Don't disconnect from the wired network just yet. The Wizard does a good job of walking you through each step. If you don't have the key handy, it can be input later, but it is not as convenient. You will need to supply that information during installation or you will not be able to connect right away. Make sure you know your network name and WEP Key. This will eliminate any potential problems in the installation process.
Regardless of your version of Windows, I suggest installing the software first. The significance of that will be explained later. My initial installation was using Version 2.0 of the installation software. Actually, the installation is almost a simple as plugging the adapter into an available USB port. This computer may be replaced in a year or two, and unplugging the network card from a USB port seemed a lot more attractive than opening the case. I decided on the WUSB54G because I did not have any available internal slots. Look for reviews on all these items posted separately. For this review, I'll be discussing at the WUSB54G.
For my initial conversions, I was converting a desktop PC and an older laptop. When it came time to make the jump to wireless, the WAP54G seemed the logical choice, as I would not have to reconfigure anything on my existing network. Already part of this network is a Linksys single port Cable / DSL Router. I have a SOHO that uses a wired 10/100 switched network. User reviews on Handy Physical Installation, Good Software Installation Mitchell Small September 5, 2004 Take a look here if you want to buy this Linksys WUSB54G USB wireless adapter! Wireless Security Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2), WEP (64bits, 128bits) And your wireless communications can be protected by industrial-strength Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption, so your data stays safe. The Wireless-G USB Network Adapter is also compatible with the Wireless-B (802.11b) network standard, with data rates up to 11Mbps. The included Setup Wizard walks you through configuring the Adapter to your wireless network settings, step by step. (It's compatible with both USB 1.1 and 2.0 ports, but 2.0 will yield the fastest speeds.) It gets its power through the USB connection, so no power cord is necessary. Why is it that there is an endless variety of mediocre to super cheap products for this purpose, but nobody makes a bulletproof Cadillac model for a higher cost? I would rather have a piece of hardware I can plug in and forget about than something I am constantly troubleshooting and then having to replace in a year.To install, simply plug the Adapter into any available USB port.
I am still trying alternatives to see if there is something better on the market. Four or five of the units have completely died after about a year. This would happen hourly for some of the adapters. A few of the additional units we bought would have issues either loosing their connection to the router, or the computer would loose its connection to wireless adapter. The first few we bought seemed to work great, so we bought this same model for the rest of the office. Overall Review: We have about a dozen of these in our office. Reliability degrades over time and the units eventually die.
Plug-and-Play Operation Provides Easy SetupĬompatible with Microsoft Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, and XPĪdditional Information Date First AvailableĬons: The average unit life appears to be about a year. Supports USB 2.0 with up to 54Mbps, High-Speed Data Transfer Rate with Automatic Fallback Learn more about the Linksys WUSB54G Model BrandĬompatible with 802.11g and 802.11b (2.4GHz) Standards