D-link DWL-G132 (WUA-2340) 802.11g/b Wireless Adapter
- Interface Compatibility: USB 2.0
- WLAN Standards: IEEE 802.11g/b
- Form Factor: External Adapter
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Boosting with Heat
Pros
Nice weighted base for adapter, wireless signal manager software
Cons
Gets hot, loses signal constantly, has issues with installing software on Vista
Recommended it?
No
The Bottom Line:
This is a product you should avoid due to heat issues and connectivity issues.
When I first bought my previous router (the linksys RangePlus router), I had issues connecting to the router with my laptops internal wireless adapter. I decided to go out and try and find a external adapter that would work and also take advantage of the linksys (and it's replacement Netgear equivalent) 108mpbs output. I was very disappointed with this device.
The adapter comes with a base, and a CD with drivers. The base is weighted, which I liked. The adapter came with a cap, which was a good thing. In the box, it was very well organized. Once you take it out of the box, it became a mess.
There is a sheet that says you must wait to plug in the adapter until it tells you it's time. Using the CD to install this device was a exercise in frustration. It worked fine up until I plugged in the adapter. AS soon as it began to install the program to monitor the adapter, it gave an error that it wasn't compatible with a particular part of Windows, and I would have to download an update to Windows to work. This update was for Windows XP, and I was installing the software on Vista Basic. I researched this, and it turns out it shouldn't be an issue. I tried again, same issue.
I never plugged the device directly in. I used the base, which allowed me to use the other USB port on the laptop. The adapter is slightly larger than your standard thumb drive, so it will block another USB port when side by side.
I finally went to DLink's site to find an updated installation driver, and I found one, which worked on the first try. I was briefly happy.
Once I got the software to log into my wireless signal, keeping the signal became an issue. The longest it kept a signal was about 2 hours. At random times, it would just mysteriously shut itself off. I'd force a restart by restarting the software, and it would immediately find and connect to the signal. Soon after, it would lose it. A couple of times I went to make sure the adapter was secure in the base, I got another surprise.
This adapter gets HOT. This may explain why it shut off, but in my book, it doesn't excuse that. This is an obvious design flaw that needs to be addressed.
The software itself was great. It did make connecting easy, as I had to do that so many times with this device. If there is a saving grace on this device, the wireless manager software is it.
The bottom line with this adapter is to stay away. Because of the heat issue, and the unexplainable loss of signal, this is one adapter that you should stay away from.
The adapter comes with a base, and a CD with drivers. The base is weighted, which I liked. The adapter came with a cap, which was a good thing. In the box, it was very well organized. Once you take it out of the box, it became a mess.
There is a sheet that says you must wait to plug in the adapter until it tells you it's time. Using the CD to install this device was a exercise in frustration. It worked fine up until I plugged in the adapter. AS soon as it began to install the program to monitor the adapter, it gave an error that it wasn't compatible with a particular part of Windows, and I would have to download an update to Windows to work. This update was for Windows XP, and I was installing the software on Vista Basic. I researched this, and it turns out it shouldn't be an issue. I tried again, same issue.
I never plugged the device directly in. I used the base, which allowed me to use the other USB port on the laptop. The adapter is slightly larger than your standard thumb drive, so it will block another USB port when side by side.
I finally went to DLink's site to find an updated installation driver, and I found one, which worked on the first try. I was briefly happy.
Once I got the software to log into my wireless signal, keeping the signal became an issue. The longest it kept a signal was about 2 hours. At random times, it would just mysteriously shut itself off. I'd force a restart by restarting the software, and it would immediately find and connect to the signal. Soon after, it would lose it. A couple of times I went to make sure the adapter was secure in the base, I got another surprise.
This adapter gets HOT. This may explain why it shut off, but in my book, it doesn't excuse that. This is an obvious design flaw that needs to be addressed.
The software itself was great. It did make connecting easy, as I had to do that so many times with this device. If there is a saving grace on this device, the wireless manager software is it.
The bottom line with this adapter is to stay away. Because of the heat issue, and the unexplainable loss of signal, this is one adapter that you should stay away from.
