NETGEAR WG511 Wireless-G PC Card Reviews

• Greatness

  
  By on 2003-05-01
  I just bought the Netgear WG602 access point and the Netgear WG511 54G Wireless PC Card. I am very impressed and both items work great. All I did was connect the ethernet cord (that comes with the access point) from my existing D-Link wired router and into the Netgear access point. Then I installed the PC Card software on my laptop and rebooted and then put the card in. It was up and running in 10 minutes. At about 1 foot I was connected at 100% out in the living room about 30 feet away through one wall it was between 78-86%. Then about 60 feet away through 4-5 walls it was 60%. Even at 60% the connection flew. It was just like I was connected through a wire. I then walked outside my house about 200 feet and was still connected. I hear that the PC Card is the main factor in signal strength, if so this one takes the cake at 200+ feet. My dad has a Linksys 802.11b access point and can only go about 40 feet with his 11B PC Card. It seems the 802.11g makes a big difference on signal strength. In the PC card configuration I turned on WEP and entered the passcode from my access point. I turned on MAC security in my access point and added the Netgear WG511 MAC address (which I found in the About tab) to the allowed addresses. Then I rebooted the access point. And then told the Netgear Wireless PC card to re-scan. It found the access point and the entire setup including tight security was done.
  
  

• Solid Wireless G PC Card

  
  By A37ZXCGMXBSYFG on 2003-09-24
  When I replaced my Netgear ME102 access point, I was mainly concerned with the lack of security features compared to current wireless 801.11x products on shelves today.

  I ended up selecting another Netgear product, the WGR614 wireless G router/access point and chose the WG511 mostly to ensure the highest level of compatibility.

  Overall, I'm very pleased. The card was simple to install, even given my previous experience with the ME102. Pop in the CD, use the HTTP-based menu to install the driver and software package, configure the security settings and you're done!

  I decided to take a chance and downloaded the latest firmware which implements draft 802.11g compliance, SSID broadcast blocking, and minor fixes before hand. Once implemented on both router and PC card, I noticed no problems or difficulties. Those with mismatching brands of wireless devices may want to check with the respective manufacturer(s) before upgrading, however.

  Performance and range were much improved in my two-story, 1600 sq. ft. home with steel frame construction. Where the signal of my old ME102 and D-link 650 would drop significantly from about 15-20ft away, I'm able to keep a full signal with the WG511 and WGR614 in the same location. Throughput was also improved, of course, although device specifications, antenna placement, environment, and infrastructure all play a part in signal strength and performance. As with any wireless network product, your mileage may vary.

  Overall, the WG511 is solid wireless G PCMCIA card. It's broad antenna and easy-to-install software/driver package ensure good performance when paired with a Netgear wireless G router. At a price comparable to some 802.11b solutions, the Netgear is a very good choice for the home user looking for a new wireless G or add-on to their existing wireless G network.

  Recommended
  
  

• works fantastic, just be careful of a few things

  
  By AMFB2GBB2O84X on 2003-08-30
  I've used this product for about 3 months; I live in an apartment above the garage of my landlord, who lives in the house below and has a wireless router, etc. Another tenant in the basement also shares access. This card works great -- I am pretty far from the router but am basically always in "very good" connection range, no matter where I am in my apartment. I can even go to the backyard. It really is impressive performance, particularly since the landlord's configuration is all Linksys hardware, not Netgear -- my landlord says I have the fastest connection of anyone. (Besides having this card I also have a super fast laptop, which probably helps too.)

  There are a couple of things to keep in mind when using this card. 1) If you're running XP, Windows will try to "take over" and run your network for you -- it will install its own driver, run the card, etc. I HIGHLY recommend that you install the card using the configuration CD (or by getting the latest firmware from the website) rather than letting Windows install the drivers itself. Your XP software likely won't have the latest drivers. Also, I even more highly recommend NOT allowing Windows to manage the connection -- if you click on "my connections" and then "wireless connection status" you should have a box saying something like, "Allow Windows to manage connection" -- UNCHECK THIS BOX. Let the card manage its own connection -- it performs much better.

