- USB 1.1 external connectivity
- Hardware-based 40/64 & 128-bit WEP encryption
- Automatic rate fallback
- Compact & attractively styled
- Reliable, 802.11b standards-based networking
Fast and Easy 11 Mbps Wireless ConnectivityNETGEAR has designed this Wireless USB Adapter to give you fast, reliable Internet access. There's no need to open up your PC, or install expensive Ethernet cables to connect wirelessly.
The MA111 effortlessly connects your desktop PC at home, or even your notebook PC at a hotspot over any 802.11b network. With its automatic rate fallback, the MA111 lets you move to extended distances without losing your connectivity.
Attractively styled, this compact device simply plugs into an external USB port on your desktop or notebook PC.
High-level WEP encryption gives you secure data communication and shields your network from wireless eavesdroppers at no sacrifice to performance. With NETGEAR, Everybody's connecting, and with the MA111, they can connect everywhere.
SimpleWireless connectivity at 11 Mbps that's powered by USB 1.1 means there's no need to open the cover of your PC and no need to buy or install Ethernet cabling.
CapableAutomatic rate fallback adjusts to greater distances. Hardware-based 40/64 and 128-bit WEP encryption protects your privacy. Pre-configured to work with other NETGEAR wireless products, this USB adapter works with Windows® 98, ME, 2000, and XP.
ReliableIn addition to seamless signal strength and dependable operability, NETGEAR provides a 3 year warranty. Now you can enjoy fast wireless access without unexpected interruptions.
1 the next thing I'll try to make this work well...
I bought this in March 2005 and had a great initial experience, but the connection began dropping with increasing frequency as time went on.
Since you're reading this review, you probably don't fully understand how routers and adaptors work, like myself. This product will work really well if an expert installs it. I'm rather confident of that. The problem is that, for a certain percentage of people who buy it, it will take an expert to make that happen.
Two things may or may not help if you have problems:
1. Install the software first, before plugging in the device, remove the disc and reboot. When you do plug in the device after rebooting, you might see a screen that tells you to put the software disc in your CD drive. DON'T. Click continue without doing this.
2. Right click on "my computer" and select "manage". Under "Service and Applications" double click on "Services" and then double click on "Wireless Zero Configuration". Make sure that this is stopped and disabled.
2 Overheats Regularly
I was able to get a v1 which DOES work with my TiVo, but this adapter overheats like clockwork, and shuts down. To get a connection I need to unplug it, let it cool, and force a reconnect. This is very annoying, and I don't reccomend you buy this if you don't want to have to update your TiVo manually. That said, when it IS running, it works fine.
3 Does not work with Linux.
The product information makes no distinction between the old "v1" of the product and the new "v2" which is shipped by Amazon.
The new version uses an entirely different set of drivers, and will not yet work with Linux.
I was extremely disappointed to receive this as a gift, only to find that the new version will not work with my laptop system, while the older version could have done the job quite easily.
4 Great but slow
great item, ez to install, no problems. its incredibly slow if you are transferring large files. go with the 802.11g instead.
5 Terrible. Terrible.
I purchased the MA111 v1 brand new. It didn't work. I tried troubleshooting and downloading the new drivers. It still didn't work.
I tried contacting NetGear "24/7" customer service but the line was always busy. When I finally got through they weren't much help.
My advice, avoid this headache and go with another brand.
6 Don't buy MA111 for your TiVo!
After months of trying and searching TiVo forums, this MA111 adapter does NOT work with TiVo (series 2)! The MA111 box even came with TiVo logo sticker on it, the tivo.com website said it was compatible but still doesn't work. Maybe mine is defective but many others have had similar problems.
7 Use latest driver for windows xp sp2
There are two version, V1 & V2. V1 had problems with XP SP2 but the latest driver solves this problem. V2 works fine with XP SP2. In both cases, you MUST install the driver BEFORE plugging in the card! This is very important! If you do that the card works flawlessly.
The range is superb. Better than my Netgear MA401 which is a PCMCIA card. The MA111 works from 4 floors up in my apartment building, which is an amazing range. I am truly impressed.
8 Newer MA111 (MA111v2) does not work on macs
Several reviewers and an amazon "So you'd like to..." list have suggested that the MA111 USB wireless adapter will work with macs running osX. This is not entirely correct. The original MA111 should work. However, the MA111v2 uses a different chip than the old MA111v1. The DWL-122 prism2/3 driver will not work with this adapter, and there is no mac version of the driver for the chip (SiS 162) used in the new ones. At least, that seems to be the result of three days of frustration, searching, hacking drivers and editing plists. :( (I ordered a set of MA111s. Amazon shipped me MA111v2 adapters. Up until I tried to plug-n-play and the adaptor plug-n-failed, I didn't know the MA111 came in different versions. You can't tell from this page.) There is a linux driver that should work for the MA111v2, but some people are reporting bad luck compiling it.
9 Perfect!
I ordered the item and had it in less than 24 hours! Can't beat it, these guys are good!
10 No 5 ft USB cable
There is NO 5 ft USB extention cable in the box.
11 horrible experience with installation
the software that comes with it is horrible. Its not windows XP certified and has lot of problems in its performance. i had to install it several times and was puzzled since it used to drop the connection every now and then. finally i had to install it with configuring it to use the windows XP wireless protocol and so far its working fine. its only a day since i have got the adapter and already had to reboot my desktop, router, cable modem atleast 10 times. total crapy software/device.
12 fast and easy
How great is this USB device!!! Just plug and go. I am using it with my 4 year old laptop running windows 98 and my netgear super G wireless router. Great device at a price that is great!!
13 XP problems
Installs fine in w2k but in xp (sp1) I had to bypass Netgear utility - uninstall - and just install their device driver and use Microsoft wireless setup utility instead. Updated to xp sp2 afterwards and it still continues to work fine. What a mess. Once properly set up though, it seems to work fine even in XP.
