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Microsoft Wireless G USB 2.0 Adapter

Microsoft Wireless G USB 2.0 Adapter

List Price:
Your Price: $40.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Easy, inexpensive solution for wireless networking
Review: After just purchasing a similar OEM unit from a major online retailer, I'm a little upset because I would of saved $20 if I had known about this product. USB alternatives like this have made desktop and notebook cards obsolete. You no longer have to crack the case or install and configure new drivers ... it can't get any easier than this plug-and-play solution to setting up a wireless home or small office network.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Did great .....until it broke
Review: Easy set up, worked great, for a little while. After a very short period, it just stopped working. Maybe it was just the one I bought, but I was very unhappy, especially since a fight ensued about who was going to replace it(Still unresolved)

An update: After several months of arguing about whether the failure was software or a hardware issue, Microsoft finally agreed to replace the adapter. Of course I had already bought another from a different company, and they wouldn't simply refund the purchase price. The one I have works fine, so I haven't installed the replacement adapter and can't say if it works any better.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Work pretty well.. and price is not bad either
Review: Had an opportunity to use this product as well as the linksys usb 802.11G adapter. The router in the test was the WRT54GS. The microsoft adapter was able to better maintain the link as well as had fewer disconnects. At the distance tested ( ~ 60 feet), the linksys product could NOT maintain a link long enough to transfer files that were several gigabytes in length. This was completely unacceptable. No such issues with the microsoft adapter. Both were tested on a winxp machine with WPA enabled. The sad thing is, the linksys counterpart costs nearly twice as much as this. As with all wireless, ymmv, so best to try several different adapters out. PS, aside from the obvious you have no connection prompt in windows, a program called ping plotter was used to ping the router every 5 seconds to determine packet loss. The linksys product had exceptionally high packet loss, where as the MS product had only a few in a 24 hr period..... Five stars were not given because even at close range, only ~18 mbps was attained, no where near the 'advertised' 54mbps. (This figure seems to coincide with what most magazines get with the 802.11g tests)

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Don't buy it. Doesn't work, horrible customer service
Review: I bought this because it was cheap on sale and I repented big time. Spent almost 12 days configuring it but Microsoft Technical support could not configure it with my D-Link DI-624 Super G router. They were not able to setup encryption key and was not able to detect my wireless network. Microsoft transfers their tech. support calls to Far East country like India and most Level 1 support technicians don't know much beyond simple manual reading knowledge. Worst, their manager used to call me after midnight. Is that a time to call back??? At least they should check which time zone they are calling. And in middle of night asking my e-mail address where he can send solution?? After having their case open more than 10 days he still couldn't find my e-mail address in their database with my ticket. Worst technical support. If u want to be bothered in middle of night like 1 a.m. buy this one and enjoy harassment.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Detect a network without my base station setup
Review: I got this product in Costco today for my wireless network. I ordered D-Link router and PCI wireless adapter in Amazon two days ago. But they haven't sent out my shipment yet. Properly need to wait until after the memorial holiday. I also want to get a USB wireless adapter for my office computer. So, I decided to get it in Costco with $ 29.99. Then I set it up in my station at home. Amazing ! It detect someone else network outside the street. Yes! I am sure that is someone else network because I haven't receive the router from amazon yet. No wireless network has been setup in my house. Now, you guys know how sensitive this USB adapter is. I am sure I will get strong signal and good connection afte I setup my own network in my house. I am happy with this product on just detecting someelse wireless signal. Wait ! I will write another review after I setup my wireless network next week. If everything worked perfectly, I will give this product 5 stars. But now, just 4 stars up to this point.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: HORRIBLE RECEPTION (except maybe in small areas)
Review: I had no prior knolwlege about networking.But with this adapter it just was so easy.Install sofware about 10 min.,connected adapter about 3min.,and was on internet with in 1 minute.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: works right out of box, no surprise, nice reception
Review: I purchased this adaptor at jandr (in person)
this is the cheapest adaptor of class g
installation is pretty easy, just make sure the CD is inserted before installing
on driver searching, just choose "install automatically" (using xp), that's it!
the software is OPTIONAL
just don't expect the range is like superman, it still can get 12-24M with class g; 2M with class b, this is okay, like other class b adaptor (this is the first class G adaptor), though it's not as good as the best reception Linky WUSB11 2.6, MS has no lag problem as Linky has
no problem with SMC wireless router (used as wireless ap), the speed is good (but don't expect more than 11M over legacy USB, even shows 24M
the price is pretty cheap, after I have used for a while, I found it has good reception
I recommended this for both desktop, laptop, and SFF

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: cheap 'n adequate
Review: Look, it's a MS product. For the price, it's just fine. Not the fastest, but it works, once you set it up according to logic, rather than the installation instructions. Support (India-based) was quick, but misguided. I ended up figuring out the configurqation conflicts myself. (...)the new service pack (in beta) is a step forward, at least in networking setup.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A note for XP-RC2 users
Review: Overall, not a bad little adapter. The reception was adequate--not great. It did no better than my old 802.11b adapter, which had started acting strange at times. But so far, it is adequate. Note that if you have anything electronic--like a cable/DSL modem, TV set, etc.--near your router that this can greatly impact reception as well. I actually set my DSL modem inside a black, homemade box lined (believe it or not) with tin foil, and got another whole bar on my reception for doing it. This is because my modem and router are side by side. Aluminum screen wire has been said to strain such signals as well. :-) As many people already know, microwaves and 2 ghz cell phones are a really bad idea around either the 802.11b or g networks.

When I first installed the adapter, I got a warning message that there was a known issue with it and my version of windows. Not much in the way of details as of yet. So far, no problems, but we'll see. I'm running the RC2 version of the Windows XP service pack 2, which I presume is why I received this message. It directed me to MS's web site for an update, but none was there. It works, but this is only day 1. I will return if there are any further problems. Maybe MS will actually do something about the problem before then, if there really is one. They owe it to us customers to fix it before the official SP2 release.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A note for XP-RC2 users
Review: Overall, not a bad little adapter. The reception was adequate--not great. It did no better than my old 802.11b adapter, which had started acting strange at times. But so far, it is adequate. Note that if you have anything electronic--like a cable/DSL modem, TV set, etc.--near your router that this can greatly impact reception as well. I actually set my DSL modem inside a black, homemade box lined (believe it or not) with tin foil, and got another whole bar on my reception for doing it. This is because my modem and router are side by side. Aluminum screen wire has been said to strain such signals as well. :-) As many people already know, microwaves and 2 ghz cell phones are a really bad idea around either the 802.11b or g networks.

When I first installed the adapter, I got a warning message that there was a known issue with it and my version of windows. Not much in the way of details as of yet. So far, no problems, but we'll see. I'm running the RC2 version of the Windows XP service pack 2, which I presume is why I received this message. It directed me to MS's web site for an update, but none was there. It works, but this is only day 1. I will return if there are any further problems. Maybe MS will actually do something about the problem before then, if there really is one. They owe it to us customers to fix it before the official SP2 release.


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