Ubiquiti Networks is now shipping the first FCC/CE-approved mini-PCI Wi-Fi cards with 400 mW of transmit power. The “Super Range” SR2 and SR5 cards support 802.11b/g and 802.11a, respectively, and should work under Linux. The cards target outdoor applications such as long-range access points and back-hauls.

(Click for larger view of SR-2 mini-PCI card)

According to Ubiquity, the SR2 and SR5 should work with any hardware or software that supports devices based on Atheros 5004 chipsets. This includes access-point oriented SBCs (single board computers) from WRAP, Soekris, and Mikrotik, as well as Linux drivers from the MadWiFi (Multi-band Atheros Driver for Wi-Fi) project. The cards also work with the commercial StarOS router operating system, Ubiquiti says.

The SR5 with optional heatsink
The SR2 and SR5 cards could supplant the 200mw Prism-2 based Senao and various 300mw Atheros-based cards favored by many Wi-Fi hotspot implementors. However, at $109, they cost slightly more than most other long-range Wi-Fi cards.

According to an EETimes story, the SR cards deliver 400mw of RF into 50-ohm unbalanced loads. Ubiquiti claims that early reports suggest the cards deliver a 6 dB+ power output improvement over Atheros-based CM-9 cards. Claimed receive sensitivity ranges from 54Mbps at -78dBm to 1Mbps at -97dBm.

Additional details can be found in the brief EE Times story, here.

Availability

The SR2 and SR5 are available now, optionally with low-loss SMA antenna connectors and heatsinks (pictured at right), from various distributors.

---

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.