Up to 5x Faster and Backward Compatible with 802.11b Wireless NetworksFreedom of movement and flexibility of access NETGEAR's 54 Mbps Wireless PC Card gives you both in spades! Designed to the 802.11g draft specification, this versatile PC card offers speeds up to nearly five times faster than widely deployed IEEE 802.11b wireless networks found in homes, businesses, and public wireless hotspots around the globe.
This versatile PC card works with either wireless standard, 802.11b or 802.11g*, to keep you connected today and tomorrow. Put it in your notebook PC and no matter where you are, at home, at the office, at the airport or in other public access areas, this versatile adapter automatically selects the best connection available, giving you constant access to corporate resources, e-mail, and the Internet. Use it to quickly network employees, saving the time and expense of Ethernet cabling. Easy to set up and use, it auto-selects the best available connection and adapts the settings to match. NETGEAR's intuitive Install Wizard makes driver installation a cinch. And with up to 128-bit WEP encryption, you can rest assured that your wireless network communications are private.
High-SpeedFully IEEE 802.11b (2.4 GHz) compliant for wireless network access from your notebook PC, this PC Card has both standards built in, so you can connect your notebook to existing 802.11b infrastructure, and also to the high-speed networks based on the 802.11g specification. Delivers digital images, videos, and MP3 files at speeds of up to 54 Mbps. Dynamic rate shifting according to environmental conditions achieves the fastest possible connections.
UntetheredSupports office roaming for notebook PC users for shared broadband Internet access and resources. Provides maximum mobility from home, the office, the airport, and other public access areas. And the NETGEAR Wireless LAN Manager lets you create profiles
Netgear's 54 Mbps Wireless PC Card offers speeds up to nearly five times faster than widely deployed IEEE 802.11b wireless networks found in homes, businesses, and public wireless hotspots around the globe. It works with devices that are compatible with both the 802.11b and 802.11g draft wireless standards to keep you connected today and tomorrow.
Put it in your notebook PC and no matter where you are, at home, at the office, at the airport or in other public access areas, this versatile adapter automatically selects the best connection available, giving you constant access to corporate resources, e-mail, and the Internet. Use it to quickly network employees, saving the time and expense of Ethernet cabling. Easy to set up and use with Netgear's Install Wizard, the PC Card auto-selects the best available connection and adapts the settings to match. And with up to 128-bit WEP encryption, you can rest assured that your wireless network communications are private.
Fully IEEE 802.11b (2.4 GHz) compliant for wireless network access from your notebook PC, this PC Card has both standards built in, so you can connect your notebook to existing 802.11b infrastructure, and also to the high-speed networks based on the 802.11g specification. Dynamic rate shifting according to environmental conditions achieves the fastest possible connections.
The Netgear 54 Mbps Wireless PC Card supports office roaming for notebook PC users for shared broadband Internet access and resources, and provides maximum mobility from home, the office, the airport, and other public access areas. And the Netgear Wireless LAN Manager lets you create profiles that reflect specific WLAN settings for each place you travel.
The PC Card comes with a 3-year warranty and it compatible with Windows 98, Me, 2000, or XP.
1 Very Irritated with Product
I loved this thing for the first month and a half. It has strong reception throughout our house and it was extremely fast.
However, it has now ceased working. It began running my CPU at 100% and kept having to reconnect to the internet. Now, none of the LED lights turn on when it's inserted into the computer. (btw. I have a Gateway, not Compaq) I get the Code 10 error with whatever I try to do.
Stay away from this product. I do also own the Netgear router and that still works just fine (knock on wood). I think that it's just this defective piece of crap.
2 No problems, came right up
Read many of the other reviews and I've not had a bit of trouble. Ran it on two different DELL laptops, a VAIO (sp?), an HP, and something else I didn't even recognize and it worked fine in all of them. Perhaps a bad batch of cards/production run? Can't say. All I know is that mine installed perfectly in our two laptops in less than 1/2 hour total and works great. I can even connect to two of our neighbors so I have a backup in case I need it! ;-) ...FWIW and of course YMMV...but I'm quite satisfied with it and recommend it.
3 Poor service, poor quality and dishonest tactic in selling
Netgear is not honest with customer about their problem on the WG511. I bought the first WG511 for my Dell Lattitude and the card works well. When I bought for my son the new Compaq Presario 2100 us about 2 months ago, I start knowing all about code 10 error that WG511 will not work will many kind of laptops, and they still sell WG511 for the unsuspecting customers despite there was plenty indications that something is not right with the card. The current beta driver on Netgear site still not work with my son's laptop and he still uses the first wobbling version. If your WG511 works with your laptop, consider that you are lucky as I was before buying the 2nd one. And you might not be as lucky again as I am now. For anyone want to buy WG511, use Google to search whether your laptop modem having problem with WG511. Don't ever believe that the new driver will fix the code 10 problem unless you have tried it out first. But then who is that insane to buy a product with such uncertainty?
4 problems
I had the same problem someone else mentioned. My Compaq laptop went into hibernate and ever since then the WG511T card does not work - code 10 error on the device manager. It worked for 2 weeks and suddenly just quit working. I have spent hours unloading software,reinstalling, rebooting, doing system restores, and nothing helps. I contacted the support site and they told me to put the card in another slot - I only have 1 slot!!!!! I am going to give this card to someone else to see if it works for them and warn them about the computer going to sleep. It's a wash - don't buy it online. Get it from a store where you can return it.
5 another good quality Netgear product
The product works very well, once you got it setup properly.
i won't bother with the details specs of the product, you should be able to find it somewhere else. just to share few tips of the installation, hope that will help you. (for Windows only, sorry Mac fans.)
[...]
2. if you are running Windows XP, should install SP2 already. the SP2 wireless wizard gives you painless setup.
3. after you download the driver, install it first WITHOUT put in the card. the driver will also install Netgear's wireless wizard software that helps your installation. i didn't use it, cause unnecessary.
4. plug in the card, the Windows will go through the "find new hardware" just click through. By the end of this step, you will have you wireless card up and running.
5. set up WPA. just to be general, log on your wireless router, enable wireless encryption. type in a long phrase, like, "i ate a big roast beef today." you can use the Windows wireless wizard or the Netgear wizard to setup the card. type in the same phrase.
the card will try to connect it again, then you will have a very fast connection established when you see the green light on the card becomes solid.
good range, i roamed around the house, in the bathroom, living room, back yard, etc. my wireless router is in the corner of the study room, not the best place, but seems no problem. the lowest signal i got is very weak, but still at 6MB speed, enough for surfing the web.
design: 4
performance: 4
setup: 4 (easy)
wizard software: 3
overall: 4 (highly recommended)
one problem i had is with the Netgear wizard. if your computer has different user, then i found i couldn't save a wireless profile when log on as user. the wizard asked me everytime to re enter the WPA phrase. here is what i did to get around,
1. unplug the card.
2. find where the netgear installed the software on your computer.
3. in the folder, there is a folder "driver", copy the whole folder.
4. uninstall the netgear wizard.
