Linksys Wireless-G PCI Adapter WMP54G

...to boot!' because that's what Linksys want you to believe. Trust me, after you've used this wireless card as a solution, you'll go straight back to cabled networking with a curse upon all wireless equipment to ever infiltrate into your abode.

Linksys' Wireless-G PCI Card, model number WMP54G, capable of 54Mbps compared to the older 11Mbps of the older wireless network standard, nearly 5x faster. Also compatible with the old standard ...
...and find out what porkies Linksys has spewed out upon it's silver tray.

Firstly, ignore that picture in the top left hand corner.. that's the wrong image of what the card looks like. Ciao are really not good at keeping their websites up to date nowadays. The card comes very nicely boxed with instruction manuals, warrantee info and driver's CD. Installation of the wireless card was extremely easy as it required merely to install the ... more

Have you ever wondered what happiness would be like for a portable computer user? Connecting to your home network, accessing the internet, typing up documents, all the while moving about the house and then finally setling down in the garden with a beer in one hand, some tabacco in the other, and a testicle mashing heat blowing laptop on your lap. That's happiness mate.

Of course, that doesn't apply to most people... mainly only me. But what I have to say here is that this is the PCI version that connects inside a desktop PC, so all that moving around business goes right out the window. You would be forgiven for thinking 'Hey at least I dont need wires to connect my PC to the main router downstairs from my bedroom and have amazing speeds to boot!' because that's what Linksys want you to believe. Trust me, after you've used this wireless card as a solution, you'll go straight back to cabled networking with a curse upon all wireless equipment to ever infiltrate into your abode.

Linksys' Wireless-G PCI Card, model number WMP54G, capable of 54Mbps compared to the older 11Mbps of the older wireless network standard, nearly 5x faster. Also compatible with the old standard as well so that you don't have to worry about immediately purchasing all new cards for all your PCs! Sound good on paper, but that's until you plug it in and find out what porkies Linksys has spewed out upon it's silver tray.

Firstly, ignore that picture in the top left hand corner.. that's the wrong image of what the card looks like. Ciao are really not good at keeping their websites up to date nowadays. The card comes very nicely boxed with instruction manuals, warrantee info and driver's CD. Installation of the wireless card was extremely easy as it required merely to install the PCI card into an empty slot and then screw the aerial into the back afterwards. Booting up into Windows, just placed the CD into the drive and the setup program handles the rest. This is one thing I can praise Linksys on, their excellent user-friendly software programs.

However here is where it mainly goes wrong. As you all know, wireless networks are very picky about what router they connect to and so it is best you use the same manufacturer for the router as with the card and that has the same technology for maximum compatibility and ease of setup. But even though I had a Linksys Wireless-G router (review on that piece of crap later), it was difficult to get my wireless card to speak to it without problems creeping up i.e. disconnecting every hour or so, momentary immense slow down, unable to find router, etc.

After hours of tweaking, I finally got the connection to be stable and was able to test the range and speed of the wireless network. The range was absolutely appalling! The router was in the master bedroom where the broadband modem was. The room right next to it I got a 4 out of 5 bar signal so it wasn't so bad. I moved the entire PC into a room just down the corridoor into my 'study area' and the signal went right down. Poof. The PC barely had a signal from my router, and when it did connect it kept disconnecting the reconnecting every 3 seconds. The 'study area' was only 4-5 metres down the corridoor with very little electronic interference or walls in the way, therefore I am very dissapointed because my mate's Belkin wireless network had a strong signal from 10 metres away going through 4 walls.

The speed of the card was also a massive let-down of epic proportions. The 11Mbps (802.11b) standard gives us about 500K to just under 1MB transfer speed. This card that boasts u pto 54Mbps gives me the fastest rate of 1.2MB per second. Wow. That is such a massive leap from the 11Mbps network... I've seen other 54Mbps wireless networks trounce 1.2MB per second easily, so I have to say that if you want speed... AVOID!

In fact, if you want decent speed with a good range, as well as little hassle in setting up a wireless network... do not buy this crap card! I can write down want I want to send on a piece of card and chuck it at my mate quicker and further than sending it via Linksys' wireless network. NETGEAR, BELKIN or BUFFALO! 

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