Hawking Wireless G USB Network Adapter with external SMA jack, Apple Compatible - HWUG1A Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been waiting a couple years now for a wireless manufacture to "get it" and realize there is a market for a USB wi-fi dongle with a detachable antenna. For all the PC Card versions out there with detachable antenna, it's taken forever for someone to come out with a USB equivalent. Finally, Hawking has, with the HWUG1.
The version I purchased is the Macintosh version (HWUG1A). This comes with a driver from a chip maker called Ralink. Ralink has been doing a public beta with this driver for a few years now, and I was already familiar with it. It's in pretty solid shape now. I guess you could say it's ready for prime time. And now that Ralink are actually getting money for it directly from OEMs like Hawking, MacSense and a couple of others, the driver is likely to be maintained and kept in good condition through OS X upgrades. This is an important consideration because, unlike some other nework interfaces, a wi-fi dongle requires a driver apart from anything that comes with the standard Mac OS X install.
The screw on antenna uses the popular and common SMA connector. Hawking sells several omni-directional and directional antennas that are compatible. I have also attached it to a Cantenna which works very well. But lately my favorite solution is to add a Tritium Flatenna reflector. I like the Flatenna because it packs so flat and slips right into my laptop case with my papers. Ironically, the Flatenna doesn't require a detachable antenna. But I still regard this feature as important.
Overall I'm very pleased with my purchase. I wish it had cost a bit less. I have been able to purchase D-Link wi-fi USB dongles, that I was previously using with the Ralink beta driver, for as little as $20. I paid over $50 for the Hawking. Also, the D-Link comes with a nice, weighted USB stand and extension cable. The Hawking does not. But with the included, foldable antenna, there is less need of a remote stand base.

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Wireless G USB Network Adapter w/ external SMA jack Apple Compatible

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D-Link Wireless G USB 2.0 Adapter 802.11g, 54Mbps Review

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(More customer reviews)I like this little gem. I had a PCI wireless card for my desktop that was several years old and no longer supported by the manufacturer. I needed to upgrade, but I wanted a USB wireless adapter this time around. I wanted to get it out from the bottom of my desk so I could a better signal. I had certain requirements for my new purchase. It couldn't cost any more than $45. It had to be USB. And it had to have some sort of USB extention cable or cradle. It had to be reviewed by Windows Vista users. It also had to have excellent reception. I don't have a big house, but there were a lot of walls and electronics near and in between the Access Point and my computer.
After searching I found the DLink Wireless G adapater fit the bill. I picked it up for $30 (at least $10 less than local stores). All of the reviews talked about great reception, even indepent review sites. And it had the USB craddle I was looking for. I bought it and got free shipping along with it! What a Deal!
I've had this little gem installed for about one month now, I coudn't be happier. It gets great reception. This adapter runs absolutely great with Vista. I am also using the included connection software and it plays very well with Vista.
The only downside is the optional craddle. It requires either a direct computer USB port, or a powered USB hub with an external power supply. It draws more mA than a non-powered hub can handle (at least it did on mine). I had to use the power supply on my USB hub to get the craddle to work. This is the only reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5.
I highly recommend this product. You will not be disappointed.

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Connect to your wireless network from your desktop or notebook PC using the D-Link Wireless G USB Adapter (WUA-1340) and browse the web, check e-mail, and chat with friends and family online. The Wireless G USB Adapter offers simple network connectivity without the hassle of running a network cable.

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NETGEAR WN121T RangeMax Next Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter Review

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(More customer reviews)This USB adapter will cause your sound card to stutter in a horrible manner. Many users on the netgear forum are reporting this issue and NETGEAR is not fixing this problem.
This is not a problem with XP/Vista IRQ conflicts (I went through the process of verifying this myself, which requires me to re-install XP to get my hyper threading support back). This is 100% a NETGEAR issue.

