| BELKIN F5D7050 Wireless 802.11g USB Network Adapter |
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Model: F5D7050
Brand: Belkin
Manufacturer: Belkin Components
Average Rating: 
(submit your review here)
Total Reviews: 121
Operating system: Windows XP Professional Edition
Form factor: External
Hardware platform: PC
Data link protocol: IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11b
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| Features: |
Product Type - Adapter
Warranty - Lifetime
- Offers backward-compatibility with all 802.11b network devices
- Features wireless 64- and 128-bit WEP Encryption |
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| Description: |
| Belkin F5D7050 Wireless 802.11g USB Network Adapter - This is a USB network adapter that gives your desktop or notebook PC access to 802.11g & 802.11b wireless networks. What makes this adapter so special is it's size. It's roughly the size of a pack of gum, which makes it a perfect accessory for mobile PC users. Requires - Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, or XP Includes Belkin Lifetime Warranty and free 24 hour technical support! Color - Black |
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| User Reviews (121 total): |
Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 of Total 6 Pages
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Not the best choice, March 6, 2006
By user (Miami, FL)
BELKIN F5D7050 Wireless 802.11g USB Network Adapter has some deficiencies. The worse one is that it only works on the USB port you first configure the devise, It won work on another port. It also seem to be incompatible with the Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Router I have. I Do not recommend to use it with a Linksys router, it did not worked for me.
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Would give it -1 stars if that were available., February 27, 2006
By user
Bought this hardware for 40 bucks at BB. I have some experience installing networking equipment. However, I have no experience installing networking hardware that doesn't come with drivers.
The folks over at Belkin are proving worthless. This is the shoddiest job I've ever seen from them. To top it off, if it could possibly get worse, they don't even have the fix on their website. I googled this problem and found tons of horror stories like the ones you're seeing on this site.
If you were smart enough to read the reviews before buying, you just saved your money. As advertised,this product is indeed light and compact thus it can't even be used as a paperweight.
2 thumbs down!
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Works fine, February 25, 2006
By user
I have been using this device for quite awhile now and have no problems to speak of. Installation went fine and have had no problems connecting to the router. I am running win 98se on my laptop and would by this product again.
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Do NOT buy this, February 24, 2006
By user (London)
It will waste hours of your time and deliver disappointing results especially with Windows XP
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Great little wireless device, February 11, 2006
By user (El Mirage, California, USA)
I don't have many quarrels with this wireless network adapter. Originally I was a bit upset in having to buy it, as the PCMCIA network adapter I had previously mysteriously disappeared into the depths of the house. Soon after, though, I began praising the day the last one disappeared.
The version I purchased included as base stand, and extension USB cable, providing me with the ability to position the adapter in different ways. This would have to be the single biggest advantage of this adapter, in my opinion.
Because the last card was PCMCIA, I was limited in the placement of the lap top, and because I use it all over the house at sometimes great distances, the network would become very unstable. With the addition of this adapter, and the ability to position it somewhere else than directly beside the laptop, I usually do not experience inconvenience now.
The only quarrel I have was the software instillation. Though the adapter currently works, I am unable to start the machine without the adapter's management utility causing an error and needing to shut down. I have two PCs and three laptops in the house, and for giggles I installed the adapter on all of the systems, resulting in the same error. I downloaded new software, and again, faced the same problem. I had to come up with a work around of moving the error window down to the WAY lower right-hand edge of the screen so it doesn't interfere with any work.
Other than that, I love the adapter, and would recommend it to anyone. It definitely out-performed the D-Link adapter I had previously.
But, because of the software, and the difficulties I experienced on the website attempting to get new drivers, I have to give this product a 4 star review.
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Inept., February 1, 2006
By user
Software installs but then device refuses to start (code 10 error), Windows XP and latest drivers.
They don't care, why should you.
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Worked great for me., December 12, 2005
By user (Millersville, PA)
Bought 3 of these bad boys for my roommates, fiancees and mine computers. They worked great. Easy to install and work flawlessy, even with heavy loads of uploading massive graphical files and things of that nature. They are all different computers with different components. The one is a dell and the others were built by myself with optimal components at the time...These work fantastic...MUST BUY!
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Do yourself a favor, go with Linksys, December 5, 2005
By user (Dallas, TX)
Terrible terrible terrible.
