WGA11B Wireless-B Game Adapter, 802.11b
1 Great Product No Problems
Having a D-Link wireless system i was a little dubious if it would work and at first attempt i thought it would not, the instructions on the package are a little misleading,a call to tech support quickly solved the problem ,all i had to do was push the blue button until the display said "in" not the channel # or anything else,and it immediately connected the ps-2 online, subsequently took it next door 200'and was amazed that it again connected, and still no lag.
i do have a R60 6db gain antenna on the 614+ router.never did install the software either.
2 Once it's set up, works beautifully.
I bought this adapter to enable my Xbox to connect to the wireess network in our house to use xbox live. If you have security enabled through your router, it takes a little work to set it up, but the customer service personnel from linksys were very helpful. I recommend using the setup CD, and entering in your security settings with the adapter set to P1. In order to use xbox live, your router's firewall has to be reconfigured to allow access, but that takes about 2 seconds, and again, the linksys people were more than happy to help with that. Since then, I've had no problems playing any games online. Works like a charm.
3 Junk, Junk, JUNK!!!!
I bought this with high expectations. I have a Linksys wireless network set up in my home. I can take my laptop pc across the street to my neighbors house and surf the net. I hooked this adapter up IN MY HOME, 20 FEET AWAY FROM MY LINKSYS ROUTER. Know what? IT KEEPS DROPPING THE DANG SIGNAL!! Tried playing SOCOM II over and over again, and I kept lagging out. I bought 2 hawking high gain antennas for my router, my laptop has a 100% signal, but this stupid game adapter just will not connect strong enough. All it does is lag out. I am returning this, and either buying a Linksys WET11 Wireless Ethernet Bridge, or just running cat5e cable to my living room. I am 100% dissatisfied with this Linksys product, and I would not recommend it to anybody. Not even my worst enemy.
4 Sweet, I got it to finally work!
I was really excited to have this game. I thought it would be simple plug and play material. Well it definetely wasn't. The easiest way to ensure that it works is to plug it directly using the ethernet cable into your network. Then run the cd given in the box, and input all of your information on P1. Make sure you have the correct ip address, gateway address, ssid, and wep encyption typed in. Then plug it into your ps2 and it works sweet.
5 Works like a charm but...
Overall the Linksys Wireless B Game Adapter works like a charm but the initial setup was a pain because despite the instructions (which are lacking to begin with) stating that SSID broadcasting could be turned off, the Adapter will not connect to your wireless network unless SSID broadcasting is turned on. Occassionally we change are WEP key and it's a real pain to get the Adapter to recongize the new settings.
Otherwise this product has been great, allowing us to move our PS2's and Xbox's around the home and still enjoy lag-free gaming. The times we've experienced lags are due to the game servers themselves and not the adapter. We've even hosted dedicated server games such as Star Wars Battlefront with no lag.
Don't waste extra money on "Wireless G" adapters unless you have T1 lines in your home (very few people have this.) Cable connections usually run at 3-6mb so the "Wireless B" with an 11mb max speed is more than enough (remember you are only as fast as your slowest connection.)
I should also point out that this item is basically a wireless bridge. If your PS2 and XBox are connected to the same TV or in close proximity of one another then it is not necessary to have two Game Adapters, instead you can connect the adapter to a switch and then connect your PS2 and Xbox to the switch's ports allowing you to go online with both consoles (even at the same time.)
6 WGA 11B big waste of time
This adapter comes with close to no instructions. After mine arrived I spent 3 hours on the phone with Linksys trying to do the set up which never did succeed. I also called XBOX Live since I intended to use this item with my XBOX. XBOX Live says the WGA 11B is not compatible with the XBOX which is contrary to the Linksys advertising. Linksys cannot support it and it won't work with your XBOX so I don't see much hope for this product.
7 Perfecto for The Box
I bought this Item for my XBOX and I'm in Gamer heaven. I have a friend with the XBOX G-Adapter, and if you ask me the linksys B-Adapter's performance is just as good if not better then the XBOX adapter.
The only lag I have experianced is when XBOX's servers get a little chippy, which affects anybody on XBOX live.
People, this thing saves you $50, do not waste your money on the XBOX game adapter ($99 US!!!).
It's setup is simple.
1:Hook the ethernet cord to the ethernet output in the back of the XBOX (No Brainer)
2: Plug the power cord in (Another no brainer)
3: Press the big blue button until the screen on the Adapter reads "IN".
4. Turn the metal on and your ready for Xbox live!
Note: Make sure your router is on, and don't forget, to actually play XBOX LIVE, you need a subscription and such.
Happy Gaming!!!
8 Works great for xbox live, but not with WEP
I bought this to use primarily for wireless access to xbox live across my BellSouth DSL connection. Setup was easy. While the CD-only setup option is a bit of an up-front pain, it really isn't that big of a deal since you will not be running setup that often. Just keep up with the CD for future use ;-)
I did experience too much game lag initially. After a bit of experimenting, I narrowed it down to the fact I was running WEP (wireless encryption). Experienced the lag with both 128-bit and 64-bit WEP enabled while playing Halo2. Disabled WEP on the wireless router (Linksys WRT54G) and the WGA11b. Bingo, lag completely disappears. The adaptor just doesn't seem to have enough cycles to decrypt and process the amount of information streamed with games such as Halo2.
To add back security to my wireless network, I activated MAC Address filtering on the router instead of WEP. Just remember to add the MAC addresses of all your existing wireless devices (i.e. PCs) plus the MAC of the xbox as well as the adaptor.
Would rate this a 5, but rating a 4 because it doesn't provide a way to use anything other than the default wireless channel 6 on the router. Would (and do) recommend this adaptor.
9 Great product
I use this product with a Linksys wireless G access point to connect my xbox to my wired network. Setup was simple and it works flawlessly.
10 Are you a rocket scientist?
I have a BS in Computer Science and 10 years experience. Now, my experience is mostly on the software side and not the hardware or network configuration side, but still, I'm no innocent with electronics.
I never got this thing working. I have heard of people getting it working. I have even heard of people getting it working with some security on their wireless network, so I know it's theoretically possible. However, I have seen a lot of messages on message boards with some pretty smart people trying to get this thing to work and having a devil of a time.
11 Wireless-B Game Lagger
wow.when i first put it in.It ran beautiful.not logs.so clear.Then it just broke up and lagged to heck.It happens all the time.You play a few games.that are beautiful.then it lags for the rest of the time.Maybe its my internet but im sure i have good internet.It lagged before i had this,but this lags more often and worse.Plus what about the setting up.It took some time.Overall its good and about 60 percent of the time its lag free.the rest its as if the product name is the Wireless-B Game lagger. If you had super lags and fixed it.Please tell me by emailing me at Packer_fan_1254@yahoo.com
12 Not ready for prime time!
Well, after hours (literally, hours) on the phone with Linksys tech support, I was never able to make the product work. The Linksys support people finally ended-up blaming my router (a D-Link product) for not communicating with the game adapter. The router was working fine, from everything I could see.