14 MA111v2 not TiVo compatible
Just as a warning, Amazon.com is now shipping v2 of the MA111 adapter. Only the original version 1 is currently supported by TiVo, so do not purchase this if you want wireless connectivity with your Series2 box. See tivo.com/adapters for the latest list. The product box will list "MA111v2" if you have the newest version.
15 Netgear MA111 + Windows XP
I initially had some trouble getting this adapter to work with Windows XP/SP2 and kept getting a blue screen whenever it was plugged into the the USB port. So, I went and downloaded the new drivers from www.netgear.com (I used the drivers for MA111v1) and disabled the Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration and stopped it. Then I installed the software and used the Netgear configuration utility....so far so good.
Not the most user friendly device I've used...only 3 stars.
16 Works great
This adapter came with my router and it works like a charm. I have employed it in at least five environments with no issues. I liked it so much ai bought more of them.
Without a doubt, the folks crying about the USB issues did not follow the directions when installing the adapter. XP tries its best to find an adapter that it thinks will work with the device if you do not install the NetGear adapter software *before* inserting the adapter into the USB slot. Once XP alters the USB settings, you need to totally remove all USB devices, all USB drivers, and all USB HW configs from the device manager. This is an XP anomally, not a NetGear one.
TiVo folks with issues, I bet have interference with other devices causing decreased bandwidth with noise exposure.
This is a solid product
17 this is a junk
This thing is a junk. I got a new p4 2.4 ghz and this network adapter spoiled my computer. I dunno how this product is still there in market. The product is full of bugs. First it crashed my windows XP pro OS and wouldnt install. Then when i removed the driver software and tried windows installation my computer started to reboot as soon as I insert the adapter in the USB. The adapter has now spoiled my computer, it was so nice before now its running slow. And my computer never used to hang and now it has begun to hang. I feel so bad at buying this product. Please i suggest that those who are buying it , dont do so..... this thing cannot install in the computer. mine is a new one also.
This product is not worth it.
18 SUCKS
THIS DEVICE NOT WORK UNDER WINDOWS XP HOME EDITION, IT CRASHES MY SYSTEM, IT SUCKS
19 Very buggy, constantly crashes PC, poor tech support
I really regret not spending more and buying a different brand. This is a really buggy product that freezes my computer every few hours, requiring you to reboot, run scandisk, etc.
Good price (probably because of all of the returns).. but is it really a deal when it works so poorly? Went to netgear's website to download the latest drivers.. they say that there are two versions and your adapter version can be identified by it's blue or red led. Well the adapter light doesn't light up until you install the drivers. Anyway when I eventually got it going, mine has a green led, which isn't even listed! Used the latest v2 drivers and it seemed to work fine with decent speeds. Until windows 98se locked up and forced me to reboot with the power switch. Two hours later, windows froze again. Turns out that the netgear driver has memory allocation problems, which makes windows freeze every few hours. Tried using the older drivers, with no improvement. Called netgear support and after navigating a voice mail system from hell.. asked me a few perfunctory questions and decided that the problem could not possibly be caused by the adapter.
Took the adapter over to a friends house and installed it there and sure enough, it had the same problem and froze his computer after 90 minutes of web browsing. Called netgear again and they were unwilling to do any in-depth troubleshooting. Because I bought the netgear adapters on a clearance sale, the retailer won't take them back (they say that they have had a lot of complaints, that's why they put them on clearance - wish I would have known that at the start). Anyway, after a lot of complaining to the retailer, they let me exchange the ma111's for a newer netgear model wg111's (at a higher price, of course). The wg111 doesn't lock up my computer like the ma111 did, but it will not start automatically when windows starts up. It just sits there, saying "scanning". Only when you re-enter the configuration information does it connect to the access point. In short, do not consider this product unless you thrive on aggravation. RUN + buy something else, anything else, just don't buy netgear!
20 Works for Tivo2...WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT!
I don't understand the other reviewer that gave this product five stars after having problems with the first one. I like my electronics to work the first time I use them. It works with Tivo for 5 to 30 minutes at a time until it randomly stops connecting to the network. The only fix is unplugging it and putting it back in. I did everything from upgrading my netgear router (which works great) firmware, to removing all security keys. Still the same problem. Tried installing it on my laptop and it kept restarting after a blue screen, maybe because I'm running XP SP2 like the other reviewer. I'm going to return mine promptly and spend a few extra bucks to get the Linksys WUSB11 instead.
21 Hello XP Service Pack 2 - Good Bye MA111
Here is another occasion when I feel like an idiot for not spending an extra $9 for the Linksys adapter. The Netgear USB adapter sucks. Upgraded to SP2, it won't work anymore - and I don't have any touchpads (as indicated by another reviewer). No more Netgear for me!
22 Great for TiVo2, issues with older version
My husband and I bought three of these Wireless USB Adapters for TiVo 2. We noticed that the new ones work great with the TiVo and allow us to stream music to TiVo and transfer recordings from one TiVo to another.
I want to make one note that we got what seems to be an older version of this model and TiVo get dropping the network adapter after about 10-20 minutes. Amazon sent us another one and it worked fine. So, if you have this problem, don't give up, but try a different USB adapter.
23 Easy setup, low price, good performance
I installed the software, which took about 1 minute. I then plugged in the adapter and was connected wirelessly within 2 minutes. I never even had to restart my computer. I use Windows XP SP1 and had no problems. The performance is solid given that it is 802.11b. I highly recommend this adapter.
24 Horrible customer service
Hands down the WORST customer support of any computer equipment company I have ever worked with. Card worked fine for almost a year, then it died. Tried to get an RMA to send it back, you can't believe how frustrating a process it was. Never mind the wait time and searching their poorly designed website. I had to convince them that the card was the problem, as if eliminating the router and the computer as the problems is a graduate-level research program. There are plenty of other choices on the market.
25 Freezeing Fixed!
Finely A fix for the never ending netgear MA111 saga!!!
I to, like much of the others here had lots of problems with the MA111 on my XP computer.
But, I had access to a pre-release of Windows XP SP2.
Having gone to the Microsoft SP2 seminar I knew there was new wireless tools and thought I would give it a shot.
