5102Wlmi...which Atheros Wireless Driver?

Hi guys
Once again, I'm confused.
I have an Atheros AR5005G wireless Lan Card in my Aspire 5102WLMi.
(XP Media Center Edition)

When I go to the Acer site, there are two drivers for the 5100:

One says:
Atheros 802.11a+b+g wireless Lan Driver v4.2.2.7 (This is the one I have installed now, dated 1-20-06 in device manager).

The other simply says:
Atheros Wireless Lan Driver v5.3.0.67

To make matters even more confusing, for the heck of it I tried automatically "updating the driver" in device manager, and it actually found a driver called "SMC v5.3.0.18", dated 2-6-07 (But under driver details it still says "Atheros Communications" is the provider).

However, after "updating" to that driver, instead of saying "Atheros AR5005G" under network adapters, it just says "802.11G Wireless cardbus adapter" now.

Does anyone know what's going on here and which driver I should really have???

By the way, this new "SMC v5.3.0.18" that windows found works ok, just like the original Atheros v4.2.2.7 did.

So basically, I have a choice of three drivers here (Two that work, and one I haven't even tried yet (The other one on the Acer web site).

Does any of this make sense???

Thanks for any help or observations.

(Edit) Also, does this "wireless G" driver I have now mean I wouldn't be able to connect to a wireless B network any more?

 

If you wireless is work okay i Just leave it got stable connection to you router and good singal why change it

Atheros Wireless Lan Driver v5.3.0.67

seem like it newest

 

Thanks for the reply andyasselin.

I still don't understand why there are two Atheros Wireless Drivers on the Acer site for the 5100.

My real concern, is even though it's working fine with my Wireless G Router, I'm wondering if I won't be able to connect if I'm somewhere where they are using an older wireless B Router.

And I'm TOTALLY confused about the Driver that Windows found automatically when I hit "update driver" in device manager. (The "SMC Atheros Communications" driver it found in Windows isn't either of them on the Acer web site, even though it works).

 

When I was last using XP MCE about 5months ago now the driver that I used was Lan Driver v4.2.2.7 but this was months ago and I unfortunately don't know if acer have upgraded from this driver. However it does seem that on acer's FTP the Lan Driver v5.3.0.67 has a newer date so maybe this is the latest driver acer provide.

I can give you my experience with drivers on vista as I am no longer running XP. The driver that windows update found (when I did a windows update) for my atheros card is way newer that any of acer's drivers. You see acer like most other OEMs are lazy when it comes to keeping drivers up-to-date so you often have to get them by other means. Therefore if windows update finds a newer driver than acer currently has posted use it, as windows update has scanned you computer and knows what you need.

As for the wireless G and wireless B issue this isn't something that is really controlled by drivers there is a I.E.E standard that is built into the card. This means that 802.11g is backwards compatible with 802.11b. Any 802.11g card can connect to a 802.11b network and as long as your atheros wireless card is working it will do this regardless of what driver you have installed.

Hope all of this was of some help to you ...

 

As always, thanks for the helpful reply Evolution!

I think I'll just stick with the Driver Windows found then...it seems to be working great and is a much newer version than my old one. (It may even be newer than the other driver on the Acer Site, and since this is working fine, I'm not even going to bother trying that one).

And you are correct about it being backwards compatible (it never occurred to me to set my Router to "B only" as a test.
It still connects and works fine (true, at the slower "wireless B" connection, but still connects and works fine).

Again, you've always been very helpful with your posts and I appreciate it!

And thanks again for your reply as well andyasselin!

 

The newest Atheros XP driver which I'm actually using is 6.0.3.85 available on http://www.station-drivers.com/page/atheros.htm

 

Thanks for the link Janek! (Where you found it I'll never know).

However, I notice if I click to download the upper most file for the AR5005G (or "Atheros AR5xxx Serie" as they call it), it's supposed to be for 2000/xp 32 bit, but the name of the .exe file is: 6.0.3.85- vista32.exe.

It seems to be for Vista, not XP.
Also, how did you install it...just clicking on the .exe? (And not updating it within Device manager?)

The page is a little confusing.
Since everything is working fine, I may just leave well enough alone.
But I appreciate it just the same.

 

Good job finding this webpage Janek Thanks to this I have just updated my vista wireless drivers. It also appears that the latest XP driver is Version 6.0.3.85 also as janek pointed out. All you have to do is look under the windows 2000/XP 32 column for the AR5005G and you will get the correct driver.

 

Yes Evolution, I scrolled down to the section that says:
"Atheros AR5001X, AR5002X, AR5002G, AR5004X, AR5004G, AR5004A ,
AR5005G, AR5005GS, AR5006X, AR5006XS, AR5006EXS, AR5006EX, AR5006EGS, AR5006EG, AR5006GS, AR5006GS, AR5006G, AR5006 AR5007/AR5008 Serie"

And under the "windows 2000/XP 32" column when actually downloading the file, the file name is "6.0.3.85- vista32.exe".

Thats why I'm a little confused (that is says Vista in the file name and not XP).

Maybe it works with XP anyway?

 

I see what you mean, well I am not running XP so I don't know if this driver works without issues or not so you could probably stick with what you currently have.

 

Thx,

It's only a name, don't worry, it's working fine.
Please notice also that "real" vista drivers are numbered 7.xxxxx

 

Ok...thanks again for the great link and the info Janek...it's appreciated!