  2) If you or anyone living within a few hundred feet of you uses a 2.4 Ghz cordless phone, particularly an older one, you could get interference. It turned out my phone was interfering with everyone's connection and causing frequent drops. If you get frequent drops when you first use the card, don't blame the card until you've asked everyone living close to you to try to a different channel for their 2.4 Ghz phone. Once I did this, everything cleared up and I've had outstanding service since then.
  
  

• In short terms - Simple, reliable and fast!!

  
  By on 2003-07-04
  I prepared myself for trouble after reading some of the horror stories in regards to setting up wireless networks, but was pleasant surprised. I first hooked up the NetGear WGR614 router to our DSL modem (no configuration needed. The WGR614 wireless router is a DHCP server to your network and client to the ISP so it manages hooking your network together and then al of it to the web automatically). After the router was up and running with my PC, I installed this card with the simple and brief descriptions included on my wifes laptop and it automatically linked to the wireless access point of the router. The whole affair took about 15 minutes without any configuration need. This set up is TRULY plug-and-play.....a day later I had our computers hooked into a nice little home-LAN with print and file sharing on Windows XP. Connection speed varies and is only at 100% in the same room and close to the router. However we still have fully sufficient connection speed on the deck and in the basement office of my wife. Even at 50% connection, the g-standard network transfers at 15 to 20 Mbps....fast enough and way faster than the b-standard at only 10Mbps. Besides, the Netgear equipment is small and has an excellent design and not as flashy as the competition. RECOMMENDED !!
  
  

• This setup rocks...

  
  By on 2003-09-07
  Well, I started out buying a Linksys wireless B router and notebook card. I bought Linksys because of brand recognition and I figured having both the router and card from the same manufacturer would yield the best results. After setting them up, the reception was horrible. My download speeds over my cable modem from my laptop were worse than dialup speeds. I promptly packed them up and sent it back. I read similar reviews for both the Netgear products and Linksys that had good and bad results. Many of the reviewers with bad results recommended the competing products. Anyways, with the rebates offered for the Netgear setup, it was gonna cost me a few more dollars, but it was a wireless G setup instead. So, I took the chance and ordered this card with the WGR614 router. Setup was a breeze and the signal and speed are phenomenal. I was starting to think that I might have to move the router around the house for a better signal, but it works superbly in the same location the Linksys router couldn't. Yeeha!
  
  
• Easy to Install and Use
  By A2Z2MUZ76N5EY7 on 2004-01-29
  Out of the Box and on the web in 15 minutes. This is compatible with an 802.11b wireless router, better speed when using this card compared to older Netgear card. Software was installed without a hitch in my Dell Inspiron. I found I had to reboot both my wireless router and the laptop before I could get a good signal. Install software; install card; reboot computer and router-that's it.

  Netgear products have been very reliable for me. The price of this card on Amazon was about $15-20 cheaper than anywhere else.
  
  

• Poor service, poor quality and dishonest tactic in selling
  By A1UFZ6IT3QWN1Q on 2005-03-04
  Netgear is not honest with customer about their problem on the WG511. I bought the first WG511 for my Dell Lattitude and the card works well. When I bought for my son the new Compaq Presario 2100 us about 2 months ago, I bough a new WG511 to go with it, thinking it should work with all laptop. Only then, I start knowing all about code 10 error, that WG511 will not work will MANY laptop models, and they still sell WG511 for the unsuspecting customers despite there was plenty indications that something is not right with the card. The current beta driver 2.9 at Netgear site still not work with my son's laptop and he still uses the first wobbling driver version. If your WG511 works with your laptop, consider that you are lucky as I was before buying the 2nd one. And you might not be as lucky again as I am now for falling into the trap that it was working with one model so it should work with another one, beside wireless adapter has become a commodity product that any competent engineer can duplicate a working driver for their model. Proof is the old driver version 1.6 does work wobbly but none doesn't even work after that version. For anyone want to buy any adapter of WG511 family, use Google to search whether your laptop model having problem with WG511. Don't ever believe that the new driver will fix the code 10 problem unless you have tried it out first, with your own money and with your own effort. But then who is that insane to buy a product with such uncertainty?
  