One week running and no freezes!
Too bad SP2 couldn't fix netgear tech support!
Nathan
26 Great Product
I have Windows XP Pro. I installed the software first, like the directions said. Software iustallation took one minute. Then I plugged the adapter into the USB port and I was connected wirelessly after windows installed the driver automatically. It took less than 3 minutes all together. The speed is terrific and the price was right, as was the installation. Great product! Highly recommended.
27 good USB wireless adapter
I installed the Netgear adapter on an older PC running Win2000. The setup was quite easy. I downloaded the latest driver version (2.0) from the Netgear website. The signal strength dropped from 100% (close to the router, Linksys 802.11b) to around 45% at 60-70 feet away (that includes 3 walls). Even so the connection is steady and the speed is OK. I didn't try to test the speed for downloading large files though. It might not be very good. I'd suggest using this adapter somewhere close to the router.
28 Does not work with non-SE Windows 98!
Despite the fact that the description says it works with Windows 98, I spent half a day messing with it, only to eventually be told by Netgear tech support that it does NOT work with Windows 98, only with Windows 98 Second Edition. It would be nice if the description or documentation had mentioned this so I didn't waste hours of my life fiddling with it.
29 Caution
I too have had trouble with this device in Windows XP Home. It crashed my computer multiple times (and I have a nice newish computer with plenty of memory). Eventually i had to reinstall windows and upgrade to XP professional. It's worked well since then, no computer crashes. HOWEVER, After 6 months of use it's connection has worn. It is wobbly and has to be adjusted just so before it will give the green light. I'm looking to replace it. I bought the NEt gear router as a set at Costco. The router seems fine, but I will be moving to a PCMCIA style Wireless card in future. Just not sturdy enough!
30 Good, but not great.
It's a good Wi-Fi adapter, especially being very small, and USB. Reception seems pretty good. The only real downside is that it requires a driver, and that makes it a little cumbersome unless you're using it on only a couple machines.
An interesting idea might be a similar design that incorporates a small memory stick for the driver, making it plug-and-play on most Windows systems.
31 Version 2.0 driver is the key to success
After reading several reviews on this site I purchased this adapter at Circuit City. I went directly to the Netgear website and downloaded the 2.0 driver, installed it, and plugged it in with no problems whatsoever. It has worked flawlessly, although I would like to see more of a range, but that could be the router or a million other factors involved. I am very satisfied.
32 Plug in and Follow the directions - Tivo Connection
I was hesitant in buying this product seeing some of the other reviews but I felt I could handle it. Let me tell you I just plugged it in, followed the directions provided by Tivo for setup and I was up and running in 5 minutes. It pays to read directions!
33 Satisfied. No problems.
After reading the other MA111 reviews, I was hesitant to buy the MA111. I already have an MA101 on a Pentium IV, which has performed flawlessly for a year. So I tried the MA111 (v1) on a Pentium II running Win 2k Pro and it's working fine. Software install was error free. All works fine at 128bit encryption. No problems with Norton apps or Zone Alarm. (...) I'm happy with it.
34 A pain, but it works.
I have three different types of wireless adapters - two by Linksys and this one by Netgear. None of them are perfect and this one was a pain to install mainly because it somehow needs to override Windows (XP) wireless settings and it's not always successful. Signal-wise, it works well for me but I attribute that to the Linksys booster for their wireless router which we use. It has made a huge improvement with all of these devices.
Note that by default it is set up to find any open wireless connections. You might want to configure it for your home network only if that is the only place you use it.
35 Works with Toshiba SD-H400 TIVO/DVD Combo Player
Works with Toshiba SD-H400 TIVO/DVD Combo Player
Make sure you are on latest SD-H400 software 5.1.1b updated from phoneline.
Plug in the MA111 and it will let you set it up in the Phone/Network settings area of the Tivo menu. Then all further Tivo updates will be done by Wifi if a broadband connection to the internet exists.
I don't have phone line at home so getting the MA111 was a must have. My neighbour lets me tap into his broadband by 802.11b.
36 no problems mac and pc
had absolutely no problems networking my sister's windows xp and mac to her internet connection with thess adapters. installation was a breeze and for the money it is a very good solution.
can't understand people having problems. i have much more expensive linksys setup and tech support and installation were a nightmare.
37 this thing crashed my windows
I installed this device and when I rebooted, my Windows was NEVER able to run again. I had to reinstall EVERYTHING. This is truly a piece of junk. Wasted hours and hours of my life. And now I'm not using it. Yeah, really good deal. I paid big bucks so that I can not use it and have it trash everything. Genuine garbage.
38 Doesn't work as promised
I installed the CD, and I couldn't get the wireless connection to happen at all, much less have problems after it. It also doesn't help when the documentation just assumes you'll be connected right away. It didn't happen. I'm still not connected.
I tried configuration without the CD. Windows configuration is total junk. 2.0 MBPS and pretty much can't get half-descent signal.
It's a shame this "reputable" company produced something like this. I've had experience with generic brands that just outperform this thing. Easily. No contest. They work great and are easy to setup. This is like....doesn't work.
39 Great wireless card
Having been an avid reader of these reviews, I felt I should contribute. I was responsible for getting the wireless system up and running for approx. 50 girls in my not-so-technically-inclined sorority house, so needless to say, I researched a lot of wireless cards to find some to recommend. The Netgear MA111 was the one I bought for myself and recommended for the girls. The first one I got didn't work at all, but Netgear was pretty good about exchanging it for a new one and I haven't had a problem since. It seems that with any brand, its hit-or-miss if you get a dud or not, so I wasn't too worried. I've had great reliability with it, although my computer was only one room over from the access point. The USB connection is very easy to use, and the connecting cord is nice so you can position the card to get the best reception. I do have Windows XP and never had a problem installing the card. I used the Netgear drivers and didn't have a problem, but this was in the fall of 2003, so maybe there are some new bugs since then. Overall, this wireless card has been great, I would have given it 5 stars except that my first one was a dud.
