Netgear WG511 wireless adapter poor?

I've been having problems with the reliability of my wireless link between a
Netgear DG384G router and my portable which has a WG511. I've been using
WPA-PSK and found I needed a "short" passphrase (32 characters or less) for
it to work at all.

This is just an update to say that I've now been able to test between the
router and an Apple with an Airport wireless card and there were no such
issues. I therefore have to conclude that the WG511 is to blame.

Anyone else use WPA-PSK with a WG511 and seeing similar issues? Please note
this is a "v1" card i.e. is _NOT_ marked WG511v2! Both router and WG511 are
on latest official Netgear levels (i.e. latest from the Netgear website).

Cheers,
Paul DS.

--
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"Paul D.Smith" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:428d9ae8$0$290$(E-Mail Removed) t...
> I've been having problems with the reliability of my wireless link between
> a
> Netgear DG384G router and my portable which has a WG511. I've been using
> WPA-PSK and found I needed a "short" passphrase (32 characters or less)
> for
> it to work at all.
>
> This is just an update to say that I've now been able to test between the
> router and an Apple with an Airport wireless card and there were no such
> issues. I therefore have to conclude that the WG511 is to blame.
>
> Anyone else use WPA-PSK with a WG511 and seeing similar issues? Please
> note
> this is a "v1" card i.e. is _NOT_ marked WG511v2! Both router and WG511
> are
> on latest official Netgear levels (i.e. latest from the Netgear website).
>
My WG511 (V1) will talk quite happily with my DG834G router using WPA-PSK
from 80' apart (router by front window, laptop at end of back garden)
through an internal wall and patio doors. I use a 35 character alphanumeric
key.

I've also done a drive-by round my neighbourhood with Netstumbler running
and easily found wireless networks along the high street and other
residences. I don't think there is any problem with the performance of the
WG511.

"Tiny Tim" <_(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:428da07c$0$93750$(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Paul D.Smith" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:428d9ae8$0$290$(E-Mail Removed) t...
>> I've been having problems with the reliability of my wireless link
>> between a
>> Netgear DG384G router and my portable which has a WG511. I've been using
>> WPA-PSK and found I needed a "short" passphrase (32 characters or less)
>> for
>> it to work at all.
>>
>> This is just an update to say that I've now been able to test between the
>> router and an Apple with an Airport wireless card and there were no such
>> issues. I therefore have to conclude that the WG511 is to blame.
>>
>> Anyone else use WPA-PSK with a WG511 and seeing similar issues? Please
>> note
>> this is a "v1" card i.e. is _NOT_ marked WG511v2! Both router and WG511
>> are
>> on latest official Netgear levels (i.e. latest from the Netgear website).
>>
> My WG511 (V1) will talk quite happily with my DG834G router using WPA-PSK
> from 80' apart (router by front window, laptop at end of back garden)
> through an internal wall and patio doors. I use a 35 character
> alphanumeric key.
>
> I've also done a drive-by round my neighbourhood with Netstumbler running
> and easily found wireless networks along the high street and other
> residences. I don't think there is any problem with the performance of the
> WG511.

Doh! Just realised that was not the point you were making. I've just
increased my key length to 47 and still no problem with the connection. They
key is now composed of alphanumerics and special characters. In fact, here
is my new key....

tH3qU1cKbR0wNf0XjUmP50V3rtH3l42Yd0G!"£$%^&*()_+

"Tiny Tim" <_(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:428da304$0$54190$(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Tiny Tim" <_(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:428da07c$0$93750$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> My WG511 (V1) will talk quite happily with my DG834G router using WPA-PSK
>> from 80' apart (router by front window, laptop at end of back garden)
>> through an internal wall and patio doors. I use a 35 character
>> alphanumeric key.
>>
>> I've also done a drive-by round my neighbourhood with Netstumbler running
>> and easily found wireless networks along the high street and other
>> residences. I don't think there is any problem with the performance of
>> the WG511.
>
> Doh! Just realised that was not the point you were making. I've just
> increased my key length to 47 and still no problem with the connection.
> They key is now composed of alphanumerics and special characters. In fact,
> here is my new key....
>
> tH3qU1cKbR0wNf0XjUmP50V3rtH3l42Yd0G!"£$%^&*()_+
I might add that I have two laptops, each with WG511 (V1) cards and I've
just added the extra 12 chars to the other laptop. That's working fine too,
as is my girlfriend's Acer Ferrari with built-in Broadcom wireless.

"Tiny Tim" <_(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:428da6de$0$93744$(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Tiny Tim" <_(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:428da304$0$54190$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> "Tiny Tim" <_(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:428da07c$0$93750$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> My WG511 (V1) will talk quite happily with my DG834G router using
>>> WPA-PSK from 80' apart (router by front window, laptop at end of back
>>> garden) through an internal wall and patio doors. I use a 35 character
>>> alphanumeric key.
>>>
>>> I've also done a drive-by round my neighbourhood with Netstumbler
>>> running and easily found wireless networks along the high street and
>>> other residences. I don't think there is any problem with the
>>> performance of the WG511.
>>
>> Doh! Just realised that was not the point you were making. I've just
>> increased my key length to 47 and still no problem with the connection.
>> They key is now composed of alphanumerics and special characters. In
>> fact, here is my new key....
>>
>> tH3qU1cKbR0wNf0XjUmP50V3rtH3l42Yd0G!"£$%^&*()_+
>>
> I might add that I have two laptops, each with WG511 (V1) cards and I've
> just added the extra 12 chars to the other laptop. That's working fine
> too, as is my girlfriend's Acer Ferrari with built-in Broadcom wireless.
OK, in the interests of science I have now bumped the key up to the full 63
chars using a further 16 mixed case alphanumerics. Both WG511 laptops are
working perfectly, as is the Ferrari.

Note I do not use the Netgear Wireless Client. I'm quite happy with Windows
own Wireless Zero Configuration.

Tim,

Thanks for the information. What spec. portables are you using them on?
Mine is only an AMD Athlon 1GHz so I wonder whether the WG511 might be
relying on the PC processor a little which might be why mine has problems
much beyond a 32 character passphrase.

Thanks for trying the tests. Very good of you!
Paul DS.

"Paul D.Smith" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:42918617$0$293$(E-Mail Removed) t...
> Tim,
>
> Thanks for the information. What spec. portables are you using them on?
> Mine is only an AMD Athlon 1GHz so I wonder whether the WG511 might be
> relying on the PC processor a little which might be why mine has problems
> much beyond a 32 character passphrase.
>
> Thanks for trying the tests. Very good of you!
> Paul DS.
>
One laptop is a Dell Inspiron 7000 bought in 1998 with a PII 300 processor,
384MB RAM, 4GB HDD and 8MB GFX.

The other is a Dell Inspiron 8000 bought in 2001 with a PIII 900 processor,
512MB RAM, 60GB HDD and 32MB GFX.

Thanks for the info. Sounds like my 1GHz Athlon really ought to do better
than it does! I'll look elsewhere when I'm next playing with it (it's in
pieces at the moment as the back-light is flakey!).

Paul DS