ASUS WL330 for WIFI?

I decided to try the WL330 based on a couple of posts here and almost
glowing reviews elsewhere. It seems to work nicely when my laptop is at
home, and I can control IP addresses, SSIDs, etc. But I can't figure out
how to use in a WIFI situation.

In order to control the WIFI connection, I have to connect via eth0 to the
WL330 configuration "webpage", which has a fixed IP, 192.168.0.228, or
such. But when I connect to the WIFI network, I need to be DHCP, in order
for eth0 to get an IP on the WIFI network, and have nameserver and routes
set, etc. So it appears that I need to have 2 IPs on eth0, one of which
can be fixed, but the other must be DHCP, and both must be active.

Can someone point me to the way to do this?

--
Dave Brown Austin, TX

On Wed, 15 Sep 2004 04:26:27 GMT, Dave Brown wrote:

> I decided to try the WL330 based on a couple of posts here and almost
> glowing reviews elsewhere. It seems to work nicely when my laptop is at
> home, and I can control IP addresses, SSIDs, etc. But I can't figure out
> how to use in a WIFI situation.
>
> In order to control the WIFI connection, I have to connect via eth0 to the
> WL330 configuration "webpage", which has a fixed IP, 192.168.0.228, or
> such. But when I connect to the WIFI network, I need to be DHCP, in order
> for eth0 to get an IP on the WIFI network, and have nameserver and routes
> set, etc. So it appears that I need to have 2 IPs on eth0, one of which
> can be fixed, but the other must be DHCP, and both must be active.

The documentation isn't too clear on this and it took me a while to
figure it out. To configure the device, you have to (temporarily) change
your computer's IP address to the same IP range as the WL-330. Then
bring up the configuration page in your browser. When you've configured,
de-activate eth0 and re-activate it in the usual way.

Bob T.

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Dave Brown wrote:
> I decided to try the WL330 based on a couple of posts here and almost
> glowing reviews elsewhere. It seems to work nicely when my laptop is at
> home, and I can control IP addresses, SSIDs, etc. But I can't figure out
> how to use in a WIFI situation.
>
> In order to control the WIFI connection, I have to connect via eth0 to the
> WL330 configuration "webpage", which has a fixed IP, 192.168.0.228, or
> such. But when I connect to the WIFI network, I need to be DHCP, in order
> for eth0 to get an IP on the WIFI network, and have nameserver and routes
> set, etc. So it appears that I need to have 2 IPs on eth0, one of which
> can be fixed, but the other must be DHCP, and both must be active.

I figured it out, so for the record...

Using RH's 'neat' network configurator, you can put a second IP address on
the eth0 NIC... i.e. eth0:1, and set it to 192.168.1.2, an IP on the same
network as the WL330 webpage. Then you can scan for WIFI networks using
the WL330 webpage, and "join". Then go back to the 'neat' window and
"deactivate" then "activate".

I suspect you could do the same thing in YaST, "Network Device" window. I
didn't give it a fair test in public, but at home, I set up for a DHCP on
eth0, and then in a terminal window, 'ifconfig eth0:1 192.168.1.2' and
could contact the WL330 setup with a browser. After 'joining', the
dhcpcd then got the IP for the wireless connection.

And, when you've "saved" the profile in your WL330, it'll automatically
connect the next time.

As an aside, Austin is supposedly the most free "WIFI'd" city in the US.
According to the free WIFI news, Atlanta is working on taking over the top
spot, and Philadelphia is proposing to have city-wide WIFI. I guess you
could say it's "free as in speech"--taxes will foot the bill. Of course,
this isn't going to help "private enterprise" compete with taxpayer-funded
services. It might be better if outfits like T-Mobile (I think they've
captured Borders and Starbucks) would set reasonable rates.

--
Dave Brown Austin, TX

On Fri, 17 Sep 2004 20:16:43 GMT, Dave Brown wrote:
> In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Dave Brown wrote:
>> I decided to try the WL330 based on a couple of posts here and almost
>> glowing reviews elsewhere. It seems to work nicely when my laptop is at
>> home, and I can control IP addresses, SSIDs, etc. But I can't figure out
>> how to use in a WIFI situation.
>>
>> In order to control the WIFI connection, I have to connect via eth0 to the
>> WL330 configuration "webpage", which has a fixed IP, 192.168.0.228, or
>> such. But when I connect to the WIFI network, I need to be DHCP, in order
>> for eth0 to get an IP on the WIFI network, and have nameserver and routes
>> set, etc. So it appears that I need to have 2 IPs on eth0, one of which
>> can be fixed, but the other must be DHCP, and both must be active.
>
> I figured it out, so for the record...
>
> Using RH's 'neat' network configurator, you can put a second IP address on
> the eth0 NIC... i.e. eth0:1, and set it to 192.168.1.2, an IP on the same
> network as the WL330 webpage. Then you can scan for WIFI networks using
> the WL330 webpage, and "join". Then go back to the 'neat' window and
> "deactivate" then "activate".

I think you'd have more flexibility using network profiles. There's
documentation in the redhat configuration guide Section 12.12. You can
then use different entries in your grub.conf corresponding to the
profiles: netprofile=home or netprofile=office for example.

