Arch Linux

What about ipw2100 and ipw2200? For Intel 2100B and Intel 2200BG, respectively.

I think this is a good idea.

this should also include ndiswrapper and perhaps a utility to request a driver disk (ndiswrapper loads windows networking drivers).
madwifi should also be included.

I really hope to see these features in .7

there's a whole mess of other drivers... madwifi, ummm the atheros ones...

and the prism ones too.

I have a prism54 that needs firmware but I'm not sure they can include them on the CD w/o some people getting upset.

status?

*bump*

And bump again - maybe for 0.8, as this didn't get into 0.7.2. :(

Bump again...

ipw2200 & rt2500 in ALL install disks
ESPECIALLY net! ;-)

the following drivers and their respective deps:
ipw3945
wlan-ng26
rt2500
zd1211
madwifi
rt2x00-cvs
ndiswrapper
at76c503a-cvs
tiacx

and the following tools/fw for some drivers:
ipw2100-fw
ipw2200-fw
wpa_supplicant
wireless_tools

I realise some are cvs, but they're also working drivers. I use the rt2x00-cvs on a daily basis.

OK, did a review of the drivers.

Driver Summary:
Safe to include as all GPL:
wlan-ng26, bcm43xx, ndiswrapper, zd1211, rt2x00-cvs, rt2500, madwifi

In question, GPL, but encumbered firmware:
tiacx, at76c503a, ipw2100, ipw2200, ipw3945, rt2x00-cvs*,

rt2x00-cvs(*): safe to include but 2/6 drivers are non functional without firmware.
ipw3945: not sure about that one, but think it's OK.
ipw2x00: according to the faq, we could get away with a license agreement screen.
tiacx: no details, presumably unsafe.
at76c503a: license seemed unclear.

Extra software required:
Just wpa_supplicant, wireless_tools, and the drivers' respective dependencies.

Individual Details:
Where licenses arent quoted, they were found in the source.

ipw3945 - Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG
Package: ipw3945
Depends: ipw3945d, ipw3945-ucode\
License: GPL/http://bughost.org/ipw3945/LICENSE
"Redistributions must reproduce the above copyright notice and the
following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials
provided with the distribution."
Status: Unsure. Possibly OK.

wlan-ng26 -
Depends: wlan-ng26-utils
License: MPL/GPL (dual)
GPL, so safe.

ipw2100 - Intel PRO/Wireless 2100B
Package: kernel26
Depends: ipw2100-fw
License: Driver is free, firmware is encumbered.
http://ipw2100.sourceforge.net/firmware_faq.php
According to the above, we are free to distribute, so long as
a) License is included (already done)
b) We notify the user that they must agree to the license before using.

Possible solution: Install the firmware elsewhere on the CD, but have a script show license to user before installing it to the firmware dir.

ipw2200 - Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG/2915ABG
Package: kernel26
Depends: ipw2200-fw
License: Same as ipw2100.

rt2500: Ralink 2500
Package: rt2500
License: GPL
Status: GPL, safe.

rt2x00: Ralink 2x00 wireless chipsets.
Package: rt2x00-cvs
License: GPL/?
rt2x00-cvs contains: rt2500pci, rt2400pci, rt2500usb, rt61pci, rt73usb
rt61pci and rt73usb require firmware, this is not included in any arch packages and is available here:
http://www.ralinktech.com/ralink/Home/Support/Linux.html
No distribution information is given on this firmware.
Status: GPL, Safe, without firmware, but 2 drivers left non functional.

zd1211: ZyDAS ZD1211 802.11b/g USB WLAN
Package: zd1211
License: GPL
Status: GPL, safe.

ndiswrapper: Windows NDIS implementation
Package: ndiswrapper
Depends: ndiswrapper-utils
License: GPL
Status: GPL, safe, but user must provide own windows driver.

bcm43xx: Broadcom 43xx wireless chipsets..
Package: kernel26
Depends: bcm43xx-fwcutter
License: GPL
Status: GPL, safe, but user must cut their own firmware with the tool.

at76c503a: Atmel AT76C503A Media Access Controller
Package: at76c503a-cvs
Depends: at76c503a-fw-cvs
License: GPL/custom
Status: Driver safe (GPL), firmware unsure.

tiacx1xx: TI ACX Wireless chipset
Package: tiacx
Depends: tiacx-firmware
License: GPL/?
Status: Probably safe (GPL). Currently im -mm, but hasnt been merged due to concerns over how it was reverse-engineered. firmware license unsure.

madwifi: Atheros Wireless chipsets
Package: madwifi
Depends: madwifi-utils
License: GPL
Status: GPL, safe.

Programs required: wpa_supplicant and wireless_tools, both in [current]

partially implemented by addons directory on iso download

lowered serverity/priority

Um, what *did* you include tpowa?

I've heard reports that ndiswrapper and bcm43xx-fwcutter were not include. I *clearly* marked those two as safe above.

bcm cutter is imho included, but ndiswrapper is broken due to a hidden perl depend.
also think of this, if you include it on install media it needs to be supported to install too.
atm there is no module on the CD to install.

Including ndiswrapper on the CD does not necessarily imply that you must support it with the installer. I assume you mean that the installer would have to allow the user to launch and configure ndiswrapper. Users who want to use ndiswrapper can run it after the install. Just having it aboard and loaded to the hard drive would be a tremendious benefit.

Right. The drivers don't even need to be "supported" by the installer. Just having the packages available for installation on the disk would be very convenient, especially if your only access to the internet is wireless.

you can download i686 Isos here:
http://www.archlinux.org/~tpowa/rc-iso/686
you can download x86_64 Isos here:
http://www.archlinux.org/~tpowa/rc-iso/x86_64