40 Decent USB Adapter for Money
The MA111 works pretty well most of the time. As long as you get version 2.0 of the drivers from Netgear's website, it works well in Win XP Pro. Also - I got it working with my Mac PowerBook G4. I found some instructions on how to modify D-Link's OS X drivers to work with the MA111, and it works great!
My only complaints - gets very warm. When I plugged it into my HP running Win 2000 Pro, it shut down my PC. Literally. Just all shut off as if the power had been pulled. It might be my PC though, I don't want to be quick to blame Netgear. Last complaint, is that the speed is usually at 2 Mbps, not 11. However, it goes to 11 when I am using it to transmit data, so I am not sure 2 Mbps is just a mode it goes to when doing nothing.
41 Blue Screens of Death
I'm getting frustrated as all hell with this product. My sister has the very same Dell that I have except I have more ram on mine. Hers works fine, but my adapter forces me to the BSD's. I think it because I used the CD and she did not after reading through the comments here. I'm going to uninstall it tonight and try that way.
So if you buy this with a dell product use the xp version, the cd seems to be screwing things up. I'm a little ticked because its not that hard to make it flow with xp and i went through checking everything else on my computer first.
42 Not bad for the price...amazingly small size..laptop or PC..
I just bought this and paid more elsewhere (unfortunately). Amazon has a great price on this item, in fact, I recommend this and the Netgear 802.11b (MR814) router. I never have setup a network before myself and was hesitant...but it's not that hard.
Here is what I did:
First I installed the router (you can use any brand B standard router, but the MR814 is a nice choice). Use all software. Configure a WEP or anyone can access your wireless network (read the booklet...)
Next setup the USB on your other PC / laptop. DO NOT USE THE SOFTWARE it comes with (USB 1.1) or it will probably crash your PC, according to many online reports. I downloaded the newest 2.0.1 from netgear.com support page. DO NOT PLUG-IN THE USB ADAPTER until this software is installed. This will ensure no PC crashing (at least, my experience)....even the booklet warns against installing first. The software update is A MUST. You can actually leave the USB device plugged in all the time. I even shutdown with it on (no problems, it powers off with shut down and on with startup). After it's installed follow the book instructions. Make sure you use the same WEP and it should automatically detect your router (as long as your router name is broadcasted, if not type it manually).
Now the not-so-good:
The range on this little thing could be better. I get a 40-53% signal but this is my setup:
My router is downstairs in an addition at the very back room of my house. My wireless USB adapter and PC are upstairs toward the front of the house. This thing has to go thru electronic signals (We have a 2.4Ghrtz phone and other electronics) and at least three walls. Considering the size, I am pleased. I had doubts, I'll admit.
If you are debating between 'b' and 'g' standard and money is an issue go with the b standard. Why? It's still fast, and it's going for bargain prices now since 'g' came out. I have cable internet and I think my connection is just as fast thru the wireless.
Way to go Netgear!! My first time setting up a network and now I'm wireless. It took me two hours, but for someone with basic knowledge could have this up in minutes.
Final assessment: For the price this thing is pretty nifty. Works with laptop and PC (It's good for people like me that use both interchangeably). The range is not spectacular but decent. I'd say I'm at a distance of 70 - 75 feet with a 40-53% signal. My connection never goes to '0'. Perhaps people with this problem have old firmware or they don't have their wireless network setup in a good location. It comes with a cable, so I recommend adjusting it until you find a good spot (for me this changes daily).
Recommended without hesitation. There is better out there, but this USB is fast, easy, and affordable. Best of all, no opening up the PC. I experience no PC crashing at all, and no negative issues. 11 Mbps is pretty sweet in fact.
43 You Get What You Pay For
I am using this product with Windows XP Home Edition. You should read some of the troubleshooting tips on Netgear's web page before you install this. You will need to unistall an update that you might have installed through Windows Update. Once uninstalled it will stop crashing Windows when it connects. The reception is about what you would expect from something this small. It comes with a USB extension so you can move it around to get a better signal.
44 Avoid this product!!!
It is the worst computer product I ever tried.
Blue screen/reboot my laptop repeatly when using
the software (either version 1.1 or 2.0) from netgear.
When the driver from WinXP is used, can only work
for less than 2 minutes.
I would never buy any product from netgear.
45 Great Little bridge adapter
This little adapter is great. I use it to connect my Tivo to my network, thus freeing up my telephone line from updates.
46 THIS DEVICE ALWAYS PISSES ME OFF
When i first got this product, i followed the manual word for word. the result; my computer kept coming up with a blue screen that told me that a device driver was "potentialy corrupt or improperly installed". IF YOU WANT A WIRELESS ADAPTER GET THE Netgear MA101 802.11b Wireless USB Adapter. I HAVE ONE OF THESE HOOKED UP TO ANOTHER COMPUTER IN MY HOUSE AND IT WORKS GREAT!!! I GOT IT IN A COMBO PACKAGE AT COSTCO FOR ONLY ABOUT $50 (THE BEST PRICE AROUND). ANYWAY, IT IS DEFINITELY A FIVE STAR PRODUCT. ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE A BIT BIGGER, IT IS WORTH IT (NOT GETTING YOUR COMPUTER F**KED UP). IT ONLY COSTS A FEW BUCKS MORE (AT SOME PLACES THEY ARE THE SAME PRICE).
47 Works very well.
Bought this adaptor for an old laptop (Acernote Light 382, P150 upgraded to 64meg ram and 8 gig HD). I use the laptop for making simple spreadsheets and e-mail, so cutting edge tech was not needed.
Did not want a PC Card because I travel a lot and having something stick out the side when inside a bag is an annoyance.
Plugged it in and used it all night the first time to do research on the Web -- no complaints! Zero problems.
If you do buy this product, go to Netgear's Web site and download the latestest driver (version 2.0). The box comes with v. 1.1, which I never bothered with.
48 Easy to use great interface
I bough this to make an old laptop wireless. It loaded in very easy and connected with no problem. Very easy to configure encryption too.