Support was OK, once I got through the army of people who didn't understand that I was using a Mac (after explaining it over and over again...really not a factor in the performance of the product). Support was off-shore, and they took a LONG time to answer the phone.
I know this technology is relatively new, but if I can't get this thing to work (I'm not a computer newbie by any means) then good luck to anyone who takes the plunge with the WGA11B.
I would really suggest another manufacturer (FYI: D-Link customer support, once they answer the phone, is top-notch).
13 Not really that bad
I got this item, and prayed that it would work alright with my "no two components are the same manufacturer" wireless set up. I have a wirelss G set up, got this home, plugged it into my Xbox and it set itself up automatically, no problems. The only thing is that in the bedroom the signal's not that good. And I haven't tried it on my PS2 yet. I also don't have WEP set up. <--- Big, important, piece of info if you expect it to set up automatically.
14 It works but its chatty....
It works like a charm, I use it for my xbox. And for the review that said that you couldnt use mac address filtering, add your console and you bridge to the list and it should work
My big gripe is that I have to reset the little fella quite often. If I go turn on my xbox right now, it wont connect, I will have to unplug my adapter and plug it back in and try again. Once I do that it works fine, but crawling behind my TV everytime getts annoying.
I also noticed that when it is plugged in it lags my wireless network to a crawl, the enitre thing, but once its unplugged, the network speeds right back up.
15 Save money - don't buy the Microsoft adapter!
This linksys unit works just as well as the Microsoft wireless adapter at half the price. The feature for head-to-head gaming is interesting, but I don't know if many people are actually using this feature. Basically, you can directly connect to another system that is in the same house as you if both of you have the Linksys adapter. Pretty neat for LAN parties, etc...
The wireless internet function worked flawlessly the first time I tried it. You do have to enable SSID Broadcast, so if you don't want your network broadcast all over your neighborhood, you'll have to turn SSID broadcast on and off to use the adapter. Other than that, I noticed no significant lag problems. Great deal and excellent product!
16 functional, but lack of web config is annoying
Having to use linksys' config software to deal with the thing is annoying, especially if you planned to use this in multiple locations.
If it's going to be used in one location, where you'll configure it once and forget about it, great. But don't lose that CD that came with it!
17 Mostly works unless you have any security on your network
This adapter pretty much works as described unless you happen to have WEP security or MAC filtering on your network.
I've spent hours trying to get either of those features to work with absolutely no luck. Of course, since the setup utility is cryptic and doesn't give useful error messages, you'll never know what's wrong other than "it won't connect".
Tonight I tried again to configure WEP. Not only did I fail once again, but when I backed out the configuration I couldn't even get the adapter to get a DHCP lease on the now-open network.
Also, I'm lucky I managed to find the original CD the thing shipped with -- Linksys provides a setup utility for download online, but I couldn't get it to work. Websearching found a bunch of other people all with the same problem, many of whom called tech support only to be told that they had to find the original CD or they were lost. Huh? Why even bother providing a setup utility online, then?
This thing's going in the trash, and I'm replacing it with a Microsoft wireless adapter for my Xbox. I'm not happy about having to buy another adapter, but I figure that at least I ought to be able to expect the Xbox-branded adapter to work with my Xbox.
So, to sum up: If you use WEP or MAC filtering or think you ever might want to, don't buy this product.
18 Good performance bit hard to setup
A few setup tips.
1.When configuring the WGA with your pc make sure the switch on the side of the WGA is set to =.
2.When you connect the WGA to your Xbox make sure you set the switch on the side of the WGA to X.
3. 64bit WEP does not work. 128bit WEP does work. WEP disabled works.
4. If your router has "Filter Internet NAT Redirection" be sure it is ENABLED (Linksys router)
19 POS
This thing is horrific. It does not work at all. I have an xbox, and no matter what, it would not recieve an ip, nor would it connect to the internet. I have called Linksys's(Indian tech support) and Microsoft's tech support, only for them to tell me that that they have no clue as to why it wasn't working. The manual is incredibly vague, and has no information on how to troubleshoot. Microsoft assures that their wireless adapter, the MN-740 will work undoubtabely well. I believe this, b/c the MN-740 is configured right on the Xbox Dashboard. However, this garbage needs to be configured, if you want to have a secure network, via a PC, and it was a total hassle. It also required you to have the SSID broadcast enabled. I expected better than this from Linksys. Mind you, I have a Linksys BEFW11S4, which is compatible w/ Xbox LIVE. Unfortunately, very few places carry the MN-740, nor do most of them have it in stock. :( BEWARE OF THIS PURCHASE!
**Just looking at some of the MN-740's reviews, and I am glad to see that I am not the only one who has had problems with this adapter, returned it, and bought the MN-740.**
20 This is tons of good info. but do u need to...
Do you need to buy the ps2 network adapter or can u just plug this into your ps2 or xbox and start playing?
21 Works great with Xbox at first.....but beware signal loss!!!
Here goes,..... I bought this gaming adapter for use with my Xbox for Xbox Live. All I did was plug it in to my Xbox and it that was it. Extremely simple....,note, I already had the WRT54G router. At first this range on this adapter was amazingly far.... somewhere around 50 feet and connected fast, like dsl or cable to your computer. After about 2 months of use and the recommended firmware upgrade<----suspicious..., I noticed that it wouldnt connect anymore, mind you no changes in my home network setup,...just one day wouldnt connect. So I tried moving the adapter closer(within 30 feet) to my router and it connected. To make a long story as short as possible..... this product works great at first with extremely simple plug and play setup, but KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR SEVERE SIGNAL LOSS AFTER 2 MONTHS....or firmware upgrade, I recommended this adapter to my brother and now he is experiencing the same problem, after about 2 months of play....go figure.... I fixed the problem by building a simple parabolic antenna out of aluminum foil and poster paper from the website www.freeantennas.com Anyone else having this problem? I gave it 3 stars only because I like Linksys, but it would have been a 2 star.
22 Misleading and frustrating, but overall good performance.
I am new to the whole wireless idea. We just replaced a normal DSL modem and Linksys hub with a 2Wire home portal a few months ago, and I haven't been able to play online until I bought this puppy.
Now, I don't consider myself a computer guru or a technical wizard, but I've been able to troubleshoot most of my issues on my own. I know my way around the Windows operating systems.
First things first. This item is advertised as Plug and Play. UNLESS YOUR HOME NETWORK RUNS OFF OF LINKSYS HARDWARE, IT ISN'T.
Another thing the pacakging neglects to tell you is that the best way to configure the WGA is by hard-line connecting it to a PC via the LAN card and using the Setup CD this way before plugging it into your gaming console.
Lastly, in every review I've found, no one has mentioned what your network configurations on your PS2 should be in order for this device to work.
After about 3 hours of struggling with online help screens and chat forums, I finally discovered all of the right settings by trial and error.
I had to configure the gaming adapter for my SSID, key, and such, and set the device to P1 with the little II/X switch set to X.
Also, I used to have to hard-code all of the IP and DNS settings on my PS2. With this setup (may be my new network, however), I let the PS2 automatically detect IP and DNS info.