5. create a netgear folder as before your uninstallation. copy the driver folder.
6. put in the card again.
7. use only Windows XP SP2 to configure your wireless network.
6 Fast, inexpesive, easy setup, and multiple language support!
I just purchased the Netgear WG511 wireless adapter card for my wife's PC. Overall, I am very happy with this purchase, and recommend this card. However, there are a couple of points I would like to touch on in this review:
1) Although the initial installation of the Netgear software was very easy (on a Sony VAIO laptop running WindowsME), enabling WEP encryption presented what appeared to be issues. Once WEP was enabled, the Netgear card did not seem to be able to connect to my Linksys access point. But, in reality, this was not the case -- It turned out that the Netgear card just needed a little time to communicate the encryption data with the access point, after which it was recognized just fine.
2) This card is installed on a PC running WindowsME Japanese. Let's just say I was very (happily!) surprised to find that the software recognized the language of the OS and automatically installed the correct language version of the software. It would be nice, however, if Netgear stated that multiple languages were supported by the card and its software somewhere on the packaging or in the manual, as this would have saved me the trouble of first attempting to download and use the software from the Netgear Japan web site (which didn't work). But, once I installed the software from the installation CD, everything went without a hitch.
3) Back to an issue implied by point number 1, above: when you boot a PC with this card installed (unless you are using XP's network management software), it takes a minute after boot for the card to connect to the access point. This is likely because the Netgear software has to fully load before it can connect, but it makes it seem that the card is not working after the computer starts. In fact, the card is working just fine, if you wait a minute and let the software find and communicate with the access point. (This is not an issue unless you have WEP enabled.)
And, for users of WindowsXP: If you do not disable XP's network management software, you will have compatibility issues with the Netgear software. This is the source of many user's issues noted in the reviews on this web site.
So, be aware that you should turn the XP software *off* if you intend to use the Netgear network manager. Or, if you want to use the XP software, just install the card's drivers and skip the installation of the Netgear management utility.
In summary, this is a fine card with well-written, intuitive software that should be considered by anyone who wants to connect a laptop PC via wireless. Although using WEP does seem to impact performance on boot up, there is no apparent degradation of connection speed once online. If WEP is not used, the card connects instantly, with no noticable lag.
I highly recommend this card to anyone who wants to connect quickly, easily, and for far less money than they might spend on other name-brand cards.
7 WG511v2
My WG511 has been working fine. When I started thinking about buying another one, I noticed Netgear released WG511v2 already. I recommended you to make sure you purchase the latest.
8 Terrible support and compatibility issues with Windows XP
Be aware of Netgear products. They only give support for 90 days and then they charge a hefty sum. This product has compatibility issues with Windows XP. The company had to release new versions of the driver but they did not keep up with the windows automatic update downloads and therefore the product was constantly failing. Their support is miserable and outsourced to India which had to help on multiple occasions but after the warranty there was a hefty charge. I just went out and bought a Belkin wireless card and it seems to work great......Be very cautious in buying Netgear products.
9 Best 802.11g PC Card
I tried quite a few 802.11g PC Cards and found the Netgear WG511 to be the best, in terms of both range/reception and setup. I was able to install and use the WG511 in five different laptops (running Win2k or WinXP) without a hitch. I'm also getting very good reception from my 802.11b AP, whereas other PC Card clients had trouble maintaining the connection. Overall I'm real happy with this one.
One note of caution: WEP, the encryption used by 802.11b, is not secure! I wouldn't use an e-mail client like Eudora or Outlook or anything that might expose my passwords, without using application-level encryption (e.g., encrypted log-in in Outlook).
10 Pop in the CD, insert this card, and you are wireless
This card worked flawlessly with the WGR614 802.11g Wireless Router. Although the router required a bit of configuration to get working with SBC Yahoo DSL, the drivers for this card installed themselves, and the laptop started communicating wirelessly before I even rebooted. 5 stars means no configuration, no fuss, no muss.
11 good luck if you have an IBM Thinkpad!!!
This card have major problems working with IBM Thinkpads. I bought this more than 3 months ago and it worked fine w/ the old 1.6 driver on my Thinkpad most of the time. I have to eject and re-insert and re-login at times to get it working and recognized by the OS after my laptop wakes up from hibernation. The worst problem here is the latest driver 2.0 from Netgear doesn't work at all. Apparently, there's some issues with the WG511 card and the Thinkpad PCI Adapter (made by Texas Instrument) but Netgear support refuses to admit any problems so I'm stuck w/ the old drivers. Can never switch to WPA security. Netgear support is the worst! I tried Linksys with my Netgear 54G router and it worked like a charm.
12 Poor quality product, expensive "warranty"
Be sure you know what you're getting into when you buy this. One of the reasons I bought it - with a Netgear 54Mbps access point - was the "3 year" warranty. Additionally, I thought how could I go wrong with a name brand? The card didn't work from the moment I received it. I spent weeks - in my spare time - trying to figure out what I was doing wrong. [This was my first experience with wireless networking and I was trying to configure both the access point and the card, not really sure what I was doing.]
I finally tested my setup with a friends card - same model - and his worked on my machine. So, I figured the card was at fault. In order to return the card under warranty (after 90 days) you have to pay - either by the minute or a flat rate of something like $29.95 - to speak with their technical support personnel. I spent over an hour on the phone with tech. support - in India. We went through all the diagnosis tests I'd already ran to determine it wasn't working. They were polite enough but just going through bog standard diagnosis scripts.
Then finally I get an RMA number, ship it back and get a new one. This worked for a week or two, and just stopped. I don't know if this is coincidence, but I left my laptop on over night with the card in it, and power saving mode (of Windows XP home) kicked in. The card hasn't worked since. I'm considering buying a LinkSys or similar card now, but am afraid that my Netgear Access Point won't work with it without applying a firmware upgrade (that rendered it useless once before).
13 Good reception but doesn't like to change access points
This card installed and configured easily on Win2k for my home network (802.11b, WEP, no beaconing) and I immediately noticed better range and reception than with my Netgear MA401 card. But when I tried to reconfigure it for another access point, I ran into trouble: I had trouble getting WEP to work on the new network, and when I went back to my home network it took several tries to get this card to reassociate. The "Activate" button in the Profiles tab wasn't working, the "Connect" option in the Site Survey tab wasn't working, and even manually setting everything wasn't working--the card just kept scanning channels, never associating. The software has a channel menu but it's always grayed out. Finally I tried clicking Rescan just to see what would happen and it associated, but the status icon disappeared from the Windows System Tray and running the Configuration Utility (from Programs menu) didn't work. I also have been unable to upgrade to the latest driver.
I really like the Site Survey feature, it's almost like having Netstumbler but you can highlight an AP and click a button to connect to it (usually). I also like the Profiles feature compared to that of my MA401 card, having a summary of settings below the profile name, with Save/Delete/Activate buttons. Sometimes, however, "real" settings didn't match the stated "current profile" settings, which is confusing. I also like that this card has an activity LED, which my MA401 doesn't have--although sometimes the link light doesn't blink when scanning.
