# How to install and configure Atheros USB WiFi-card?



## Nureo (May 1, 2016)

Hello.

I have a USB WiFi-card. It is Atheros TL-WN722N (TP-LINK).

How I do for install the current free (like in freedom) drivers? and, how can I configure them?

I want to make WiFi connections.


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## Phishfry (May 2, 2016)

I don't think support for Atheros USB has made it to -Current yet. There is work on it.
http://adrianchadd.blogspot.com/2015/09/porting-wifi-driver-from-openbsd-ar9170.html


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## shepper (May 2, 2016)

If it uses chipset AR9271, it is supported in OpenBSD 5.9 and current: athn.


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## SirDice (May 2, 2016)

uath(4), not sure if it supports this particular card though.

Handbook: 30.3. Wireless Networking


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## Nureo (May 6, 2016)

Ok.

Thanks for everyone! 

Maybe the solution is to try another USB WiFi-card, or change to OpenBSD. The TL-WN722N model is not supported on that firmware you gave me for compile.

I think OpenBSD is more complex, and doesn't have a good medium for consults: FreeBSD does! This forum is really good.

OpenBSD is not open to the community! The OpenBSD developers need to change that.


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## wblock@ (May 7, 2016)

I think OpenBSD is open to their community, they just have a more specific community.  But it is not a replacement for FreeBSD.  I prefer to use internal cards.  Please identify the make and model of the computer, and we might be able to suggest options.


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## kpa (May 7, 2016)

I think the misconception about OpenBSD lies in how the developers of OpenBSD see the project vs how the outside public sees it. Theo De Raadt and the other developers see OpenBSD mostly as a research and development project for various technologies and they are quite clear about that they don't take outside requests for adding features or support for new hardware if it's just "prose" on the mailing lists. They want likeminded and like-skilled people who can offer patches right away and can work with the technology involved without the project doing too much handholding for newcomers.


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## shepper (May 7, 2016)

Nureo said:


> I think OpenBSD is more complex, and doesn't have a good medium for consults: FreeBSD does! This forum is really good.



There is a newbie friendly forum DaemonForums.  The OpenBSD section is the most active and already contains several threads regarding atheros wireless firmware installation and networking configuration.

In OpenBSD, xorg is a base package with Intel/Radeon support on par with FreeBSD.  The OpenBSD developers are not motivated to provide much in the way of Nvidia support due to the closed nature of their drivers.  If you have Nvidia, I would not recommend OpenBSD.

IMHO, wireless networking is easier to setup - the installer searches for available access, prompts for open/wep/wpa and other networking variables.  Successful connections are preserved.  The one bugaboo is firmware.  Atheros does not allow for packaging of the firmware with install media so I would install on ethernet.  On the next boot, have the usb dongle plugged in and OpenBSD should automatically download the firmware.  You can also manually download the firmware and install from a thumb drive.   This step is not needed with ralink cards where the firmware can be distributed with the installation media.


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## Nureo (May 8, 2016)

Ok. 

Right, but that "http://daemonforums.org/" doesn't have an official presentation. Is not formal, is informal. I can make a forum if I want, but if it isn't an official forum from developers, it is showing that developers are not making their self responsible. 

We, all those who speak spanish, can say that BSD projects are not the best for our community (big difference with GNU projects).

When I say that OpenBSD is not open to the community, I wasn't saying that it is not open at all (apologies if you misunderstand what I said). Is because of that I made a comparative with FreeBSD. I wasn't saying that is a bad distribution, or a bad project. I was making a constructive critic. Because when they finally decide to be MORE open (like FreeBSD), the project will grow up more.

Good example is that they didn't translate their pages into spanish (one of the most used languages in the entire world). I see that FreeBSD is more advanced in that issue.

OpenBSD is cool. It has a really good hardware detection. But it doesn't mean that it has intuitive ways to suggest to users how to resolve some things. Is obvious that is more complex, more manual.

The alternative WiFi-card I have, is Realtek.

Sorry because the extension. Thanks for your help.


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