NETGEAR Universal N300 Wi-Fi to Ethernet Adapter (WNCE2001)

My application is providing WiFi connectivity to an ancient desktop that I needed to move to a room without wired Ethernet access. This product (like other Netgear products I've used) is truly Plug-N-Play. Highlights:(1) The unit can be powered via a 120 VAC supply or via a USB port. Both the supply and the USB cable are included.(2) The provided Ethernet cable and USB cable are ~35" long, which permits you to place the adapter in a position with good WiFi reception. This is particularly important if the PC or other unit is located underneath a desk or in a cabinet.(3) The setup is truly Plug-N-Play. No drivers need to be loaded in advance. Once you connect the adapter, a browser window opens up. Instructions guide you step-by-step through the configuration process. Only unexpected behavior: I needed to reboot the PC before the WiFi connection kicked in. There was no mention in the instructions that a reboot would be needed. So, if your unit hangs after installation, reboot the unit before you decide to return the adapter.(4) The "mounting kit" is a strip of Velcro. I would not recommend using it by itself. The adapter does get warm, with most of the heat dissipated through the back, which is where the Velcro strip would go. There are four shallow rubber bumps on the back to provide some clearance for airflow. If you do need to stick the unit against a flat surface, I would provide additional spacers to provide a 1/4" or more clearance. Mine is resting on the curved top of my PC, so there is sufficient clearance.(5) This adapter supports 802.11 n, which has a higher speed than 802.11 g. Right now I'm using it with a standard 802.11 g WiFi router. I've not noticed any speed drop relative to a wired Ethernet connection.(6) My only negative comment is that this adapter is pricey. It costs more than the Netgear WNR 2000 router, which I'm about to order. But, at least the adapter and all accessories, with the exception of the "mounting kit", are all well-made and work without a hitch.

I purchased this to connect an older HP LaserJet with JetDirect card wirelessly to my home network. I also own a similar Cisco WET610N that I use to connect a Blue-Ray player to the network. While the Cisco worked...finally...it was cumbersome to set up and is much bigger.The WNCE2001 setup was very easy. A couple of tips to make the reality follow the instructions. These are in the instructions but several reviewers didn't believe them!1) Whatever PC you are using to set up the device initially...disconnect from all networks (unplug any Ethernet cables, turn off your wireless). You want the setup PC to use the WNCE2001 for the network2) temporarily disable any firewall software that could be blocking network actions for the device you are trying to connect. Not necessary but it eliminates a point of confusion in case you are unintentionally blocking the new device.3) Be sure your PC is using DHCP to get its network informationPlug in the WNCE2001 and, as advertised, it acts as a network server and allows the connected PC to configure it.I wanted a fixed IP address for the printer so after the WNCE2001 did its initial configuration thing I used the advanced options to set its address to be a fixed IP. This was a point of confusion for me as the LaserJet was also configured with a fixed IP. I gave the WNCE2001 the same fixed IP address as the JetDirect card in the printer, disconnected from the PC, reconnected the PC network and plugged the WNCE2001 into the printer. Whether this was correct or not...it worked immediately...Ping and Test Page success!If all works, restart your firewall. If the device now becomes invisible to your PC, look to the firewall settings as the problem.As a side note, I changed my mind on the fixed IP to use after I had it working initially. No problem...I used a paper clip to press the reset button on the back of the WNCE2001 to restore to factory settings and repeated the above. Success again!Should all network appliances be this easy.

This device gets 5 stars from me for the four Months it actually worked. Setup was very easy and it provided a great signal. I used it on my security system DVR so reliability is of the utmost importance. Then suddenly I could not access my cameras anymore. When I checked, the power light on this unit was blinking. After doing some online searching I discovered that the blinking power light is practically a death sentence for this device, it means the firmware has become corrupted (all by itself). A true test is if it does not respond to the reset button being pressed.So the next step is to call customer support. If you are using a cell make sure you have it fully charged, this took 1 hour and 55 minutes of my time. It doesn't matter much that I have already spent a lot of time online and going though a lot of trouble shooting steps, I have to do them all over again, but I comply anyway. Finally I had to grant someone in India access to my PC in order for him to install one of their programs on it to get this thing flashed and fixed. Then they informed me that this repair was complimentary but that for $129 I can sign up for a year of support - for a fifty dollar device!!!So basically I am now taking my chances with this device, knowing that if it ever stops again I might as well buy a different device. O yeah, I have to hope it doesn't decide to stop when someone decides to break in!