D-Link DWA-552 Xtreme N Wireless PCI Adapter Reviews

• Used on both Vista and XP

  
  By AVH11WSMMLDW3 on 2007-05-24
  Hello all, thanks for taking the time to read this.
  
  It took me a long time to really get a good handle on this cards performance and I have had it now for about 3 months. While the router that accompanies this adapter is the best wireless router I have ever used, I have found this PCI adapter to be just okay.
  
  While it does it's job pretty well, it absolutely did not impress me as an "Extreme-N" PCI adapter. Let me say a little about my setup. I have the DLink Extreme N router upstairs and the PC that has this adapter in it sits on the floor and is almost directly across the house but downstairs (proably around 40-50 feet away and through about 4 walls at about -30 degrees). Windows thinks that it has a 300Mbps connection, but the included DLink software drivers can calculate the actual connection speed and it seems to fluctuate from anywhere from 2mbps and 108mbps (usually is around 32Mbps). The average throughput I usually get is around 60Mbps (which is around 7-8 megabytes a second...since you divide Mbps (Megabits) by 8bits to get Megabytes). If you dont know about the extreme-n router, I have a review on that too, but quickly its a gigabit router so it handle 1000Mbps (125 megabytes/sec) if you are using a wire, so there is no bottleneck within the router. I usually see around a 60% connection on the N network whereas my Centrino laptop in the same position gets around an 80% connection off of the "G" network that the router also transmits.
  
  Although I am a little annoyed at the connection and throughput speeds, I am most annoyed at the fact that at the time of this review (5/2007) this PCI adapter is COMPLETELY and UTTERLY useless for Windows Vista. My Vista kept crashing (im talking a HARD crash...complete lockup of the computer, hard reset needed, after only 5-10 minutes past the boot-up process...consistently), and I tried to figure out why. I spoke to MS Customer service thinking that since Vista was so new, that there was a problem on their end. Together we figured out that it was this card that kept crashing the computer. After we disabled and removed the card from the system, it stopped crashing (I even tried to make it crash, but it was rock solid). The drivers I used were specifically labled Beta Vista Drivers, so until the drivers are out of the Beta phase, I wouldn't trust them. Since my house isnt yet wired for ethernet, and putting the wireless modem in that room would make my wireless network quite useless, I have a $250 piece of software (vista) just sitting on my shelf.
  
  Anyways, if you are just using Windows XP, this should work out fine, not spectactular, not horrible...still better than the "G" networks (I will WAY outperform them if you are not as far from the router as I am) But not as spectacular as I hoped (Based on how spectacular the 655 router is).
  
  

• worst peice of garbage.

  
  By A28HBJOYP6BL62 on 2007-05-04
  same as the router it compliments.
  
  peice of garbage.
  
  I installed this into my system, my system doesn't see it.
  
  doesn't recognise that new hardware has been installed.
  
  I cannot install the drivers or anything, because of this. It is totally useless, and Dlink technical support? you may as well just take your head and smack it against the wall, it will have the same effect as talking to these people, but you will save the phone bills and wait times and condescending tones as they tell you to do the most stupid things you ever heard.
  
  

• Not Impressed

  
  By A2TMWQ2Y5427D1 on 2007-07-28
  I have the DIR-655 Extreme N Router and that has proven to be an excellent piece of kit. I bought it primarily because of the gigabit switching, but its 802.11g wireless performance has been excellent. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for this adapter.
  
  I recently re-arranged my house such that my main computer now has a wireless rather than wired connection to the router. I had initially been using an old USB wireless adapter I had kicking about, but decided to get this adapter to free up a USB port and to use the superior speed of 802.11N.
  
  The installation was pretty straight forward - I installed the card, switched on and installed the drivers. As soon as the install completed, I got a BSOD. I rebooted and this time I was able to connect, but the connection strengh was fluctuating between poor and very poor with frequent drops and reconnects. By comparison, the USB adapter was getting either very good or excellent. A speed test confirmed what the driver software was telling me - my transfer rate was no better than 3Mbps. Just to be clear, the router and computer are at the same height, no more than 10 feet apart and with a single chipboard wall in between.
  
  I played about with the router positioning and different settings (during which I had a couple more BSOD's). At best, by positioning the router right next to the computer, I managed to get the signal strengh up to 'good', but as soon as any kind of wall got in the way, it dropped off to poor and the transfer rate dropped off dramatically.
  