Bob T.

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Bob Tennent wrote:
> On Fri, 17 Sep 2004 20:16:43 GMT, Dave Brown wrote:
> > In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Dave Brown wrote:
> >> ...
> >> In order to control the WIFI connection, I have to connect via eth0 to the
> >> WL330 configuration "webpage", which has a fixed IP, 192.168.0.228, or
> >> such. But when I connect to the WIFI network, I need to be DHCP, in order
> >> for eth0 to get an IP on the WIFI network, and have nameserver and routes
> >> set, etc. So it appears that I need to have 2 IPs on eth0, one of which
> >> can be fixed, but the other must be DHCP, and both must be active.
> >
> > I figured it out, so for the record...
> >
> > Using RH's 'neat' network configurator, you can put a second IP address on
> > the eth0 NIC... i.e. eth0:1, and set it to 192.168.1.2, an IP on the same
> > network as the WL330 webpage. Then you can scan for WIFI networks using
> > the WL330 webpage, and "join". Then go back to the 'neat' window and
> > "deactivate" then "activate".
>
> I think you'd have more flexibility using network profiles. There's
> documentation in the redhat configuration guide Section 12.12. You can
> then use different entries in your grub.conf corresponding to the
> profiles: netprofile=home or netprofile=office for example.

I did try to set up a "profile", with both dhcp on eth0 and 192.168.1.2 on
eth0:1. It didn't seem to quite work, although it was approaching 3 a.m.,
so I could have botched it. I also tried it on a public WIFI today at the
Austin Library, and wasted about an hour trying to get it to work: it
would "link" but not get an IP. Finally, another person came in and tried
to link in, and they failed. I asked the librarian where the access point
was, and when we checked it, the LAN light was off--the ethernet cable was
loose! After fixing that, everything worked.

Thanks for the hint on the grub parameter.

--
Dave Brown Austin, TX

Dave Brown wrote:

> I decided to try the WL330 based on a couple of posts here and almost
> glowing reviews elsewhere. It seems to work nicely when my laptop is at
> home, and I can control IP addresses, SSIDs, etc. But I can't figure out
> how to use in a WIFI situation.
>
> In order to control the WIFI connection, I have to connect via eth0 to the
> WL330 configuration "webpage", which has a fixed IP, 192.168.0.228, or
> such. But when I connect to the WIFI network, I need to be DHCP, in order
> for eth0 to get an IP on the WIFI network, and have nameserver and routes
> set, etc. So it appears that I need to have 2 IPs on eth0, one of which
> can be fixed, but the other must be DHCP, and both must be active.
>
> Can someone point me to the way to do this?
>

Have either of you tried the WL330 with Kismet?

Seems like a real long shot, but I'd like to know before buying.

Thanks!

Roby

On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 09:44:20 -0400, Roby wrote:

> Have either of you tried the WL330 with Kismet?

No way because it's not a card that you install; all you get is ethernet
packets and a browsable web page. But the device does do a site survey
for you.

Bob T.

Bob Tennent wrote:

> On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 09:44:20 -0400, Roby wrote:
>
> > Have either of you tried the WL330 with Kismet?
>
> No way because it's not a card that you install; all you get is ethernet
> packets and a browsable web page. But the device does do a site survey
> for you.
>
> Bob T.

Thanks, Bob. That confirms my suspicions.

The "site survey" my current card does cannot see a/p's which have ssid
broadcast turned off. Folks do this for some very small security I guess,
but it prevents (my) site survey from reporting a busy channel, while
Kismet reports activity regardless of ssid broadcast/nobroadcast.

Does WL330 site survey report these?

Roby

On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 13:20:00 -0400, Roby wrote:

> The "site survey" my current card does cannot see a/p's which have ssid
> broadcast turned off. Folks do this for some very small security I guess,
> but it prevents (my) site survey from reporting a busy channel, while
> Kismet reports activity regardless of ssid broadcast/nobroadcast.
>
> Does WL330 site survey report these?

Can't help you. The WL-330 I bought is now with my daughter at college.
While I had it, I only used it in my neighbourhood and there didn't
seem to be much wireless action. I can't use kismet with my own laptop
because it's a centrino and so I have no way to do a site survey.

In article <WcWdnbz5MaSf89HcRVn-(E-Mail Removed)>, Roby wrote:
> Bob Tennent wrote:
>> No way because it's not a card that you install; all you get is ethernet
>> packets and a browsable web page. But the device does do a site survey
>> for you.
>
> The "site survey" my current card does cannot see a/p's which have ssid
> broadcast turned off. Folks do this for some very small security I guess,
> but it prevents (my) site survey from reporting a busy channel, while
> Kismet reports activity regardless of ssid broadcast/nobroadcast.
>
> Does WL330 site survey report these?

I have the SSID turned off on the wireless router. It shows up a the site
survey, and I can connect (knowing the SSID name).

But I'm not familiar with Kismet, but I get the impression that the
application has to have access to a specific feature of a wireless NIC.
In the case of a WL330->NIC, the NIC involved isn't a wireless NIC, so it
wouldn't have that feature for the application to access.

--
Dave Brown Austin, TX