Since, then, the device has worked seamlessly with my wireless network. I am currently enjoying a whole plethora of racing excitement with Burnout 3.
Setup: 2.5/5 stars
Game Play: 5/5 stars
Overall: 4/5 stars
23 Good device for PS2, but you need more hardware
I have a Linksys router and bought this device hoping to play Madden online. The device is simple to set-up and easy to use. Some of the previous reviews give all kinds of technical advice for set up. As long as you don't have a firewall, it should be fairly simple. Make sure that the device "talks" to the router on the right channel, and you're good to go. The downside is you have to buy the adapter (about 29.99) for an ethernet connection. They should make this explicit.
24 WGA11B Detection Problem
My XBox will not detect the WGA11B at all. I even called LinkSys technical support and they had me doing stuff to the WGA11B through my computer for almost an hour to come to no success. Not a fan at all. Looks like I will be switching to the Microsoft version!
25 Works but.........
Ok, I bought this item a few days ago and hooked it up with my new Playstation 2. Right out the box, it wouldn't connect to my wireless network which consists of a WAP and a VPN/FIREWALL Router. Here is what I had to do to get it to work:
1. Set the WGA11B Game Adapter to IN (Infrastructure Mode).
2. When using your network setup disk for your PS2, manually give the PS2 an IP Address that is not in use on your network. I altered the scope on my router's DHCP so that I will have 10 IP address that will not be in the DHCP scope. I used one of those IP addresses.
3. I also gave the PS2 the main DNS Servers IP addresses for my ISP.
After doing those three steps, I ran the test and was able to go online.
Now a couple of tips that will help you while trying to play online:
1. Configure your router to use the IP address you gave the PS2 in the DMZ. This will allow all traffic to and from your PS2 to bypass the firewall. Basically, you should have no problem hosting or joining games once you do this step.
2. When configuring the WGA11B, disable WEP, MAC ADDRESS FILTERING, and enable SSID broadcasting to make things easy while you are setting it up for the first time.
3. You can get the MAC ADDRESS for the WGA11B by looking on the back of the device. It's on a sticker.
Most of the people that had problems with this device more than likely had working devices, they just didn't have the network expertise to get it running. Calling Tech Support won't help you because you basically need to do most of your work in the router and PS2/X-Box Network settings. That was my experience in my network and as you can see, it wasn't as easy as LINKSYS makes it sounds. Good luck!
26 works well after nasty install
The Good News:
It does work as advertised
The Bad News:
Power adapter covered 2 other outlets on my UPS :-(
If you relish a challenging install - this one is for you! ;-)
What worked for me (HTH):
WinXP notebook w/wired and wireless LAN (both enabled)
Plugged WGA into wired lan port on laptop with supplied cable (also plugged WGA into outlet)
Did not change any switches or settings on WGA
I.E., left little switch on WGA to "x" position (NOT to = as it says to do in manual)
After WinXP announced Network connection found and little Net LED on WGA lit up
Ran setup program.
It took several trys to find the WGA but it did and I followed the setup screens.
clicked 'No' to exit setup at end and got fascinating error msg.
main screen said 'setup sucessful'
pushed big blue button until display said "P1"
unplugged from laptop and plugged into Replay LAN port
Voila!
27 Bridging seems to work for me just fine
I have set one of these up to bridge my home network and my mates over the road (Using 128 Bit WEP Encryption)
The WGA11B is in my mate's house, connected to a hub.
I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 and a Netgear DI-614+ configured with the same SSID on different channels, so I have no idea which of these it is actually connecting to (However the Netgear is closer, so it is probably that)
Setting up was, for me (an IT Engineer!) easy - However, make sure you connect it to a wired network to setup, or you may run into problems - also make sure the wireless part does NOT connect to the network while the wired side is connected to the same network, or you will break your network (You create a loop causing a lot of traffic on the network until one of the two are disconnected) (Just select a channel number, rather then a preset, or In)
Keep the CD it comes with safe, as it does not seem you can download the configuration utility from the Linksys site (well, not from the drivers or firmware section anyway!)
If you take it apart (Voiding your warranty), the antenna is removable, and on a cable, so you can disconnect it, unscrew it, reconnect it, then re assemble the unit - This then gives you an antenna on an 80mm ish cable - This could be used for a Pringles type antenna "cantenna" arrangement (I am yet to play with this as my mate is only across a normal residential road!)
All in all, seems to be a good product!
28 Crappier than an outhouse
If 0 configuration is good for you, than you might like this. If you want to use WEP, tie this to a brick and throw it through the Windows of Linksys' offices.
I basically had one of Linksys' drones tell me that disabling SSID, WEP, and MAC filtering were overkill and that all I needed to do was enable SSID broadcasts and disable WEP and everything would work.
The software is crappy and can't even reliably connect to the device. Look elsewhere for a wireless game adapter.
29 this game adapter is bad
This game adpater is easy to set up but don't believe the lag free part in the desription. I had this up shortly and playing an extremely laggy game on my Xbox. It is faulty and drops the connection commonly. It's not good for playing on the internet but good with other box's in the house. Now, it doesnt even work on the internet i dont reccomend it.
30 Works right out of the box with my PS2
Amazing! I was fully expecting to have to work at getting this connected to my WI-FI network at home but I was wrong. The set up and install consisted of opening the package and plugging it in. When I saw that the printed instructions consisted of three steps I was a little worried because nothing dealing with networks is ever easy, right? Well this little gem is easy! It comes with a network cable, power adapter & set up CD. You don't need the CD if you are using it with a PlayStation 2. It's a small unit, a little bigger than a pack of smokes, so it doesn't take up much space. I highly recommend this unit.
31 Forget it if you use WEP
Do yourself a favor and get a WET11 instead if you use WEP to secure your network. I thought I'd save a few bucks and get this instead, but after two units and less than stellar documentation and tech support from Linksys I still could not run the configuration utility to set this up for my network. I have a WET11 that I used for another device that is easily configured with it's web interface. The WGA11B has a Windows only program that refused to recognize the adapter when run on my laptop. I could use it out of the box if I turned WEP off and enabled broadcast of my SSID, but who wants to run that risk. Maybe it's something with the configuration on my laptop, but Linksys tech support was of no help beyond suggesting I return the first unit (which I did) and when the second didn't work any better I just decided to save myself the hassle and return it.
32 Lagging Lagging Lagging!
Dudes,
I purchased two of these hoping to connect two Playstation 2's for some head to head SOCOM 2 LAN Battles without running cables. Well, once I got the two PS/2's to communicate (with linksys support's help) there was so much lag you would not beleive it! I moved the two PS/2's into the same room hoping to alleviate the lag, but it still lagged like crazy. I ended up returning the two devices and just connecting via cat5 cables and a switch. There was no lag once I attached cables and the switch. This adapter is GARBAGE! Save your money and just Hard wire the connections!
33 Great for PS2
This adapter is great for PS2. I've been using it for a day now and it works flawlessly since I got it working. If you use this adapter, you won't lag at all in any of your games. Just make sure, when you set it up, that you don't have WEP enabled on your router/router settings, it took me and my friends two days to figure that out.