  All in all, this product has been a step backwards for me and its being RMA'd.
  
  
  
  

• Dlink DWA-552 Wireless PCI Adapter

  
  By A6FR5ORYYXCB0 on 2007-08-02
  This is probably the worst network adapter I have ever purchased. Running Windows Vista I continue to have driver problems, leading many times to blue screens. Performance is also pitiful. I have also tried the DWA-542 adapter with similar results. Both my system are newer (>3 mo. old systems) computers, the adapter works equally poor in both. I have unfortunately resorted to pulling cables.
  
  

• Great performer- tough set up with VISTA

  
  By A2D169PW41CSEZ on 2007-08-15
  I had the DIR 655 router set up and working great with four different wireless computers all using Windows XP. I then got a new computer with Windows VISTA. I installed the N Pci adapter in the old computer. Installation of the 655 with the new computer was effortless, the N Pci went into the old computer and immediately found my network. Great- until I tried to connect. Several calls to Dell, Microsoft, and D-Link later, including an apparently unnecessary software patch, a router firmware update, several resets and reloads, I could not get any wireless connection on any computer. I unplugged everything and waited 24 hours. When I restarted after the long power off period, everything started working. I get great signal strength and very fast data rates. Except for the apparent conflicts between XP and Vista, I am happy.
  
  
• 801.11n
  By A3KJGHXHG4D89A on 2007-09-19
  This device does not give any wheres near the double the range in my environment over a 801.11G product so I returned it.
  
  
  
• Xtreme N Pci Adapter Rocks
  By A1EU7HKB2724UN on 2007-10-21
  Replacing the g standard pci adapter in my wife's desktop computer with this n standard adapter increased the speed of transmissions between her computer and the D-Link DIR-655 wireless router from 54 mbps to 300 mbps. Her system is Windows XP and mine is Windows Vista. Now her browsing the Internet is almost as speedy as mine, which is connected to a cable modem through the DIR-655. An excellent buy.
  
  
• Vista Home Premium 32 - Bad Trip
  By AA0UGMIAQRBUM on 2007-12-01
  Install hardware first,load the software next, (which you better have downloaded before hand if your running Vista as this thing ships without Vista anything.)
  then machine locks up and finally it appeard that my video card freaked out and I had what appeard to be a very colorful mini- blind effect from top to bottom of my screen.
  
  This is on a machine that is running Vista Home Premium 32 .I cannot say if you would have any better luck running 64 or any of the other flavors of Vista.
  
  The card looked like it was put together nice and I was very disapointed when I called customer support and they did not know anything more about there product then I did. After 5 minutes or so, they told me the adapter was defective and to send it back.
  
  The new card came and I installed the hardware,loaded the software that I had downloaded while I still had an internet connection.Within seconds the same things as before happened.The computer which ran great just minutes before, locked up and then the video card freaked out with a colorful mini-blind effect running from the top to the bottom of the screen.
  
  I got back on the phone and tried to slip my way around the first line of defense that they put up front at D-Link customer support.The person I spoke to told me it was my computer and that I needed to talk to the computer manufacturer and that they couldnt help me any longer.
  
  I thought about that for a bit and figured that if D-Link does not want to help me with a product they designed, which they claim works with Vista, then why would the company who made my computer which is actually working fine( until I put D-Links after market hardware/software inside it.) feel any desire or compasion to provide support.
  
  I demanded to speak to another customer support person and thought that maybe I would get bumped up to the next tier,the second level of support tech only to find that to my sorrow that I was in a D-Link loop and that there was no second level. All of there customer support people had the same skills.
  
  Is this a good product?....without a doubt.
  Is it Vista friendly?....Maybe? It tried to kill my machine though!
  Does D-Link have good customer support?....NO.My great grandmother could probably get hired on with them.
  
  Software/Harware companies need to invest more time and money into proving there product is compatable with Vista 32/64, before putting there stuff out there with a Vista sticker on the box.
  
  Cudos to Amazon for taking care of me thru this unpleasent experiance.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Great, but NOT Vista Ready
  By A1M194NJ9JV5O6 on 2007-12-28
  Easy to install, and works wonderfully with XP. After hours with Tech Support, had to give up on Vista.
  