49 Works well with Windows 98SE
Im one of those reluctant people who for now refuses to upgrade to Windows XP. I have a 600Mhz Althon running W98SE, that is more than enough for what I do (surf the net, listen to music, etc). So finally I took the plunge for Cable Road Runner connection to see what the fuss about broadband is all about, but I didn't want to run ethernet cable downstairs.
This product installed quite easily, just follow the instructions. It had problems connecting initially to the Netgear MR814, but I just bought up the connection control panel, and selected my network in the Access Point list and voila the little icon turned green and I was surfing away.
Connection and signal is strong (11mbps), though I noticed occasionally that the signal is dropped, which is kind of annoying, but this might be because someone was using the cordless phone. I recently downloaded the newer drivers from Netgears website, so this might change. So far so good!
50 tricky for xp
this adapter should come with a warning: "if you're using xp, do not install anything from the netgear cd!" with xp's own driver, it works like a charm. with the netgear driver and tool, it worked sometimes for me, but only when i was logged in as administrator, and only when i was using the netgear utility program, and even then it was kinda unpredictable.
if you have already installed the netgear stuff - remove it with the uninstall tool that's in the folder. make sure you removed all files in c:\program files\netgear (or whereever you installed it). uninstall the driver for the device under wireless network -> properties -> ma111 / general -> configure -> driver -> uninstall. then unplug the usb adapter, reboot your computer, plug it in again, and just use the settings/driver that xp will come up with.
now it works great for any user on the computer, and it's definitely a neat and cheap device!
51 Works Great for the Price
You can't beat this for the price. Be sure to update the driver or you might run into problems. When I first installed the adapter I had to restart my computer 2 to 3 times for it to be detected. After I updated the driver I have not had a problem since. I only use it over small distances (around 30 feet) so not sure how it works for larger distances. Either way if you want something cheap that works buy it.
52 My Tivo is now wireless!
I bought for my husband (it wasn't for me ~ noooo) Netgear's wireless Router (WGR614?) well its the 802.11g version for my computer which is next to the cable hookup and the MA111 adapter for his computer which is in the basement. He complained I was online too much on my computer so I bought this setup for him so he could be online too. =)
Installation was quick and painless I must say for both items.
Signal strength is at Very Good status almost 90% of the time.
I recently bought a Tivo to which they told me that they are not 802.11g compatible but had to test it out myself. So I took my hubby's adapter and plugged it into the Tivo and wa la-- Network detected popped up on the screen! Ran a few tests with it and no probs.
So now I have bought a second Tivo and in order for them to communicate to each other need to buy another MA111 adapter for it as well as a second one to replace my hubby's that I uhhh borrowed. =)
Gave it only a 4 Stars due to signal strength (Living Room 12 feet away from Router was at best at 68%) and the little suckers get awfully hot but everything else works like a breeze(...)Can't beat that!
53 Works Great with a Tivo
I use this Adapter with my Series2 40-hour Tivo. This items works great when using the instructions provided in the Tivo manual. Good signal strength with a Linksys Wireless WRT54G running a 128 bit WEP encryption. Definitely a great purchase for your Tivo. Probably works well with a computer as well.
54 Works fantasic for me!
Just picked this product up a couple of hours ago together with the MA311 PCI card. Had absolutely no probs installing on XP, just followed the manual. This is my first attempt at home networking and have just set this up for ad-hoc mode to connect my laptop downstairs to my desktop PC upstairs. I have shared my ADSL connection on my desktop PC and am now writing this review, literally 2 hours later from my laptop!! Quality product from Netgear IMO. Don't let some of the reviews on here put you off, I read the reviews whilst waiting for my order to be shipped and was disappointed to see the mixed reactions, but this is one of the greatest value for money things I bought!
55 A good product, but handle with care
It is a very good product because it is portable, can
be used on a desktop and laptop without any special skill.
Important thing is do not install the driver cd that
comes with it on windows XP otherwise it crashes the
computer. It tends to conflict with windows XP's native wireless capablity and the driver is also not windows certified.
Instead disregard the manual, use windows XP's wireless native
driver to connect wirelessly. Actually it is a blessing in
disguise as the user has less things to do to get connected...
56 Good speed, WEP unusable
I know have the adapter working. After several hours of attempting to configure WEP (encryption), I gave up and am know using the Access Control feature of my Netgear MR814V2 router. This limits access to the router by MAC address (computer ID).
Speed is good to very good.
57 Good product given its design criteria
This isn't the most sensitive 802.11b adapter I've ever used, but it's certainly not the worst either, which is saying something given its diminutive profile. Hence, if you need the maximum range from your wireless adapter, this isn't the one for you, but it your needs are 'typical,' you'll be fine.
It works without problems for me under Windows 2000 and Windows XP; I haven't tried it under any other OS.
I do have the disconnect/re-connect problem every now and again that other people have mentioned, but I've seen it with other adapters as well; it generally happens when you are in the 'borderline' area of servicibility. I believe it's due to Windows dropping the connection when the adapter reports that its signal strength has (temporarily due to normal variations) fallen to just about nothing; this seems like something that software could address, as it is annoying.
58 Hated it!
I had nothing but problems with this product. It "claims" to be compatible with windows 95, 98, 2000, ME and XP, but all that it works for in reality is Windows ME. I had one hell of a time trying to get it to work with my computers at home, with bascially no success. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT!
59 piece of junk
I got disconnect every two mins. Take my advise don't buy this product.. if you want i give to u for free..
60 Incompatible with Dell
I wish I had read all of the reviews before I purchased this thing! I have used a Netgear router on my computer with this wireless adapter (on my children's computer) FLAWLESSLY for months. I thought Netgear was the greatest thing since sliced bread. THEN, however, I purchased a Dell laptop for my husband for Christmas. With such a positive previous experience, I bought a second Netgear wireless adapter for this laptop. When this Dell laptop began to "blue screen", I immediately thought the computer was faulty and returned it to Dell for an exchange. Dell computer # 2 did not blue screen, but I was unable to connect it to the Internet. (The computer would say that it was receiving a strong signal from the Netgear router, but Internet Explorer was unable to find the connection. I still have no idea what caused this.) So we returned computer # 2. Don't ask me why, but we tried a 3rd Dell computer, again with no luck. By now I realized that it was NETGEAR that was the problem, not Dell. (Altough there is NO love lost between me and Dell's Customer Service Department!!) So we go to Circuit City, where a very helpful sales rep tells me that Netgear has a KNOWN incapatability with Dell and many other computers!! In fact, he believes that Netgear works best with Compaq, HP and Toshiba computer. So we bought a Companq computer, and everything works great. But had I known this first, I think I would have ditched Netgear a long time ago. It just wasn't worth the hassle.