Overall I think this is just a so-so card due to the strange behavior I experienced. It was easy to install and configure the first time, it gets better reception than my old card, and I really like the Site Survey feature. There just seem to be some bugs in the driver/config software that I have to put up with and/or work around. It also doesn't do WPA, and there's no "wireless radio off" feature. Most brands of 802.11g cards are routinely on sale for $30-$40 so you might want to try your luck with something else.
14 WPC511 with buggy Drivers
Ratting for this card (WG511) should be a zero.
Drivers supplied with this card, on factory CD-ROM installed with out any problem, but computer (Dell Inspirion 9100) can not use card due to buggy driver supplied by Netgear. Updated (2.7, 2.1) and previous versions (1.7, 1.1) of the driver for this card available from Netgear website did not solve problem. A quick check at www.dslreports.com revealed a disturbing trend with these cards. Almost all installations suffer from Code 10 error
Number one item of Netgear FAQ (on their website) is a code 10 error that occurs upon card insertion into the PCMCIA port.
I was able to barrow Linksys WPC11 card. Drivers installed without a hitch. Card performance is adequate, no code 10. Wireless connection is fine.
Make your own conclusion. My guess is that Netgear outsourced driver coding to India or to a third party who did not perform rigorous compatibility testing as it should have been done. Low cost software - very disappointed customer! You get what you pay for. Outsourcing = cheap products = lousy performance!
System Dell Inspirion 9100 with Win XP (home
15 fast card, great price, but not ready for WPA
This card is a vast improvement over my previous 802.11b 11mbps D-Link (POS) card with the Netgear WGR614 router. The price is good and the 3 year warranty (with online registration) can't be beat. I bought this card for 2 reasons, it was cheapest 54g card and it "supports" WPA security. However, at this time none of Netgear's version 2.x drivers that were written to support WPA work. So you can't even get basic, unsecured connectivity with this version of the driver. Even if you apply the Microsoft patches for XP to support WPA, the Netgear's drivers are still required for the install, so you're still hosed. Netgear states that this will be fixed in the next driver release, hopefully soon.
But if you aren't concerned about better wireless security/encryption, WEP with MAC address access control works without a hitch.
All tech support calls are routed to India, but support none the less, has been very good.
16 Pay for tech support
I just found out that after 90 days Netgear wouldn't provides tech support unless you pay for the service. I then called Linksys to see if their policy is the same as Netgear. Linksys said they will support all product as long as you own them. Please beware and call before you buy any Netgear products. It is bad business in technology if you don't support after 90 days.
17 Era lo que me esperaba ...
Me compre este producto a pesar de toda la critica que tenia, si ...tuve problemas con la tarjeta, bastantes problemas, los drivers con los que viene son malisimos y no esperes que te funcione sin que los actualizes, peor si usas WinXP sin actualizar.
Una vez que logre actualizar los drivers de la tarjeta y WinXP ha funcionado de maravilla y no ha presentado absolutamente ningun problema.
18 Good product w/ an ugly flaw
Good product, but the driver is not Win XP certified. What I experience on my laptop, is that after standby/hybernation, the driver almost freezes the laptop (even mouse becomes slow). Once you take out the PCMCIA card and plug it back in, everything becomes normal. Not a big deal, but not very nice either.
BTW, my system is Compaq Presario w/ WinXP Home Edition.
19 Great wireless card!!
I finally got frustrated with the poor reception of my Dell TrueMobile 1300 internal wireless card, so I decided to get the WG511. I have a WG602 Access Point, so I figured this card would work well with it. I made a good choice. This card is a HUGE improvement over the TrueMobile. I now have no dead spots inside my house (1900 sq ft), unlike the TrueMobile which would loose signal if I was more than 15 or 20 feet away from the access point. I can even take it outside on the deck with no signal loss. it was a no-brainer to install and setup, within in 5 minutes I was up and running.
20 Encryption is tricky
I already wrote a similar review for the router. I bought both at the same time. Installation was fine, but once I got to the wireless encryption, the directions got a bit confusing. I wish that the software for both the router and wireless PC card just automatically prompted you for encryption information, but no dice. I don't know if the other manufacturers out there are any better with the directions, but if they are and you have no computer know how, then you may want to choose them. Otherwise, even the moderately computer savy should be able to get this set up after a minimal time.
21 better reception than most I own
I got it from a store, due to it has better rebate that makes the price pretty good
after purchasing, I have to take time to install (will talk about it later)
I download the latest application (including driver) from netgear, but I was surprised there's no driver (?!)
then I have to install the application, after that, I plug the card in...
I am very impressed the reception, under xp, it shows good-low when good old orinoco shown low, and old linky WPC11 shows "no signal"
here you should do with this card:
1. download the latest application (driver included), then install it
2. reboot your pc, insert the card
3. for xp user, you can use the incuded application to handle the card or let xp handle, however, you need an update to get WPA support, and you have to disable the app in msconfig if you decide to let xp to handle the card
conclusion, I had confused for initial installation, but once it's done, I found the card has good reception, here is my result I use it in kitchen:
MS USB MN710: low to very low
netgear WG511: low to very low
orinoco silver: very low
Linksys WPC11: no signal
Linksys WUSB11 2.6: good to low
then, you know what you should choose
update: I am unable to get more than 2MB on low (use xp to run), I can only get 24M when the signal is "good" (use SMC 2804 as ap)
personally think MS MN710 USB is better, MS made a good product (and cheap) this time
22 not as good as you might hope
I bought this wireless card from Amazon a few weeks ago, and when it connects to my DSL gateway it works wonderfully. The problem is that it takes between 7 and 40 minutes to connect to the DSL gateway each time I turn on my laptop. Just a warning, it took me 7 tries over a period of 2 weeks to get my DSL and this wireless card working. It's not as easy as everyone says it is to get DSL and wireless.
23 Not everything will proceed smoothly
Unlike other customers of this product, I had considerable difficulty installing the driver. The installation CD that came with the Wireless Card was defective and I wasn't able to use it to install the driver. Tech support was somewhat helpful - after about 40 minutes on hold/explaining the problem/trying various solutions, I was told to download the driver from Netgear's website. The woman from tech support hung up immediately after sharing this information. It wasn't obvious (to me) which file to download, and after trying three different files, my laptop recognized the driver. The irony of this situation is the hidden silver lining in this experience - in order to go online, I had to download files from the internet.
After installation, I had no problems accessing the web.
24 WPA does not work for a lot of people
Installation was easy until I decided to upgrade. I bought the card so that I could have faster speed and higher security using the WPA software upgrade. The speed is great, but the upgrade did not work at all, and I have since discovered that a lot of people are having trouble with that - it seems to be a problem with AMD-based laptops. Tech support was a big waste of time, and I am now trying to decide whether WEP security is good enough or whether I should return the card.
25 Works great, quick setup, wish it were flush with the laptop
Instant setup, -- using it conjunction with Netgear's Wireless Router -- works spectacular in my older 1920's spanish house in L.A. -- plaster walls, wood floors, etc.