Very easy to install. That is when the trouble starts. After I restarted my computer, network settings were erased. Tech support doesnt speak english, and doesnt help.
The very low price lures you in, but after fooling with the thing for hours you will realize you should have just gone with Linksys to begin with. Save yourself the trouble.
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Good product -- but worth the price?, December 3, 2005
By user (Johnstown, PA)
I have five children enrolled in cyber school, so this fall I had to hook up five more PCs to our wireless LAN.
I purchased two of the Belkin USB adapters at $33 each, and three Zonet ZEW2501 USB adapters at $9 each. I figured I'd use the more expensive Belkin adapters in rooms farther from the router, and the cheap Zonet adapters in rooms closer to the router.
After some tests, I discovered that both brands of adapters worked equally well. Frankly, I wish I had just bought 5 of the cheap Zonet adapters!
I must point out that the Belkin adapters come with a nice extension cable and a fancier case than the Zonet. (The Belkin has a nice click-on cap to protect the USB connector if you're carrying it with you on a trip). But considering that I have found no difference in performance, I'd pick the slightly uglier Zonet adapter as a better value.
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It works on my Win2000ProSP3 PC!, November 24, 2005
By user (WESTCHESTER, NY)
-I have this Belkin F5D7050 for over 1 year; I purchased it at one of those holiday double rebate sales. I paid $9.99 plus sales taxes from the big "computer store in USA".
-It is working while on top of my refrigerator connected to a an old Celeron 433 (on the floor) with Win2000Pro in the kitchen to allow internet use while spending time cooking. Unwatched pots boil faster.
-I feed it a signal from my Belkin F5D7231-4 router hooked to my OptimumOnline cable internet.
- Using [...] as a speed test, the Belkin wireless signal downloads in excess of 3.5 Mbits/sec and uploads in excess of 600 kbits/sec. That is on the old Celeron 433. Try it with your rigs.
- I have never tried it with WinXP, sorry but with Win2000 it works great for the price I paid.
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Doesn't even make a nice paperweight, November 14, 2005
By user
I'm not sure wether its the harware or the software but this device is useless. I am running a freshly installed Windows XP. When I brought it home for the first time and installed the drivers, it crashed my system. I took my computer back to the store where I bought the Belkin and after a day of work they managed to get Windows to recognize it. It worked OK for a bout a month with occasional software crashes and glitches. Software included is quite awful. When I re-arranged my desk and plugged it into a different USB port it stopped working completely. I tried everthing, installing and re-installing software and various tricks suggested by other users on the web...nothing. Software won;t even load up now, windows refuses to recognise it and when I do installation through windows hardware wizard, it crashes. Now when I plug-in the unit nothing even happens. After two days of trying I gave up and assumed it as a loss. Stay away from this one if you are running Windows XP.
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Only for non XP machines, October 24, 2005
By user (UK)
Just a few words to say how disappointed I am at the performance, or lack of, on an XP machine.
The F5D7050 works fine on the Win2k OS but AVOID if you are using XP.
The drivers install on XP but give a variety of error codes, depending upon which version you are using and the BELKIN Tech Support have been totally ignorant to any emails.
I eventually bought a Linksys WUSB54G which was very simple to setup and worked immediately.
Hope this review helps.
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Wont work on some PCs, October 23, 2005
By user
bought 2 of these and have tried to get them to work on 3 different WinXP PCs and laptops, so far only one PC works with it, but will only work when it it is installed in the exact same usb port as it was when software was installed, if I move it to another USB port on the same PC it will not work. Other 2 PCs would not work at all with this device, installation finishes and the device shows a yellow 'cannot start' status in Windows hardware device manager.
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Works fine but few problems, October 19, 2005
By user (raleigh, nc United States)
It will drop connections once in a while, can't complain yet.
Big problem:
The c:\program files\belkin folder opens up
everytime at pc startups ! It is not in the startup folder,
it is hidded inside perhaps as a service.
Waiting for their email reply to my
how to remove it question.
jim
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Consitent Dropping, October 13, 2005
By user
I see from some of the other reviews that I'm not the only one having problems with this adapter dropping the connection. Using it on a Dell laptop and started out ok. I tried updating the driver which turned out to be a big mistake. Hasn't worked correctly since then, even after uninstalling the "new" driver and re-installing the old. Now the connection drops if I leave it idle for more than a few minutes.
