HomeNetworking DevicesCisco-Linksys WPC300N Wireless-N Notebook Adapter |
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49 of 52 found the following review helpful:
 Linksys WPC300N - Wireless-N Notebook Card With Some Limitations Apr 03, 2008
By Mark
"Technology, Music and Movies"
Linksys WPC300N Wireless-N Notebook Adapter
The Linksys WPC300N has some nice features in a PCMCIA card. Unfortunately, many high expectations based upon the wireless N standard will leave a lot of people disappointed. I'm going to discuss Windows XP and Vista separately, since I bought the card a long time ago and have used it on both.
First and foremost, this card was created when the Wireless-N standard was still in draft form. In fact, I have had this card for more than 2 years, which tells you just how long ago that was. There's nothing wrong with that, just be aware that there are several limits in this card.
First, this card can be configured to achieve greater throughput by setting up multiple data channels. That's the `MIMO' technology that uses multiple radios, which they vastly over-hype on the packaging.
However, the improved range of the wireless N standard as compared to wireless G just never materialized. That's because this is still a 2.4 GHz card. Newer wireless N products with 5 GHz capabilities are on the market which give much better range than this.
Second, the firmware AND software for this product initially were each very buggy. I first installed this product on Windows Vista and have tested it on some 2003 boxes. All of those required multiple reinstalls and driver downloads. In the end, the GUI configuration tool is very limited in explicitly give you the information you need to know whether you are getting a faster connection with this device. So if you're not techy, this can be a drag.
The wireless security support of WPA2 is nice, and most legacy cards don't have that. It gives you stronger encryption (256 bit). But this only really works if your access point is configured that way too. Linksys WRT300N Wireless-N Broadband Router And in that case, there are newer cards and access points that give you this and more.
Still, I can say without a doubt, that when I needed to add another wireless connection to my Vista Ultimate box, this guy worked much better.
Bottom line, there seems to be a lot of people clinging to XP. If you're one of those, plan on downloading and updating your driver software and firmware before even testing this card.
If you are a Windows Vista user, only get this if you need a spare card for backup machines or multi-card setups. If you need something for your primary wireless access, you may want to avoid this and the WPC600N Linksys WPC600N Ultra RangePlus Dual-Band Wireless-N PC Card altogether and go with the 5 GHz Netgear line. NETGEAR HD/Gaming 5 GHz Wireless-N Networking Kit (WNHDEB111)
Pros
+ Works well on Windows Vista
+ Does give you MIMO support for greater capacity
+ Once you set it up, seems to work well with Wireless G
+ PCMCIA slot saves you from using a USB port
+ Nice WPA2 support
Cons
- Doesn't give you full Wireless N capabilities (only 2.4GHz, no 5GHz)
- Legacy OS users need to download and install many updates
- Price is still surprisingly high
- Somewhat buggy software requires frequent shutdowns
- Better options available for the price
This card might be worth looking into if you can get it on sale and need an extra one for an older laptop.
Enjoy!
21 of 22 found the following review helpful:
 worked great Aug 16, 2006
By Mark Green
I had recently purchased the linksys wireless-N router and I was using the wireless G adapter built into my laptop , and I was getting mixed results, the connection speed was adequate, but I kept getting dropped from the wireless network several times per hour. I decided to upgrade to the WPC300N Wireless-N Notebook Adapter to see if it would fix the problem, and sure enough, I havent had any connection issues since. I recommend this product !
12 of 13 found the following review helpful:
No real problems here Mar 08, 2007
By Biker freak
After upgrading my laptop to Vista Business, my old Linksys 802.11G adapter decided to become flaky and only connect to my wireless LAN when the moon was in the 7th house and Jupiter aligned with Mars (Everyone sing along!). I like Cisco products, and have been using Linksys equipment for years. I ordered one of these adapters and followed the directions. First mistake. Don't follow the directions, just plug the thing in and let Vista find the right drivers. Vista doesn't like the install and tells you that there are compatability issues (see some of my other reviews) and stops the install. So I downloaded the latest Vista drivers from Linksys and tried using those. Vista took one look at them, turned up its nose and stated that the installed drivers were newer and won't even consider using the ones you downloaded. By the way, while I was downloading the drivers, Vista used my old settings and connected to my network, without my looking. Sneaky. I unplugged the hard line and have not experienced any issues. I also use my laptop with my Boy Scout troop, and it attached to my church's wireless LAN easily. I now have to install the 802.11n wireless router to gain the other advantages.
12 of 14 found the following review helpful:
Speeds up reception from a Wireless G router Mar 17, 2007
By EDK007
"EDK"
Just installed this with no problems whatsoever. It took about 3 minutes and I was on line. I write this review to answer the question that I had before buying this network adaptor. My Wireless G router is in the basement and I started working on the second floor but kept losing the signal. I added this hoping that it would help (without changing the router) and it DOES increase reception and the speed is now significantly faster than my old Wireless G card was anywhere in the house.
9 of 10 found the following review helpful:
 Easy, Quick Setup with XP Pro Apr 01, 2007
By Daniel Walker
"Dan"
I installed this card on my Toshiba notebook running win xp. I just did wat the quick install manual said and it was installed. I updated the driver as soon as i got connected to my N network and everything was all good. Easy install, simple directions and its more than double the speed and signal of my G network. I know there have been bad reviews of this card but it must have been a bad card. I had no problems at all installing, setting up or running this card. Add in the increased range and speed, a must buy!
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