26 Working great
Was plug & play for me into a Dell Inspiron laptop running Win98SE. Followed the installation instructions and was up and running in minutes. Router is a Netgear WGR614.
Only giving four stars simply because I haven't tested out its various features or performance in detail. Been great so far.
27 xp user attention !!
Iam using xp window.. i was very frustrated when not working and spent a lot of time to fix it. however, found no way to access internet. consider buying it if using window xp..
28 WG511 excellence
I bought this card in tandem with the Netgear WG511. The set up was pretty hassle free ( I READ MANUALS ) and I was up and running in about 30 minutes. I have had this set up for about one year and the only thing I have had to do is go back into the router and update the firmware and change my channel because of congestion in my area. It's been sweet!
29 Excellent Product
I bought a Linksys G Router and the accompanying Linksys G PC card for my laptop. Of course the Linksys card would barely connect with the router, and when it did, wouldn't maintain a connection. I returned the Linksys card and bought the NetGear equivalent, and sure enough, within minutes I was up and wireless. Thank you NetGear for making a great product.
30 No Hassle
Very easy installation. Had my new laptop up and connected within minutes. Not one problem with this card and would recommend it.
31 Easy install, painless configuration. Perfect!!
This is easily the best wireless-G PC Card you can buy. Between the awesome price, and its great performance, you just can' beat it. I popped the CD in, ran an install program, and rebooted my laptop. (This took no more than 5 minutes). Then, I just popped in the PC Card, told it the name of my network - and bada bing, I was up and running. Absolutely a good buy!
32 Easy to use with other Netgear products
This card was a breeze to install and configure for use with the Netgear 802.11g router. That being said, Netgear's Configuration Utility Software makes it impossible to use the card with some wireless networks that use Authentication Clients (such as my college campus). As the author of the university's wireless configuration instructions, I feel fairly confident in saying that one should be leery of using this card outside of the Netgear product family. If you know you'll be sticking to a basic personal network, though, it's perfectly fine.
33 Great product, Simple to use
Had the card working in 5 minutes. Set up was extremely easy, reception very good throughout house. No problems installing on XP Home. Bought Netgear wireless router at same time. Highly recommended, it does not get any easier than this!!
34 Easy and Very fast setup
Easy to setup and use. User friendly IF you read the directions...they're normally there for a reason. Wireless connection is faster than imagined and this addition was one of the easiest ones I've made to my laptop...100% satisfied.
35 Works like a dream
I already had a Linksys wireless "G" setup with a USB antenna, but I just didn't want to pay that Linksys price for connecting a second laptop. The WG511 seemed a perfect solution and guess what, it was!! A robust PCMCIA card that is simple to install. I saw other comments re support but there were no problems with my WXP/Home Compaq Laptops, mebbe Thinkpads have a problem. Can't speak for the Netgear routers, and I will probably stay with Linksys, but for connectivity this should be a "no-brainer".
Oh, and here is a quick caveat for you, if you are pondering PCMCIA vs USB connectivity. The Linksys WUSB54G and Netgear WG121 (USB) wireless adapters only operate at full power if you have USB 2.0. PCMCIA cards don't have this problem.
36 A no-go with Windows XP and a Thinkpad
I bought this card from Amazon about 2 months ago and unfortunately it doesn't work on my pretty modern laptop, an IBM Thinkpad T23, unless I use a 10-month-old version of the drivers (v1.6) that does not provide WPA, a feature I desperately need. Hours on the phone with Netgear's clueless offshored Bangalore help desk technicians could not solve the problem, and finally my case was escalated to someone in the USA who admitted "There's a problem with the 2.1 drivers." No word on when they'll actually release drivers that work, of course.
I knew I should've gone with the Linksys!
37 Wouldn't recomend it
I bought two Netgear 511 cards for my wife's laptop and my laptop. I also bought a Netgear 311 PCI card for my desktop, and a Netgear 602 access point. I got everything talking to the access point without any encryption. I configured the 128-bit encryption on all the devices, and I was able to get them all working.
BUT every time after a reboot, when I went through about five web pages it would disconnect from the network. I would have to go into the setup utility and reconfigure the network settings. This happened on both the laptops, and the desktop. The desktop has both Windows 98 and Windows 2000, and the laptops have Windows 2000. This same problem was happening with the desktop running Windows 98.
I went to Netgear's website to download the latest drivers. While on one of their secure web pages, all their header information was (in about ten parts) located on a non-secure part of their web site. So, I got the dialogue box asking me if I wanted to leave the secure web site for every part of their header. I downloaded the latest drivers, which didn't fix the problem. I called their customer support line. I was told to just modify the default settings, which you cannot do. I kept going around and around with her until I finally reached the conclusion that she was not going to help me.
From my bedroom to where the access point was in the kitchen, the connection was terrible. Netgear came with a little monitor utility and it would tell you how many MBPS it was connecting at. It was usually around 12. The weird thing is, the signal strength was very good. I thought their monitor program must be off. I ran some tests copying files across the network, and it really was connecting that slow.
After seeing what the Netgear product is, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I sold people any of the Netgear products that I had bought. I don't know how people can give this product a good review. They have never touched the encryption at all.
I returned all the Netgear products and replaced them with all 3com products, and haven't had a problem one. 3com's access point (3CRWE454G72) is far better, for the following reasons:
1) You can chose not to broadcast your wireless network id.
2) You can specify to only accept clients with an approved Mac address.
3) You can save the network settings of the access point to disk, so multiple client configurations go quickly.
4) It supports WPE security.
38 Good Networking card - but needs updated driver
I set up the network as recommended - but it kept disconnecting often. The driver on the CD is an outdated one - download and install the new driver from the netgear site www.netgear.com and it goes smoooooth.
39 Excellent card with good performance and long range
I got this card with the .11g router, the speed and range is amazing. I installed the router in the basement and able to browse the wed on the third floor. Highly recommended. Installing the card is a snap. If you're running Windows XP, make sure u download the latest software from Netgear. The software version came with the card crashed frequently.
40 Works fine, but remember to update the driver
I have a MR814v2 802.11b router and purchased this WG511 802.11g wireless card March, 04. The signal is weak and unstable compared with my previous Dlink 520+ wireless card. I have to update the driver of the wireless card and the firmware of the router to newest version, then it works fine. But I don't think it has greater range or stronger signal than the Dlink.
41 So very easy
On my porch, delivered on the same day, was this card, the WGR614 router (Netgear), and my new Dell Laptop.
From lugging the packages in the door to setting up Net access with both my laptop and desktop on the cable modem, to confirming a signal was being received on the laptop took no more than 30 minutes.
I'm not a genius with this technical stuff, but as easy as this was to set up sure made me feel like I was. I have no disconnect issues, signal strength is good, and compared to the Linksys stuff, this has a nice pleasing visual design. I'd probably put the Linksys router behind something to hide it, but my Netgear router sits on my bookshelf, giving me quite a bit of range and flexibility in my house. Highly recommended.