The only caveat is that I am also having problems with the laptop, although I don't know if it is becasue of the Belkin software or some other cause.
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Dittos re Dropping off the line, October 12, 2005
By user (La Plata, MD)
I had essentially the same problems as an earlier reviewer with the Belkin 5FD7050 USB adapter on a perfectly good system running WIN 98SE. Spent (wasted) a day downloading newer drivers and on the phone with very nice tech support personnel. Finally, we got the drivers to load properly and the desktop utility to connect to the web. Browsed a bit then worked for one hour with clients. Upon return, had an error message that I had improperly removed the USB device.... Then spent another two hours trying to get the thing to be recognized again, before seeking reviews on line (with another computer). Wish I had read the earlier review before wasting all this time.
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Horrible Software + Sporadic Connection = Bad Overall, September 25, 2005
By user (Cary, NC)
I bought one of these for an old iMac (Rev A Bondi, no Airport slot, Mac OS X 10.3 Panther). First, the software provided on the CD and available for download @ online support is awful. It doesn't tell you where (or even *what*) drivers are installed, and the generic App for selecting network options is so worthless it's laughable. (Disclaimer: I have worked as a network admin, so I'm not just bashing something I don't understand).
After a couple hours of playing with it, I finally got it to see my wireless network and connect successfully. It stayed connected for about 90 seconds and then abruptly dropped for no apparent reason (plenty of signal strength, no other devices interfering, etc.).
At that point I gave up on the Belkin drivers and tried some generic RALink Mac OS X drivers (Belkin uses the RT2500 chipset for the F5D7050). After many more hours of reinstalling, uninstalling, restarting, praying, etc., there was no improvement in performance.
Bottom Line: This device finds my wireless network with no problem, but it will *never* stay connected for any length of time. Random drops and sudden disconnects. What a waste.
I'm returning it.
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Buy Belkin at your own risk!, September 21, 2005
By user (Virginia)
I purchased a Belkin Model FBTOO1 version 2 Bluetooth adapter and attempted to install it on my system. When I had problems configuring the adapter, I called Belkin Tech Support, where I was told that if I had Windows XP Service Pack 2 installed, they wouldn't help me. Their device was not designed for Service Pack 2. Their solution: uninstall service pack 2. Obviously, that is not an acceptable solution. So I'm stuck with this adapter that I can't use. Belkin won't replace it, I can't return it to the place where I purchased it because it's open. So, my solution: Learn from this. Don't buy Belkin products. They have absolutely no care or concern for you, the consumer.
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Less painful way of installing this Belkin, August 9, 2005
By user
The reason for only getting a 3 instead of a 5 is because of the following problem that I have encountered in the past on this network card. I have found that following the instructions provided by Belkin can lead to numerous problems. The installation way that I use on installing them are much easier for XP machines that I deal with.
1) place cd in tray, cancel or close the belkins welcome/install
screen
2)connect it to a usb port
3)when XP comes up with the install screen, let it search the
driver from the cdrom (or you can manually select it from the
X:\drivers folder on the cd(of course X: being your cd drive))
4)Let it complete the installation (*some computers ask to reboot
after installation is done,it is best to do this*)
5)depending on your network, you might have to configure your IP,
DNS, Gateway, and any Security or other settings you are
running at this time.
It takes longer to type this out than it does to do the installation. Doing this way has given me less headaches than trying to deal with Belkins software and the error codes an terminal problems running their wireless config software. (The wireless software is an 'aweful'ly close version and layout to the Linksys WUSB11 ver 2.6 adapter software. I might experiment with that later on this Belkin's). Once the install and setup is done, it operates at a relatively good signal in and around my house and yard. If not for their wireless software problem, I would have given it a 5 star rating instead.
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The software come wtih the device is really bad, August 7, 2005
By user
Thd software come with this device sucks! I installed/uninstalled it three times, I even go to their website to download the driver cause i doubted the CD come with my adapter was bad. but the driver i downloaded from their website was as bad as the CD one. You even can not see some menus correctly. They displayed as wierd characters. Since I bought it very cheap after rebate, dont want to return it.
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