D-Link DWA-130 Wireless N USB Adapter
See it at Amazon.com for $44.99Average Customer Rating
(3.0 out of 5)
Amazon Customer Reviews
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(4 out of 5)300Mbps on my local network!
I assumed when I bought this adapter that I wouldn't actually see the top speed any time soon, but after buying a TrendNet N-wireless/Gbit LAN I am happy to say it actually works. My local connection tends to register between 130 and 300Mbps according to the pop-up bubble in my taskbar (if you display your connections there as I do, you can hold the cursor over them to see what speed you are getting at any given moment).
Previously, with a regular wireless dongle I was getting 54Mbps tops. What an improvement. Increased local speeds have meant quicker video streaming and file copying for me. You have to have a router (or I guess maybe a cable/DSL modem directly connected to your PC) that will get N-wireless speed to do this so it won't do you much good if you use an older technology 801.11B/G with this dongle. And your Internet speed is more a result of your service provider so it may or may not help with that. But more speed is always better to me.
I use this on my laptop and I often shut the laptop so that it goes into Standby. I have had no serious problems reconnecting after coming out of Standby. I think once or twice I have had to "Repair" my connection from the taskbar. I don't even bother to use the little USB "stand" that comes with it since I can directly connect this to one of my USB ports, but this brings up a negative: This adapter is too fat for me to plug anything into the USB port that is adjacent to it. It's simply too wide. Unfortunately, especially on laptops where space is at a premium, the USB ports are not spaced well enough. I guess if I were traveling with the laptop that might become an issue since I might actually need all 3 of my USB ports and not want to carry around that little stand, but I think the compromise is worth it for the speed.
There is an amber light on the top of this dongle that goes on and off with network activity. Another negative that most other people may not have a problem with is that 2 out of 3 of my laptop USB ports are upside down. I have no idea why it was designed that way, but if I use those other 2 ports I obvioously can't see the light on the adapter. I like to know what's going on so this is not optimal for me.
Other than those two very system-specific issues, I love this adapter. It was easy to install with good directions (you have to run the CD prior to attaching it for a smoother install) and it appears to perform beautifully on my WinXP SP2 laptop.
(5 out of 5)Rock Solid Out the Box
Installed within just a couple minutes. Allowed to totally mypass my internal wireless card which is stuck at 11 Mbps, 802.11b and WEP only, and worked only half the time. I was considering getting a whole new laptop.
Don't worry if you don't have a 2.0 compliant usb. I don't and I still connect at between 162 and 243 Mbps. I should mention that I have the D-Link DIR-615 which is 802.11n compliant, so compatibility issues were nil.
It comes with its own cradle or you can plug it directly into the usb slot.
Even though it's small, it's still a bit bulky as it sticks out on the side and if you're mobile with it, you'll have to careful you don't bump or hit it.
Overall I'm very impressed. I didn't expect this kind of performance from a usb adapter over 1.1 usb at that.
(2 out of 5)Beware: not for 64-bit Vista
the ad and product details include Vista - not 32-bit Vista only. Big surprise! bad surprise!
(5 out of 5)The DWA-130 Solved My Networking Issues!
I couldn't be happier with this little USB adaptor. It was a breeze to set up and works better than I'd expected (especially compared to the Linksys WUSB54GSC it replaced).
Initially I connected this to my a Linksys WRT54GX4 802.11g access point. Though positioned identically to the my original Linksys USB wireless adaptor, the D-Link DWA-130 often reported 100% singnal strength and data transfer rates were almost always right at 54Mbs. This where the Linksys adaptor had conectivity issues and often reported speeds of 1 to 5.5Mbs.
I recently upgraded the access point to a D-Link DIR-655. Once again, a breeze and now (for about what I spent on the Linksys components) I've gone from sub-10Mbs connecton speeds to speeds typically between 117Mbs and 130Mbs! This was the best $182 I've spent in awhile!
(5 out of 5)Right for the job
I use my laptop at work on a wireless network that recently upgraded to the latest "N" technology. Bought the D-Link adapter based on the price and reviews. I had it up and running within about ten minutes. The instructions for install were helpful and clear. The only downside is the size. The adapter is bigger than most USB add-ons (such as a USB mouse) and blocks any adjacent USB port. There is an included wired USB cradle for the times when you need to use your other USB port. One other caution is that the adapter gets quite warm after extended use. Not sure if that is normal for this type of adapter. So far it works great!