34 Plug N Play Defined
Though I'm a software developer, I don't know much about networking, MAC addresses, DNSs, etc. Rather, I'm too lazy to learn what my peers already know. I had my fingers crossed when I bought this one, based on the reviews I read here. Well, it took some time, but I got the thing to work. And by "some time", I mean roughly 30 seconds. Here's what I had to do:
1. Open it.
2. Plug it into the wall and the Xbox
3. Turn on the Xbox
4. Click the blue button till the display read "In".
5. Play games.
It really is that easy. I don't even know if it has directions or not, as I never read any. I just glanced at the back of the packaging for the "In" instruction. This is worth every penny. I chose this over the MS brand one simply for the fact that this unit may have some re-use down the road if my Xbox becomes "unnecessary". This is a great product, don't pass it up.
35 Works as advertised for XBox
I decided to go wireless because I was tired of running a cable to my upstairs gameroom every time I wanted to play. I have a pretty straightforward wireless network and I'm pretty new to the wireless world. I don't use WEP (I'm not sure if SSID is enable or disabled) and I have a SMC router (SMC7004VWBR). I connected it to my Xbox as described in the "Quick installation" instructions that were printed on the inside of the WGA11b package and my xbox detected my network (my xbox network configuration was set to "automatic") and I was playing within a few minutes. I played for a couple of hours and I didn't notice any lag or disconnects. I read the other reviews and I noticed a few people that had some problems with this adapter and I'm not sure why, it may be that they had additional security settings that I don't have. I can't comment about the advanced installation (it comes with a CD that will only work with a PC) because I didn't use it (I have a mac). If your thinking about buying an adapter I would try this first, if it doesn't work you can always return and buy the MN700. The only negative comment I have is that I wish it came with a hardcopy of the manual (it is on the CD and the linksys web site).
36 Easy to use, if you don't need WEP.
This is an extremely easy-to-set-up product. Take it out of the box, switch the channel to "In" and your up and running. I use it to play Xbox live and it works like a dream! RS3, Crimson Skies, Mech Assault, PGR 2 all work perfectly. For all you people who blame this product for lag, you need to study your technology magazines a bit more. Lag is caused by your internet connection speed, not your wireless network devices. I have a Belkin wireless B router up stairs in my master bedroom and the WGA11B downstairs and the signal strength is excellent. I don't really live in a metro area, so WEP is not necessary here, but from what I've read, the setup for the WGA may be a bit more difficult when trying to configure the WEP. All in all I am very pleased with this product. If you're not going to use WEP, then definitely give this little gizmo a try.
37 Best available, but not as good as it could be
Easy setup for common, simple situations. The lack of a web interface for setup is a problem for those without a Windows computer handy. The button allows easy selection of common configs, but the Windows utility is needed for WEP or networks that don't broadcast SSID. I haven't needed it yet. Would a simple setup pamphlet be too much to ask? Sometimes it isn't convenient to read the CDROM manual, especially when it isn't obvious there is one on the disc. My unit had the crossover-straight-through switch labelled backwards. Eventually, someone will put a WAN=wireless selection on their wireless router/firewall and make this product obsolete.
38 BEST WIRELESS ADAPTER EVER MADE!!!!!!!!!!!
It literally took me less than two minutes to get this thing set up and I was playing on line absolutely lag free. The connection was just as fast as being hard wired. I set it up on a dlink wireless network, all I had to do was push the big blue button until it displayed "in" and I was good to go. You seriously have to be a moron not to be able to set this thing up. Anybody who says it lags doesnt know that the lag is due to their internet connection, not the device. If you were thinking about buying this wireless adapter, do it! It's awesome!
39 If it werent for the akward configuration...
I use this adapter alot, especially for my Xbox and and LAN parties. The adapter has the full set of Wi-Fi channels that you can toggle between so you can connect this adapter and another one via Adhoc mode for head to head gaming, an autosense mode that connects to any unprotected 802.11b wirless router, and then 3 profile modes that you can configure special network settings for, such as Wirless Encryption. It's the configuration of the 3 profiles that can get real annoying when you take it to somebody else's house and have to use the supplied CD in their home computer, hardwire the adapter to their router, and configure it using the software to recognize their wirless network, then disconnect it and then connect it to your gaming console. If you forgot to bring the disc, you will have a fun time digging on linksys's website for the software. The antennae on this adapter is not spectacular, expect to get a little more than half the range you would with a wirless notebook. Problems aside, this is still the most affordable option for wireless gaming, not to mention the adapter's other uses as a wireless ethernet bridge for computers and other devices (since "wirless bridges" usually cost 99 bucks) it's still a great deal
40 Didn't work well for me
I can't say I would recommend this product. I have generally been a Linksys fan in the past, as my wireless router and all of the adapters in my computers are Linksys. So I figured I'd get another Linksys hardware item so I could play Xbox Live wirelessly. Well, it didn't quite go as planned. First, setup was a hassle as I have a WEP security code on my network, and the instructions don't tell you how to set it up in that situation. Well I looked on the internet and saw that I had to hook it up to my computer and run the setup CD to enter the WEP code. I wish I could have done that through my Xbox interface, but whatever. So after entering the code, I hooked up the adapter to my Xbox, set the adapter to "P1" (profile 1, which has the WEP code), and eventually got it to sign on to Xbox Live, though not until after I had spent around two hours talking to three reps from Linksys tech support, one of whom tried to convince me that my adapter was defective. Anyways, I finally got it to connect to Xbox Live. End of the story? Hardly.
Trying to use this device to play Live was another difficulty. The device created horrible lag, so much so that I gave up trying to use it after about 15 minutes. I was feeling pretty down about the prospect of having to run ethernet cable throughout my house. As a last-ditch effort, I exchanged this device for the wireless adapter that Microsoft makes specifically for the Xbox (MN-740). Imagine my surprise when everything worked perfectly with the new adapter! Very low lag, great connection speed, and hardly any packet loss.
Anyways, I'm certainly no fan of Microsoft in general (though I do love my Xbox), but I would not say that getting this device is worth saving the $20 or so over getting the actual Microsoft one. I hate that it has to be that way, and if you feel like taking the risk, give the Linksys one a shot. But I was not satisfied at all with it. The only reason I gave it two stars is because of the patience and helpfulness of the last customer service rep I talked to, who was at least able to help me connect to Xbox Live. Still, I would definitely stay away if possible.
41 great product
unit was easy to setup. only problem i had was I put the mac address of the adapter into my wireless adapter`s mac filtering allow list. if your using mac filtering like me make sure you enter the mac address of your playstation network adapter. not the wireless game adapter. connection was pretty good. had a few issues with putting it in a good location so it wouldnt disconnect. pretty much plug and play like the package says.
