54g Wireless questions

I want to join the wireless world by buying a couple of 54G PCI cards for my
desktops (and in a few months buy a 54G router when they are available) so I
can make better use of my ADSL line.

However, I'm having problems deciding what brand etc to buy.

So far, I have looked at the following:

Belkin
Linksys
Netgear

Can anyone recommend a make? Does it matter?

To me, the Belkin kit seems a lot cheaper everywhere and has "lifetime"
support, unlike the others - what, if anything am I missing?

Would they all work with a 54G Wireless router in the future, even if it was
a different make..?

Regards
Sunil

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 15:08:21 +0100, "Sunil Sood"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I want to join the wireless world by buying a couple of 54G PCI cards for my
>desktops (and in a few months buy a 54G router when they are available) so I
>can make better use of my ADSL line.
>
>However, I'm having problems deciding what brand etc to buy.

>Can anyone recommend a make? Does it matter?

I'm happy with Netgear, got an AP and PC card.
>
>To me, the Belkin kit seems a lot cheaper everywhere and has "lifetime"
>support, unlike the others - what, if anything am I missing?

Might be wrong here but I'll bet the lifetimes support is by dialling
an expensive number. Netgear offer 3 years I think, by then it'll be
out of date anyway.

>Would they all work with a 54G Wireless router in the future, even if it was
>a different make..?

Should do, I've got a Dell branded WiFi card working with my Netgear.

Geoff Lane

"Geoff Lane" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> >To me, the Belkin kit seems a lot cheaper everywhere and has "lifetime"
> >support, unlike the others - what, if anything am I missing?
>
> Might be wrong here but I'll bet the lifetimes support is by dialling
> an expensive number. Netgear offer 3 years I think, by then it'll be
> out of date anyway.

International Freephone (00 800* ) believe it or not...

*The extra 0 at the beginning is deliberate and indicates its an
international freephone number (likely to work in more than one country) - I
think in Belkin's case it supports about 16 countries..

Regards
Sunil

"Sunil Sood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:bkce8n$4a99$(E-Mail Removed)...
[snip]
> So far, I have looked at the following:
>
> Belkin
> Linksys
> Netgear
>

D-Link stuff here. I looked at the other three but only the D-Link gear was
fully in stock from the supplier at the time. Shrug shoulders, flash
plastic.

Freephone support. Works as advertised. I'm not sure there is much of a
difference between the major brands. All these outfits are going to be using
the same few variations on third-party chipsets and similar web interfaces,
etc. Also, unless you're going for a complicated set-up, wireless is rather
install-and-forget. If it's running well, you don't need to fiddle with it.
Somethings might make a difference, though, such as Linux compatibility
(depends on chipset), availability of more powerful antennae, quality of
company's website for support issues, security protocols if for more than
home use, etc. In addition, check that you're buying a simple,
plain-vanilla, mainstream example and not something with go-faster quirks
proprietory to that manufacturer. They're only there to try to enforce
lock-in so you'll have to buy more cards or expansion stuff from the same
outfit.

But then these points apply to almost any hardware.



Fish

On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 09:33:26 +0100, "Fish" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>> So far, I have looked at the following:
>>
>> Belkin
>> Linksys
>> Netgear
>>
>
>D-Link stuff here. I looked at the other three but only the D-Link gear was
>fully in stock from the supplier at the time.

>Somethings might make a difference, though, such as Linux compatibility
>(depends on chipset),

I've used the Netgear stuff with a Linux server and various flavours
of Windows running from the Linux box.

All works fine.

Geoff Lane

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 19:10:01 +0100, "Sunil Sood"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>> >To me, the Belkin kit seems a lot cheaper everywhere and has "lifetime"
>> >support, unlike the others - what, if anything am I missing?
>>
>> Might be wrong here but I'll bet the lifetimes support is by dialling
>> an expensive number. Netgear offer 3 years I think, by then it'll be
>> out of date anyway.
>
>International Freephone (00 800* ) believe it or not...

That ** would ** sway me for Belkin if I was buying now,

Geoff Lane

Started out with Netgear ME104...think that was the number....worked well
until it blew up....replaced with DLink 54G AP but found the range greatly
reduced in comparrison with the Netgear....took it back to the retailer and
swapped for the Belkin 54G AP...this provides the same range as the dead
Netgear did.... seems to be a good bit of kit...no problems to date....


"Geoff Lane" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 09:33:26 +0100, "Fish" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >> So far, I have looked at the following:
> >>
> >> Belkin
> >> Linksys
> >> Netgear
> >>
> >
> >D-Link stuff here. I looked at the other three but only the D-Link gear
was
> >fully in stock from the supplier at the time.
>
> >Somethings might make a difference, though, such as Linux compatibility
> >(depends on chipset),
>
> I've used the Netgear stuff with a Linux server and various flavours
> of Windows running from the Linux box.
>
> All works fine.
>
> Geoff Lane
>