NETGEAR WPN311 RangeMax Wireless PCI Adapter Reviews

• Do not install netgear wireless admin GUI

  
  By A2CC1FHIJ5MUQ5 on 2005-05-23
  The sofware ship with this adapter crashes in XP and you will see a blue screen for every ten minutes. I spent couple of days to try different combinations. Finally I found a right combination. Here it is. Install only their drivers using Microsoft Hardward installation wizard and use XP Wireless Configuration console rather than Netgear configuration utility.
  
  Netgear does warn that it doesn't work with XP with piece of sheet in the box. But they don't put this information anywhere in their web site to make the decision before you buy it.
  
  

• GREAT deal on a GREAT card. 108mbs all the way

  
  By A2VR3SNZMCUTZ6 on 2006-03-24
  I just have to smile at some of the terrible information some people, who havemn't really read the instruction and don't really know what they are doing with this card.
  
  The BIGGEST thing to kmnow about this great card is NOT TO INSTALL IT UNTIL YOU INSTALL THE NETGEAR SOFTWARE ! This is with XP P2 home.
  
  Read the instructions.
  Don't mess with the Windows software at all. Remember that Rangemax, like all "Extended G" formats aer proprietary, and thefore, alwayas use the Netgard software.
  
  1. Put the CD in and install software.
  
  2. Do a shutdown.
  
  3. Install the PCI Rangemax Adapter - WPN311.
  
  4. Bring the system back up.
  
  5. The sofware will immediately greet you after XP comes up. Then go through selecting the wireless router to connect to. Make sure the settings are coordinated with the router. Always a goo idea to have some security on it,like encryption, that would have to be initiated from the Router.
  
  6. To maximize the use of the "Rangmax" features of the adaptor card, make sure that you have purchased a Netgear Rangemax router to take advantage of the Rangemax "enhanced G" features.
  I have a Netgear RangeMax Wireless Router (WPN824)and it is working great with the Netgear Rangmaz adapters.
  
  7. I am purchasing another adapter, but I can tell you the two I have, are connected to XP SP 2 PCs that are on another floor, at two ends of the room downstairs and they are runing at a solod 108mbs. I have noot have to restart the router or the adapters.
  
  No more cables. I personally am right next to the router and my Cable modem, so I am connected to one of the four ethernet ports, and my connection works smoother and faster than my Linksys Ethernet router I was using before.
  
  No need for signal enhancers, additional anthing.
  
  FOLLOW THE DIRECTION, LITTERALLY AND REMEMBER TO LOAD THE CD AND NETGEAR SOFTWARE FIRST, BEFORE INSTALLING THE PCI CARD.
  
  I learned that the hard way, although it was higlighted in the documentation.
  
  

• Beware if you run XP

  
  By A3RP6WUSTEX3JW on 2005-07-12
  Netgear clearly has not figured out how to make their RangeMax adapter work well with the Microsoft XP operating system. If you're not a techie, I'd stay away until Microsoft has certified the WPN311. Here's what I experienced:
  
  1. Installed using the Netgear WPN311 automated configuration.
  2. After installation completion and boot up, CPU utilization was at a solid 100%. Executable from Netgear named WLANCFG5.EXE taking up a bunch of the CPU and Microsoft routines CSRSS.EXE, NET.EXE, and NET1.EXE taking the rest.
  3. Emailed Netgear and received response to use Task Manager to delete WLANCFG5.EXE. Did so for all users.
  4. Hey! CPU utilization returned to normal!
  5. Sent next email to Netgear pointing out that this solution is just a "patch" and WLANCFG5 would return when I re-booted.
  6. Received response to de-install and re-install software for WPN311.
  7. Did so, but then Netgear adapter software could not find my MIMO wireless router! And usage of the Netgear adapter software doesn't allow you to use the Microsoft Wireless Zero Configurator (WZC).
  8. Went to microsoft.com and looked up error 871122 "Error message when you try to run the Wireless Network Setup Wizard" and followed the instruction to allow usage of WZC.
  9. Then able to add my wireless router and everything is ok.
  
  The functionality works great. It's the getting there that's not too pretty good......
  
