How to choose which wireless network card to buy

[wingwong]

Hi! I was wondering if it matters if I just randomly buy any wireless network card. Is there any difference. Are they all compatible with my school network?

[Whir]

As long as your school has an 802.11a, b, or g network and you get a card that can do whatever the school's network is (probably b), then you'll be okay.

So find out what your school's network uses, then buy a card that supports it. They're all about the same (though I'll probably get flamed for saying so). I have a Linksys 802.11b that works wherever I go.

[bfcx]

99% of wireless access you'll encounter is 802.11b (11mbps). Also there are 802.11g (54mbps) but will connect to 802.11b networks fine. Call your school and ask what they use (i'd guess b). There's 802.11a which is (i think) ~56mbps but is not compatible with b or g.

[jman01pa]

If you get an 802.11G card it should be backwards compatible with 802.11a & b. This way you can have access to 802.11G network if it is avaiable.

[GroundZero3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jman01pa

If you get an 802.11G card it should be backwards compatible with 802.11a & b. This way you can have access to 802.11G network if it is avaiable.

they finally started releasing cards that are G and compatible with A. they are G+A

a regular G card is compatible with G and B. not A


http://www.linksys.com/edu/wirelessstandards.asp

make sure whatever card you get, it says wifi compatible on it.

i suggest a orinoco wireless card. you will notice some cards have better ranges than others.

i had a linksys B wireless card, and traded it in for the orinoco gold card and never looked back. the distance i got over the linksys was amazing. the orinico card has the ability to hook up an antenna to it and i think the software is alot better to be honest

[geden]

I agree GroundZero3, The Orinoco cards are probably one of the the most mature as they were one of the first to be ported to Linux, they were originally developed by Lucent and then sold off ,the only drawback is they don't, as far as I know, have a PCI version, only PCMCIA, which requires a PCI/PCMCIA adapter card which will nearly double its price, assuming your putting this in a desktop box. I have also had pretty good luck with the Netgear MA311 (802.11B) which is a direct PCI card. It works well in my network and also has a connection for an external antenna.

[pickel]

I aahve a DLink DWL-650 + , that connects my laptop @ 22Mbps . Should be fairly inexpensive thses days.

[wingwong]

thanks for your advice, I have recently purchased a wireless card. Hope it works!!