42 Ok, if you like disconnects
This wireless card works fine if you are lucky enough to have it hold a connection for more then 10 minutes. Speed is good and it does interoperate with wireless 11b networks but its habit of disconnecting often makes for a frustrating user experience. Signal strength goes from 68% to nothing and then back to 68% all of the time.
43 super duper
Just bought this for a friend after a nightmarish three days trying to get a similar DLink adapter and router working. Popped it in and it worked like a charm immediately. And it's nice to look at too. Netgear, I love you.
44 Highly recommended
Works really well, had no problems with installation or setup. I have a netgear router WRG614, I think having both from the same company might have helped as well.
45 The good, the bad and ....the ugly ?!?
I purchased the Netgear wireless card based on mostly good reviews. Most problems seemed to be associated with XP. Still having a laptop with the good ol' 98, I figured I'd give it a shot.
I use the card mostly to have access to hotspots in major cities for work. Here is my take on it:
The good:
1. The card software was extremely easy to install
2. It just takes 3 seconds to scan all available networks in your area WITH their characteristics (name, infrastructure or ad-hoc, security or no, channel, etc.)
3. Great connection speed
4. you can save network profiles (home, work, etc), which is great if you plan on switching network often.
Now the bad:
1. I did have to do research to figure out why, even after a successful installation, I was unable to go online. I actually had to update my protocol (thanks to my geek peeps!).
2. Even after connecting to a network, my experience showed that it was better to reboot the computer before going online. In other words, turn on computer, find network, turn off computer, turn it back on. Otherwise, the connection kept being dropped. The card would keep scanning channels, which would cut me off every 5 seconds.
Conclusion:
Even if the initial set up seemed a breeze, it took me a few hours to figure out the specifics of my installation and a few more to figure out the whole turn off/back on trick to a better connection. For someone with no technical background, this could be very frustrating. But now that it works, I am pretty happy with it.
46 Excellent hardware, bad software
Using the included install CD, it did not work on W2000 with their own MR814 802.11b router. It would connect only occasionally, then drop the connection in a minute. The latest driver from their website fixed the problem.
On Linux, the prism54 driver supports this card, assuming you bring your own firmware. The firmware extracted from the cd did not work, while the firmware could not be (trivially) found in their latest drivetr. Luckily I found a standard prism54 fw somewhere on the net which did.
Once I got through the exceptionally painful installation, it works smoothly and has a greater range than my previous Netgear MA401 and Dlink DWL650 802.11b cards.
47 Works Well at a Very Good Price
The card has worked flawlessly since I installed it as far as range and link quality. The larger antenna which, as one reviewer already noted, does stick out more than the usual PMCIA card from the laptop may have something to do with the superb transmission.
Combined with the low starting price from Amazon + the rebates, this is a hard deal to beat.
48 Life is good.
The WG511 was very easy to setup with no problems. I am very pleased with the connection speed. So far it hasn't dropped below 50kbps. I am glad I stuck with a Netgear system. I almost went with another brand, but decided to stay with Netgear. What more can I say, it's the best. Netgear support doesn't have a good reputation but I usually don't contact Netgear anyway, unless I really need to. If you are debating on what brand to get ? Well you know my opinion.
49 Excellent
I can't recall a device that ever installed and set up as easily as this. It gets excellent throughput even through a number of walls and distances of about 20yards. WiFi works very well also - synchs fast and easy to reconfig on the fly if necessary.
My only complaint, and not a huge one, is that it hangs out about twice as far (an inch or so) as my old Linksys, so you really have to eject it when packing up the latop and it didn't come with a travel case like the Linksys did.
Overall, I would highly recommend this card
50 Easy to Install and Use
Out of the Box and on the web in 15 minutes. This is compatible with an 802.11b wireless router, better speed when using this card compared to older Netgear card. Software was installed without a hitch in my Dell Inspiron. I found I had to reboot both my wireless router and the laptop before I could get a good signal. Install software; install card; reboot computer and router-that's it.
Netgear products have been very reliable for me. The price of this card on Amazon was about $15-20 cheaper than anywhere else.
51 EXCELLENT PRODUCT..
It's a small card. Yet, its range is wider than any other wireless device I know of (D-Link, Linksys). Some things to crave about:
- Exceptionally fast throughputs. I used to own a Linksys, which was cheap then, but Netgear's speed is mindblowing.
- Set up is a cinch, and instructions are simple, in layman language. You'll be up and running in 20 mins.
- Supports both IEEE 802.11*b* as well as IEEE 802.11*g* (this is a good thing because you have to worry lesser about whether your wireless LAN card is "supported")
Make sure you have the latest firmware, and if you have problems like other reviewers had -- booting machines etc, then update your BIOS from your computer vendor. The card itself is compact and competent. Recommended!
52 ...almost gave up
see my review on "Netgear WGR614 Wireless 802.11g 54 Mbps Router"
53 Easy installation, works well
This is a replacement for a Linksys card which 'fried' after a little over an year of quite constant use. The Netgear software is much more intuitive and, should you be an expert, offers more customization features. The card works extremely well, is blazing fast paired with a Netgear 11.g router. No problem whatsoever with either one or the other, I was a little concerned about their customer support but I never had to call them. Definitevely recommend.
54 Installing a Pain...but works well
Used on a Dell Inspiron (XP Home) in conjunction with a 802.11b Router (Netgear's MR814v2). After I loaded the software and then popped the card in the PC slot, XP promptly crashed. Blue screen of death with a Kernel Dump. Tried to restart and uninstall the software (CD Version 1.1). Reinstalled the software. Didn't work still.
Called up customer service. They picked up the phone (from India) within a minute and proceeded to help me for the next 45mins. So excellend customer service. I ended up having to uninstall the software, download a newer version from the website, upgrade the firmware on my router from their website and then I was able to install the card and get it to work.
Even then, after a few hours, the main WG511.exe (slightly different name) crashed, but this time, connectivity was maintained.
I've used the 802.11b card before and had no such problems. So summary:
a) Unstable with XP. Bad and painful install process.
b) Good customer support. Patiently helped through 45mins of mess
c) Once up and running, then excellent performance.
55 WOW!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish I had bought this wireless PC Card a long time ago! This has made sharing a network connection and printer between my laptop and home computer very easy. The 54Mbps that is rated for this product has been pretty consistent at no less than 40Mbps at a signal strength no less than 82%. This is pretty good considering the signal has to travel through the walls of an old home with lath and plaster at distances up to 50-60 feet away. I have also purchased the Netgear WGR614 Wireless Router and use a wired connection for the home computer.To sum up I would definitely recommend this setup for anyone setting up a network.
56 excellent
Card was delivered yesterday and installed last night, quick and easy. It is talking to a Linksys WRT54G. Getting a very good signal. 54% signal from an interior closet outside 100' to a metal sided motorhome.