  

• Great PCI Adapter

  
  By A2NGPUXQCKJ8IQ on 2006-07-05
  I purchased Netgear's RangeMax Wireless Router (WPN824) and two RangeMax Wireless PCI Adapters (WPN311). After reading the reviews here, I knew to install the software first and then the hardware. It worked without a hitch! I've never setup a wireless network before, but I had this one up and running in minutes.
  
  My furthest PC from the router, is about 150' away, on another floor in the basement. My connection to the router is always between 95% to 100%. Not a single problem in the month I've been using it.
  
  Hope this helps.
  
  

• Good Range

  
  By A3C8L0K148L4H4 on 2006-04-03
  I was skeptical about previous comments on how it crashes windows xp. I have 2 computers running xp with same card and no major issues. Range is slightly better than model without range max.
  
  
• WPN 311 - Beware!!!
  By ARJ7A54VO8XPW on 2006-10-06
  I'd give it zero stars if I could.
  
  This card will definitelly crash to a blue screen intermittently. Windows XP doesn't like this card at all.
  
  The 'fix' from Netgear trashed my registry. The hardware caused a total trashing of my primary hard drive (MBR), probably due to poor circut design.
  
  This has happened not once, but TWICE on two different computers!
  
  Buying this card is asking for major trouble and paying for the privilege.
  I would recommend running CAT 5 cable instead.
  
  STAY AWAY FROM THIS POS!
  
  
• Not compatible with AMD processors
  By A3C52AF7LMV175 on 2007-06-07
  Hi,
  
  I just got off the phone to Netgear tech support.
  They informed me that the wireless card was slowing my PC down and dropping out because...
  It doesn't work with some AMD processors!!!!
  
  The tech guy told me to give the card back to the shop and buy something made by another manufacturer!
  
  I guess this explains why some people on amazon didn't have problems, while others have been tearing their hair out.
  
  What annoys me about this is that Netgear do not state that this product is only compatible with Intel processors anywhere on their website. I guess that leaving angry customers to figure it out for themselves is what they consider to be a professional way of doing business.
  
  I won't be doing business with Netgear ever again. There are plenty of other companies out there with a better attitude to sales.
  
  When googling "AMD Netgear problems" it turns out that the WPN311 isn't the only card with problems.
  
  
  Joel Green
  
  
  
• This card stinks
  By A3GEZJYSXCWQ98 on 2005-09-29
  I bought two of these cards, along with the Netgear 824 wireless router. Stuck the cards in separate Win XP boxes, and immediately started having system freezes and blues screens of death on BOTH boxes. I will never buy Netgear stuff again. Prior to this I was running Linksys 802.11b, and I really regret not sticking with Linksys.
  
  
• My PC is now dead, and Netgear doesn't care
  By A1JBKSTOYX40GN on 2005-10-09
  During the installation of the software on my PC running Windows 2000 Server, the installation program froze my PC completely. I had to turn off the PC, and now it does nothing when I turn it on. The lights on the front light up, but nothing happens at all. I called Netgear, waited on hold for 15 minutes, and then was connected to a gentleman whose English was not very good. I explained my problem about 5 times before he seemed to get it. He told me that the problem is that the product is not compatible with Win 2000 Server. I told him that I had never before encountered a piece of software that ran on 2000 Pro, but not 2000 Server (perhaps there are some), but he insisted that this was the case. I explained that, typically, installation programs that encounter and incompatible operating system would display a message to the user, and exit, rather than freezing and disabling the computer, but he held firm, and advised me that there was nothing he could do to help, and that he recommended that I contact my computer vendor so that they could restore my initial configuration.
  
  I went around and around with this fellow, then finally asked for his supervisor. After another 15 minutes on hold, another guy came on the line, who was pretty fluent in English. He explained his understanding of the situation, which was still wrong, and I explained the whole thing again to him. He had me turn the computer on and off, which of course I had already done several times, and check the monitor connection. After this analysis, he determined that the situation could not possibly have been the result of the frozen software installation that occurred just prior to it, and must be some other problem with my PC that had previously been working perfectly, that, coincidently, occurred at the exact same time as the software freeze. I expressed skepticism towards this explanation, and asked him if he would believe that if it was his PC. He said that absolutely he would, and reassured me that there was NO POSSIBLE WAY, (emphasis his) that his software could have caused these symptoms.
  
