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D-Link DWL-G650 AirPlus Xtreme G Wireless PC Card 108Mbps

D-Link DWL-G650 AirPlus Xtreme G Wireless PC Card 108Mbps

List Price: $69.99
Your Price: $51.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Easy setup with Extreme G Wireless Router
Review: I purchased this to work with Extreme G wireless D-Link router. After working through the setup to encrypt my connection, works great. Just remember, when you encrypt 128 bit, use the same 26 digit code for the router and card. Works great.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Tech support says super-G is unstable and not recommended
Review: I had a good experience with a previous DLink purchase, so I chose DLink again and bought DI-624 and DWL-G650 this October. I upgraded both firmware and enjoyed 108MB connection for over a month without any problem.

Then, first the router stopped working (It rebooted every 5 minutes or so) and was replaced. We had another fine week before the card started losing connection this time; The signal strength became weak and often goes to no-connection. (We have another wireless card from Lucent which is working fine, so the router is not the problem.) I called the tech support and got the following recommendations:
* Disable super-G because super-G is unstable;
* Don't update Windows because the latest Microsoft virtual device driver does not work with this card; Talk to Microsoft because this is a Microsoft problem;
* Don't move around;
* Don't use a wireless phone with the same frequency; Neighbors' wireless phones can also interfere;
* If you don't like these recommendations, just return it to the store because we can't do anything about it.

I followed their recommendation and returned it to the store.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: SuperG has strong signal - Good with DI-624
Review: I purchased the DWL-G650 PC card and the DI-624 54G wireless router together with a $40 rebate to replace my old DLink router. The installation and configuration of DI-624 is a snap. After I upgraded the firmware to have the 108Mbps Super G mode, the signal actually became more steady and much stronger. I have the DI-624 router on the second floor. With the DWL-G650 card in my Compaq Presario laptop, I can get on the network with good signal anywhere indoors. I am waiting to test it out at my back yard.

In general, the Wireless Configuration utility software that came with the DWL-G650 works fine. However, I do have some problems after I install it on my WinXp laptop due to the interference of the Wireless Zero Configuration service that comes with WinXP. Fortunately, I found an article at the DLink Technology Knowledge base to show me how to disable the WinXp service and use the utility software that came with Dlink. It's much better. It gives you broader control and better configuration with a signal strength meter. In case you run into problems with the installation of the utility, make sure your check the Dlink web site for Knowledge Base. And most importantly, upgrade to the latest firmware.

The default broadcasting channel is #6. If you have 2.4 GHz wireless phone, you might want to try either the #1 or #11 channel instead (change the setting on the router admin page). However, for the Super G mode, it only gives you the Channel #6 option. I also tried this card on my son's toy laptop (Pentium 233). It gives me the same speed as of the regular LAN Ethernet card (10/100). On my Compaq Presario laptop(PIII_1.3GHz), I can watch streaming video of news from Taiwan in my family room on the first floor. Isn't that impressive?

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Beware
Review: I bought the card because I had heard that D-Link had good customer support -- what a mistake -- after waiting on hold forever a hopeless technical support person says there must be "some sort of hardware conflict" and I should call my laptop maker. When I asked wasn't there anything he could suggest -- he suggested returning it -- which I will.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Don't use this card with a Dell Inspiron 4000!
Review: After three frustrating months owning this wireless card and trying to get it to work with my Inspiron 4000, I am giving up. It has never worked properly, even siting right next to the base station. A lot of the time the card isn't even recognized by the computer as being in the slot. This is documented by D-Link as a problem with Texas Instrument-made slots, which the Inspiron has. Unfortunately D-Link's customer service is so poor that you get a different answer each time you call. And then the solutions are something like "reinstall your operating system," even though there is a documented problem with the hardware. Don't buy this for use on an Inspiron 4000!!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: THIS SYSTEM IS RIDICULOUS
Review: Ok first of all if you ever want to believe any reviews, believe mine because I will tell it how it is and not in a cheesy goody two shoes way. I a tech crazy lover and this D-link dissapointed me. 1.) The up to 108mbps is FIRMWARE as you will see in small print. Plan on calling their support to get the firmware downloaded because it is as easy as just downloading it and unzipping the file. 2.) IT HAS NO SOFTWARE!!! That is like saying you don't need a recovery disc for a computer. You know how many times technology crashes and having a disc rather than THE NET is a lot better. I was suprised to learn that the way to set it up was through the internet considering the fact that when you hook the device up it doesn't know that you hooked DSL or Cable to it. Guess what, I was right. It took me a total of 4 days wasting my time and weekends just getting it "up and running." The interface is confusing, the CD is for the manual you already have that comes with it (their stupid "quick installation guide that isn't quick), and you have to call D-link and spend hours floating around their phone lines till you get a level 95 technician. I also got the card which was another issue. When you get the 54mbps, supposedly you can get the firmware and get it up to 108, but beware, the card can't do the same. Since it can't do the same, the two hardware's can't work with each other making this an endless battle. D-link has ok support but you will spend forever trying to get it up and running. Plus I don't think you can transfer files and truly network. I think you can only do wireless DSL and Cable which is stupid as well.

Here is the best alternative I sware. *************Microsoft************
Yeah I was skeptical too. I haven't been the biggest Microsoft fan, but I will say that they got my vote. After this purchase I have a new respect for them. I am talking about the Microsoft BaseStation MN-700. We are talking about $same price$ and **10 min. setup**. 10 minutes is all it takes to set up the laptops and computer. For those of you who have a built in wirless card, it will work with the Microsoft. It had many problems with the D-link. D-link would work for 30 seconds, then the net shut off. Then again, and again, etc. Plus only one laptop was allowed on at a time with D-link. I call that useless. The basestation also allows you to print directly from a laptop to a printer wireless and transfer files from PC to PC. It comes with software and easy easy easy installation. It is fast. I am using it to write this review on my laptop.

Go Microsoft. Don't waste your time on D-link, there are better things to do. I heard Linksys, Netgear, and Belkin had problems. Netgear just has terrible support from what my next door neighbor told me. If you do go with D-link against my review, then don't upgrade the firmware. Good luck :)

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: D-Link DWL-G650
Review: The card itself is more or less OK. Works with Windows 2000 and D-Link DI-614+ router.

However, the software which comes with the card, AirPlus -- to find a network and configure the card is pretty bad. One has to be logged in as an administrator all the time to use it. If you have pre-configured a profile for a particular network (having logged in as an administrator), the card will work when you are logged in as a regular user. However, there is no way to see to which network you are connected, what is the signal strength or if you are connected at all!

This is on top of the fact that the software is shipped on a CD with a virus (Dropper.Netbuser.A in autorun.exe file).

Yet the hallmark of D-Link is its tech support: a characteristic combination of incompetence and rudeness. Once you get in through a busy line, as soon as you ask them something they don't know -- and they don't know much -- they simply hang up. Happened to me 3 times. The supervisor, whose name is Joe, just tries to compensate his lack of knowledge with agressiveness.

The bottom line is -- why buy D-Link products and suffer if there are excellent products from other companies on the market?

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Works as expected
Review: I am using the D-Link AirPlus Extreme with a Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router. It is a good combination so far.

However, I want to give readers an important tip. I was originally using a Linksys WPC54G cardbus adaptor. It worked well for a couple weeks, then stopped working all of the sudden. The reason - I don't know for certain - but my guess is ESD, Electro-Static Discharge. So be careful when handling your cardbus adaptor - treat it like you would a memory chip or PC card.

I can't give this 5 stars - too soon to tell if it is as sensitive as my old Linksys adaptor.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Perfect 11G Card
Review: With this card all I need to do is plug it in and the software will start scanning for a connection. If I am at home it automatically connects to my network because I have the WEP keys all ready typed in and the SSID is all ready set.

I can also use the software to search for active wireless access points among my location. This is helpful for when I am in an airport, or simalar hotspot.

The signal strength is always 50% or above in my home which doesn't effect my download speeds at all. I've also dropped this card a couple times and it has (knock on wood) always worked. Very Solid.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Get the new 108Mbps drivers for FREE!
Review: Download the new 108Mbps drivers at D-Link's website. Get it for your card and for the router (DI-624) and you can get double the data rate. I can literally transfer files from one PC to another in half the time.

After downloading and installing the new drivers you will notice that the card is very stable, has good signal range, and causes no problems with windows.


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