61 Terrible Tech Support
I found that my USB Adapter was dropping the connection consistently after 2? minutes. Tech Support never answered the phone or even offered me a chance to leave a message. I finally emailed them only to receive a form response. To be honest, I was able to solve the problem after wading (hit or miss) through the largely incomprehensible email. I am good with computers but ignorant about networks. I spent hours getting this to work.
62 After an initial disappointment, I am loving this adapter...
This purchase was my first attempt with wireless, and what you've read hear is true--it blue screened my IBM Thinkpad 600 laptop running WindowsXP, crashed it and restarted it repeatedly. It caused even more unpleasantries when I installed it on a desktop I built that is running Windows98SE. However, once I downloaded the driver, version 2.0 off Netgear's website, all was well and fixed, for the most part. The CD came with Version 1.1, which seemed to be causing all the problems. Anyway, after I installed the new version and draped the adapter out my window, I was surfing the net.
63 Great, especially with the 4 feet cord
I'm a college student with a cheap ass roommate. And I use this on my Centrino laptop to extend the modem through the window to steal wireless internet that connects at 11 mb per second from my neighbors. W/O the cord this would not be possible as I would have to stand outside. Therefore, I love this product because I wouldn't even be on the web posting this message without it.
64 Netgear USB Wireless Adapter MA111
This is a great product but it will not work under Windows 98. I spent several very frustrating days trying to make it do so. Finally I upgraded to Windows 98 SE and it works like a charm.
65 Nice and easy to use product
I have used this product on a Win2000 based Laptop computer. It installed easily and I was up and running with my Netgear wireless router. I have seen reviews here that are positive and negative about this product. My experience has been very positive.
66 Perfect on XP, acceptable on 98
I just got the device this afternoon, so here are my results from about 4 hours of messing with it.
On XP Home, it runs perfectly. Once configured, which was very quick, I can plug & unplug the device as often as I want with no problems.
On 98, however, I could only get it to work if 1) I updated the drivers to 2.0, and 2) I booted with the device connected. Under these circumstances, and no others, could I get it to work on 98. Even with these changes, if I unplug the device before I power down, or if it is still connected when I power down, the system hangs.
67 Blah
I bought the Netgear 814 router and this MA111 USB device at the same time. Router works great. When I first installed the MA111 it worked great. Plug and Play. Later however the green LED just kept blinking and wouldn't connect when the computer was rebooted. I couldn't even get into the configuration utility. After much trial and error I came up with a solution. I hate to go to into the Networking folder, disable the device, enable it, then go to the configuration utility. In the utility I changed the trasmit rate to something else hit OK. Instantly it connected and everything worked great.
However after you reboot you have to do this process each and every time. It doesn't automatically connect on its own. What a pain to get it started. Running Windows 2000 Pro in case anyone is wondering.
68 no problems by me!
I installed this adapter on two computers (both computers were built), with almost no trouble. Both were running Windows XP SP1. One of the computers, for the some reason, automatically reset itself after installing the driver (then it did a disk-check), but upon restarting windows, the thing worked just fine.
My only problem I've been having with this thing is reception, as I am wondering if this thing has bad reception because of the fact that it is so small, or because it doesn't have antennas like some other receivers do.
69 Unstable - the worst piece of hardware I have
I experienced what many users here also experienced. My MA111 is a pain in the back. Bought it after better experience with a MA101 but could not buy another MA101 - so I bought the first available one from my local store without looking at reviews. What a mistake!
First my Win XP machine started rebooting time after time. After I upgraded the driver of the MA111 from 1.1 to 2.0 the machine is no longer crashing uncontrolled but I get breakdowns of the wireless conection by the dozen a working day. Intollerable! I did not buy mine at amazon - so I cannot return it for a refund.
70 I'm impressed with this product
Bottom line, I'm very impressed with this product. Very easy to install and use. Comes with good accessory and easy to use software.
I saw one review comment here saying that this product is causing a blue crashing screen. From my experience, it happens on other wireless products from Linksys and D-Link as well. It's your computer's problem, not from Netgear
71 AVOID LIKE THE PAGUE!!! CRASHED my Windows XP
I installed drivers for MA111 USB adapter on my desktop, as directed by Netgear technical support. Unfortunately this install caused my OS to crash and I am unable to boot up my PC anymore. Each time I try to boot it prompts me to boot in one of XP's boot modes and each mode takes me to the blue screen and causes my PC to restart every time.
I am surprised and disappointed that being such a reputed company, Netgear can manufacture such a raw product that can cause such significant damages.
Save yourself from a potentially similar situation --- AVOID this product!!!
72 Blue screens Win XP
I've used this adapter on three different PC's and it bluescreens XP once or twice per day on average. I've uninstalled/re-installed, and updated drivers on the XP machines with no improvement.
Windows 2000 works OK. General wireless performance is in line with the other PCMCIA based 802.11 cards I've used.
73 works great after a little finagaling
I decided to try this USB adapter after having lots of problems with the D-Link 650+ PC card on my Dell 4150 laptop. I was hoping there would be fewer compatability issues and I wanted to be able to use on my wife's laptop whenever she brought it home. From the D-Link experience, I had already updated XP with SP1, my BIOS for my laptop, and my Synaptics touchpad driver. I than installed the Netgear USB Adapter driver tried out my new toy. It worked right away but I got the blue screen a few times. After loading the newest driver from Netgear it has been flawless since.
