Enterasys Roamabout questions

[diem]

Hi folks,

This goes out to anyone who is using the Enterasys Roamabout 802.11b card.

- does the card support 128bit WEP?
- does it obscure the stylus hole?
- are you aware of multiple versions of the card (i.e. do more recent examples not use the Lucent Hermes chipset)?

TIA

[Jack B Nimble]

As for the Roamabout card I have...

-It does not support 128-bit encryption.
-It does block the stylus.
-I am not aware of different versions of the card. I just bought mine about two months ago, but it was not direct from the company (got it from one of the ebay resellers).

While I am responding, let me say thank you. Your faq was extremely useful when I was buying my 7Book upgrade and my Roamabout.

Jack

[diem]

Very glad the FAQ helped :D

And thanks loads for the Roamabout info - I've just won an auction on one at eBay myself!

[Davidish]

Hmm... well that's strange. I've just seen an ad for the Roamabout saying it DOESsupport 128-bit encryption. Also Ifound this page:

http://www.paris-sansfil.net/index.php/UpgradeSilverToGoldEn

which says it's possible to 'upgrade' a silver card into a gold card!
Can anyone comment on this? have you tried it? Does it work?

thanks,
David

[dukibean]

Any ideas as to where a Roamabout card can be purchased?

Also, is the Cisco Aironet 350 compatible with a netBook?

Regards

[dukibean]

According to:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/item.asp?pid=438

The Belkin F5D6020 is a 16-bit card. And, according to:

http://consume.andylaurence.co.uk/cards.shtml

It uses the IntersilPrism2 chipset. However, according to:

http://www.80211-planet.com/reviews/CD/article.php/1010491

Its a CardBus card.

Any ideas? Its a reasonable priced card, won't cover the stylus slot, and is said to be very easy to set-up.

Regards

[diem]

I've received the Roamabout today, and mine states "40 Bit WEP" on it. Since the Roamabout range is just a re-badge of the Lucent Orinoco line, I would imagine there are cards with different part numbers within the 'Enterasys Roamabout' product line with different features, mapping onto the Orinoco Silver and Gold cards (40 and 128 bit respectively).

Unfortunately I won't be able to test it 'til the weekend, since I don't own an access point yet (waiting and trying out against a few friend's purchases before I take the plunge).

I won't be trying the WEP upgrade, since it requires access to a Mac of suitable spec, which i don't have (I'm also quite leery of irreversible firmware upgrades).

Dukibean - obviously I bought my card on eBay - don't know any other source of Enterasys/Cabletron components. Regarding the Belkin card, I'm certain that that model number you quote is a PC Card not CardBus, check the last page of this thread for confirmation (Fladda has tested the card):

http://www.pdastreet.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2222&perpage=15&highlight=belkin&pagenumber=5

I would avoid the Cisco line. Whilst the performance is reputedly very good, they have double the power requirements of the Lucent chipset, and if you have a poke around in the Ethernet control panel, you'll notice that there is almost no configuration possible with them - no WEP at all!!

[dukibean]

Great advice, thanks Yan.