  Update1: If it means anything to you, I'm a IC Senior Test Engineer dealing with PCs since the day 10 MB drive IBM XT sold for $4,000 in 1982 so hardware & software technical issues of PC is child play for me. The purpose of this review is to make you aware that your laptop model MIGHT not work with WG511. It's not the money I am trying to save for you. It's the tremendous frustration that I am trying to save for you.
  
  Update2: I saw the new driver release 3.0 at their website but I am too leery to try their incompetent product after wasting so much time before.
  
  Update3: Nov-19-05. Before I buy another wireless card for my son, definitely not Netgear anymore, I decide to give the new driver a new try. The current driver version 3.0 does work with the Compaq Pressario and takes care the Code 10 error. What does it mean? It means there is no bad batch of cards, no bad bach of production run but there is a plenty of incompetent people working for Netgear (and mindless reviews in support for Netgear) in this line of production, for my son's card is still the same one I bought before. The only variable that doesn't make the card work before and working now is the driver, and anyone who has some sense of logic would figure that out long time ago (hint: the first release driver version works wobbly and none after that works - get it?). And Netgear has hanged their customers since 2003 to 2005 by running their customers around, blaming everything but fixing the problem themselves till now. My judgement for this Netgear's product stays intact: Poor quality, poor service and dishonest technique in selling. Poor quality is not really a business killer but dishonest in dealing with customers wipes out all the trust built before. It's the mark of rotten in the core of a company's structure and the first sign to warn about the prospect of dealing business with the company.
  
  
• Nice performance, easy to install and use!
  By A2BBUF6HAUNXBC on 2003-06-03
  The range on this card is suitable for most home applications provided the access point is located near the center of the house or you don't have an extremely large home. I run my network in a 2300 sq ft. home. The included utilities can monitor connection speeds and signal strength. I consistently run at high speeds and stay above 65% signal strength anywhere in my home.

  Transfer speeds are very good. I am able to move large files including Power Point presentations, database backups and images around with no trouble at all. The encryption is easy to configure and the scan utilities will allow you to detect other wireless access points in your area.

  Nice product.
  
  

• Very impressed Mac user
  By on 2003-09-21
  My network at home is primarily made up of Macs connected to an Apple Airport Extreme Base Station. But when it came time to get my Dell laptop connected wirelessly I read a few reviews here and then picked up the Netgear WG511. Within minutes, I had the software installed and the WG511 PC card reading my Airport network. Just remember that the AirPort's built-in security system, called WEP, works in a different way under the Mac OS and other systems. On a Mac you just enter the password that you set up the for the network, but on a PC in order to set up a Network security you need to use the hexadecimal password for the Airport. To find out what your hex password is run the AirPort Admin Utility and click the Password icon at the top of the configuration window.
  
  
• Installing a Pain...but works well
  By on 2003-12-05
  Used on a Dell Inspiron (XP Home) in conjunction with a 802.11b Router (Netgear's MR814v2). After I loaded the software and then popped the card in the PC slot, XP promptly crashed. Blue screen of death with a Kernel Dump. Tried to restart and uninstall the software (CD Version 1.1). Reinstalled the software. Didn't work still.

  Called up customer service. They picked up the phone (from India) within a minute and proceeded to help me for the next 45mins. So excellend customer service. I ended up having to uninstall the software, download a newer version from the website, upgrade the firmware on my router from their website and then I was able to install the card and get it to work.

  Even then, after a few hours, the main WG511.exe (slightly different name) crashed, but this time, connectivity was maintained.

  I've used the 802.11b card before and had no such problems. So summary:
  a) Unstable with XP. Bad and painful install process.
  b) Good customer support. Patiently helped through 45mins of mess
  c) Once up and running, then excellent performance.
  