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The NETGEAR WN121T RangeMax Next Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter makes it simple for you to provide the highest speed wireless internet access to your computer, whether it is a desktop or notebook, letting you surf the web, check email, stream music, make internet phone calls, and get a leg up on opponents when playing online games.
Easy to Carry, Easier to Setup Small and easy to pack in a bag, the WN121T is an elegantly designed thin white box with rounded corners that stands upright on your desk and has built-in storage for the USB cable. The adapter supports Windows Vista and is also compatible with Windows XP and 2000 SP4. The WN111 features a USB 2.0 connection for wide compatibility and high speeds, and setup is as simple as installing the included software and plugging the USB connector into an available port.
Fast, Backwards Compatible, and Secure The NETGEAR WN121T uses the Wireless-N protocol (based on 802.11n draft) for speeds up to 300 Mbps and a range ten times that of 802.11g adapters when paired with a NETGEAR Wireless-N Router. With this much speed and bandwidth, you can easily download large files, place Internet phone calls, download MP3s, stream video, and play online games -- all at the same time, without hiccups, and from farther away. You'll notice the difference immediately.
The WN121T is backwards compatible with 802.11g and 802.11b wireless networks so you'll be able to connect to any hotspot, and it improves network performance up to 50 percent when used with the older 802.11b/g networks.
You can feel secure about your information as the adapter supports Wi-Fi protected access (WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK) and 64-bit and 128-bit WEP encryption for IEEE 082.11b and IEEE 802.11g. The included software makes managing different WEP passwords a breeze as you can set up different profiles for each location you frequent, saving yourself the trouble of having to type in encryption keys each time you connect to a hotspot you've already used.
The NETGEAR WN121T RangeMax Next Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter is backed by a 1-year warranty.
What's in the Box WN121T RangeMax Next Wireless-N USB 2.0 Adapter, installation guide, setup CD, warranty/support information card.

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NETGEAR WG111 Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter (54 Mbps) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the Netgear USB wireless G adapter to enable me to network my Tivo Series 2 and take advantage of its home media capabilities. I could not be happier with the Netgear's performance. Once my Tivo had downloaded new firmware (its software version 7 is required), I simply plugged the Netgear into the USB slot. Boo-bam, worked like a charm. No configuring, no dropped signals. Good throughput. I am using a Belkin Pre-N wireless router. I was a little leery of USB wireless adapters, but the Netgear worked perfectly with no configuration.

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As home wireless networking continues to evolve, the need for increasingly faster speeds and greater range becomes more attractive. New applications like video-streaming, while not possible with 802.11b, are attainable at higher speeds, prompting users to seek the most powerful available solution for their networking needs.NETGEAR's WG111 54 Mbps Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter enables this. At 54 Mbps, it is up to 5x faster than 802.11b, and has greater range than 802.11b wireless products. The USB 2.0 interface allows the full throughput of 802.11g to be available, simply by plugging this into the external USB slot of your desktop or notebook PC. New antenna technology has increased range beyond what was ever possible with previous generation Wi-Fi adapters. Keep your network private with WEP encryption, upgradeable to even more secure WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access). Setup is now made quick and easy with our Smart Wizard install assistant. The WG111 has a compact pocket-sized casing and with the included 5 ft. USB cable, it can easily be placed anywhere near your computer for optimal signal strength for best performance.

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Keyspan by Tripp Lite USA-19HS Hi-Speed USB Serial Adapter, PC, MAC, supports Cisco Break Sequence Review

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(More customer reviews)Installed the configuration software, plugged it in, and it worked immediately. I am using it with WinXP Service Pack 2, and it communicates great with a complex serial interface to an unusual piece of electronics I have, so its very compatible with "real" serial ports, unlike some other adapters I have tried that seem to only work with modems or PDA docks. The adapter as shipped is actually a small 1"x1.5"x3" box connected to your computer with a 3' USB cable that can be unplugged from it. It has a green LED on top to tell you when it is properly configured as well as when a program has opened that serial port and when it is passing data. Very functional and easy to use; the configuration software even includes tests to make sure the device is recognized and is properly communicating with your computer. The configuration software also ensures that the same COM port is assigned to the device, no matter which USB port on your computer you plug it into each time, unlike previous adapters I've had which created a different COM port each time you plugged the device into a different USB port (very annoying); the driver also has an option to behave like those other drivers, but most people will probably want to always have it act like the same COM port, the default.


