (according to the Linux "lspci" command) apparently uses an "Atheros Communications, Inc. AR5212 802.11abg NIC (rev 01)" chipset.
I'm currently using Windows XP SP2 as the Operating System on the computer, and I initially installed the wireless networking drivers from the CD that came with the adapter card. It was a nothing less than a disaster: Windows would start allright, and it would connect to the wireless network, but if I was very lucky, I would be able to view just two or three web pages, after which the system would completely lock up: No more mousing around, no more keyboarding, no more nothing - the only option would be to hit the RESET button.
On the internet, I found a few notes about these problems (sorry, but I don't seem to currently find the references to the web pages involved :monkey: ), and the idea seemed to be that the Atheros AR5212 chipset just didn't work right with Windows XP. Under Linux, however, it should be a great choice (though I haven't tested that yet).
By now, I have tried numerous drivers that all claimed to support the AR5212 chipset under Windows XP, but they all had the same problems; with some of them, the lockups would stay away a little longer, and I could even do a small download, but eventually, they would all cause the system to lock up.
Anyway - Yesterday, when taking a fresh look at the issue, I somehow found myself directed to an AirLink 101 Technical Support Page for a possible solution. I downloaded the two driver versions I found there:
I tried the older version first - Same troubles: The system locked up after just a few short minutes.
Then I tried the newer version, "AWLC4030 Driver v4.0.0.1733" - and guess what: This really, actually works! I can surf the net, I can download, I can use the local network - Everything goes! I'm even confident enough that I'm typing this very message on this system now! And, at the same time, I'm even listening to an online radio station ("The Pulse 1330 AM, Enumclaw Washington USA" ) through Winamp!
To install the driver, I simply unzipped the downloaded archive, awlc4030_v4_0_0_1733.zip, I fired up the Windows Device Manager (Control Panel -> System -> Hardware tab -> Click Device Manager), and looked up the wireless network adapter in the device list.
I opened its Properties window from its context menu, went into the Driver tab, and clicked Update Driver...
I opted to Install from a list or specific location (Advanced), then Don't search, I will choose the driver to install.
I clicked Have disk..., browsed to the directory in which I had unzipped the archive, and selected the ".inf" file that I found there.
Windows gave me an Update Driver Warning, telling me that Installing this device driver is not recommended because Windows cannot verify that it is compatible with your hardware. If the driver is not compatible, your hardware will not work correctly and your computer might become unstable or stop working completely. Do you want to continue installing this driver?
Since the system would be unstable with drivers that Windows did consider "compatible" with my hardware, I thought, "What the heck!" and clicked "Yes."
Ever since, this system has been working like a charm! Many, many, many thanks to AirLink 101 for this great driver! :approve:
For networking, I'm using a Peabird Wireless G PCI Adapter 802.11 G that (according to the Linux "lspci" command) apparently uses an "Atheros Communications, Inc. AR5212 802.11abg NIC (rev 01)" chipset.
I'm currently using Windows XP SP2 as the Operating System on the computer, and I initially installed the wireless networking drivers from the CD that came with the adapter card. It was a nothing less than a disaster: Windows would start allright, and it would connect to the wireless network, but if I was very lucky, I would be able to view just two or three web pages, after which the system would completely lock up: No more mousing around, no more keyboarding, no more nothing - the only option would be to hit the RESET button.
On the internet, I found a few notes about these problems (sorry, but I don't seem to currently find the references to the web pages involved :monkey: ), and the idea seemed to be that the Atheros AR5212 chipset just didn't work right with Windows XP. Under Linux, however, it should be a great choice (though I haven't tested that yet).
By now, I have tried numerous drivers that all claimed to support the AR5212 chipset under Windows XP, but they all had the same problems; with some of them, the lockups would stay away a little longer, and I could even do a small download, but eventually, they would all cause the system to lock up.
Anyway - Yesterday, when taking a fresh look at the issue, I somehow found myself directed to an AirLink 101 Technical Support Page for a possible solution. I downloaded the two driver versions I found there:
- AWLC4030 Driver v3.3.0.156 - awlc4030_v3_3_0_156.zip
- AWLC4030 Driver v4.0.0.1733 - awlc4030_v4_0_0_1733.zip
I tried the older version first - Same troubles: The system locked up after just a few short minutes.
Then I tried the newer version, "AWLC4030 Driver v4.0.0.1733" - and guess what: This really, actually works! I can surf the net, I can download, I can use the local network - Everything goes! I'm even confident enough that I'm typing this very message on this system now! And, at the same time, I'm even listening to an online radio station ("The Pulse 1330 AM, Enumclaw Washington USA" ) through Winamp!
To install the driver, I simply unzipped the downloaded archive, awlc4030_v4_0_0_1733.zip, I fired up the Windows Device Manager (Control Panel -> System -> Hardware tab -> Click Device Manager), and looked up the wireless network adapter in the device list.
I opened its Properties window from its context menu, went into the Driver tab, and clicked Update Driver...
I opted to Install from a list or specific location (Advanced), then Don't search, I will choose the driver to install.
I clicked Have disk..., browsed to the directory in which I had unzipped the archive, and selected the ".inf" file that I found there.
Windows gave me an Update Driver Warning, telling me that Installing this device driver is not recommended because Windows cannot verify that it is compatible with your hardware. If the driver is not compatible, your hardware will not work correctly and your computer might become unstable or stop working completely. Do you want to continue installing this driver?
Since the system would be unstable with drivers that Windows did consider "compatible" with my hardware, I thought, "What the heck!" and clicked "Yes."
Ever since, this system has been working like a charm! Many, many, many thanks to AirLink 101 for this great driver! :approve: