Rating: 
Summary: do some tweaking on initial use
Review: as my review on belkin card, this card is based on broadcom chip
and I found they have a common problem, that the signal goes down under heavy load (e.g. playing 1400k wav file over network, the signal drops, just not as bad as belkin)
if you're using mixed G or pure G, you may not able to connect due to 54g setting, the default is b only, and there's a simple fix: just change the 54g setting to b-compatible
and, if you'd like to get more stable performance when the signal is low, change the rate to 6Mbps, however, you may not be able to connect pure b network
the installation is easy, as USB version, just put the CD in, and you're ready to go
my personal suggestion, get MN-710 instead due to better bitrate and less hassle
Rating: 
Summary: MN-720 doesn't work, per Microsoft
Review: I bought MN-720 adapter & MN-700 basestation. Basestation seems OK but adapter never worked. I have new HP desktop and new HP laptop and XP Home. Microsoft "Research Team" informed me, after 2nd tech call in a week, that the MN-720 has KNOWN (they know!) problems with NO FIX and they recommend I get their USB version(!!). I spent 10 hours (8 myself, 2 with Msoft tech people)trying various settings, etc. to no avail. The SECURITY software seems at fault per Microsoft. The adapter "physically" gets strong signals but "logically" will not connect at all. What a waste of 10 hours on a plainly, obviously defective product that shouldn't be on store shelves. If yours doesn't work in the firs 5 minutes with the standard install just return it for another brand, save time.
Rating: 
Summary: It is wow
Review: I got it installed within an hour including applying a huge patch for the base station. Pros:
1 Easy to install
2 Has WPA which is next thing in wifi
3 Wifi certified
4 Feeling of sitting with a laptop in any room is awesome
5 Good speed though might diminish with distance
Cons:
1 The network adapters for computers costs as much as base station
2 The xp and windows 2000 interface for the network card is different and might be confusing at the beginning though the base is same.
3 WEP code typing is a pain though I havn't figured out a way for automatically changing it on all wireless connected device automatically
4 Microsot might keep sending patches and one has to install it diligentlyI havn't tried any more esotoric options in the networking workd like vpn etc. I did download files while cooking and watching the download. I havn't tried any distances more than the 1000 ft apt area. Neither have I tried with other wifi base stations. Prospects of checking email in the restroom is awesome - onestep closer to microsoft's plans to bring computers to public toilets. Bottomline is I am keeping my wifi. 4 stars instead of 5 because of fear of many more patches coming down the way though some will be nice upgrade and some for bug fixes. Disclaimer:
I am not related to the company in anyway except as a customer. Every user may not have same experience as me. All persons reading this review read it and deceide for themselves their choices.
Rating:
Summary: Didnt work for me
Review: I had a similiar experience as the other reviewer(2rummage) One thing thats common between the two of us is the HP computer. I also spent countless hours to set right the issue with MS tech support. Finally they asked me to buy some other brand like linksys. I have a linksys now and it rocks. As mentioned before, if the straight install doesnt work, dont waste your time. I suspect it doesnt work well with HP computers and drivers. Good Luck
Rating: 
Summary: Not happy
Review: I have been using wireless for a while, and recently purchased the whole kit, base station with ethernet and the 720 card. I am using the notebook card in a HP Laptop, and keep getting popped off line every few minutes for no reason(it just happened again) No body seems to be able to help me with this and I am about to throw the HP out. (Pisspoor customer service)
I need to use it for checking my e-mail on the road, and my wireless orinoco antenna work marvelous, never drops me(ooops, just happened again) I can't even get any help from Microsoft, as they insist it's an HP issue. HP insists (Happened again) that its a Microsoft problem. That's it, pass the buck! For anyone with HP or compaq, get rid of the crap and get Dell. My Dell has been online since November, without a single dropped connection.
Rating: 
Summary: Good network adapter
Review: I just bought this Microsoft laptop adapter and find that it is quite good. I have been using it with by linksys 802.11b router (yes not 802.11g) and it works very well throughout the house. It also works flawlessly without any appreciable decrease in signal strength or speed even when three walls separate the router from my laptop. This is especially surprising as my friend's dell laptop is not able to connect to my router from the same place. So this card seems to work better than the one which came default with his dell laptop.
The installation on Windows XP was a breeze and I was able to setup a secure 128 bit WEP connection with my router in about 10 mins without any issues. It also re-connects to my router as soon as I get my laptop up.
I do not have experience with other laptop adapter cards but this one seems to be really good.
Rating:
Summary: Sometimes works, sometimes doesn't
Review: I just got the MN-720 and the MN-700 Basestation. I upgraded from the old 802.11b Microsoft basestation and MN-520 wireless card. Using the MN-720, after a while, it will say it's connected and everything looks great, but I have zero network available to me. From what i have read and heard, it seems to be a driver issue. The mn-520 worked great but the 720 is not proving to be as solid. Hopefully they will get new drivers out quickly.
Rating:
Summary: Guaranteed Compatability Works Great!!!
Review: I originally had a D-Link 650+, which is a piece of garbage. A lot of these little companies provide bad custom support and there drivers crash, despite the fact that you'll use the latest off their website. Read the reviews, and you'll find that many of these cards have bad software support, and people's laptops would crash from these other cards. I bought the Microsoft adapter a few weeks ago, and it works amazing! Not so much as a flinch. I use the card on a broadcasted network at my college, and it has not lost the signal like my old d-link card, and picks up the signal through thicker buildings that my d-link would not. The signal is always true and strong, and the card connects very quickly. Its true that every hardware device has compatability problems, but this one definately has the least problems. (I run the card on XP Professional)
Rating:
Summary: Great WiFi card for your laptop
Review: I purchased this a few weeks ago so that I could use my personal laptop at work with the company's WiFi network. I shopped around quite a bit, and decided on this card. The reception on the card is great. I have two laptops with WiFi capability. One has this Microsoft card in it, and the other has an Intel Centrino chip built in. When I place them side by side on my desk at work, the laptop with the Centrino chip constantly loses contact with the WiFi network, but the laptop with this Microsoft card has never lost contact with the company WiFi network. And its signal strength is always listed as "exellent." Microsoft . . . I'm impressed.
Rating:
Summary: So far so good
Review: Main thing is this thing was cheap. 25 clams and you got a g connection. Setup was easy. Just got a linksys wireless g router also. WEP 128 bit security easy to configure. When I take the card out, like when I'm at work, I don't get the annoying 'trying to connect' errors like with my old 3com 11mbps card, but then I had that for about 4 years and it was old school. Maybe that's the way these new cards work now, but the driver doesn't interfere if you remove the card. Why 4 stars? What's microsoft doing selling hardware?
|