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Looking for a way to connect your serial devices to a USB port on your PC? The Keyspan "High Speed" USB Serial Adapter is a simple, inexpensive, and reliable way to make this connection. The Adapter is ideal for use with modems, digital cameras, ISDN terminal adapters, graphics tablets, PDAs, bar code scanners, label printers and other serial devices which require an RS-232 connection.This "High Speed" USB Serial Adapter supports data rates up to 230 Kbps twice the speed of a standard PC serial port. It is 100% USB compliant and features simple "Plug and Play" installation (no IRQs). Ideal for laptops (it weighs just 2 oz.), the Adapter draws its power from the USB connection so no power adapter is required

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NETGEAR MCAB1001 MoCA Coax-Ethernet Adapter Kit (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been waiting for the Netgear MoCA Kit for awhile now. There were other solutions, but I had high hopes for this model. As it turns out, it was worth the wait.
First things first, installation was a snap. I followed the instructions and all status lights were on and I was able to use a computer on the other end within minutes. Awesome, but now the TVs were not working. I went into the configuration and turned off All Pass and the problem was fixed. There were also options to adjust frequency, but I did not have to go that far. My setup includes a cable box and DVR and the MoCA works great with them. I'll be adding a small switch to allow for connecting gaming consoles and other devices soon.
I have not tested the transfer speeds extensively, although the Adapters are saying they are at 252 Mbps (out of a max of 270 Mbps). I do have some doubts that the speed is that high, but it's not too far off. Files transferred quickly and I was streaming photos, music, and videos from my home server within minutes to my HDTV in the other room. While I did not test all kinds of video file types, I was able to stream 720p and 1080i without trouble and no lag at all. Of course, if you had other devices pulling bandwidth, then it might be an issue.
You receive 2 coax cables and 2 ethernet cables in the kit. However, it would have been nice to have the cables a bit longer. The configuration pages are fairly straight-forward. Although, it requires you to hook a computer directly up to the devices in order to access the setup options, which isn't a big deal because after you get it going I don't really think you will be doing any additional configuration. The lights on the front of the adapters are a bright blue, but you can turn them off by hitting a button on the back. The units appear to stay relatively cool, but do warm up a bit when you are passing traffic through them heavily. It's nothing abnormal though.
Overall, this setup is highly recommended for those that do not want to run CAT5 through their house. The cost is decent and the setup is very easy. The units provide you with an easy solution for providing network access to your HDTV, gaming console, or other devices.
UPDATE 1/2/2010: It's been almost eight months since buying and installing the Netgear MoCA kit and I am providing this as an update to my review. I have been using them to stream media (video, music, photos) from my home server to my HDTV on another floor. I have also added a small switch and an Xbox 360 along with the HDTV. Streaming has been going very well and all internet access to my Xbox 360 has been great. While there are days I have to reset my other network equipment for various reasons, the NetGear MoCA devices keep on trucking. I never have a problem out of them and they are always performing top notch! Still highly recommended.

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Turns coaxial cable outlets into a high-speed Ethernet network connection; Advanced Quality of Service (QoS) supports uninterrupted HD video, gaming and high-speed networking; For use with both wired and wireless routers and gateways; Delivers up to 270 Mbps transfer speed; Connect an Xbox360, PlayStation 3, Blu-ray player, Apple TV, VUDU box, TiVo, Slingbox, DVR, NETGEAR ReadyNAS storage, desktop, or notebook PC; Works with DSL broadband in homes wired for cable; Data encryption ensures privacy and security; Not compatible with satellite television installations (e.g., DIRECTV, DISH Network).

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