  

• EXCELLENT PRODUCT..
  By A1L8HRCM60W0W7 on 2004-01-19
  It's a small card. Yet, its range is wider than any other wireless device I know of (D-Link, Linksys). Some things to crave about:

  - Exceptionally fast throughputs. I used to own a Linksys, which was cheap then, but Netgear's speed is mindblowing.
  - Set up is a cinch, and instructions are simple, in layman language. You'll be up and running in 20 mins.
  - Supports both IEEE 802.11*b* as well as IEEE 802.11*g* (this is a good thing because you have to worry lesser about whether your wireless LAN card is "supported")

  Make sure you have the latest firmware, and if you have problems like other reviewers had -- booting machines etc, then update your BIOS from your computer vendor. The card itself is compact and competent. Recommended!
  
  

• WG511 great reception
  By A10T8J53N3JPK1 on 2003-09-03
  In early 2003 I purchased a Netgear MR314 wireless hub and a MA401 card for my laptop. This router and card are built to the slower 802 11b standard. Recently I purchased a second laptop and wanted an additional card for the second laptop. Rather than buy an additional slower card I purchased the new WG511 wireless networking card (faster 802 11G standard) to be used with the slower hub.

  The new card is 'backward compatible' to the slower wireless router and has noticeably stronger reception than the MA401 card. The newer WG511 card allows me to take advantage of faster 802 11G wireless networks when travelling,and to use the card on my existing network when at home. Setup was seamless, and the price with the rebate is about good - other 802 11G cards are selling for around $20 more. Netgear products have proven to be consistently reliable and a good value for the $.
  
  

• Easy to use with other Netgear products
  By AS7JXTIPOPX7I on 2004-04-17
  This card was a breeze to install and configure for use with the Netgear 802.11g router. That being said, Netgear's Configuration Utility Software makes it impossible to use the card with some wireless networks that use Authentication Clients (such as my college campus). As the author of the university's wireless configuration instructions, I feel fairly confident in saying that one should be leery of using this card outside of the Netgear product family. If you know you'll be sticking to a basic personal network, though, it's perfectly fine.
  
  
• Netgear WG511 notebook card WORKS GREAT
  By A3EZEP0FX5BC1P on 2005-09-23
  Background:
  I currently have the Netgear MR814v2 router (802.11b), and got mixed results with my various notebooks. My HP workstation notebook (wireless a/b/g) and my Dell Latitude X1 (wireless b/g)...yes, the smallest one (rock-on!!!), both connect fine with it. However, my HP Pavilion (wireless b) can connect wirelessly if in the same room or the next, and still the connection is sketchy. I decided that the built-in wireless is not too good, so I bought the WG511 as well as the NETGEAR WGR614 router (802.11g) to upgrade. I decide to just try the WG511 card on the MR814 first.
  
  Setup:
  The results were not great at first, but that was because I had the router set to block the SSID broadcast. I was manually forcing the card to look for the router, but had problems with it the recognition (I'm not sure if the problem was on the router or card side). When I configured the router to broadcast the SSID, then everything worked fine and dandy. Overall time for setup was 3 seconds for ripping the plastic and opening the box, 3 minutes for install of the software and driver, 5 minutes for troubleshooting the router/card recognition issue, and 5 seconds afterwards to connect.
  
  Range:
  I have the router sitting in the basement, and I still get signal on the second floor bedroom at the opposite side of the house. That is approximately 200 feet away from the router, through 2 floors and about 4 walls away. Also, I am quite impressed with the range this card was able to extend for me. I had coverage in every room of my house, plus the basement, garage, and the sidewalk across the street! Mind you, I also enabled WEP, so only specific wireless devices (MINE) were able to access the router.
  
  Speed:
  I was able to maintain file transfers (from PC to PC in my network) at speeds near the 11Mbps rate everywhere in the house, so I was quite impressed. My cable broadband downloads only up to 6Mbps (average 2Mbps mostly), so this card is more than capable of web-surfing wireless-ly.
  
  Conclusion:
  This card is compatible with the NETGEAR MR814 802.11b router.
  If the setup with the MR814 router was this easy, and the connection (and speed) is fast, then I can't wait to setup and try the NETGEAR WGR614 router with this baby!
  