42 No obsenity can express my anger.
Got this for myself so I could play Resident Evil Outbreak on the Network setting. First one I got I was patient with, I read the directions, which were crap and lacking, then I went ahead and tried to set it up. I have WEP, which immediately makes the setup exponentially more difficult, but I was ok with that. I hooked it up into the ethernet outlet in the back of my computer, and continued with the setup. I went ahead and followed the "easy to use" guide, filled in my WEP password and all this other stuff. It still did not work. The first time I called the tech support, the man I got was really helpful, and actually stayed on the phone with me for a long time trying to figure it out. When almost every outlet had been exhausted, he begrudgingly told me that it might be the product that was defective. I doubted this could be the case, and so I continued on with the setup, double checking that my internet and my wireless network was all up and running. I called again, the woman I got had a hard to understand accent, and her only advice for me in our 5 minute conversation was "try to reset it". Angrily, I tried to reset it, as this had become days of me trying to set this god forsaken device up. Resetting it did NOTHING.
I returned it, got another, and tried again. Went through the process again. Called tech support for someone who knew nothing about this adapter. Sat there for an hour trying to explain to him that yes, I had tried toggling that little switch on the side, and it didn't seem to be magically working. His final result? Oh it might be the cable that came with the product that connects it to the PS2. I had to explain to him several times that I did not have another cable, and when he finally understood what I meant, he gave me the advice of "the product isn't defective, but the cable might be." While I am seeing red, as I have screwed around with this product for over a week now to no avail, I am thinking about trying one last time to set it up before going for an alternative. For me it's not something for convenience, because I have a wireless network in my house; I have no other options if I want to play my console games online. I think my issue might be that I have a Netgear wireless network. I'm not sure of the compatability between the companies...whereas I would doubt that there would be this compatability, I found a sentence along the lines of "This feature only compatable with Linksys products" in the setup about setting up the WEP configuration for the product.
43 Works great with no hassle
I bought this to use my Playstation2 on my wireless network. It worked great out of the box, just plugged everything in, and it worked as good as when my PS2 was wired (40 feet of cord!)
My only critisism it the short length of the ethernet cord that comes with the unit. I would highly recommend.
44 Compatibility issues
I just recently purchased the WGA11b and wasn't too excited to see that the set up was not as EASY as they claimed. After speaking with someone working at Dunkin' Dounuts, I come to find out that there are some compatibility issues with my existing wireless network, which tech support failed to mention. They didn't have a clue and the guy walking me through it was lost. Although, it works fine if you have a Linksys Wireless network there are issues getting this to operate properly on a more sophisticated wireless system.
45 lagging at it's best
if you already have your ps2 wired online.....and think going wireless would be cool....don't do it. i thought the very same thing and bought the linksys "b" game adapter. it connects online right out of the box....even with enrcyption on. i mostly play socom 2 online....i was voted off for extreme lag. i don't know if there are anyother wireless game adapters but going wireless with this product isn't what the company advertizes it to be. the company says lag free gaming experience...no....it's lag all the way experience...i haven't tried the "g" adapter but don't think i will do so anytime soon.....i'm staying wired.
46 Product was defective
I got this wireless adapter and simply could not get it to work. After waiting one hour on tech support and then talking to tech support for another hour, they said the item was defective. The instructions that come on the CD are incomplete and you must look up the instructions online on their website.
I am shipping it back for a refund now
47 Does not function as described
I purchased this product with hopes of being able to play online games wirelessly with my ps2. This product sells itself as "easy to setup", but that couldn't be more further from the truth.
First of all, I have two wireless devices on my network. Both work flawlessly, and did so out of the box. DHCP did everything for me with those items. However, although this product boasts that little or no configuration is required, it's basically a lie. You have to run the setup utility to get it to work on any resonable network.
After running the setup and specifying my SSID, I first tried DHCP. Didn't work. So then I tried specifying an IP. Same problem. So, and here's where it got fun, I called tech support. Linksys has BY FAR the worst technical support of any company selling wireless products. I was on hold for over two hours before I got through. When I did, I could hardly understand the gentlemen on the other end of the phone. We tried several things, but none worked. I figured I'd sleep on it, and try to get someone else to help me the next day.
I called after work, and again waited, this time for an hour and a half. All the while I continued trying different things to get this thing up and running. When I got though, the lady on the other end of the phone told me to hold while she got someone more experienced. I waited yet another hour before I heard some weird clicks and the line on the other end went silent, then dropped.
I would not recommend this product to anyone. The technical support is horrid, and the product does not fuction as described. If you want something that works, try d-link or netgear.
48 questions
i have ps2. do u need the ps2 network adapter to go along with this? also do u need one or two of the to play ps2 online. One last question can you play socmom 2 with this. Thanks
49 Mac users beware!
Although this product implies that it is platform independent, if your network is encrypted to keep the bad guys out, you will need a Windows computer to set it up. Check out the linksys.com website for specific information... I wish someone had told me before I bought this one.
50 Great addition to your network and your PS2!!!
You would think that using the same exact setup, the same application, and all the same name brand equiptment(linksys)in your home network it would be easy to replace one piece,the WGA11B with the WGA54G and it would work fine. It wasn't quite that easy.
After seeing how easy it was to set up the WGA11B both on the CPU and the PS2 I deceided to make the jump to an all "G" network because I heard that the mixed setting can really slow down your network. I literaly had the WGA11B hooked up in five minutes without wep. Just set it to In mode pjug it in and your off. Then I decided it's better to be safe then sorry so I used the P1 setting to add wep. That was another hard 2 minutes. Up and playing PS2 online in under 15 minutes including boot up time and setting up my EA account.
The WGA11B works flawlessly. I play at my brothers house who has a wired connection and there is absolutly no difference!
The WGA54G on the other hand seems impossible to set up. I still don't know if anyone is able to do it. I have a base knowledge of computers and tried for about 1 1/2 hrs. I then called Tech support. Very nice guy that tried anything possible other that saying just whack it once real good on the side. After about an hr he said it must be defective so I drove the hr one way to return it for another. Got it home fired it up seemed to loading much faster than the other one. Wasn't locking up all the time like the other one. I spoke to soon. It must start messing up when it gets warm and it does get warm.
Called tech support again this time got a woman who was also very nice was transferred once, everyone very polite. But other than when it would freeze up the wireless light would not come on. 0-2 and not attempting #3. I will stick with the much more reliable WGA11B and hope that they come out with updates that allow "B" products to work with out slowing down the network. It doesn't slow the internet only the speed between you wireless CPU's. I still have a Linksys router WRT54G and the game adapter that work perfect. I learned my lesson and it cost me about two days.... If it's not broken, don't fix it!
51 Linksys WGA11B Wireless-B Game Adapter
This device works just fine with the PlayStation 2. I had no problem going online or playing head to head with two playstations and two Linksys wireless adapters. It works with my Linksys router and it works with with a 3com router; I don't see why it wouldn't work with any other brand. You plug it in and go. The hardest thing you have to do is select the proper channel by pushing a button. It comes with a CD for your computer that explains the setup and checks your settings so you don't have to be a geek to hook it up.