74 Good product, no problems at all
I don't know why this product is rated so poorly. I installed this in under 10 mins. Assuming the wireless router is set up correctly, all I did was install drivers and then plug into the USB. A piece of cake! So easy to install, use, and configure. Also the small size means I can bring this to any computer. Get this instead of the big bulky Linksys USB Adapter.
75 After The Crew Have Become Tired And Weary
I agree with the electronics fan from Washington,DC.
Despite the manufacturer's literature, this device does not always work well with Windows 98. I was installing this on an older computer which will be used in a classroom. After hours of updating drivers and installing updates it only works occasionally. With that being said I did try it out on my laptop and desktop which runs XP and it ran fine. Windows 98 users should REALLY think before buying this device or update your OS to XP.
76 Clear Up Windows 98 problem
Saying it works with Windows 98 is a mistake or a typo. NO USB devices work reliably with Windows 98. You need Windows98 SE which is the version of 98 that adds USB support.
77 Works on Dell Inspiron/XP
After I installed this adapter on my Dell Inspiron 5100 it didn't work at first. After reading Timothy Jackson's review I decided to try the newest Synaptics driver even though I didn't encounter the exact same problem as he did. Voila! It works after I upgraded my Synaptics driver v7.6.4. And I'm submitting this review via MA111 right at this moment.
78 Caused PC to reboot
I'm running WIndows XP service pack 1 on a Compaq desktop. It was a very reliable machine until installing this wireless USB adapter.
My machine rebooted every time I had this installed. I downloaded the latest driver and this still did not fix the problem. I called there tech support and after waiting for 15 minutes for a tech I decided my cell phone minutes were too valuable and my time would be better spent returning it.
79 Works With Win98se
I have Win98se, and I was able to get it to work in first attempt. It also has an USB extender cable, whcih makes it real easy to connect to your desktop if you have the USB connecter on the back side where its really hard to reach.. and I like USB better than cards, as I can easily switch between desktop, laptop.
80 Glad I didn't read the reviews first...
There seems to be a love/hate relationship with this adapter. Half the prople swear by it, and half swear at it. In my case it works well with Windows 98SE. Loaded the softwear, restarted the computer , plugged in the adapter, brought up the configuration screen, typed in the SSID, restarted again and it took right off. It has worked just fine for about 10 days now with a MA814 router. The computer is an older Dell GX1 PIII 550 located about 30 feet away on the same floor of a 4 bedroom house as the router. The 5 ft cable makes it easy to move the adapter around for the best link quality which in this case is 100%. You can't beat the cost on Netgear wireless equipment.
81 Fast, once the problem was solved...
I have two of the MA111 adapters. The first, installed on a Shuttle XPC running Windows XP SP1, has been troublefree from day 1. However, the second adapter, installed on my Dell 2650 (also running XP Home SP1) was giving the "blue screen of death" reported in several other reviews on this page. I got the screen 100% of the time. It turns out the problem is a conflict with the standard Dell Synaptics touchpad drivers. If you download the new Synaptics A02 drivers for XP and install them, the MA111 will then work perfectly. I suspect that any laptop running the original Synaptics touchpad drivers for XP will have the same problem.
Now that the drivers are resolved, I am hitting speeds of 1.85G with my MA111. Not too shabby for 802.11b.
By the way, if you download the new Windows XP update for interactive error reporting, it will tell you the blue screens are likely coming from the Synaptics touchpad, not the MA111.
82 It does not work with Windows 98
Despite what is said above and in the manufacturer's literature, this device does not always work with Windows 98, as one of the Netgear techs admitted to me after hours of effort (not to mention the time waiting to get to a tech). Nor does downloading the most recent version of the software--which is what the level 2 tech advises--help. Caveat emptor: Windows 98 users should think twice before buying this device.
83 Hmm what happened?
Okay well this thing was FLAWLESS with my XP computer....reception was perfect, setup was very easy, and the speed was very good. Two nights ago reception just stopped. I've tried everything...and I do mean everything....to get it back working but it just won't find any available wireless access points in the area (it used to find mine and another person's). So.......I'm not sure how to review it.....I loved it but now I'm wondering what happened. I reloaded all of my drivers....even formatted the drive and reinstalled Windows (wanted to do this for a long time anyway). Still not getting a signal. I think the hardware itself must be malfunctioning. So..my advice..if yours works...it's an excellent piece of equipment...
84 Buyer beware
I had an experience similar to the reviewer below, "redlinerx." My system is running Windows XP with Service Pack 1, very clean and always stable, until I installed this thing. The drivers are not certified by Microsoft (many wireless adapters are not, I've noticed). Anytime I had this thing installed my system would blue-screen frequently, which has otherwise never happened with my computer. On top of that, signal quality and connection speed were poor. When I bought a Microsoft USB wireless adapter and used it in the same location, the connection improved a lot, and the drivers don't hose my system. In short, I'd advise those looking for a USB adapter to get the Microsoft one, although it's not cheap.
85 Perfect for novices
The advantage to getting a USB adapter over a network card is that you don't have to open up your computer's case to install it and, because it uses a USB port, you can order it for either Windows or Mac. I am using it for Windows XP. I was worried about signal strength after reading all of the reviews, but I consistently get around 70% signal strength capacity and I am upstairs from the router. Installation was easy too. Just read the user's manual, install the software first and plug in the USB adapter. And because it's outside of your computer, you can move it around to see if you can pick up better signal strength. One of the unexpected highlights of the USB adapter is that, if you turn off your computer, it stops scanning for a signal which means you don't have to worry about a stranger using your connection when you're not using your computer. I had no knowledge of networking before asking friends and reading all of Amazon's reviews--and good for you for reading! This will come in handy! This ended up being my first and last choice because Netgear is a topseller, easy-to-use, and offered a rebate. This is my first time ever having a high speed connection at home and I'm loving it. One of the best investments along with the Netgear router. Together after the rebate, the two items cost around $70. Just a great product and great deal.