  
• Works with XP, beware with Vista
  By A8UWKUOKTITFT on 2008-01-15
  I've installed this product on two Win XP machines and it works fine. It also works fine in a dual core Intel-based HP Pavillion running Vista Home Premium. However, it is incompatible with my AMD-based HP Pavillion (a6030n, dual core 4800+) running Vista Home Premium and the Microsoft certified D-Link driver version 1.3. I've tried two different DWA 552s in two different HP Pavillion a6030n computers with the same repeatable result: total lockup requiring hard reboot. After the DWA 552 is uninstalled, the PC returns to normal operation.
  
  
• Not Vista Ready , Rude Customer Service
  By A23S8QBKQW7LIK on 2008-03-02
  This card does not work with Windows Vista, and if you call customer service for support they are extremely rude, stay away from this card and save your money
  
  
• Near flawless installation and configuration
  By A3D2B13WJNS7MY on 2007-06-12
  With Windows XP, I did not experience any of the problems the other two reviewers mentioned. Have not tried with Vista (and probably never will until Mister Softee ends support on XP.) I recommend this card and the supporting router (dlink DIR-655) based on my own success with both. I did however upgrade the firmware on the DIR-655 after having difficulties.) This card replaced a dinosaur Linksys Wireless G card that had a broom handle sized antenna and the worst reception.
  
  
• NOT VISTA READY
  By AYAFMAWQKBODX on 2007-12-28
  This thing is not Vista Ready, even though they claim it is compatible. I would love to see them get this piece of crap working on my machine. They could bring a whole truck of these things and everyone of them would be bad according to d-link "customer service".
  
  Warning, when you call they will want you to try another PCI slot, just tell them you already did that (you mean the pci slot that I just took my old Wireless Adapter out of that was working fine?). They will then, likely, tell you the card is bad. In order to avoid this hassle, I would recommend not buying this card.
  
  Also, don't think your smarter than me and you'll just download the lastest drivers and it'll work fine. I did that already, version 1.30 (September 2007). FYI, this driver is not digitally signed and depending how you try to install, windows will refuse to use it. I also tried installing the drivers both after and before installing the hardware. Don't listen to D-LINK, this card DOES NOT WORK on Vista 32bit. I don't recommend this card unless you like headaches, wasted time, wasted money, waiting on hold for poor technical support and taking mutiple trips to the store. If you like those things, this is THE card for you.
  
  I did not try on Window XP, I'm going to assume it works since all the positive reviews are from XP users and all the negs are from Vista users. I have Vista 32 Home Premium.
  
  
• Problems with driver 1.30 for Vista 32 - desktop adapter
  By A8CRH9M00NXB5 on 2008-03-24
  I bought this adapter after upgrading to the DIR655 router, it initially installed and worked well for about 6 weeks, increasing the signal strength over my old belkin/linksys combination.
  All of a sudden last week the PC refused to connect to the network despite repeated rebooting of both the PC and the modem/router.
  So I tried to upgrade the driver - BIG MISTAKE. I got version 1.30 from the dlink site, and while the install appeared to go OK, when the PC rebooted it got as far as the Windows login screen and then froze up completely with a blue diagonal pattern or grid across the screen.
  I've emailed Dlink and got a case number (DLK399427115) and have had 2 responses, the first one assumed I was dealing with laptop and PCMCIA card issues, even though I'd reported the issue for the "desktop" adapter. I replied to clarify the situation and was told I should upgrade the driver. AAGGGHHHHHHHH.
  So I've replied again, we'll see what I get this time...
  I've put the old Linksys adapter card back in, and removed the DWA driver software (thankgod for Revo, as the DWA uninstaller wouldn't work).
  Lo and behold, my PC is now working again and connecting to the network.
  Don't waste your money till D-link has a better handle on Vista drivers for this adapter.
  This link
  [...]
  talks about using the XP drivers instead, but having put the old card back in and got the PC hooked back into the network again, I'm reluctant to put the Dlink one back in.
  
  
• Correct Driver Will Not Load
  By AXNCAW32E129B on 2008-09-03
  The installation utility provided with this adapter loads the wrong device driver and even the Manufacturers updated utility provided on the internet loads the incorrect device driver. We had to edit the installation routine to force it to load the correct device driver in order to get the adapter recognized by the computer and functioning properly. That is ridiculous.
  
  

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