52 Do not, I repeat do NOT buy this.
It's bad. Really bad. I give it two stars only because I've heard stories of it working, but could not get it to function in any way myself. Otherwise I'd give it none. I am not the most experienced in networking, but neither an I a novice. The configuration of this thing is pretty straightforward, and I'm nearly positive I had it set up right, but still no little wireless light on. I am using a D-link DI-614, with only WEP enabled (no mac filtering, public SSID, etc), and this thing didn't want to hook up. Even tried disabling WEP, setting SSID to "default", and still no go in this thing's default mode. Also, I gave up trying to get it working with the Xbox, and was just attempting to get it working with my PC's wired ethernet card at this point.
Called tech support, they said it sounded defective. Returned it, got another, same results, same answer from tech support. Either their quality control standards are poor, their tech support is poor, or their product is poor.
I think it's all three.
Get the Xbox wireless adapter, if you're using Xbox. Granted, it only works with the Xbox, which is somewhat lame. Keyword, however, is WORKS.
53 For Xbox go with the MS Wireless Adapter
I've configured my fair share of wireless networks, so I figured this would be a snap. Unfortunately, nothing could have been further from the truth. I plugged it into my *Linksys* router so I could configure it, and it couldn't get an IP issued. I was going to hook it up to my XP box and enable DHCP on it, but the instructions for doing that were 4-5 pages long. In the end, I had to set the SSID on my wireless access point to default, turn off WEP, and then configure the thing wirelessly. That, by the way, is not recommended by Linksys.
I finally got one of the presets to work with my custom SSID in place and WEP turned on, so I'll be nice and not give this thing a one-star rating. I do recommend you just purchase the Microsoft Wireless Game Adapter. It's almost twice the price, but at least you can configure it through the Xbox OS with any hassles.
54 Does not work with X-Box
This product is supposed to be compatible with the XBox, but from my experience it definitly is not compatible. I spent the better part of a day trying to make this adapter work. When I tried to configure the XBox to use a wireless network, the XBox could not recognize the adapter. When I left the XBox settings as is for wired networking, I could not get the adapter to connect to my router (a Linksys router by the way). I tried to call technical support, but I could never get through. After going through three levels of voice menus, I received a busy signal. I returned the adapter the following day.
I do not plan on buying anymore Linksys products in the future.
55 Worst Customer Support EVER!!!!!
Like a few have already written, Linksys has THE worst customer service! I've written them twice via their support e-mail, where they state someone will get back to you within 24 hours. It's been 3 days! I've called twice. The first time I spent 1 1/2 hours before giving up. The 2nd time, after waiting an hour, I got a live rep and then was transferred to someone that specializes in wireless products. I waited another 1 1/2 hours to get transferred before I finally gave up.
I still have not been successful in hooking up the adapter and will be bringing it back to the store from where I purchased it. If you're stuck and haven't had any success in installing this to your gaming system and network, you might as well get your money back since the support folks over at Linksys don't give a crap about your problems with their products.
My network was originally setup with Netgear products and they were very user friendly. I'm going to see if Netgear offers a gaming solution.
Linksys sucks!
56 DON"T BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dont buy this item unless you want to be on custumer support for 2 hours and then learn the IP adress or something is screwed up and you have to return it.
57 If you use Xbox or PS2 - this is THE adapter
Okay, first of all I'm hot on linksys (see my other reviews). I used to do network stuff for a living - don't anymore, but I have always been impressed with Linksys (compared to Netgear, DLink and Microsoft) for the consumer market. Their stuff is by and large (prosumer) - it has some good pro features without having to be a rocket scientist to configure the thing. Now that Cisco owns them - it's even a better deal as Cisco has been putting some nice features into all of linksys's products. While the tech support guys at linksys all need an attitude adjustment (they are a surley bunch) - the products often don't require tech support... so I suppose it is a good-news, bad-news, kind of thing...
But this sucker was PLUG AND PLAY for all intensive purposes. There are a few things, however, I think people should know in order to set this up:
a) You probably want to turn off all WEP and MAC filters. You can turn them back on once you get the sucker id'ed on the network and talking... but for now, leave it off.
b) You probably want to turn ON your SSID (again, makes it easier for the thing to install out of the box.)
c) You probably want to know what your broadcast frequency is on your WAP. If you are using a linksys WAP it is found on the admin screen regarding security. You need to look for the broadcast ID channel (default is six). That is the channel you want to tune the WGA11B. However, what I really recommend that people do is avoid "ad hoc" mode entirely and set the WGA to In mode (looks kind of like 1n on the WGA display) - this is infrastructure mode. Infrastructure mode is what you want to use if you are using a broadcasting router/switch/bridge access point (like the linksys Wireless-B, G, WAP11, etc.)
d) Make sure you know what type of cable you are using to connect it. The cable that comes with the broadcast bridge unit (the WGA) is actually a CROSSOVER cable. This was a bit surprising to me (not that they are hard to make, just, you rarely ever get one from someone - you always wind up making them). You'll know you have the switch in the right position when the WAN light (the little symbol that looks like a circle with two lines in it) lights up GREEN.
e) If you are not already, I'd set up DHCP for the moment. The bridge is default configured to try and connect via DHCP. If you don't have DHCP configured, I don't know what it is going to try to do default IP static (probably 192.176.1.1 if it is like other linksys products). Save yourself the headache and do DHCP.
Okay - otherwise, this sucker is easy as pie to set up. Plug it in to your LAN adapter (I have PS2 so it is a little box on the back of the game thing - don't know about Xbox). Then plug the cord into the WGA. Turn the WGA on and set it to the channel of your WAP. It should start talking IMMEDIATELY. If not - you have done something wrong.
The CD for the PC is interesting. Like most linksys products - it looks nice and is full featured. You won't need the CD for configuring the WGA unless you plan on using WEP.
The infrastucture mode is really fast. I must say that I play online alot.... and this connection point on PS2 shows virtually no lag. I don't know what Sony did via their gaming networks - but this sucker runs QUICK. Like I said, virtually no lag.
The real bummer is that about 99% of the games out there are not multiplayer yet. The ones that are, however, are really fun to play. I play MOH:RS, Desert II, and a few others online. The games are quick paced. To really take advantage of it, however, you might want to go "full bore" and invest in a USB headphone/mic set so you can "talk to people". Also, the USB keyboard might be a nice feature too... although I don't have that...
I've seen quite a few game adapters out there (do a search on Amazon - you will see). This is the best one I've seen for the money.
One last thing - I'd forget "Wireless G" adapaters. Again, unless your connection is like a T3 line straight to the house (which 99% of most people do not have) - you're only as fast as your smallest connection - which is likely to be the ADSL/Cable router connection. Comcast is 3MB - which I NEVER get (even burst inside Comcast's net). So B is MORE than enough bandwidth. I heard some guy at Best Buy trying to talk up a Wireless-G adapter saying he would get "better performance" - and while that is true.. it's like putting brand new wheels on a car with an underpowered engine... yeah, it will look better... but it won't go faster.
See you out there...
