| NETGEAR WG311 Wireless-G PCI Adapter |
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Model: WG311
Brand: Netgear
Manufacturer: Netgear
Average Rating: 
(submit your review here)
Total Reviews: 77
Form factor: Plug-in card
Hardware platform: PC
Data link protocol: IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
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| Features: |
PCI card provides 802.11g wireless capability
Delivers up to 54 Mbps of wireless throughput
Supports 128-bit WEP for enhanced security
Backwards compatible with 802.11b wireless networks
Device measures 5.23 x 0.86 x 4.76 inches (WxHxD) |
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| Description: |
| Upgrade your desktop or tower computer to the highest level of wireless capability with the NETGEAR WG311, a PCI card that installs with the turn of a single screw! At 54 Mbps, this wireless 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g PCI card blows away existing 11 Mbps wireless networks, and will supercharge delivery of media-rich content to your desktop. Includes Resource CD, Installation Guide, Warranty Card 3 year warranty |
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| User Reviews (77 total): |
Page 1 2 3 4 of Total 4 Pages
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Dont do it!, May 2, 2008
By user (CA)
I bought this card to give wireless access to my desktop which is downstairs. It often lost connection, and at its most effective level gained 1 bar of signal. Even when the computer was within 30 feet of the router it still registered a lousy 3 bars. I've just upgraded to a cheaper edimax pci card which has 5 bars of signal through 3 interior walls and a ceiling. I expected more from netgear...
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Horrible product with worse technical support, February 19, 2008
By user
DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT
After reading the reviews I bought this product thinking how bad could it be. Wow, I had no idea. I've got two computers, a laptop with a linksys pci card, and my desktop with this netgear pci card, both coming from my wireless router. My Linksys works perfect all the time, this netgear disconnects about 4 to 5 times an hour (both are running next to each other. The laptop has excellent reception; the desktop with this netgear card, always has low reception). Over the 5 times that I have called 'tech support' I've spent hours waiting for someone in India to help me. Their help? One word: WORTHLESS. Despite giving case numbers, which document exactly what the previous "tech support agent" has done, they repeat the same old 'remedies', which don't work. On one of my most recent calls I was told by a 'tech agent' that her boss was watching her and that I was taking too long, so she would have to hang up. Simply amazing.
Instead of netgear, look at the Linksys products from Cisco, they seem to work very well.
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Unstable, poor signal reception, confusing software, February 11, 2008
By user (Seattle, WA)
I had this adapter for about 5 months now, and I have to say it's one of the worst pieces of hardware I ever used. The driver installation wants to install Netgear's version of wireless network manager that replaces the Windows WiFi manager. The main feature of the Netgear's manager is that it does not work, at least not on Windows XP, and it sure makes installation confusing. The second issue I ran into is very poor signal and frequently dropping connections - in the same room where other computers report excellent WiFi signal strength. Looking for an updated driver was an adventure, because Netgear uses the name "firmware" to describe drivers. I was eventually able to get them on the phone and they were quite helpful on the phone, and we got the driver updated. With the updated driver, the signal remains very poor, and dropped connections have become much less frequent - only about daily - but still enough to be really annoying. On top of dropped connections I also experience hung connections - where the network reports to be connected, but no data flows, and outright adapter crashes, where device manger ends up disabling the adapter until a reboot or until explicit enabling.
So save yourself a hassle and buy something else... I don't yet know what, though...
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USE VERSION 3!!!, January 23, 2008
By user (Nunya)
Use the version 3!! I have V2 and V3. V2 was a pain but has worked without a hitch for over a year. Just got V3 and it was up and running in less than 10 minutes--Package unwrapping to surfing the net. I use winxp 2 and winxp2 pro. Got it off ebay for 20$$ brand new!!
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Does not work reliably on XP PC, December 2, 2007
By user (Portland, Oregon)
I have wasted many hours fiddling with this card trying to get it to work on my XP PC. No matter how I configured it, it would intermittently freeze up my PC. Netgear's tech support tried to help but to no avail. Ultimately, I found that the MSI Turbo PCI card [ASIN:B000M5U9GI Super G 802.11BG Wireless Pci 64 Bit Xp Compliant Turbo Mode] works 100% reliably on my XP PC and, ironically, gets a much stronger signal from my Netgear router.
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Works fine with Vista, October 27, 2007
By user (Silicon Valley, Cal)
I installed the WG311v3 board today into a new computer with Vista OS. This was the easiest networking installation I have ever done! (And I have been dealing with TCP/IP for many years...) Install the driver software, shutdown, install the hardware board, reboot. Then bring up the Network and Sharing Center, type in my WANs password, and it was done! So far, performance has been excellent. FWIW, my wireless router is also a Netgear - model WGT624v3.
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Garbage, July 10, 2007
By user (London, UK)
Bought this for its vista compatibility. It does not work with Vista despite numerous attemptes. Searching for resolutions to this online reveals hundreds of other frustrated purchasers and not a jot of evidence anyone got it to work. Netgear should be ashamed of themselves for this product and the pitiful support they offer.