57 easy setup, impressive range
i have two of these cards, one for a personal notebook, and one for my wife's work notebook. at home, i use these cards with Netgear's WGR614 Wireless 802.11g 54Mbps Router. so far, we're very happy with the performance of these cards and router.
there were three things i considered as "very important" when i went looking for a wireless card:
- ease of setup
- connection speed
- wireless range and interference
the wg511 has (so far) performed very well on all counts. the first consideration was ease of setup. i consider myself comfortable with technology, but this setup was REALLY easy: run the software installation from the CD, reboot, then slide the PC Card into an empty card slot and you're done. i wish all hardware installations were this simple.
my second consideration was connection speed. i have no objective way of measuring this but so far, i have been very satisfied with the wireless speed connection. a caveat: i have read from other websites that in mixed-mode (when both 802.11g and 802.11b devices are running), transfer speed suffers but since i only connect using 802.11g, this has not been an issue.
the third consideration was connection range. i have my wireless router setup in the basement and so far, i have not had any wireless connection issues when using our notebook with this card in the front or back porch or in the second floor. there's always the potential of interference from other devices but i am happy to report that i have yet to see evidence of such interference.
all in all, we've been very happy with this 802.11g card and i am comfortable recommending it to anyone looking to setup a wireless home network.
i hope this helps your buying decision. peace.
58 This card is awsome
I love it, strong signals, i'm not surprised this is one of the best cards out there, but now there's the WAG511 but for 60 bucks more. ...
59 D-Link is better
I just received this product an hour ago, and I was really excited and installed it and used it right away. Guess what happend in the last 20 minutes? The card lost connection, which I thought was not a big deal, and can be easily fixed. However, surprisingly, I tried everything, and the only thing that worked was to re-boot the computer. And then the card is working properly again. Which is not too big a deal, but a little troublesome. The card looks cool. The connection is good if it stays connected. It is cheap because of the markdown and the rebate. If money is not really a big problem for you, I would really recommand you spend another $20-$30 to buy a D-Link product which from my own experience is so far the best wireless brand I have used.
60 Just make sure you download the latest driver
I just purchased the WG511 with the WGR614 from Netgear. And I've just ordered the WG311 for the Pc (don't ask, but the router is only connectable to the cable modem). So the system works BUT
The driver for the WG511 out of the box is from Feb 03 (version 1.0.6.31). There is a more uptodate one (1.6) on netgear's web-site. Install the driver from the CD and then run the updated driver (REPAIR option). Throughput rate is improved and NO dropped signals anymore.
I installed on WinXP Pro - follow the instructions to the letter, but you will not end up with interface shown in the manual (I guess this is XP - that's what netgear claims). You cannot configure anything (if you want to run wide open, that's ok) - viewing only (which is useful). I thought that I would have to setup the channel (which I had reset on the router from the factory default), but the WG511 is smart enough to hone into the channel.
All configuration (and this is mainly WEP stuff) is through control panel->network. Highlight the wireless network and right-click->properties. You can now configure WEP (you should have done the router side first, before doing the client).
I have gone and WEP protected the router->client comms and changed the password on the router (default password="password"):). The WGR614 documentation is pretty good.
61 GREAT Wireless card - watch out for the REBATE though!
The Wireless Card has been excellent - works well with the Netgear WGR614 Wireless 802.11g 54Mbps Router.
What I do complain about is the company that NETGEAR have selected to run the rebate program (TCA REBATES ~ www.tcarebates.com). I bought both a router and a Netgear WG511 Wireless 802.11g 54Mbps PC Card. They advertise a $20 rebate with this router and a $10 rebate with the card. I sent in the correct forms, receipt and both UPC Labels (all in one envelope).
TCA sent me an email to say they were disallowing the $20 rebate because they did not receive the UPC Label for the router (though they apparently did find the Wireless card UPC). This is complete nonsense since I have photocopies of all the materials I submitted.
Anyway, don't count on the rebate reducing the price - otherwise a fine buy!
62 I was skeptical, but now am a believer
The WG511 recognized the wireless signal as soon as the CD had finished installing the software. The OS is XP Pro, the laptop a Dell 8200. The router is 40 feet away through five walls and is delivering 78% signal strength which is as fast as my wired DSL has been for the past year. The router, a Netgear WGR614 802.11g, also installed easily. Total recommendation. I can't wait to try a "hotspot" and confirm the flexibility.
63 I can go anywhere...
This is a great card. I tried the Microsoft card for my laptop and found that I practically had to be looking at the base station to use it. You can tell they put a lot of thought into the design and user features of this card. It has worked perfectly with my Netgear router, and has done the same at other hotspots, etc... I strongly advise you to go with Netgear.
64 Has big compatibility problems
Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. IT DOES NOT WORK WELL.
I have SMC 7004xxx router/switch. Every 10-20 minutes Netgear should be pulled out and some times notebook must be rebooted. My notebook Fujitsu Lifebook with W2K worked just fine with Linksys/SMC/Cisco/IBM wireless cards. After 3 days of downloading and upgrading with different drivers WG511 goes back. Some times WG511 blocks all other network connections. Rumors are that Netgear chipset does not work well with some CardBus/PCMCA adapters. The configuration utility lacks simplest settings like fix transfer rate to 11 Mbs or 5.5Mbs. But registry still carries most of them. Multiple problems and driver with reduced set settings means that product is unstable. Since most reviews either very good or very bad it looks like WG511 has compatibility problems.
65 Plugged In
Easy to use, as I just popped it in and started surfing. I also use the WGR614 router. Great combo. Go Wireless.
66 Sony Vaio+WinXP may not like it
I recommended this to someone on the basis of the relatively stellar reports here. So, I figure it's fair to leave the caveat. I spent 2.5 hours trying to get the WG511 working with Vaio with a bit of time spent with tech support with a light Indian accent. She had me use the old 1.1 software on the original CD. Newer ones were posted on their website but if you check the dates on the software & drivers, they're actually a bit older than you're led to believe. The upshot was it still didn't work and the older is only a bit better than the newer. In between, I got plenty of messages about "WG511WLU.EXE" wanting to disappear and hide.
The WG511 worked on my Toshiba and the Sony worked with a MS MN-510 usb adapter.
This is still bleeding edge stuff as far as I'm concerned.
67 Need some help!!!
i managed to get connected to the wireless network at home. all that part was great. hardly takes time to install the card and very user friendly. but im having troubles setting up the internet. i use windows xp....can some one help me out with this!! my email address is rocketarvind@hotmail.com
thanks
68 truly plug-n-play
I recently purchased the WG511 with the WGR614 wireless router. First, plugging in th router was simple and i didn't need to configure it to "talk" to my Comcast broadband modem. After plugging in the WG511 card to my laptop, the only thing i had to configure was my WES, which was extremely easy. This is probably one of the best "out of the box" experiences i have ever had - with ANY product.
69 Great card
I gave this card 5 stars mostly because everything went just like it was supposed to. It installed exactly as documented with no issues, it scanned for the network, and once configured (via XP's wireless settings), it connected. What more can you ask for?
Reception is great. I spend a good deal of time near the AP but the card just sits at 54Mbps, so I have to say that I am completely thrilled!