58 Frustration Galore
I tried connecting this device to my Xbox and followed all the instructions enclosed, and the adapter never received the signal from the router. I called customer service, and despite the package stating it was a 24 hours 7 days a week number for tech support, I never got through. I spent like 3 hours that night trying to problem solve. No luck... Then the next day I tried the 800 number again and I finally got through. After waiting for nearly an hour to talk to someone, I finally got through to a tech. The technician spent two hours troubleshooting with me, but we never did get the system up and running. I returned the merchendise and bought the more expensive Microsoft Xbox wireless adapter and reluctantly paid the additional $70. Within 3 minutes my Xbox was running wireless! The Xbox game adapter is much easier to run, ALOT faster (up to 5x), and it comes with very thorough instructions. The Linksys definitely lacks in all three areas, but if cost is a major consideration, it might be a good idea to try the Linksys first. All I can say is that it was VERY frustrating for me. Perhaps you'll have better luck with the product.
59 Great Way to get wired gaming without the wire!
This was setup in a matter of seconds. Literally I had taken it out of the box plugged it in, plugged in the CAT5 to the xbox, and I was on my way to setting up XBox live. I have always left my wireless setup in the "basic" settings. But I live in an area that I feel safe enough to do this. But I can understand some other people's frustration when setting this up under a more secure mode. You would think Linksys would have been able to work around that, since they made the product and all.
As for the gaming itself, well it is much better than I expected. I have basically used Mech Assault and Links 2004 Golf. While golfing I have suffered no lag, and no dropped games (unless some idiot decides to quit). Only complaint I have with Links is that the live voice is choppy 50-60% of the time. So choppy that it is unintelligible. I have yet to figure out if it is a Links gaming problem or a wireless gaming problem.
I also play Mech Assault. Again the gaming is very smooth. No drop off's at all like you would expect using 802.11b. But with Mech asault the voice chat is very clear and well heard. So I am guessing that the Links golf is more of a gaming problem. the only problem with MA is that you can get a real group of jerks at times, and they have forgotten that once upon a time they were new gamers also. Other than that the experience has been more than positive.
60 Great deal for half the price of Microsoft Xbox Adapter
Got the WGA11B adapter after researching the microsoft Wireless X-box adapter. I was looking for a wireless solution for my Xbox and PS2 but didn't want to pay $199.00 Canadian for the Microsoft Wireless Xbox adapter. Saw this item on eBay and looked into it a little more since I found it available for $99.00 Canadian.
After finding a local computer store that sold this adapter I read the reviews on Amazon and saw that overall pepole had positive experiences with this item. So I decided to pick one up.
After pulling it out of the box and hooking it up to my router via the included cable so that I could run the setup wizard (since I have my SSID Broadcast disabled), I entered my SSID into the adapter and did not set the WEP since I have this feature disabled on my wireless router.
I hooked adapter up to my Xbox and powered it on and..... nothing. So I re-read the reviews here on Amazon and noticed that one person had to actually set his wireles router to Broadcast the SSID even after entering it into the WGA11. So I did this on mine and BAM!!!! XBOX Live with no wires! Exactly what I was looking for.
I havent had a chance to try other settings for WEP or MAC address filtering yet so as to secure the connection, however I only disable the security features on my wireless router while I am on my XBox or PS2 Which isn't usually more then 2 hours at a time anyway.
Only fault with this product as mentioned before is the online manual. Seems lacking and unclear for the configuration section. Live 800 # support may make up for this but I haven't had a chance to try this out.
My suggestion is this product is a sweet deal for wireless console gaming and at half the price for the Microsoft Wireless Xbox Adapter, it's well worth the tweaking to get it to work for you. Easiest way is to disable your security settings while console gaming is on, but I am sure with some work you can make it all work out.
Try it, You'll love the freedom from wires.
61 CONFIGURING WGA11B W/WEP MS MN-500
This is a nice piece of equipment with horrible instructions.
If you are adding this to your existing network, here are some recommendations.
(Especially important if you have WEP enabled. If you don't you have another whole set of problems.)
Plug the game adapter DIRECTLY into your router.
Run the configuration utility from the CD ROM.
Go through the settings making sure you set the network name to the network name(SSID) found on your existing network. It supports 128 bit WEP encryption so specify the 26 character key where necessary.
When done, hook the adapter up to you system, a PS2 in our case.
The WGA has to be configured to use the Profile you just modified. Be sure the channel indicator shows IN and also the right profile is selected.
Nick www.amazon.com/shops/nickcherryhill
62 Why is there no choice for zero stars?
Read the reviews carefully. Even people here who give this item 4 stars point out that it functions partially at best and requires hours to troubleshoot. Anyone here who says it was easy to set up and use... I agree. Just don't try to use WEP. Hey... why worry about security, right?? You only need to enter your credit card to sign up for XBOX live, oh yeah and phone and address, and name, and such. Plus if your have a WiFi network, NONE of the devices can take advantage of WEP, even with it's limited capabilities. If you have no concern for security or privacy this product is perfect for you. Otherwise, please do not waste your money and especially hours of your time attempting to make it work with WEP which it does not.
63 Easy Set Up..Just plug and go!!!
Removed from packaged, plugged it in, and BAM...worked like a champ. Currently using a Belkins Wireless 802.11b router. So far have not experienced any signal drop-off or other problems when running Rainbow Six on X Box live. Was skeptical at first but now very satisfied with this product.
64 Works with Microsoft Wireless Base Station
Had little difficulty installing this device with a Microsoft MN-500 Wireless 802.11b Base Station with 128 WEP enabled
Installed it by plugging in the Linksys game adapter to my laptop via ethernet.
1. Plug in power to the Linksys Game Adapter
2. Plug in Game Adapter to laptop (or computer) via ethernet cable.
3. Toggle the Game Adapter to P1 setting.
4. Install software that came with Game Adapter and follow prompts to Auto-Detect.
5. Fill in necessary WEP key info, and you're done.
6. Power off and move adapter to the XBox (or other device).
Not too difficult. It took me awhile to figure out the proper steps as the documentation is lacking on setting up with WEP enabled. The main thing was to connect the adapter via lan cable to a computer first that will be running the auto-detect software. Hot swapping didn't work for the auto-detect either. I got past this by restarting the setup software to get the auto-detect to work.
65 Awesome
I'm not technically savy at all and this was definitely for me. We have a wireless Linksys router in our house and I use the PCMCIA card for my laptop. The router is downstairs and I have my laptop and xbox upstairs so I needed something wireless because my parents did not want me going "Bob Villa" on their house.
Well, with this product, I literally plugged it into the back of the xbox and BOOM... I'm online playing games.
Definitely recommended as an easy product for those of us that don't know all that much about setting up networks or troubleshooting.
66 Worked out of the box
After fighting with internet connection sharing and all that other mess I finially picked one of these up. Worked right out of the package with both my laptop and my XBox, no hassles. If you're trying to put something online that won't work with a traditional wireless card grab one of these - you won't be disappointed.
