| Linksys WMP54GS Wireless-G PCI Card with SpeedBooster |
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Model: WMP54GS
Brand: Linksys
Manufacturer: Linksys
Average Rating: 
(submit your review here)
Total Reviews: 98
Form factor: Plug-in card
Hardware platform: PC
Data link protocol: IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
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| Features: |
High-speed Wireless-G for your desktop PC, now with SpeedBooster performance enhancement
Put your PC wherever you want, with no cabling hassle
New SpeedBooster technology increases wireless network performance by up to 35%
Also interoperates with standard Wireless-G and Wireless-B networks
Compatible with Windows 2000, XP, and Windows Vista |
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| Description: |
| LINKSYS WMP54GS -- The Wireless-G PCI Card with SpeedBooster installs easily in most desktop and tower PCs, and gives you the freedom to put your computer anywhere in the house or office -- saving the cost and hassle of running network cables. No need to drill holes in your walls and climb through the attic or cellar to get connected to the network! For Windows PC |
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| User Reviews (98 total): |
Page 1 2 3 4 5 of Total 5 Pages
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Drop dead easy to install, March 8, 2007
By F. Canty (Fairfax, VA)
I'm sure people have legitimately had problems installing these on some computers, but I've installed two of them now on Dell desktops and both times it was very easy and went over without any problems.
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installation problems affecting many - once getting past that, its great, January 11, 2007
By T. Willoughby (NY)
I was all excited to make my desktop wireless. After reading many reviews stating that installation took under 5 minutes I thought it would be perfect. Well installation should have taken 5 minutes, except after following instructions (installing the driver first, then inserting the card) my computer would not recognize the PCI card. I then spent over 6 hours researching the problem on various websites and found tons of other people with the same exact problem. I was ready to pack it up and return it to the store when I decided to give it one last try. Beyond frustrated, I jammed the PCI card in harder than usual and then magically it worked. Perhaps this is the problem people are having. I had thought I had already pushed hard enough because it had already 'clicked' into place, any more pressure and I thought for sure the card would snap.
Anyway... if you want to go with this card, it works great. My router is in my basement and my computer is 2 floors above in my bedroom; the signal is strong and steady. I don't know how other brand Wireless PCI cards fare in comparison to this one regarding installation, but I would recommend trying another brand to save yourself the frustration.
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Easy to install, couldn't keep connection, January 11, 2007
By Karen (atlanta GA)
When you get the correlating linksys speed boost router, you do get the advertised 50mbps.
I found it fairly easy to install.
Once setup though, I found I lost the wireless connection. I would then have to drag an ethernet cord from my computer to the router, and go thru the wizard to re-set it. This happened probably once a day for a week.
A 10 minute hassle that I wasn't willing to go on with. I still am not sure if I should blame the card or the router
Also, I use my computer for gaming and decided that 50mbps wasn't good enough for me. (ironforge lag anyone?) So i returned the wireless card, and kept the router. I'm using it like a regular-old router with an ethernet, and it works just fine.
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sucks, January 9, 2007
By Richie (Valley Stream, New York United States)
i got such a low signal that i decided to buy a patch cable and run a line to my room . i shouldve done that in the first place and saved some cash
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WORKS FINE, January 5, 2007
By Hua Zhang (South Carolina)
It works. What else can I say. It took about 15 minutes to install and a reboot. Just follow the directions and it should work fine. It detected my network and I was on the network and the internet in seconds. Speeds are fairly good, I can move 100's of megabytes over in a couple seconds.
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Just wouldn't connect, October 20, 2006
By mpkelley20 (Boston, MA United States)
I have some tecnhical abilities when it comes to computers due to the many times I have basically fried my own home computer. By doing so, I have rebuilt machines and operating systems from scratch and have learned how to fix my own issues rather than rely on technial support.
I bought this linksys wireless card to go along with my current linksys router. Installation was a snap. The CD installed the software very quickly and I then installed the card. Here is where the fun begins. Like a lot of other people here, the card could not identify my IP address using the auto detect. I said fine, I'll just set a static IP address. Great, that seemed to work and I was finally "connected to both the network and the internet". Yey! Let's test the connection....wait a minute, it dropped the connection. Oh, its back....no..its gone again...And when it was connected, the signal kept going from full bars to half bars (and the computer is less than 7 feet from the router!).
