Cisco-Linksys WUSB54G Wireless-G USB Adapter

I didn't want to install a PCI card.I read reviews for almost all of the USB adapters. I saw the problems many said they were having with this one. Even so I went ahead and ordered it and I am glad that I did. It took me a little longer to figure it out than I wanted it to. I also downloaded the most recent firmware which was recommended in one of the amazon.com reviews.This thing works flawlessly! It also shows well. I am using the encryption, so when I shut down the connection it has to be restablished. I found that by clicking on the XP wireless icon and then going to "repair" it sets it right back on track in 20 seconds or so.I think if I had purchased another brand, as recommended by C|Net, etc, I would have been sorry. This stuff (I got a WRT54GS Router at the same time) is really something. I knew nothing about setting up a wireless connection. True the manual that comes with the router, etc. is in need of some major help, but it is worth the hassel (if any). Once you get it going it is smooth, fast, reliable, and dependable and it doesn't get better than that!

I have a SOHO that uses a wired 10/100 switched network. Already part of this network is a Linksys single port Cable / DSL Router. When it came time to make the jump to wireless, the WAP54G seemed the logical choice, as I would not have to reconfigure anything on my existing network. For my initial conversions, I was converting a desktop PC and an older laptop. For this review, I'll be discussing at the WUSB54G. Look for reviews on all these items posted separately.I decided on the WUSB54G because I did not have any available internal slots. This computer may be replaced in a year or two, and unplugging the network card from a USB port seemed a lot more attractive than opening the case. Actually, the installation is almost a simple as plugging the adapter into an available USB port.My initial installation was using Version 2.0 of the installation software. The significance of that will be explained later. Regardless of your version of Windows, I suggest installing the software first. This will eliminate any potential problems in the installation process. Make sure you know your network name and WEP Key. You will need to supply that information during installation or you will not be able to connect right away. If you don't have the key handy, it can be input later, but it is not as convenient.The Wizard does a good job of walking you through each step. Once done, you will need to reboot. Don't disconnect from the wired network just yet. Wait until the next phase is completed. On boot, you computer should detect the new hardware and install the correct drivers for it. The next step could take a while, so be patient. Your new wireless network card will search for a signal, an access point, and you should be prompted when a network is found. If more than one network is detected, a distinct possibility with the proliferation of wireless networks, you will quickly realize the advantages of naming you network something other that the default and of applying a WEP Key to your network.The initial connection took about two minutes, but seemed a lot longer! You will see an icon on the Bottom Right of the Task Bar indicating you are connected. I do one final check by opening a command prompt and using the command "ipconfig /all" to show all my adapters. If there's a difference in IP addressing ranges, reboot one more time. If both the wired and wireless connections show IP address in the same range, you're ready to unplug the wired connection. Now try opening your web browser. If you can surf, you're all done.My experience with this installation was very positive. The wizard was friendly, the physical installation could not have been easier, I had all the information on hand I needed and I was wireless after the first reboot. I'm using this adapter with a G network and I'm getting the full throughput.One final note: this installation went so smoothly I got another adapter from a local dealer that had a price too good to pass up. When I got home, however, I noticed a small sticker that said this was for Windows 2000 and Windows XP only. I then noticed the serial number and installation software said version 1.0. Hmmm... this was going on a Windows 98SE machine. The hardware specs looked identical, from what I could determine from the box, so I tried an experiment and used the version 2.0 software. It worked just fine. BEWARE: this is not an endorsement that this will work in every case nor should you conclude there is no difference between versions. I strongly suggest you try to get the latest version hardware and software for optimal performance.

I am using this on a home network with a Netgear Wireless-G access point. On the same wireless network, I have a Netgear PC card (WG511) and a D-Link PCI Adapter (DWL-G520). Installation and set up couldn't be easier (I installed on Windows XP), but the speed is very disappointing. It shows the connection speed with the access point as 54Mbps, but when I do a speed test with my ISP, I get less than 300Kbps (downstream) whereas my other clients constantly give 1.2Mbps. I believe it is the limitation of USB. On normal browsing, I don't notice any difference, but big downloads are very time consuming. I had bought this to save PCI slots, but I think I made a wrong move.My piece of advice - buy this only if you don't have a vacant PCI slot and if you don't do any big downloads. If you have a vacant PCI slot, go for the PCI version because that is definitely more compact and efficient. If you don't have a PCI slot, I would recommend you make one by getting rid of adapters that you don't use (like a modem).

I followed the Quick Install Guide instructions (to run the enclosed CD first, before attaching the USB device) on a WinXP machine. This procedure ran flawlessly and very quickly.I already have several machines on the combination wired/wireless network in my house, all connecting to a four-year-old Linksys WRT54G router. After I configured the USB wireless device to connect to my encrypted network (only an additional handful of minutes-- I use WEP due to the age of my router, and I use MAC filtering) it connected perfectly.Even though I have thick plaster walls and the machine with the new USB card is on the second floor, while the router/WAP is on the first floor, the signal is very strong. Now the Internet speeds on this machine are right in step with the rest of my computers. Easy, fast, no need to open the case (though I don't mind doing so) and a great deal, IMO.

This installation went really smoothly. There were no hiccups or surprises at all.At the start of the installation the first thing I noticed was a big orange label on the adapter package that said, "RUN CD FIRST before connecting the Device to your PC." This seemed pretty much status quo in my experience in installing USB hardware so I did what it said.I installed the software and did not connect the adapter until the installation instructions said to do so.Well, when I connected the adapter it was immediately recognized by my system and it installed without any problems.During the installation it also recognized the other couple of networks in my neighborhood as it should have.The user interface installed with the software seems to be pretty intuitive.I don't know if it matters much but my router is also a Linksys product.So, there you have it. The installation took about 5 minutes and the adapter worked just fine.