86 No Luck On My System
Though the system requirements state Windows XP, it appears that the drivers are not happy running on my system. My system is a newer Dell model, with only windows security patches applied, so the OS is pretty clean. Anytime the install program for a driver tells you to ignore the fact that Microsoft has not certified the driver you are installing, be prepared that things may not be easy.
Once I installed the drivers and the MA111, my system would blue screen almost everytime I logged off and about 50% of the time I logged in.
Signal strenght was poor, even from about 20 feet away and 2 walls between the router and PC (on the same floor in the house).
It is being sent back, the Linksys USB Wireless adapted I bought is working totally fine.
Glad to hear other folks got decent service from Netgear. The only way I could get a person on the line was to call their Pre-Sales group and pretend that I wanted to buy the MA111, but had some questions before I did.
87 Excellent
Small, Compact. I bought this b/c of it tranferability between my laptop and desktop... nice job
88 Quick and easy networking... for most...
First of all, let me warn users of Windows 98 that, in spite of product claims, this product may not work well with Windows 98. I bought this, intending to use it to plug my existing Windows 98 machine into an existing wireless network (with the Netgear WR814 router). Some five aggravating hours later, I learned (via Usenet) that many Windows 98 users had much trouble getting this (and other USB) network adapters to work.
Luckily, the timing was good for me to try an upgrade of this older (P3-500) machine to Windows XP Home Edition. Installation onto the same machine with the Windows XP OS took about 15 minutes. I now have a good solid working connection across the house from the router (40 feet away and through two walls).
Given that I was willing and able to upgrade my older machine's OS, I'm very happy with the MA111's performance. I can't be sure about its compatibility with other versions of Windows, or with other OSs, and would strongly suggest that you check out online reviews (such as on Amazon.com),or just ask around, regardless of what the product package might tell you.
89 so easy! excellent stuff
I bought this and the 802.11b router from Netgear last night....had my network operating within 15 minutes or so. This is some world-class stuff and it works extremely well on the floor above the router, one room over. I have XP on a newish Dell, so the compatibility is perfect. Buy one..it's great..very easy.
90 Poor compatibility
I bought this item thinking it would work as well as the MA101, which has good compatibility. I was wrong. It ONLY works under Windows. Don't even try using it anywhere else such as Linux.
Even if I buy something intending to use it only under Windows I only buy products that can later be moved somewhere else. I've been burned too many times by products that worked under one version of Windows then weren't supported in the next. I find that products that are Windows, Mac & Linux compatible have a longer useful life.
This product is being returned today.
91 Fair Performance, Slightly High Price
I got this device because I have an older laptop that has the older "double-thick" card slot that won't take the newer type II cards. Thank goodness, the laptop has 1 USB port.
This adapter was easy to install and hook up - and I was able to get it to link to a D-Link 614+ wireless router (after a little trial and error). The performance is good as long as you don't have too many obstacles (or too much distance) between your adapter and the wireless router. I found I have to use the extension cable with the adapter to get it to work best.
92 Just plug it in...
It works and works great! I have it on windows xp desktop pc.
93 Easy setup on WinXP
Setup took less than 5 minutes on WinXP Professional. I installed the drivers from the CD, plugged the MA111 into a USB port on my IBM ThinkPad laptop and it immediately got detected. I opened the icon from the system tray and saw that it was aware of my Linksys DSL router within range. I selected the encryption/WEP type and entered the passphrase to match those set for the Linksys router -- it's connected and I was on the Web!
The signal strength wasn't very strong (40-45%) at 1 floor down & 2 rooms away (kitchen) from the router (den). Nonetheless, I was able to stay online without problems. I bought this form factor instead of PCMCIA card so that I can use it both on a laptop and desktop.
94 Save some time, read this review
I bought this product to go with my Netgear Wireless Router (MR814v2-truly plug and play). Given my positive experience with the router, I decided to go with Netgear again with this USB adapter. After an unsuccessful 30 minutes (something close to my attention span), I called Netgear support. The support guy took me through everything I'd already did, then he had an idea that the problem was with my TCP/IP. He directed me to my computer company's support line. I skipped the likely frustration (is e-machine even in business these days?) and added both a NetBui and a TCP/IP driver. I then uninstalled the netgear MA111 software. After a restart, I reinstalled the MA111 software and it worked immediately.
Once it's up and running, it works great. None of the reviews of this or the previous model seem to dispute this. So good luck getting it going. Once you do, you'll be pleased.
95 Clear clear with Windows 98
I'm running a Netgear network at home, all wireless, with the Netgear MR814 router and another Netgear MA401 PCMCIA wireless card. No problems with both. With the MA111, the story is a little different. Upon installing the configuration utility, it totally froze my machine. Nothing you can do about it. I had to re-boot in Safe mode, remove all of the drivers and utility, and upgrade to Windows 2000 to make it work. Not worth the effort.
96 What a piece of junk!
Man oh man, what a pain in the rear this thing is! Just bought a new Netgear wireless router and this thing for my house. After inserting it into either my laptop or desktop the connection drops and the light goes out. I remove the device and then reinsert it and it dies even faster than before. Tech support for Netgear (somewhere in India) has absolutely no idea what's going on with it. They thought it I needed to enable broadcasting of my SSID. That didn't work (I knew it wouldn't) so tried getting some answers via email. Again, no luck. Finally decided to return it.
97 Tiny, elegant, simple to install
This little wireless adapter installed easily on my Windows ME notebook (no small feat, as practically nothing else installs simply on WinME machines). The installation instructions said I would have to change some setting during install, but it autosensed everything and I was up and running in less than 10 min. Excellent signal from basement to second floor Linksys WAP (about 20 vertical feet, two floors). My only minor issue is that the adapter sticks out in a rather precarious location from the back of the notebook. Could easily be damaged if you pick up the notebook carelessly or move around alot. In that case, a PC card adapter may make more sense for your applications.
98 Works great!
I can go across the house, in the garage, or even outside and I still don't lose my connection with the Netgear MA111. Very small and works great with my laptop. Works as good as any other wireless adapter I've tried but this one's smaller. Good product!