This basically went on for about an hour or so as I tried various "fixes" that were on the Linksys site. Nothing on their site worked so I decided to call the tech support. After 30 minutes waiting for a person, I decided I should probably go to bed as I had to get for work the next morning and didn't feel like waiting any longer. So the next day, I went back to the store, picked up a D-Link card for $25 and went home to install that card to compare to the Linksys. 5 minutes after installing the D-Link, I was up and running. No fuss, no problems, just a fast wireless connection.
I am returning the Linksys today and I urge people here to rethink their purchase options before buying this or any other Linksys card that uses that awful software/driver. I believe the issue is well known with Linksys but they have not fixed the problem. I had a very similar problem with a Linksys USB adapter I bought for my father's computer. It basically wouldn't maintain the IP connection. I guess I was hoping that an internal card wouldn't have those types of problems. I was wrong.
To summarize:
Easy installation
Never was able to actually connect to the internet
Bought different brand that was cheaper
Much happier now
Will be returning this piece of junk
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Speedbooster works ONLY with Speedbooster accesspoint, September 17, 2006
By V. Calvin Hoe (Colorado Springs, CO United States)
It works fine as a 802.11G network adapter. The 35% performance gain ONLY if you have a Linksys Wireless Router with Speedboost (makes sense). I was told that the adapter by itself has a 35% performance boost... NOT TRUE... TRUE if-and-only-if used with a Linksys Wireless Router.
Checkout Linksys info by doing search for Speedbooster.
Not slaming it; just be aware that by, and of itself, speed boost does NOTHING to help.
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Good Product but follow the directions to the letter., September 6, 2006
By Marshall C. Stewart (Chicago IL)
I bnought 2 of these products to use with a Linksys wireless router with speedbooster. To install it on the first computer I READ the directions before beginning, and also on the cd and booklets itself there are large stickers directing you to put the cd in first.
Upon inserting the CD into the computer a setup wizard appeared, and procedded thorugh the directions, and WHEN PROMPTED to shut down the computer and put the card in. Turned on the computer and all was good.
The Second computer was not so good, the installation stopped on 25%, this part on the first computer went quickly, I waited for a few minutes to check if there were changes, then after nothing happened I turn off the computer. After putting the cd back in, I got a message that the drivers cannot be installed because of old drivers. I went to add remove hardware in XP and the selection does not disappear. After calling linksys, a file called Registry Cleaner was email to be. The product was not on a drop down menu, I tried all of the drop down options and all failed.
A linksys tech said I would get a call from some high up person, who ended up calling before I got home from work, and left a message for me to email him at Cisco Systems. I'm not going to wait for another email or phone call for something that they should be able to fix easily.
Live chat was no help either, and the associate I talked to said I would get a call soon after the chat ended. No call.
The second unit is going back today.
In short, read the directions, INSTALL the cd first, and pray your computer does not lock up during the install.
I'm please with the product but not the help to fix my problem.
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Don't buy this junk. Plenty of other good adapters, why risk buying this, August 24, 2006
By J. Tone (San Jose, CA)
Mine actually works and I still hate it.
I haven't had all the problems others are complaining about.
---I run Windows XP SP2 had no problems compatability.
---Signal strength is fine.
---I had no problem installing on one computer....except that I installed the card before running the CD, just like every other card or peripheral I have ever installed. I've never seen one that didn't allow you to install hardware before drivers. So I had to take it out, run CD and put back in. Just a minor annoyance that cost 10 minutes. But c'mon Linksys why the special order? Most people that are willing to open the computer and install a card don't need instructions to know "take card and put in slot" and "insert disc", so they don't look at them. At least they put a warning sticker about the installation order on the disk cover for us non-direction readers. Annoying but no stars deducted for this.
---Told Mom to buy one (this was before I had installed mine). Installed easy and it worked fine at first. Now it connects to router but can't find internet (yes other computers connect to net through this router just fine). Would think maybe firewall setting issue??? but I used to work then just stopped. C'mon Linksys if your connected to the router how hard it is to find the internet. Deduct 1 star.
---Stupid software only supports hexidecimal passwords. Of course my router also support standard alphabet and my password had some G-Z letters, so I had go change network password and update all devices attached to the network. C'mon Linksys how hard it is to support A-Z. Annoying but no stars deducted.
---SLOW SLOW SLOW SLOW TO CONNECT!!!! On my other computers you hit connect and are online in 5-10 seconds. This thing takes 30 seconds to a minute. Impatient, yes. But still unacceptable. Deduct 1 star.