  Since I understood that it would be difficult for him to actually fix a computer in this state over the phone, I suggested that I could take it to a local technician, and send Netgear the bill for repairing my system. He declined that offer.
  
  So, at the end of the day, I'm left with a dead PC, but, according to Netgear, a perfectly good wireless card and installation CD.
  
  No more Netgear for me, thank you!
  
  
  
• Do Not Buy!!!!
  By AQ05PV6GCR25K on 2007-11-23
  Do not buy this lousy product. I really recommend you go with something else if your thinking wireless. Take a look at Crapgear's web sight and search the support forum for this model number and you will see that there is an issue with this adapter and XP. This company really doesn't seem to care either. Last update was in 2006 sooooo they must think their drivers are working just fine and dandy!!! This sooooooo is far from the truth. I cannot count the number of times that I uninstalled this F'in card and the drivers to try to get it to work!!! Don't pay attention to J. Temple's review that he had no problems as I can tell you that he is sorry that he bought this card now!!!!!! To J. Temple, from everybody that neg'd this card, instructions WERE followed NUMORIOUS of times!!!!!! Still with the same end result, a card that works whenever it wants to and software that likes to crash when ever it wants to or to a card that doesn't want to work at all!!!! To people who don't believe me and go ahead and buy one, don't blame me, as I warned you. Trust me from my experience with this card..... I will never buy NETGEAR AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  
• JUNK.....DO NOT BUY
  By A1VVAAWYLP5QUW on 2007-02-20
  This adapter did nothing but make my windows xp system run like crap. BSOD, registry problems, computer froze repeatedly. And yes I did install the drivers correctly. Once this card was installed it acted virus like. I couldn't even load any google sites, though every other site was fine. Once the card was removed and replaced with a simular product from another manufacturer my computer ran fine. DO NOT BUY>>>PIECE OF CRAP.
  
  
• Avoid Netgear products
  By A2RC2JPCB0L1R on 2007-09-14
  I bought this item and spent days trying to get it to work with Vista. My pc has over 3 megs of RAM in it and from what I've gathered this product will not work with any VISTA PCs that have 2 or more megs of RAM in them. Avoid the headache. I am going to try Buffalo Technology's product.
  
  
  
  
  
• Good Card, but not for some PCs
  By A1E9EM3BJBOSM6 on 2007-10-02
  From what I've discovered that alot of wireless cards are using Atheros based drivers and some VIA chipsets do not work well Atheros based cards, ranging from slightly annoying OS skips to complete system failures. I have not been able to get a definitive list of what cards are atheros based and what are not. I was able to get this wireless card work with my old AMD processor on a soyo motherboard with a VIA chipset. However I gave this card to a friend several months ago and I've been trying to upgrade to wireless N, I have a different VIA based motherboard with an intel processor running Windows XP, I suffer OS interrupts and skips with these adapters installed, I haven't been able to track this card down yet to test if it works with my new motherboard or not. I have tried a belkin PCI Wireless-N and a D-Link USB wireless-N adapter and both of them gave the same issue: OS interrupts/skips. So I'm thinking until I get a new motherboard to just use wireless G that doesn't mess with my system.
  
  
• Blue screen
  By ASKQM21AK7VAE on 2007-10-18
  Running XP get a blue screen due to this card 3-4 times / wk. Searched for articles or updates on the Netgear site, but of course nothing is there and I'm already on the latest patch version. Other the the unreliability, reception is pretty good and speed seems good. I would rate it 4 stars if it didn't have the major issue of crashing my system almost daily.
  
  Since the wireless on my first Rangemax router froze almost daily as well, I can only assume there are general quality issues w/ Netgear products. Work has since been nice enough to replace the router, so we'll see if the 2nd version is more stable than the first.
  
