Netgear WG111 Wireless 54Mbps USB 2.0 Adapter
£11.99
- • USB adapter provides wireless access to your desktop or notebook via the USB port• It enables you to download large files, video conference, distribute and play high-quality movies, photos and MP3s without the effort and expense of running c
Works well but software caused initial problems - I read all the feedback on this item before I bought it and was aware of software/driver problems with negear adapters so I downloaded and installed the latest driver without bothering with the CD included. During the install I chose to use windows to set up the network and managed to get this working although it was a bit of a fiddle.Initially i had a lot of problems with the explorer not connecting to the internet despite excellent reception. Eventually I realised the problem was being caused by Netgear s Smart Wizard which was added to the Start up list of programmes. This seemed to be interferring with XP wireless network. Once I turned it off everything was fine and has not caused problems since.I deleted the shortcut from Startup folder so Smart Wizard doesn t launch automatically any more. The signal reception is very good, beter than my laptop s built in receiver. If the software hadn t caused problems, I would have rated it 5 stars.
It s junk - There have been many suggestions in order to fix the disconnection problems with this piece of equipment but really there should be no need. At first it held the connection for maybe ten minutes. Then it would need to be removed and inserted again to continue. Of course any downloads would then need to start again so I could never get the new drivers! Once I installed new drivers it disconnects after about 30 seconds.There should not be any of these issues with an expensive and supposedly superior wireless adapter. I expect it to work as it says on the box and not need to spend several hours trying to fix Netgear s problems. I will try the latest suggestions before going at it with a blowtorch and a pair of pliers. Garbage.
The hidden flaws - I bought this adapter when I purchased a new Vista Business based PC which I linked to the BT HomeHub 2.0. Set-up was easy and I was impressed for quite some time. However suddenly I was unable to access the Internet after closing down my PC and re-booting. The only solution was to remove all the Netgear s/w from the PC and reload from the CD after that all was fine until I next closed down my PC. Every time I boot up my PC I have to go through the laborious process of s/w removal and re-installation before I can get back onto the internet. I have been in contact with Netgear engineers but after many messages between us the problem remains unsolved. I have just bought a different adapter after finally giving up on this battle
One of the best you can get! - Installed and used 3 of them over the years, in different PC s, XP, Vista - no problem at all. Much better connection than my Belkin adapters-I threw those away and replace with these
Excellent product, works perfectly, recommended - I got this to connect to a Netgear DG834G router. It was a doddle to install and works perfectly under XP Pro SP3 using either the drivers on the supplied CD or the latest drivers downloaded from Netgear. Signal strength is good and it appears to be perfectly stable and doesn t drop the connection. I ve used both the Windows and the Netgear configuration utilities and both work fine. For completeness I should say that I ve not tried it under any other OS or with any other router. I also don t work for Netgear!I don t know why some people have had such bad experiences with it - there are three versions listed on the Netgear web site, and mine is the newest version (v3). Most of the critical reviews seem quite old and there may be problems with the earlier versions.I have 25 years experience with computers and know what I m doing, but this didn t require any technical ability whatsoever. All I can say is that I found it to be an excellent product and great value for money.