---Can't hibernate or sleep computer or card disables. Only way to get it turned on again is to reboot. So it's either leave computer on all day long, or reboot everytime I want go online. Deduct 1 stars.
--Overall bad product. Deduct one star.
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I haven't bought it yet but I already have other linksys items..., August 7, 2006
By If I (a 14 year old) can do this, so can you! (Wiscosin, USA (Yes, I like chese))
Ok the only reason why I am writing a review when i haven't bought it yet, is in reply to those who have given bad reviews. Alhtough I have bought the USB plugin version which I can say will have many more problems than the PCI version. Well to the guy that has terrible connections: Your computers may be in an area that can't connect to the network (Linksys calls these deadspots). Simple solution, move your computer somewhere else. To the person who has problems with the Windows XP wireless control function: Just call customer support they are always able to help me in a sticky situation. To the guy who isn't patient enough to just keep trying at the computer until it works: Look, these items have taken me (A 13.5 year old nerd) 3 hours at a time to configure without technical support. Although I have had times where I just waited until tomorrow and it worked fine after a few more tries. A lot of times if you just go to bed or restart your computer it will work. Then theres times where I do as much as I can then just let the computer sit there for months at a time and I go back on it and it works, but that kind of creeps me out at times. To the guy with overheating problems: Get some case fans and cool that computer down! To the guy who calls himself Tech-savvy: I have contacted Technical support many many times, and the worst I have experianced is a slow typer on chat. Unless you were hired by some company to degrade this product you can'tbe Tech-savvy. For the person with LCD monitor problems: Maybe its your graphics card that can't handle it ok because I have 4-5 computers on a network all using LCD monitors and NONE have a problem with their monitor. TO ALL PEOPLE USING WINDOWS SYSTEMS BELOW 2000: LINKSYS ISN'T COMPATIBLE, AND GET A NEW COMPUTER 98 IS REALLY OLD!!! WINDOWS XP IS MUCH BETTER AND EASIER TO USE!!!
I will write another review in a few years when I have raised enough money to build my computer.
Sincerely,
Derek F.
p.s. If a 13.5 year old can do this so can YOU! Now go buy this product and enjoy... I know I will.
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Terrible connections, June 20, 2006
By A. Chu (Palo Alto, CA USA)
I bought two of these cards to go alongside my wrt54gs. I though that they should work great together since they are from the same manufacturer. Oh boy was I wrong.
Even the though I get full bars with these cards, I get very flaky connections with them. I've tried many different settings and firmwares to try to rectify the problem. Many hours have been spent trying to get a stable connection. No dice, very flaky.
Other computers with different cards work fine with the wrt54gs and never dropout. So there is something about this card that just isn't right, and I can't imagine both cards being defective. I haven't tested them with another router, but if it can't work with a wrt54gs v3, then what's the point.
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Great Product, Easy to Install, May 27, 2006
By Dragon B (Maricopa, AZ USA)
I was a little leary in buying this card with many of the negative reviews I read, however I had a Linksys Wireless-G router with speedbooster so that's what tipped me to buy it. I'm glad that I did.
I had no issues whatsoever in installing this card in my Dell Dimension E510. The instructions included with the card are fool-proof and very simple for those of you that aren't nerds. If you're a nerd, you won't even need the instructions.
Install the drivers first, using the included CD. During the process of doing that, the wizard will instruct you to shut off your computer (the wizard will actually turn your comp off for you). Once shut down, disconnect all the wires from the tower, open the tower, ground yourself by touching something metal so as to not let static electricity fry one of your chips, pop the card in the white PCI slot, put cover back on, reattach wires, power back up and give the PC a minute or two to restart the wizard. Be patient here and don't jump the gun, it will come. It will then autodetect the available networks and voila, you're in business.
Once I gave the wizard my password for my network (always password protect your network) I was connected. I tried turning the PC off and on several times, and every time, it detected and connected directly to my network. Again, times may vary, but be patient while it finds and connects to your network...this can take a minute or two.
I'm happy with the product. I'm using it in a computer that is about 40 to 50 feet away from the router, and through several walls, and the connection is very good. I'm guessing that unless your computer is archaic, you won't have any issues with this quality card.