  Note:
  For the average user, this card is a great buy and works flawlesly with the NETGEAR MR814 router. Rembember that broadband ISPs transfer rate is only at about 1.5 to 3.0 Mbps for DSL, and about 3.0 to 6.0 Mbps for cable broadband (these are maximum speeds, not average speeds), so going for 802.11 b versus g is not going to make a big difference. The two big advantages of the g over b are 1) faster rates WITHIN YOUR NETWORK (transfering files from one computer to the next, or broadcasting music or video from computer to tv/receiver), and 2) increased security (added SPI firewall in addition to the NAT firewall available in most routers). Hope this review helps you.
  
  
• easy setup, impressive range
  By ABH9D1TEOJ56E on 2003-11-24
  i have two of these cards, one for a personal notebook, and one for my wife's work notebook. at home, i use these cards with Netgear's WGR614 Wireless 802.11g 54Mbps Router. so far, we're very happy with the performance of these cards and router.

  there were three things i considered as "very important" when i went looking for a wireless card:
  - ease of setup
  - connection speed
  - wireless range and interference

  the wg511 has (so far) performed very well on all counts. the first consideration was ease of setup. i consider myself comfortable with technology, but this setup was REALLY easy: run the software installation from the CD, reboot, then slide the PC Card into an empty card slot and you're done. i wish all hardware installations were this simple.

  my second consideration was connection speed. i have no objective way of measuring this but so far, i have been very satisfied with the wireless speed connection. a caveat: i have read from other websites that in mixed-mode (when both 802.11g and 802.11b devices are running), transfer speed suffers but since i only connect using 802.11g, this has not been an issue.

  the third consideration was connection range. i have my wireless router setup in the basement and so far, i have not had any wireless connection issues when using our notebook with this card in the front or back porch or in the second floor. there's always the potential of interference from other devices but i am happy to report that i have yet to see evidence of such interference.

  all in all, we've been very happy with this 802.11g card and i am comfortable recommending it to anyone looking to setup a wireless home network.

  i hope this helps your buying decision. peace.
  
  

• Good reception but doesn't like to change access points
  By A1TS7LUEDD6B03 on 2004-09-05
  This card installed and configured easily on Win2k for my home network (802.11b, WEP, no beaconing) and I immediately noticed better range and reception than with my Netgear MA401 card. But when I tried to reconfigure it for another access point, I ran into trouble: I had trouble getting WEP to work on the new network, and when I went back to my home network it took several tries to get this card to reassociate. The "Activate" button in the Profiles tab wasn't working, the "Connect" option in the Site Survey tab wasn't working, and even manually setting everything wasn't working--the card just kept scanning channels, never associating. The software has a channel menu but it's always grayed out. Finally I tried clicking Rescan just to see what would happen and it associated, but the status icon disappeared from the Windows System Tray and running the Configuration Utility (from Programs menu) didn't work. I also have been unable to upgrade to the latest driver.
  
  I really like the Site Survey feature, it's almost like having Netstumbler but you can highlight an AP and click a button to connect to it (usually). I also like the Profiles feature compared to that of my MA401 card, having a summary of settings below the profile name, with Save/Delete/Activate buttons. Sometimes, however, "real" settings didn't match the stated "current profile" settings, which is confusing. I also like that this card has an activity LED, which my MA401 doesn't have--although sometimes the link light doesn't blink when scanning.
  
  Overall I think this is just a so-so card due to the strange behavior I experienced. It was easy to install and configure the first time, it gets better reception than my old card, and I really like the Site Survey feature. There just seem to be some bugs in the driver/config software that I have to put up with and/or work around. It also doesn't do WPA, and there's no "wireless radio off" feature. Most brands of 802.11g cards are routinely on sale for $30-$40 so you might want to try your luck with something else.
  
  
• DO NOT BUY THIS CARD
  By on 2003-06-20
  The WG511 is excellent when working. However, whenever one disables the connection it is impossible to reconnect without rebooting the computer. I run this with XP Home and a notebook that I know works perfectly. Netgear support is as usual helpless, from technicians that can barely speak English to long holds to being told to install the new firmware (which didnt help). If you dont want a headache and countless frustration then buy a different card. Netgear deserves the bad publicity which is why I am posting this.
  