70 Solid Wireless G PC Card
When I replaced my Netgear ME102 access point, I was mainly concerned with the lack of security features compared to current wireless 801.11x products on shelves today.
I ended up selecting another Netgear product, the WGR614 wireless G router/access point and chose the WG511 mostly to ensure the highest level of compatibility.
Overall, I'm very pleased. The card was simple to install, even given my previous experience with the ME102. Pop in the CD, use the HTTP-based menu to install the driver and software package, configure the security settings and you're done!
I decided to take a chance and downloaded the latest firmware which implements draft 802.11g compliance, SSID broadcast blocking, and minor fixes before hand. Once implemented on both router and PC card, I noticed no problems or difficulties. Those with mismatching brands of wireless devices may want to check with the respective manufacturer(s) before upgrading, however.
Performance and range were much improved in my two-story, 1600 sq. ft. home with steel frame construction. Where the signal of my old ME102 and D-link 650 would drop significantly from about 15-20ft away, I'm able to keep a full signal with the WG511 and WGR614 in the same location. Throughput was also improved, of course, although device specifications, antenna placement, environment, and infrastructure all play a part in signal strength and performance. As with any wireless network product, your mileage may vary.
Overall, the WG511 is solid wireless G PCMCIA card. It's broad antenna and easy-to-install software/driver package ensure good performance when paired with a Netgear wireless G router. At a price comparable to some 802.11b solutions, the Netgear is a very good choice for the home user looking for a new wireless G or add-on to their existing wireless G network.
Recommended
71 Very impressed Mac user
My network at home is primarily made up of Macs connected to an Apple Airport Extreme Base Station. But when it came time to get my Dell laptop connected wirelessly I read a few reviews here and then picked up the Netgear WG511. Within minutes, I had the software installed and the WG511 PC card reading my Airport network. Just remember that the AirPort's built-in security system, called WEP, works in a different way under the Mac OS and other systems. On a Mac you just enter the password that you set up the for the network, but on a PC in order to set up a Network security you need to use the hexadecimal password for the Airport. To find out what your hex password is run the AirPort Admin Utility and click the Password icon at the top of the configuration window.
72 Fantastic
This card installed without a glitch. Initially I was experiencing some problems with it trying to connect with a neighbor's wireless Linksys router. Every time it tried to make that other connection is would sever the existing connection. Very frustrating. That problem was resolved by just disabling the "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings" option. You can do this in the "advanced" section of the "Wireless Network Connection" window.
73 Best Wireless Network Product! Fast Setup!
I got 2 of these wireless PCMCIA cards and 1 Netgear Wireless 54G Router and had my wireless network up and going in 5 minutes and have not had one glitch with it at all! I have been so impressed with the Netgear 54G Wireless products and they have worked wonderfully! If your trying to decide with what brand to choose then choose the Netgear 54G wireless products! They are fantastic and absolutely worth the money!
74 This setup rocks...
Well, I started out buying a Linksys wireless B router and notebook card. I bought Linksys because of brand recognition and I figured having both the router and card from the same manufacturer would yield the best results. After setting them up, the reception was horrible. My download speeds over my cable modem from my laptop were worse than dialup speeds. I promptly packed them up and sent it back. I read similar reviews for both the Netgear products and Linksys that had good and bad results. Many of the reviewers with bad results recommended the competing products. Anyways, with the rebates offered for the Netgear setup, it was gonna cost me a few more dollars, but it was a wireless G setup instead. So, I took the chance and ordered this card with the WGR614 router. Setup was a breeze and the signal and speed are phenomenal. I was starting to think that I might have to move the router around the house for a better signal, but it works superbly in the same location the Linksys router couldn't. Yeeha!
75 Great card, with just a minor glitch
I bought this card with the Netgear WGR614 wireless 54G router. I was able to get both up and running in less than 10 minutes, and the two work great together. The only thing is when I close my laptop or put the computer in standby, the card causes the computer to freeze up. This was really disturbing at first, causing me to have to restart my laptop everytime (after which it worked fine), but then I figured out that if you just take the card out and put it back in, everything will immediately be back to normal again. I don't know if there is a bigger problem I am just ignoring or a better way to solve this problem, but my method seems to be working fine...
76 WG511 great reception
In early 2003 I purchased a Netgear MR314 wireless hub and a MA401 card for my laptop. This router and card are built to the slower 802 11b standard. Recently I purchased a second laptop and wanted an additional card for the second laptop. Rather than buy an additional slower card I purchased the new WG511 wireless networking card (faster 802 11G standard) to be used with the slower hub.
The new card is 'backward compatible' to the slower wireless router and has noticeably stronger reception than the MA401 card. The newer WG511 card allows me to take advantage of faster 802 11G wireless networks when travelling,and to use the card on my existing network when at home. Setup was seamless, and the price with the rebate is about good - other 802 11G cards are selling for around $20 more. Netgear products have proven to be consistently reliable and a good value for the $.
77 works fantastic, just be careful of a few things
I've used this product for about 3 months; I live in an apartment above the garage of my landlord, who lives in the house below and has a wireless router, etc. Another tenant in the basement also shares access. This card works great -- I am pretty far from the router but am basically always in "very good" connection range, no matter where I am in my apartment. I can even go to the backyard. It really is impressive performance, particularly since the landlord's configuration is all Linksys hardware, not Netgear -- my landlord says I have the fastest connection of anyone. (Besides having this card I also have a super fast laptop, which probably helps too.)
There are a couple of things to keep in mind when using this card. 1) If you're running XP, Windows will try to "take over" and run your network for you -- it will install its own driver, run the card, etc. I HIGHLY recommend that you install the card using the configuration CD (or by getting the latest firmware from the website) rather than letting Windows install the drivers itself. Your XP software likely won't have the latest drivers. Also, I even more highly recommend NOT allowing Windows to manage the connection -- if you click on "my connections" and then "wireless connection status" you should have a box saying something like, "Allow Windows to manage connection" -- UNCHECK THIS BOX. Let the card manage its own connection -- it performs much better.
2) If you or anyone living within a few hundred feet of you uses a 2.4 Ghz cordless phone, particularly an older one, you could get interference. It turned out my phone was interfering with everyone's connection and causing frequent drops. If you get frequent drops when you first use the card, don't blame the card until you've asked everyone living close to you to try to a different channel for their 2.4 Ghz phone. Once I did this, everything cleared up and I've had outstanding service since then.
78 I hope you don't need tech support
While many people who have purchased this product were able to plug it right in and go, I actually had some problems in the setup of my Netgear Acccess point and this PC card. The technical support by Netgear is horrible. If you have any problems you are going to spend a long time on hold and then speak with technical support people who only know how to fix the basic items that can go wrong. At this point I was referred to second level support and told I would receive a call back in 24 hours. Over a week has passed and I haven't received the phone call. I've since purchased a Linksys wireless router and PC card and was able to connect right away.
