Linksys WPC51AB Dual-Band Wireless A+B Notebook Adapter
See it at Amazon.com for $89.99Average Customer Rating
(4.5 out of 5)
Amazon Customer Reviews
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(5 out of 5)Wireless to Go in a Snap!
When it was time to go wireless, this was the card I bought for one main reason, it is compatible with both A and B systems. At the time of purchase (some time in late 2002) B was the dominant and widely avaialble protocol. However, A was on it's way out with the promise of a much higher transfer speed and frequency.
The bonus of a higher speed is obvious...more data, less time. The bonus of a higher frequency is less obvious. B systems operate on a 2.4 GHz frequency while A systems work off of 5.4 GHz. The problem with B networks is that many other wireless devices, such as chordless phones, use this same frequency. This sometimes causes interference and therefore, can prevent the system from working. At this point in time, there are very few devices running at 5.4 GHz so there is a less crowded area.
Keep in mind that A and B systems are NOT compatible. That's what makes this card so great, it can use both. You do not need to carry around an A card and B card anymore. Just this one.
In terms of setup, it was a snap. Pre-install some drivers, restart your computer, insert the card and everything is good to go. This was the install process for Windows XP which is the simplest one, but flawless none the less.
Please note that another standard is also available. The G system is supposed to be compatible with B systems and capable of transferring data at the same speed as A systems. However, they are also operating on 2.4 GHz so the same interference problems exist.
This is all information that you as a buyer have to take into consideration. Figure out which protocol works best for you, and get a compatible card.
(5 out of 5)Works like a charm
I bought this card to replace a Netgear 802.11B card (which also works well, but only in B mode). Software loaded easily, card seems to work well, has better sensitivity (able to pick up distant APs) than the Netgear card.
(3 out of 5)Careful purchase
Took sometime to get it to work. Software that came it was NOT digitally signed and windows XP didn't like.
No firmware updates for item at linksys web sites last update 2002.