  
• Worked the first time in!
  By A3570UKZSRLGZ on 2003-06-24
  I had purchased a DLINK DWL650+ card at first. However, after several evenings with this card and one hour with DLINK tech support I gave up. Funny thing is that the DLINK card is supposed to be talking to a DLINK DI-713P wireless router that I installed last year.

  I went to Fry's and asked two different beleagured sales associates which of the WiFi cardbus adapters brands they sold had the fewest returns. Independently, they both mentioned that Netgear had the fewest. So, although priced higher, I bit the bullet and got the WG511. No problems with installation and it worked the first time with a Compaq Amada M700 running Windows 2000 server version. I am definitely thinking more about using Netgear stuff.
  
  

• Has big compatibility problems
  By on 2003-10-20
  Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. IT DOES NOT WORK WELL.
  I have SMC 7004xxx router/switch. Every 10-20 minutes Netgear should be pulled out and some times notebook must be rebooted. My notebook Fujitsu Lifebook with W2K worked just fine with Linksys/SMC/Cisco/IBM wireless cards. After 3 days of downloading and upgrading with different drivers WG511 goes back. Some times WG511 blocks all other network connections. Rumors are that Netgear chipset does not work well with some CardBus/PCMCA adapters. The configuration utility lacks simplest settings like fix transfer rate to 11 Mbs or 5.5Mbs. But registry still carries most of them. Multiple problems and driver with reduced set settings means that product is unstable. Since most reviews either very good or very bad it looks like WG511 has compatibility problems.
  
  
• Easy installation, works well
  By A2ROSEQT80GS2N on 2003-12-08
  This is a replacement for a Linksys card which 'fried' after a little over an year of quite constant use. The Netgear software is much more intuitive and, should you be an expert, offers more customization features. The card works extremely well, is blazing fast paired with a Netgear 11.g router. No problem whatsoever with either one or the other, I was a little concerned about their customer support but I never had to call them. Definitevely recommend.
  
  
• WPC511 with buggy Drivers
  By A1HJSMYORX2ZM7 on 2004-07-29
  Ratting for this card (WG511) should be a zero.
  
  
  Drivers supplied with this card, on factory CD-ROM installed with out any problem, but computer (Dell Inspirion 9100) can not use card due to buggy driver supplied by Netgear. Updated (2.7, 2.1) and previous versions (1.7, 1.1) of the driver for this card available from Netgear website did not solve problem. A quick check at www.dslreports.com revealed a disturbing trend with these cards. Almost all installations suffer from Code 10 error
  
  Number one item of Netgear FAQ (on their website) is a code 10 error that occurs upon card insertion into the PCMCIA port.
  
  
  I was able to barrow Linksys WPC11 card. Drivers installed without a hitch. Card performance is adequate, no code 10. Wireless connection is fine.
  
  Make your own conclusion. My guess is that Netgear outsourced driver coding to India or to a third party who did not perform rigorous compatibility testing as it should have been done. Low cost software - very disappointed customer! You get what you pay for. Outsourcing = cheap products = lousy performance!
  
  System Dell Inspirion 9100 with Win XP (home
  
  
  
• Learn from my install experience
  By A29WKW0CC03FSX on 2006-01-02
  I recently added both a Netgear wireless router and PC card to my mom's computer. The router installed quickly and with no problem. The card was a different story.
  
  I started the process, followed all the steps and waited. And waited. The install seemed to have stalled, but there were no warnings, no update boxes of any kind. So I restarted the process; same thing, after a while it just stopped.
  
  On a hunch, I hooked the computer back up to the internet using the Ethernet connection and sure enough, this time the install ran like it was in the Indy 500 with no problems. So, even though it seems counterintuitive, when installing this wireless card make sure you're still hooked up to the internet.
  