  UPDATE: OK, so the 2nd router is working, but I ultimately removed this card from my XP machine because of all the crashes. I have since tried using it in a new Vista machine and have installed the latest Vista driver, but have gotten periodic blue screens in Vista as well triggered by this card. I'll be removing this from the new machine in the near future and it will end up in the old computer parts graveyard. Overall, not a good buy.
  
  
• Poor software, driver support
  By A1759MB4ED6YS on 2008-01-21
  I bought this wireless card when my on-board ethernet died. Although I'm very tech savvy, I found installing the software for this card difficult. It didn't work out of the box with my Windows XP machine. I found that I had to first download and update the firmware before the card started working. Finally, if you're using this with Windows Vista, you're out of luck. Netgear doesn't have drivers for Vista.
  
  
• Successful setup- Works well
  By A243BGSYJKNIB on 2008-03-02
  I got the wpn311 to use in my HP a6357c vista desktop.
  I already had the matching Netgear Rangemax wpn824 wireless router that was working well with my HP vista laptop.
  I was a little hesitant to open the case of the new HP because I'm a newbie and I didn't want to make a mistake that would damage it.
  I followed the instructions from Netgear and installed the cd software first. Then I followed HP's website instructions and disabled the bio for lan network which was not in the Netgear papers. I can't say that that wasn't a wasted step but since I have zero experience and I didn't know any different I followed the instructions to the letter.
  In any event, the card was installed and IT WORKED!
  It worked right away and since that's what I wanted I am 100% satisfied.
  I expect it to continue to work, but if anything changes I will add an update.
  
  
  
• Half-works, but doesn't do what it claims and what I bought it for
  By A4QZ7IUTOLX2 on 2008-04-06
  I bought this card solely because of the 108Mbps MIMO ability, to go along with my Netgear WPN824 router which lists this as the compatible card on the back of its box.
  
  NO WHERE, not on the box, not on the spec sheet, not in the online manual, etc does Netgear ever tell you what they told me on the phone: THIS CARD WILL NOT WORK IN 108MBPS MODE WITH WINDOWS 2000. In fact, they actually list this mode as working with XP and Win2k, but not Vista.
  
  Well, this is bad news for me since I paid about 4 times as much for this card as I could have for a 54G PCI card, because foolishly I thought Netgear products in the same line (Rangemax) would work with each other and with the operating system they are advertised to work with. Guess I'll have to write Netgear a letter next, but I won't be buying any of their products again unless I have money to waste and feel like some experimenting and disappointment.
  
  
• Don't waste your time
  By A2NARAMNZ4SXST on 2008-04-28
  This is the worst networking product I have ever used. When used IN THE SAME ROOM with a wireless router, it continually dropped down to a 1 megabit speed. It never performed anywhere near 54meg. Nearby, my other systems with Intel and Linksys adapters were consistently connecting at 54 meg and performing very well.
  
  The product is a dog! Don't waste your time. Consider almost any other adapter. I returned mine to Best Buy where it was purchased at an inflated price. (Didn't have time to order from Amazon.)
  
  
  
  
• Worse networking product ever
  By AZQUJWF2SBRP9 on 2008-06-14
  I've bought and used well over a dozen 802.11 devices over the years. This one is the worst. I knew it was a bad sign when the driver that came with the card (bought from Staples) had a description metakey of "MFC Test" after I installed the driver.
  
  My home has a D-Link wireless router. I have 2 Thinkpad laptops, a Roku wireless Netflix Player, and one other PC with a generic wireless adapter. They all work fine and have pretty reliable connections. This Netgear adapter always drops the connection and I have to manually disconnect and reconnect to restore connectivity. I've even tried the adapter with all my other devices/computers turned off (except for the router). Same problem. I'm at the latest driver. Doesn't matter.
  
  Stay away. I'll never buy NetGear again.
  
  
  
  
• Nothing but trouble.
  By A6XDZ1MJ0B1A2 on 2008-09-28
  Pros:
  
  1. There are not any.
  
  
  Cons:
  
  1. It is very expensive.
  2. It took five installations before it installed. In addition, it took another two hours with two Netgear technicians from India to get it working.
  3. It does not work if you have a software firewall installed.
  
  
  
  

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