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Piece of cake, March 30, 2006
By J. Birdsall (Atlanta, GA USA)
I am not sure why there seems to be a love/hate relationship with this card, but it worked fine for me. I bought the card to replace a D-link card. This card installed easily and configured quickly. Only issue was with Symantec's Personal Firewall which prevented me from connecting to the internet. Once I "allowed" that, connected immediatley. My signal improved from 55% to the low 80% range. Like others have said (and the instructions), run the CD BEFORE you install it. I had used Dlink for years but have found much better results with linksys and will never go back.
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Easy to use and install desktop wireless product, March 25, 2006
By V. Aggarwal
Its best desktop wireless solution I found so far. USB-wireless products are weak wireless signal receivers.
I have given this 4-star, that Linksys requires specific order of installation of driver and adaptor, if installer is not careful as it happens with plug'n'play devices, this product does not work if order of installation is reversed
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Disappointing product, March 22, 2006
By sayeah (New Jersey, USA)
I bought this because my previous Linksys product (WRT54G router) was great. But I am wrong about this PCI card. It's expensive comparing with competitor's product. The installation process is awkward. Does not integrate well with WinXP wireless control function. Antenna is interfering with other cables. The worst thing is signal reception is really poor even though my router is just one room away. All my laptops are able to get perfect signal at the same spot.
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Worthless item, February 25, 2006
By D. Smith (Texas)
Despite other reviews warning me about this item, I bought it anyway because I have a Linksys wireless router. I thought that they should communicate without much trouble. Wrong! After several hours of fussing around trying to get the Wireless-G PCI card to function properly, I finally gave up. It is now sitting on my shelf. I couldn't find the receipt for a return, so I view this as a total waste of money. As an alternative, I bought a competitor's card, and it worked right away.
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Great Once You Get Signal, January 30, 2006
By Gary Matusoff (Brookville, Ohio)
The card works great once you get it to associate with the router, but this can be a hair pulling experience. I tried for 5 days to get a connection, to little or no avail. I had connection but when I re-booted it never regained signal. I un-installed and re-installed the device 5 times. Still no signal, I was at my wits end and about ready to purchase the USB Adapter. As a last ditch effort I swapped PCI slots with my video card. The video card was above the adapter and the were very closely situated, with the fan from the video card almost touching the adapter. I turned the pc back on and reset the settings in the Linsys Monitor, hit connect, typed in my password, and have been connected ever since.
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Easy on a new PC, January 17, 2006
By G. Kepecs (Hackensack, NJ)
Installed with no difficulty. Recognized quickly, connects right away. Much less quirky than other WiFi cards that I have used. But I installed it on a new Dell; older machines may cause some of the problems that others keep citing.
Watch out--these new machines have fewer PCI slots!
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Caused my Dell Optiplex to overtemp, January 10, 2006
By Traveller (USA)
My PC kept shutting down and on reboot the POST would give me a message that stated "PC shutdown due to overtemp." This card also caused my AGP video card to stop working, so I had to revert to the integrated video port just to see the monitor. The card did work for a few minutes and then it froze my PC (this was when it did not overtemp the motherboard). I tried other PCI slots, and it worked for a few minutes but then froze the computer again. It was very sporadic and difficult to try and troubleshoot. I have not tried any other cards in my PCI slots, so it MAY be a problem with my motherboard, but I don't think so. The only solution to get my computer to work was to completely remove the card and switch to the Belkin USB Network Adapter (P57265). It works great.
I swear by Linksys routers - both wired and wireless - as they are solid as a rock, but this is my second bad experience with Linksys PCI wireless cards (I tried the one without speed booster a few years ago and had to replace it with a D-link card. The D-link card worked fine in a few minutes).
Again, this may just be a problem with my PC, but I am just warning against users who are trying to connect it to a Dell Optiplex.
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Only gets one because there's not a rating lower, January 2, 2006
By Wayne Beckham (Fontana, CA USA)
Absolutely the worst wi-fi product I've ever had the misfortune to try to run. I'm tech-savvy, but that only works when the product is marginally functional. The card can see the wireless network, tell you all about it (SSID, Channel, etc.) and absolutely refuses to connect (associate.) The "SecureEasySetup" is a joke and the antenna is long, inconvenient and apparently serves no purpose except to make the card look like it has something to do with wireless.
I'm in the process of returning the entire Linksys network I purchased (router and two cards.) Linksys support was insulting and the quality of the product was non-existent. Buy ANYTHING else.
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