67 Get WET11 instead!
That's right, get WET11 instead, although it may be a little more money. Because with the game adapter, after a month, I never got a signal anymore, I have no clue why. Then I bought the WET11 from Linksys, and it works much better, I get a signal in my basement from the second floor! I use 64-bit encryption and it was very easy to configure! The Wet11 also gets a higher range capacity, around 250 feet indoors, the game adapter, I have no clue cause it never said on the box or instruction booklet. I have Xbox live, and if you need a wireless solution WET11 is your best bet!
68 Works with WEP but not MAC filtering
Didn't buy from Amazon but recently purchased. Setup is simple -if you have another PC-. I don't think you could really set it up without one.
Anyway, my base station (not a Linksys) is about 50 feet from the adapter and it works like a champ with WEP enabled, but does not connect if I have MAC filtering turned on (I have added both the Linksys and the PS2 Network Adapter MACs to the setup, but it just won't connect).
Handy and cheap. A little issue with the MAC filtering but not a huge deal.
69 Great if you're out of the box
I purchased the WGA11b from Amazon a few weeks ago, and just now got around to setting it up. I, unlike most wifi persons, do not have your run-of-the-mill Linksys, DLink or Netgear router. No, I had to get a Microsoft WAP, because it was on sale at Best Buy, and had a smashing rebate. Onward.
Setup of the WAG11b is not entirely difficult: plug it in to the power outlet, hook it up to the Xbox, and press the Big Blue Button until the unit displays "In". That part is easy.
Now I also have WEP running on my network, and I have yet to be able to configure the WGA11b to work with at least 64bit encryption. There's a little bit of fine print in the documentation for the WGA11b which says that the WEP Key works only for Linksys products. I have yet to determine if this is strictly for ad-hoc networking (i.e. head-to-head), but I have a feeling it might not be.
So, bottom line is yes this unit is easy to set up, but don't expect it to work out of the box if you have anything other than defaults on your WiFi network.
70 Best thing Ever!
I was a litte doubtful on how easy this would be to use. But I had it configured and playing online with my X-box in under 5 mins. I use WEP in 128 bit, and also use MAC filtering on my access point. I simplyed hooked the unit up to my laptop and configured the WEP setting with the easy to understand config wizard. Unit supports three different profiles so you can setup the config for different networks, and simply chose which profile you want to use with a push of a button. Great feature if you move your unit in bewteen secure wireless networks.
Most people could have this ready to go in about a minute, since they don't use WEP or Mac filtering. Already have plans to get one to go with the Replay TV Box. No more cable clutter around my home. Also easy to connect multiple game consoles togther without the need of an access point. Simply chose the saem channel on each unit, and they each game console will see each other. Some concerns over wired connections, since ethernet can support 100mb and the wireless only supports 11mbs. Any game setup for on-line play should have no issues, since most high speed internet tops at 1.5mbs and below.
Great product, just wondering what took them so long to make it
71 Great Idea -- Great Product -- OK Setup
This is a great idea for those people that have their PS2 in a different room than their computer. No more running cables under carpets and drilling holes in walls. I have this hooked up to a Linksys Wireless-B router. I bought this specifically for the online feature of Madden 2004. So this weekend I hooked everything up (note you need a PS2 ethernet adapter as well). It does take a while to setup and get all the bugs out. But after a call to Linksys everything was running smoothly. Definately worth the money!
72 No Brainer!
1. Open Package (easy to open, not like most plastic packaging)
2. Plug power cord and CAT-5 in (to Xbox/PS2)
3. Press BIG BLUE BUTTON til it reads IN (for internet)
4. Play games!
If you have your router set to factory specs (Mine is also a Linksys) that's all there is to do. If you have locked down your wireless router you may have to peek at the instructions for configuration, but there is only a couple of things to modify if need be.
I looked at the WET11b and some other LAN bridges that sell for over [money amount]and this pupy does the job I needed it to do for much less.
If you've been tripping over that CAT-5 cord strewn across the living room floor since last November like I was, you'll gladly part with the $$ for this!
73 WGA11b
I purchased one of these and could not get it to work with my current linksys wireless products. I called 3 times to the technical support number and no one could help me. The product worked in ad-hoc mode but would not connect to my router with wep or in infrastructure mode. The setup is easy although you have to use the linksys software and it looks like it only supports windows pc's. I also returned one of these to Amazon per the Linksys support team and received another unit. It responded the same way. I hope this review helps.
74 Easy to connect to your Playstation2
I can't believe how easy it was to get my playstation2 to connect to my netgear wireless (MR814) router. It took all of 5 minutes to set up once. I played NCAA 2004 last night online and it was so amazing. The best feature is the ability to change the SSID without having to connect the bridge to a computer. I changed the SSID and connected to the router with no problem. Another great feature.. the price is about [money amount]cheaper than the older linksys bridge that I couldn't get to work.
75 Works OK, but...
Just got one of these and am using it not for game use but as a simple wireless bridge for my wireless LAN. At ... a bargain for this purpose and everything seems to work as advertised (which is a lucky thing because the documentation is extremely basic), except for one minor bug: the MAC address on the wireless LAN side seems to change to a random value every time power is cycled. This presents a problem only if you are using the MAC filtering security feature on your access point, and if so you can see the obvious problem that will arise (took me a little while to figure this one out, not knowing about the issue in advance). Once you let the WAP sniff out the MAC address and make an entry in its table then everything works OK. I don't want to give up using the MAC filtering feature of my WAP so this is somewhat of a PITA since it requires manual re-programming of the WAP if I cycle power on the WGA11B. Luckily I don't expect to be power-cycling the unit that much so I guess I can live with it for now, but I would sure like to see this problem fixed. LinkSys tech support said that this bug may be fixed in a future firmware rev... I hope so. BTW the tech support guy was pretty good and seemed to have a good understanding of my problem. Otherwise, as I said, so far so good with this unit, no other complaints so far.
76 Wireless Xbox for Decent Price
I bought this for Xbox Live, and am satisfied with the results. It works on my mongrel system (a Motorola Surfboard cable modem, a DLink ethernet card hooked to my Netgear 814 wireless router). Although I have no idea what the signal strength is, I can connect with my Xbox in the living room and the router up-the-stairs and 30 feet away.
If you have a Linkysy router and don't have WEP turned on, you can probably use it out of the box. For the rest of us, setup was OK. Here's the detail.
I first configured the device via my PC (since I have WEP turned on). I set the WEP encryption option/password to match my network, and (something that I spent 2 hours troubleshooting) I also had to enable the "Allow Broadcast of Name (SSID)" setting on my Netgear router. Even though I assigned my network's SSID to the device using the software, I still had to keep that option on to make it work; I don't know if that is a Netgear/Linkys incompatibility or not. Still, it worked in the end.
Pro: Small (the size of a pack of cigarettes), setup screens via a computer are clear, does its job well. Most of all, it is almost half the price of the Linksys bridge (WET11), which is one of the few easy-to-install and reliable wireless-B options for hooking up your Xbox (Netgear's bridge gets lousy reviews and DLink also isn't as reliable as the WET11. But the WET11 bridge is so darn expensive).
Con: No signal strength indicator (even building one into the Xbox OS would be OK), no Power Off button (I have to unplug it). I would give it a higher score if it included those features.