  
• I hope you don't need tech support
  By on 2003-08-26
  While many people who have purchased this product were able to plug it right in and go, I actually had some problems in the setup of my Netgear Acccess point and this PC card. The technical support by Netgear is horrible. If you have any problems you are going to spend a long time on hold and then speak with technical support people who only know how to fix the basic items that can go wrong. At this point I was referred to second level support and told I would receive a call back in 24 hours. Over a week has passed and I haven't received the phone call. I've since purchased a Linksys wireless router and PC card and was able to connect right away.
  
  
• Sony Vaio+WinXP may not like it
  By on 2003-10-15
  I recommended this to someone on the basis of the relatively stellar reports here. So, I figure it's fair to leave the caveat. I spent 2.5 hours trying to get the WG511 working with Vaio with a bit of time spent with tech support with a light Indian accent. She had me use the old 1.1 software on the original CD. Newer ones were posted on their website but if you check the dates on the software & drivers, they're actually a bit older than you're led to believe. The upshot was it still didn't work and the older is only a bit better than the newer. In between, I got plenty of messages about "WG511WLU.EXE" wanting to disappear and hide.

  The WG511 worked on my Toshiba and the Sony worked with a MS MN-510 usb adapter.

  This is still bleeding edge stuff as far as I'm concerned.
  
  

• WOW!!!!!!!!!!!
  By on 2003-11-30
  I wish I had bought this wireless PC Card a long time ago! This has made sharing a network connection and printer between my laptop and home computer very easy. The 54Mbps that is rated for this product has been pretty consistent at no less than 40Mbps at a signal strength no less than 82%. This is pretty good considering the signal has to travel through the walls of an old home with lath and plaster at distances up to 50-60 feet away. I have also purchased the Netgear WGR614 Wireless Router and use a wired connection for the home computer.To sum up I would definitely recommend this setup for anyone setting up a network.
  
  
• Wouldn't recomend it
  By A6KR00C0IZS0R on 2004-03-31
  I bought two Netgear 511 cards for my wife's laptop and my laptop. I also bought a Netgear 311 PCI card for my desktop, and a Netgear 602 access point. I got everything talking to the access point without any encryption. I configured the 128-bit encryption on all the devices, and I was able to get them all working.

  BUT every time after a reboot, when I went through about five web pages it would disconnect from the network. I would have to go into the setup utility and reconfigure the network settings. This happened on both the laptops, and the desktop. The desktop has both Windows 98 and Windows 2000, and the laptops have Windows 2000. This same problem was happening with the desktop running Windows 98.

  I went to Netgear's website to download the latest drivers. While on one of their secure web pages, all their header information was (in about ten parts) located on a non-secure part of their web site. So, I got the dialogue box asking me if I wanted to leave the secure web site for every part of their header. I downloaded the latest drivers, which didn't fix the problem. I called their customer support line. I was told to just modify the default settings, which you cannot do. I kept going around and around with her until I finally reached the conclusion that she was not going to help me.

  From my bedroom to where the access point was in the kitchen, the connection was terrible. Netgear came with a little monitor utility and it would tell you how many MBPS it was connecting at. It was usually around 12. The weird thing is, the signal strength was very good. I thought their monitor program must be off. I ran some tests copying files across the network, and it really was connecting that slow.

  After seeing what the Netgear product is, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I sold people any of the Netgear products that I had bought. I don't know how people can give this product a good review. They have never touched the encryption at all.
  
  I returned all the Netgear products and replaced them with all 3com products, and haven't had a problem one. 3com's access point (3CRWE454G72) is far better, for the following reasons:

  1) You can chose not to broadcast your wireless network id.
  2) You can specify to only accept clients with an approved Mac address.
  3) You can save the network settings of the access point to disk, so multiple client configurations go quickly.
  4) It supports WPE security.
  
  

• Pay for tech support
  By A3TNLI3A8V4L7B on 2004-06-24
  I just found out that after 90 days Netgear wouldn't provides tech support unless you pay for the service. I then called Linksys to see if their policy is the same as Netgear. Linksys said they will support all product as long as you own them. Please beware and call before you buy any Netgear products. It is bad business in technology if you don't support after 90 days.
  
