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Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless Router

Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless Router

List Price: $79.99
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Not a single problem.
Review: In short, great product.
Installed everything on two desktop PCs and a notebook in a matter of minutes and instantly got the network up and running.
Haven't seen a single bug so far.
UPnP works fine too.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not ready for prime time
Review: This unit while attractive and easy to install compared to competing Linksys products has some major flaws at the current time. Namely dozens of people in just the first week this has been onsale (look at their newsgroup) including myself have experienced a strange problem where every 6 hours or so the 802.11b signal stops cold and can only be restored by removing and restoring power to the base station. While the flaw isn't fatal, maybe annoying it is totally unacceptable to release units in this shape. Until a fix is in, and right now it appears Microsoft is trying to see if it is a hardware flaw or firmware fix that is needed I would hold off.

UPDATE: 5 weeks after I bought this unit (today is 11/10/02) MS has released privately a firmware fix that makes this unit work perfectly. It will be released publically within a week. This makes the unit the equal of competitors in a great form factor. Because of the poor testing this unit underwent prior to sale I can't give it 5 stars, but now it is 4 star worth.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Easy to setup! Iffy wireless connection reliability!
Review: I had two desktops that were to be connected to the base station directly through Ethernet cables and a laptop that had a wireless adapter. On my first desktop, I popped in the CD and installed the Microsoft Broadband software - the wizard was very easy to use and it helped me configure the base station, provide the necessary values for security (128-bit WEP) and even save the settings onto a floppy. I was online and connected from this desktop just like that!

On my second desktop, I installed the broadband software and configured just the network adapter on this machine - the floppy made it very simple to carry over the settings and I was connected quite easily over here.
On the laptop, after installing the software, the wizard was unable to configure my LAN-Express IEEE 802.11 PCI adapter; I had to open the host config XML file on the floppy, copy the WEP key and paste that into the connection properties to get into my wireless network. I'd expect that this sort of manual configuration would be unnecessary for most wireless adapters.
With the base station upstairs, the reliability downstairs (about 30 feet away through walls) has been iffy. The connection does seem to go away from time to time. Signal strength is only "Very good" and not "Excellent" as it is in all the rooms within 20 feet upstairs.

Planning on experimenting with moving the base station around upstairs to get the location right.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Now ready for prime time (Revised)
Review: Even though I could find no reviews I bought a MN 500 base station and a MN 520 laptop card anyway, reasoning that Microsoft would make wireless netwoking equiptment simple to install on XP. I initially had trouble with the installation, but with the aid of some really great techs,( included is 2 years free support on an 800 number!) discovered that I only needed to reset the cable modem (Best Data CMX110). After doing this the installation worked like a charm including the laptop card. I am now sharing the internet, files and a printer between a Dell Demension 4400 (XP Home) and a Dell Inspiron 8200(XP Pro.) The signal and speed is strong everwhere I use it in my 2500 Sq. Ft. 2 story home. A great value with all of the included features not normally found on other products.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Wireless Base Station Rocks!
Review: Great Product! Easy to setup and they have figured out how to make wireless security easy to install and usable. I also like the small footprint.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Great Wireless Router
Review: I bought this router from Amazon based on the reviews I've read after my Netgear router pooped out after about a week and a half. The router couldn't be easier to set up. My whole wireless network was up in about 10 minutes. After I had it up and running, it informed me of a software and firmware update, which was extremely painless, and it was worked flawlessly since. Has good security features. I actually liked the Netgear web-interface better for stuff like MAC address filtering, but this one works too. 2 Thumbs up!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Nothing but junk
Review: I purchased this router a few weeks ago, and it
never did work. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
I sent emails to Amazon, and the person I bought it
from. They didn't even have the courtesy to reply.
Don't think I'll do business with either one again.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Going on for one and half year
Review: I am writing this after using this product for around two years. Excellent product. My Inspiron 8100 has Microsoft's wireless card and PC has D-Link DWL-122. No problem and no downtime at all ( sometimes for months I don't have to touch my router ) . Have been running 128-bit encryption all the way. I was also able to connect to the router running RedHat 9.0 and Fedora 3.0. Overall A+ rating.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great Router But Had Few Problems
Review: This Router Was a Great Buy I Bought Another one later on it worked so great. Micorsoft Made A Great Router But I Have Had A Few Problems And I HAd To Call Microsoft Support A Few Times But In The End It All Has Worked Out And Because I Had Those Problems I Give IT A 4

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent product
Review: I bought this product three weeks ago and I have no complains so far. We have a couple of laptops at home and we were tired of moving cables around. After reviewing some opinions I decided to buy this one. The signal is very good. In addition, using its software package it is very easy to install and configure.


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