79 Incompatible with Dell Dimension CPi Laptop
When I tried to install this network card in my Dell Dimension CPi, setup appeared to work fine, but then the icon in the system tray never appeared. Dell's awful BIOS doesn't allow you to change the IRQs that it uses, and this stupid card doesn't give you the chance to change its IRQ/Memory range settings as some cards do. Therefore, it is simply incompatible with my computer. The 20 minute wait for tech support was also very frustrating.
80 Awesome PC Card - Exceeds my expectations
Contrary to most people here, I don't use this network card in infrastructure mode (with an access point). I use it in ad-hoc mode (peer-to-peer) for connecting my laptop to a PC hooked up to the internet. I bought this WG511 card with an MA111 USB adapter acting as the "other" network card, which I take with me to my friends and relatives houses and even to different buildings at work. I just plug in the USB adapter to my friends or work PCs and I have a wireless network in minutes. Next time I go to that place, I don't even have to install any software and I am up in less that 20 seconds. Now this is a really "portable" wireless network that I take with me anywhere I go. No need for an access point. The range is excellent and I get good connection speed over many walls. Since I don't use an access point, my whole portable network cost me around [amount](the two networks cards). The WG511 has excellent speed and range, is easy to setup and use, and connects well with other vendor's cards and access points too.
81 Very hard to install
I just purchased the WG511 wireless card and have had great difficulty installing the card. I have a Compaq notebook computer running Windows XP and using a Netgear MR314 router. The card cannot make a connection with the router. I downloaded the latest drivers to no avail. This card is difficult to use with XP. I previously had a MA401 card and that card stopped working after 6 months. I am very disgusted with netgear products and support service. Service is essential and Netgear is lacking.
82 run, do not walk, run out and buy this card.
or just click the "Buy" button. :)
This card performed very well in tests by ZDnet.
The manual: clear and comprehensible.
Signal strength: excellent. I can roam from my back fence to my neighbor's across the street, and never drop below 50%.
83 Easy install, great spead!
Works great in "Hot Spots" - always get a least 80% signal strength with 11Mbps conection, and in my home office with NETGEAR WG614 router/access point - within 50 metres 90-95% signal strength through 3 walls with 54Mbps connection!
It's hot-swappable, good-looking and secure (128-bit encription) + WEP!
84 In short terms - Simple, reliable and fast!!
I prepared myself for trouble after reading some of the horror stories in regards to setting up wireless networks, but was pleasant surprised. I first hooked up the NetGear WGR614 router to our DSL modem (no configuration needed. The WGR614 wireless router is a DHCP server to your network and client to the ISP so it manages hooking your network together and then al of it to the web automatically). After the router was up and running with my PC, I installed this card with the simple and brief descriptions included on my wifes laptop and it automatically linked to the wireless access point of the router. The whole affair took about 15 minutes without any configuration need. This set up is TRULY plug-and-play.....a day later I had our computers hooked into a nice little home-LAN with print and file sharing on Windows XP. Connection speed varies and is only at 100% in the same room and close to the router. However we still have fully sufficient connection speed on the deck and in the basement office of my wife. Even at 50% connection, the g-standard network transfers at 15 to 20 Mbps....fast enough and way faster than the b-standard at only 10Mbps. Besides, the Netgear equipment is small and has an excellent design and not as flashy as the competition. RECOMMENDED !!
85 Excellent product
The installation is easy. This is a excellent product.
86 Excellent product
I'm a fan of netgear now. Ease of Use: 10
The range is unbelievable when combined with the Netgear WGR614 router. Unlike the linksys router that looks and weighs like a vcr with antennas, the WGR614 router is slim and sleek.
Anyway, back to this card... all i can say is that it works!
I'm in the basement and I have 78% signal strength!
I don't know why they took down the picture, though. That's what this card looks like!
87 Worked the first time in!
I had purchased a DLINK DWL650+ card at first. However, after several evenings with this card and one hour with DLINK tech support I gave up. Funny thing is that the DLINK card is supposed to be talking to a DLINK DI-713P wireless router that I installed last year.
I went to Fry's and asked two different beleagured sales associates which of the WiFi cardbus adapters brands they sold had the fewest returns. Independently, they both mentioned that Netgear had the fewest. So, although priced higher, I bit the bullet and got the WG511. No problems with installation and it worked the first time with a Compaq Amada M700 running Windows 2000 server version. I am definitely thinking more about using Netgear stuff.
88 DO NOT BUY THIS CARD
The WG511 is excellent when working. However, whenever one disables the connection it is impossible to reconnect without rebooting the computer. I run this with XP Home and a notebook that I know works perfectly. Netgear support is as usual helpless, from technicians that can barely speak English to long holds to being told to install the new firmware (which didnt help). If you dont want a headache and countless frustration then buy a different card. Netgear deserves the bad publicity which is why I am posting this.
89 easiest installation ever!!!
I bought the netgear router and cards based on the easy installation
IT WAS ALL TRUE!!
easy install and it works great all around the house
90 Easy installation and works great with matching router
I bought this along with the NETGEAR 802.11g router to connect my Win98 laptop to my Verizon DSL modem. It worked great right out of the box. Quick and easy installation with the CD under Win98. I have the router in the 3nd floor bedroom and I get 60% signal in the backyard. I haven't tried connecting to legacy devices. My only issue is the antenna on the card which sticks out of the pc slot about 2". I worry that it will break off, but it seems to be made of pretty sturdy metal. It looks cool too!
91 Nice performance, easy to install and use!
The range on this card is suitable for most home applications provided the access point is located near the center of the house or you don't have an extremely large home. I run my network in a 2300 sq ft. home. The included utilities can monitor connection speeds and signal strength. I consistently run at high speeds and stay above 65% signal strength anywhere in my home.
Transfer speeds are very good. I am able to move large files including Power Point presentations, database backups and images around with no trouble at all. The encryption is easy to configure and the scan utilities will allow you to detect other wireless access points in your area.
Nice product.
92 Greatness
I just bought the Netgear WG602 access point and the Netgear WG511 54G Wireless PC Card. I am very impressed and both items work great. All I did was connect the ethernet cord (that comes with the access point) from my existing D-Link wired router and into the Netgear access point. Then I installed the PC Card software on my laptop and rebooted and then put the card in. It was up and running in 10 minutes. At about 1 foot I was connected at 100% out in the living room about 30 feet away through one wall it was between 78-86%. Then about 60 feet away through 4-5 walls it was 60%. Even at 60% the connection flew. It was just like I was connected through a wire. I then walked outside my house about 200 feet and was still connected. I hear that the PC Card is the main factor in signal strength, if so this one takes the cake at 200+ feet. My dad has a Linksys 802.11b access point and can only go about 40 feet with his 11B PC Card. It seems the 802.11g makes a big difference on signal strength. In the PC card configuration I turned on WEP and entered the passcode from my access point. I turned on MAC security in my access point and added the Netgear WG511 MAC address (which I found in the About tab) to the allowed addresses. Then I rebooted the access point. And then told the Netgear Wireless PC card to re-scan. It found the access point and the entire setup including tight security was done.