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Bad compatability, June 4, 2007
By user
Product Randomly Disconnects from network. After 6 months of off and on tech support still no resolution. I've been using computers for almost 20 years and tried everything imaginable. Just bought a new product from linksys, install was faster, easier, better defined, working flawlessly now.
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Problems linking up with lynxus router, May 6, 2007
By user (Douglas, MA USA)
I baught this thinking that this would be compatible with my lynxus Router. Am I doing something wrong on my part?
If so please direct me as to better serve me.
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old product, March 20, 2007
By user
I expected to get a WG311v3 instead I got a WG311v2. Also, Netgear is not abble to supply a driver for Windows Vista at this point. v3 would have at least a beta driver.
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Very poor and inconsistent connectivity, January 24, 2007
By user (Mountlake Terrace, WA)
This adapter went into one of four wirelessly networked devices on my home network, and is the only Netgear Adapter on the network, and the ONLY one to have issues, every day, day in, and day out. My office laptop sits right next to this desktop and NEVER drops it's connection, so I know it isn't location (signal is excellent, full 5 bars).
Having had good fortunes with Netgear previously, I suspected interferance, too close to metal, etc, but even after adding an external Netgear antenna, my woes of dropped connectivity, and actually overall slow system performance continued.
Interestingly, I just installed a Linksys WMP54GS and the system is running better overall and no dropped connectivity. I'm obtaining an OS reported 54Mbps with the full 5 bars.
The Netgear card I had was a v2, by the way. It seems this card missed some good quality control and I cannot recommend it. Go with the leader in WLAN technology, Linksys (Cisco). You'll have much better luck.
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Average performer, January 15, 2007
By user (Houston, Texas)
Nothing special here.
No matter the router (and I have been getting increasingly better and more powerful routers from Netgear) the PCs with this card installed still have average to poor connectivity. My Dell Inspiron E1505 and my Dell Axim X51v both connect better, indicating that the fault is in this adapter card.
I am not really impressed, despite the ease of installation.
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wg311v2, November 20, 2006
By user (Mansfield, Texas United States)
Terrible product. I have tried using the Windows XP wireless application with just the netgear drivers and tried using the Netgear wireless application with the netgear drivers. Using either one the card disconnects at random using WPA, then you have to repair the connection and sometimes reboot to get the connection back. I reinstalled windows both times I changed drivers just to make sure nothing was conflicting with it, but nothing helped. Latest drivers are 2_0_0_7 and were published in Nov 2004, so netgear has moved on to other cards and is not supporting this one any longer.
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Net gear WG311, November 10, 2006
By user (Martinsburg, WV United States)
I sent the product at the appropriate time and they did not give me full credit. Very unhappy with them
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conflict with XP, November 5, 2006
By user (Buffalo, NY USA)
I have had to alter the way people log on and off my computer. The software alters the way the computer will now let you log on and off. I can no longer switch users, each user has to log off. I would not buy this brand again.
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Poor reception, October 19, 2006
By user
I have this on a desktop with Win XP. This adapter goes through cycles of good to poor reception repeatedly. It will occasionally drop the connection. Whereas, my 2 laptops placed at the same location receives excellent signal constantly. Go figure.
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Whoops - spoke too soon - not really five stars, September 25, 2006
By user
I can't go back and change the number of stars, unfortunately.
I've had a WG311 for a couple years with no problems (hence the five star review) but I got a new one for a new machine. After installing it, my machine started crashing pretty frequently, the dreaded blue screen of death, MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION. I removed it and the problem went away.
Coincidentally, my old computer died, so now I'm using the old card in the new machine, and it works just fine.
I don't know why a newer card would be worse. Cheaper parts? New bugs in the drivers? Bad luck? But there it is.
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Time Consuming with Dell Demension XP Pro SP2, September 11, 2006
By user
Comapring to my other machine which has a different card used to be at the same location, This card gave me weak signal and dropping connections as many folks have mentioned earlier. With XP Pro SP2, this card always caused "NMI: Parity Check / Memory Parity Error" blue screen at system shutdown - Dell Demension 3100.
I was with a Dell Cust Rep on the phone for 2+ hours this afternoon to go thru all kinds steps to finally identify that this card caused the issue. Here when I did a seach with keywords NMI Netgear shutdown and finally found this forum. I am "glad" to see that this card caused same issue with another Dell customer! Wow, lots of people have problem with this card!
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stay away from netgear, August 26, 2006
By user (CA)
bad xp SP2 compatibility. not sure if it is my AMD chip or SP2 because even the XP update from netgear woulnt help. BSOD's daily needed a restore to get them to stop. buy a linksys, havent had a single problem with them. linksys wmp54g is worth the extra money.
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NetGear - NOT!, July 23, 2006
By user (Alabama)
I'd stay away from this one. Issues with Windows XP SP2. Netgear does not seam to be able to get all the bugs out.
I have one and have to reboot every few days just so it'll re-connect to my Netgear wireless router.
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