You don't need proof when you have instinct.
Written: Jan 25 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: It looks like it would easy to use if it worked!
Cons: It doesn't work.
The Bottom Line: Well, it doesn't work, so thats about all I have to say about that.
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| zoogelsnof's Full Review: Linksys Dual-Band Wireless A+G Notebook WPC55AG N... |
Why?
Because my school has a wireless network in some buildings, so I thought I’d try to tap into that. Wireless networks are also becoming more popular in places like Starbucks and libraries so it seems like a technology it would be worth jumping into. I chose this particular card because it has the interface protocol for both 5 Ghz 802.11a networks and 2.4 Ghz 54g networks, giving me the maximum possibility that the card will be able to connect with the network wherever I happen to be. As a rule, I don’t like Linksys, at all, because their stuff rarely works for me, (imagine a long history of bad routers, bad network card, bad everything else) but they made the only dual network card being sold at Best Buy. In retrospect, this was a bad idea, but so many things are, in retrospect. =)
Packaging
It came in a lovely rectangular box covered in plastic wrap and containing some Styrofoam in which was imbedded a warranty card, the card itself in an anti-static bag, and some drivers. Note, an instruction manual was not included. This is important.
The Computer
This computer is ancient, Compaq Presario 1700 that runs windows 98, had 96 Megs of ram, and the processor is insanely slow. It is, however, within the minimum requirements for the card, barely within them, but it IS within them.
Installation
Well, since there is no instruction manual, it must be easy to install, right? I mean, just, well let’s plug it in…good…it comes looking for the drivers…put in the drivers CD…and…install…good…all looks fine…and…*BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH*
Oh.
Well, must be something I did, reboot in low key mode, no startup programs running, totally blank machine, repeat process and…..*BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH*
Hum.
Maybe I need new drivers! So I go to the website, download the latest drivers, install them and, “bing!” My card has been installed! Awesome!
Software
The software is very pretty, with lots of pictures of simple objects to explain to the complete newbie what exactly is happening. It automatically reaches out to any network it finds and grabs a user profile for the computer to use with the proper settings so it can log into the network. All the user has to do is double click a couple of times on the profile and it loads right up and the computer goes out and grabs the network it found earlier. It has a signal strength bar, and gives all sorts of random and useless information about the network it is trying to connect to.
Using the card
Well, here is the problem, it can reach out to a network, find the network, give you the settings for that network, create a user profile for the network, and it will then say, “I have found a network!” “I have connected to the network!” “I am unable to find the internet!” Over, and over, and over again until I want to take the little PCI card and snap it in half. Particularly annoying was the fact that a friend of mine was sitting right next to me using the wireless internet at the same time my computer told me there was no wireless internet, just a wireless network.
So I try again, I take it to the Library, which also has wireless internet. Same problem. I take it home, it detects 3 wireless networks near my room, so I decide to try to log into all of them, same problem on all 3.I tried 4 separate locations reporting 7+ networks and I got the exact same error in every single one.
Customer Service
Common, it’s Linksys, if you know anything about Linksys you know better then to expect help from the customer service team there. Soviet Russia was better at looking after the needs of its citizens then Linksys is about supporting its users.
Personally I’ve had enough bad experiences with Linksys in the past that I simply was not going to attempt to contact them again, not for something this cheap, and not for something that a hundred other companies also make.
Bottom Line
Install:C
Software:B+
Ease of Use:F
Overall:F (what does anything else matter if it doesn’t actually work!?)
I returned it.
10 points to anybody who ID’s the quote, 3 extra points if you can identify which character said it!
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
zoogelsnof
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Member: Zac Cramer
Location: Boston, Mass.
Reviews written: 48
Trusted by: 17 members
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