  
• good luck if you have an IBM Thinkpad!!!
  By A1TOXDKUSCJXT7 on 2004-09-10
  This card have major problems working with IBM Thinkpads. I bought this more than 3 months ago and it worked fine w/ the old 1.6 driver on my Thinkpad most of the time. I have to eject and re-insert and re-login at times to get it working and recognized by the OS after my laptop wakes up from hibernation. The worst problem here is the latest driver 2.0 from Netgear doesn't work at all. Apparently, there's some issues with the WG511 card and the Thinkpad PCI Adapter (made by Texas Instrument) but Netgear support refuses to admit any problems so I'm stuck w/ the old drivers. Can never switch to WPA security. Netgear support is the worst! I tried Linksys with my Netgear 54G router and it worked like a charm.
  
  
• Very Unreliable
  By A3RA47DZFOK0I4 on 2005-09-25
  Software and card install very easily, but once installed the card will not stay conected. It losses the wireless signal every couple of minutes.
  Technical Support is a laugh, unless you live in the far East you can't understand their instuctions, and the problen is with your other equipment not theirs.
  Card was returned, and a D-Link DWL-G650+ will replace this Netgear piece of #$%^^
  
  
• Netgear WG511 Wireless 802.11g PC Card - Ehh it's okay but not wonderful
  By A382SEWM6W7CQ0 on 2005-11-18
  I purchased this laptop card together with a Netgear WGR614 Wireless 802.11g Router, and a Netgear WG121 Wireless 802.11g USB Adapter for my desktop PC. But after many hours of use this is how reality pans out as far as it's usefulness goes.
  
  Here's my usage situation:
  I have complimentary dsl internet provided by my neighbor across the street who let me plug the wireless router in to her connection, placing it in the window. I have the usb adapter on my desktop and the card in my laptop, both about 160ft from the router through two stucco walls.
  
  Most days the WG511 laptop card is lucky to be getting 50% signal strength no matter where I move or place it in the room. (which is quite limited due to having to actually be able to use the keyboard on the laptop. Better signal is useless if you have to hold the laptop over your head to get it.)
  
  At 50% to 80% signal strength the card limits the webs speed & is drasticly reduced to in my opinion, barely acceptable. (Although it is still better than dial up)
  
  While the USB adapter in the same room almost always has 75% or above signal strength, occationally needing a minor turn or adjustment of less than an inch movement to dial it in to it's best. So in reality, most of the time when I don't want butt slow internet I have to unplug my USB adapter and use it instead of the poor performing WG511 laptop card.
  
  Even when the WG511 is getting a useable signal, I found it is unstable because when you sit in front of the laptop and place your hands on the keyboard, (near the side card bus slots on my laptop) you using it, often also interfears with the signal. Get up and walk away and it returns to useable. (Alot of good that is) If you have a choice, & it matters, go with a usb adapter (on a usb cable) for best signal performance useability.
  
  On the positive side:
  The WG511 was simple enough to use and setup for me.
  And it does perform well for transfering files between my desktop and laptop (or visaversa) when used in computer to computer "ADHOCK" mode. Although it's faster even then if I take the laptop across the srteet and do it there. The signal recieving capability of the WG511 is just kinda weak I guess. And it worsens the farther you get from the router with little option for adjustment or improvement.
  
  If I had it to do all over again, I'd have just bought two USB adapters.Hope you find this info helpful to your situation
  
  
  
  

• Netgear MR814 802.11b Wireless 4-Port Cable/DSL Router
• TRENDnet TVIP-200W Wireless Internet Camera Server
• Lorex Network Video Server w/Pan/ Tilt/Zoom Camera
• PRISMIQ MediaPlayer
• NETGEAR WGT624 Super-G Wireless Router

• Netgear WGR614 Wireless-G Router
• NETGEAR WG311 Wireless-G PCI Adapter
• NETGEAR WG511T Super-G Wireless PC Card
• NETGEAR WG111 Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter (54 Mbps)
• NETGEAR WG111US Wireless-G USB 2.0 Adapter