Cisco-Linksys WUSB54GC Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter by Linksys
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Digital camera reviews of Cisco-Linksys WUSB54GC Compact Wireless-G USB Adapter
Digital camera Review: Does the job it was meant for!
Summary: 4 Stars
I ordered this and received it a couple of weeks ago. Contrary to some of the negative views here, I was able to run the CD and install the driver easily. Then all there was left to do was to plug it into a USB adapter. I do not understand how an adult could not work this product as it is childs play. The product is reliable and receives a good enough signal that is also dependent on how far away your router is. In my case 30 feet still provided a low signal but had enough juice to work easily on the Internet for surfing the web and checking e-mail. I recommend this product to those looking to connect their desktop/laptop to the Internet via a connected router.Digital camera Review: Doesn't function and is backed by unsupportive service
Summary: 1 Stars
We started out with D-Link initially because back then it was the cheapest and easiest to access, but recently our adapter had technical problems and then physicall busted. We went to the store and when they were out of replacements the salesperson said get this adapter from Linksys instead. It's only a little more and it's a preferred brand nowadays.
We checked the box and all the compatibility, system requirements, special wireless numbers, etc. all looked fine and matched our desires and expectations.
Took it home, the installation hangs. Going online on another computer I found it's a known problem with a relatively easy fix (basically using Add New Hardware directly on the CD). The screens make for an easy to follow installation, no problems.
Nothing is automatically detected. The router is less than 40 feet from the stick, and has two thin walls to pass through. The old router got a great signal and a second more distant computer and a third computer a little closer but with more and thicker walls have no problem. I'm concerned it might be a technical problem but then it finds a network from one of our neighbors down the street! Their network was secured so even if we were pirates we could use them to test the product and it was too late to go over to ask permission, but lo and behold eventually, after 30 minutes of looking up the special paramaters to type to get it to hone in on our network, it finds it, says it's online and connected, I see a signal that fluctuates broadly and rapidly in strength, but it says I can't connect to the Internet. Didn't get the chance, the signal disappears.
This happens for about 2 hours and then it finally stays online, and the graphic for the Internet still won't light up but Internet Explorer finally works in spite of that and stays on for twenty minutes. Then off again all night. After scooting the computer closer, using -two- USB extenders, nothing's doing so I call support (thankfully free, but for a reason). I get some guy in India who seems informed, I don't think he's stupid, but I think his confidence in the product education makes him think whoever he's talking to is stupid. He's almost unbearably difficult to understand (He'd say the equivalent of "What's 4 + 4?" and I would say "Yes" to move the conversation along). After a twelve minute holding time he walks me through two things I told him I already did and tells me to talk to someone else about my router (the same one that works fine and worked fine before changing companies).
I spent a couple hours on their forums -- which only has other customers helping out except no one has half a clue because they're also getting screwed -- and find out that someone at Linksys finally told one person on the phone that the product has known issues with XP, especially Service Pack 2, and beyond that one of the recommendations they give to solve a general problem with this adapter is to use the Wireless Zero configuration utility that comes with XP -- but also told them that Wireless Zero won't work with their product, and you'll have to use the program that came with their CD instead. They said they'd like to inform everyone but don't have the means and going with new packaging would be too expensive. Seriously.
I tried every last thing I could find on those forums and then went to the live support chat on their site as a last resort. This person at least had some new ideas on what to fix but eventually hung up on me and ended the chat.
Who has fifty bucks to plunk down on a product that literally cannot work, sold by a company who knows it's effectively broken for 90% of the people who'll be using it, and supported by a lack of support (save for the rude or incompetent support)? Worst experience I've ever had with something like this, and no one will take it back. Run like heck lest the whole world be run like this and populated by such products.
Digital camera Review: Doesn't work
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought this for our extra computer in the basement. It indicates that it is connected to the wireless internet but I am unable to go to any websites. Calling the company just puts you on hold. The website lists many other people having similar difficulties. I plan to return this item.Digital camera Review: Don't Get Too Excited if It Works the First Time!
Summary: 1 Stars
This is an absolutely frustrating piece of crap. Sure, it was easy to install, and it worked perfectly right out of the box...for about a WEEK. At first I thought it was our network (Comcast is not always very reliable!), but my husband's laptop, our Wii, our Roku player - everything was working effortlessly with the network. It was just the desktop with which we were using the adapter that couldn't get onto the internet. I restarted the computer, reconfigured the adapter, then yay! it detected the network, showed "excellent" signal strenth...BUT IT WON'T LOAD ANY PAGES!!! Why on earth would it tell me I'm good to go, and then not load anything at all? The troubleshooting on the CD-ROM's user guide is a joke - just tells you to remove the adapter then put it back again. Even when I went to the trouble to get the wireless router literally within SIGHT of my desktop, the adapter wasn't working (I was afraid the router was originally too far away, but that doesn't seem to be the problem). This thing is just a total piece of crap. So, so frustrated with it!
**edited to add: So now it's a week later, and the LED light doesn't even light up. When I try to reinstall the adapter, it says it's not installed correctly. I've checked the adapter on 4 different USB ports, nothing. I've check other peripherals on each of the USB ports, they all work fine. This piece of junk has literally just STOPPED WORKING altogether. Nothing, nada, a little black plastic piece of garbage. I will be contacting the seller to return immediately.
Digital camera Review: Don't use their software
Summary: 3 Stars
I would lower this review to two stars if I could. I am not sure whether I need our Fast User Switching -- I spent so much time trying to get the adaptor to work with our router's wireless security, that I didn't notice that the welcome screen was gone. But also, if you go to Linksys' site, it gives you instructions for installing the drivers which are totally different from the included instructions (which you can also download). One says to install the software first, the other says to plug the adaptor in first. It shouldn't remove functionality without warning, just to install a USB driver. I think the wireless bridge is safer, because it connects with an ethernet cable and doesn't install anything.
I bought two of these for my kids' computers because I didn't want to deal with the WET54G. The WET54G is a wireless bridge which would need to sit on top of each computer, each one would need to be plugged in, and it would consume power. The USB adaptor plugs in or hangs from a supplied USB cord (make sure you get the one with a cord).
You are instructed to insert the CD and install the software prior to plugging the device in the USB port. Then it connects to your router's wireless. The problem is that the software is not capable of dealing with the router's security, so you don't get assigned an address -- and it doesn't work when you assign yourself one. I have a WRT54G and I am only using WEP 64-bit, so it shouldn't be this hard.
After fooling around with this for two days, I realized that the router has a button you can press to easily set up the security. This worked, but the software got stuck at "scanning 50%". When I closed the software, I was back where I started. Fortunately, the software's tray icon allows you to use Windows wireless zero (the built in wireless). It immediately asked me to choose a network and input the key. THAT WAS IT. THE STUPID LINKSYS SOFTWARE could not handle something that simple.
The USB adapter is fine -- install the drivers and switch to Windows and you will be fine (SO FAR - one post complained about bad memory leaks). Oh, and when the software tray icon disappears and you can't find it anywhere in All Programs, just look in C:\Program Files and double-click on the executable. Sheesh, these guys should stick to hardware.