Home > Consumer Reviews > Linksys Instant Wireless PCI Card WMP11

I bought this PCI card to go with a Linksys Wireless Router (BEFW11S4) and a Linksys PCMCIA card (WPC11). The PCI card goes into my PC, the PCMCIA card goes into my laptop and the wireless router plugs into my NTL cable Set Top Box. The result is a wireless LAN all around my house including super fast Broadband Internet access via NTL cable!
I bought the PCI card rather than the USB option as I was told the PCI card gave better performance. The perfomance is certainly excellent, I get 100% signal strength even though the PC is in an upstairs bedroom and the Router is 2 rooms and one floor away downstairs in my front room.

The only mildly tricky bit in the whole solution was spoofing the MAC address of the router on one of the PC's for long enough to get it recognised by the NTL signup page. After that it was just plug and play, all working first time with no complications. A word of warning though, linksys recommend you install the Linksys software BEFORE you fit the PCI card in your PC. Follow the instructions and you will be fine.

I bought all linksys products to ensure compatibility and I would recommend that you do the same. I did my research and there isn't another supplier who can provide such a slick, robust and quality range of products at this price. Linksys are way ahead of the competition at the moment (with perhaps Netgear just behind them).

I have read that the router doesn't work so well with some Broadband suppliers but you should be able to fix this by upgrading the firmware. You should do this anyway to ensure that you have plugged the CERT security advisory announced security flaw in the older versions of the router firmware.
Enjoy!

I am using this card in a PC about 40 ft away from the wireless access point (This means the signal has to travel through 3 thick insulated walls). The signal quality is always "Excellent". It was easy to install on Windows XP. Just open up the case, install the card into a spare PCI slot, power up the machine which automatically notices the new hardware, insert the cd with the driver and follow the simple instructions. The driver takes like a minute to install, then you are connected. It was honestly as simple as that.

I did have two Netgear cards but was very unhappy with their quality - the aerials kept falling out the back and the connections were very unreliable - so I determined to find the biggest standard aerial that I could on a pci card and ordered the Linksys.
The connection is fantastic (the aerial screws in tightly and can't fall out) - you boot the pc and you can go straight onto the network/internet - fab. What more could you want?

This wireless card was purchased in order to allow a Windows ME PC access a wireless network. It did not have to be fast - hence 802.11b as it was only really for use with a broadband internet connection.

The unit was easy to install and is incredibly stable. You do not get any signal drop outs unlike with the 802.11g card inside my other PC (not Linksys - some other famous and expensive brand who do not specialise in networking products!)

All in all, if you are looking for a cheap wireless PCI card, go for this one or another by the same manufacturer. You cannot go wrong.

This device gave no problem to install as long as you have hardware building experience. Works better with Windows XP than 2000 but the range of this device is brilliant i have the PC upstairs and it works perfectly, Fast and reliable. I would recommend it to anyone.