I purchased a Vista laptop a few months back and no longer needed my XP desktop on the first floor of the house. The problem was, I dreaded the prospect of having to get a super long ethernet extension cord and tediously staple-gunning it along the wall all the way down to where I wanted to put my computer in the basement. The other option was to get some sort of wireless card installed to my desktop, but I'm not that tech-savvy and generally try to avoid ulcer-causing IT-related nightmares.
So I procrastinated for a good long time, frozen by my aversion to either manual labor or the daunting task of setting up my own wireless network. The months passed --spring summer autumn winter / he sang his didn't he danced his did-- and one day I finally just went out and purchased this Netgear USB Adapter, and it was so much easier than I had ever expected to get it working. For one, it's a plug-in usb interface, so there wasn't the PCI card installation to deal with, and since this interface works so well, I wouldn't recommend that the novice user go out and get the PCI card version unless s/he has particular reason for it.
This is about all it took to receive wireless internet on my XP desktop:
1) Removed driver cd installation disc and usb adapter from box
2) Installed drivers from enclosed cd onto my desktop pc
3) Plugged in the usb adapter into a rear port on my desktop pc
4) Clicked "next," etc. as directed by the setup window after I plugged in the usb wireless adapter
And then I was online. I was a little worried that the wireless range wouldn't be very good since the router was on a different floor, but it turned out to be fine, for the most part. Once in a while the little green icon in the taskbar that indicates online connectivity blinks red, but it's only for a second and isn't enough to cause much interruption in my site browsing activities.
I'm not sure if the setup process was made easier because both my router and this adapter are made by Netgear, but for whatever the reason, it was simple for me to set up and use so I'm recommending it. That is all... I hope my review has been helpful to you in your hunt for the perfect network adapter! NETGEAR WG111US Wireless G Usb Adapter
I had this thing for 2 months and got constantly bad signal from it. It would go all the way down to 2mbps. I did not pay for a crappy b signal. I paid for a good g signal. What was wrong you ask. I had the netgear plugged directly into the back of my computer. When I used the provided usb extension cable voila I have had nothing but 54mbps since. Keep this adapter away from your computer otherwise your signal will be extremely terrible.
Due to the nature of my work, I have used several types of these 54Mbps wireless cards. The only 2 Wireless Homenetworking I recommend to others is either D-Link or Netgear.
I personally am using a 54Mbps wireless WG111 USB adaptor on my PC plus 2 others in the house.
In addition I use the Neatgear 54Mbps Wireless Card (WG511) for my older Dell laptop. I have used these adaptors for over a year and have not had to replace them, or have had any problem with their peformance.
I have installed hundreds of these for customers. It does come with software for the drivers, AND comes with a NETGEAR PROGRAM that overides windows. I never use the program personally. I just use the CD for the drivers, after insert the adaptor. It also comes with the software updates for vista.
I found that as long as you have a Wireless Netgear Modem, it never seems to have any problems with 128bit encryption or 64bit (which is what I mostly use)
The biggest reason for any Netgear adaptor 128 or 64 bit is 1st) If you use install and use the NETGEAR PROGRAM, then the best way to avoid internet drop off, is to enter you 64 or 128 bit encryption password on the first page of the progam IN THE MANUAL SLOT and not the 2 slots for above! Trust me I know.
2nd) If you plug the adaptor in, and then insert the CD just for the drivers (when prompted) WITHOUT using Netgears program, then you have to set internet options to set LAN and check "automatic" and leave proxy settings alone. Then right click on the little wireless pic in your tray, and select "status" then "properties". From there at the top box scroll down to TCP/IP and click properties and make sure "automatic is checked" The click close and click the middle tab. If there is more than 1 network in your area or in that box, remove them all, except yours. Then make sure to check the box "let windows configure my wireless settings for me" and on the last tab check the box "automatically connect to this network when in range" After that click okay, and close. It may start to try and connect right then, or you can right click on the little wireless computer in tray and select "view wireless networks" and you will see your there, click connect and it will prompt you for you password, twice and thats it. You don't have to type in the password any more. Everytime you turn on your computer, it will automatically detect settings and connect you to your wireless internet network.
It sounds like a lot, but it really is simple and will prevent internet drop off tremendously!
I setup networks for a living and years ago, I used to pull my hair out sometimes, until I finally found out what works the best, regardless of number of networks, users or 64 and 128 encyrption. If the router is setup correctly and you install Neatgear wireless usb or card, you will be very happy. I have moved and used the same USB and CARD for my laptop with 3 dirrent networks, and all I did was set it up with the new password and it is working as of now.
Hope this helps
So this thing worked great when it worked. Problem is data would stop transferring often. It was strange because my signal in both the windows notifier and the Netgear program would show the signal as being strong and when it came back I would sometimes even get a notification that I was connected to the internet even though it never displayed that I had been disconnected. I don't know if my specific unit was defective or if this is a widespread problem but from reading the other reviews it seems that not everyone has problems with it but I am not the only one who did. Either way I replaced it for a different brand (Belkin) and had no more dropouts.
Also I have some other nitpicks which aren't much but since many of these devices are pretty much the same (if they work properly) the nitpicks become why you would choose one brand over another and are further reasons why I like my replacement better.
1. The blinking indicator light is too bright. When I am in the dark the flashes are bright enough to illuminate my desk are and is distracting
2. It gets too hot. I don't know what kind of long or short term performance issues this may or may not cause but it made me nervous that it will.
3. It runs a separate program to display connectivity as opposed to just using the Windows program. So I have an extra program I don't need cluttering up my system.
4. Both the new and old ones come with extension cables but the new one's cable has a nice looking stand to plug the adapter into while the Netgear one just hung off my desk with a recommendation in the instructions of taping it to the monitor. (Note: the new one is also much wider so if you are plugging it in directly without the extension cable it won't look better then.) - Wireless Adapter - Wireless Network Adapter - Usb Adapter - Wireless Usb Adapter'
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