Best Wireless PC Card???

I am planning to buy a wireless PC card for my laptop to connect it with my desktop and use it everywhere else in campus, library, etc.
I was advise an a/b/g PC Card which will be compatible with existing and future formats. However I am not familiar with their features in terms of security, transmission range, speed.
My computer:
1. Desktop Dell XPS T600 Pentium III 598 Mhz 256 RAM 19 GB HDD with Wireless Broadband Router D-Link DI-614+
2. Notebook Dell Inspiron 7000 Pentium II 400 Mhz 384 RAM 5.98 GB.

I saw several products but I am not certain which one is the best.
a. Proxim Orinoco 11a/b/g ComboCard
b. 3Com 11/a/b/g Wireless PC CArd with Xjack antenna
c. Netgear WAG511
d. D-Link DWL-AG660 AirPremier 11a/b/g.
e. LinkSys WPC55AG
I saw one review comparing Proxim, Netgear, Link Sys. However there was no 3COm and D-Link in it.

http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/Proxim_Orinoco_11a_b_g_ComboCard_Gold/4505-3251_16-21218195-5.html?tag=top

I tried comparing them side by side with their security features, media access control, modulation technology, range, etc. but many of the terms are jargon to me. But I know that in the real world, its hard to know.[xx(]
I was wondering comparing the top-of-the line of each brands, which is the best in terms security, transmission range, speed, ease of use(one you can use wherever you go e.g. library,schools where you dont need to configure much ).

 

The best range and reliablity would be the cisco 350 wireless card. It is only 802.11b but will offer the best performance.
Second best I would say is the any of the Orinoco Gold cards.

zx5000 :: 2.4M :: 512 DDR :: 40gb 4200 RPM HD :: 15.4" :: Radeon 9600 Mobilty M10 :: Aquamark3 22,856

 

Adding to that, Proxim Orinoco 11 a/b/g PC Card is the fastest according to the test done in zdnet website. I checked the minimum requirement-
1. Proxim Orinoco -Processor at 300 Mhz., 64 MB RAM
2. D-Link DWL-AG660 - Processor at 500 Mhz, 128 MB RAM
3. LinkSys WPC55AG- Processor at 200 MHz , 64 MB RAM
4. 3COM 3CRPAG175 - (notebook pc with available type II or III pccard slot... I guess any processor would do.. I emailed 3com and awaiting reply about this)
5. Netgear WAG511 - (any pentium class PC... kinda odd also...)

So by far I have my eye on Proxim in terms of available review data. So to really compare them side by side, an evidence-based approach in terms of review is needed.

 

Thanks quikster for your response... I think circo is nice but with the emerging changes in formats (some university are shifting from B to G) it would be a good idea to invest in a product that goes with changes...
How about the other guys and girls... Your views are very much welcomed... Tell your experiences with the 5 PC cards... What is its real performance in the real world??? [?][?][?] Or is it just claims...

 

well shifting from b to g is actually meaningless for the most part. Since G is backwards compatible with B, but if there is even one B card connected to the network the entire network drops to B speeds, this is why most universities and businesses that already have wireless haven't bothered "upgrading" to G.

zx5000 :: 2.4M :: 512 DDR :: 40gb 4200 RPM HD :: 15.4" :: Radeon 9600 Mobilty M10 :: Aquamark3 22,856

 

That is a good input... I am just new in the networking wireless world...
But I think if you have all the 3 formats in your PCCard, when you go to a "B" network or a "G" network or even "A" network you are prepared and you can connect to its maximum speed allowable.
Is that correct[?][?][?] I am not that sure...

 

not necessarily like I said since B and G are compatible your network speed drops to the lowest common denominator. A is actually a seperate radio with a shorter range that opperates in the 5GHz range instead f 2.4GHz like B, G, Bluetooth and many cordless phones and microwaves.

zx5000 :: 2.4M :: 512 DDR :: 40gb 4200 RPM HD :: 15.4" :: Radeon 9600 Mobilty M10 :: Aquamark3 22,856

 

Thanks Quikster... [ ]

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by red_chief

 

not really better, but if you will be using A at all then it might be nice, personally I don't really like it due to it having the shortest range of the three, but its up to you.

zx5000 :: 2.4M :: 512 DDR :: 40gb 4200 RPM HD :: 15.4" :: Radeon 9600 Mobilty M10 :: Aquamark3 22,856

 

So going over the discussion with the pros and cons, I have the following gone through:

1. A "b/g" card works at 2.4 Mhz. So any network or hotspot you are in, you can use it provided they are also b/g network.

2. An "A" card works at 5 Mhz. So any network or hotspot you are in, you can use it provided they are also "A" network.

3. To maximize the versatility of a card both on today's existing network format and the future's, having a combo A/b/g card is like having a swiss-knife equivalent of a PC card.

I learned a lot from this forum. One does not need to enroll in an advance computer class to learn. Thanks guys!!! [ ][ ][ ]

 

So by far comparing the top-line a/b/g PC cards available in the market --- Proxim is the top performer according to CNET lab results... (however excluded in the tests are 3com and D-link).

D-link's top of the line's minimum requirement is 500 Mhz and 128 Mb RAM so your choice of putting the PC Card to other notebooks is limited. The 3com's minimum requirement was quite vague and up to now they have not responded to my email. I guess that reflects their technical support...

Given the present situation... I put Proxim on top of my list...
Of course, that's me... If you have any experience with Proxim and other PC Cards please do update this forum.

 

I have a Lucent Orinoco Gold 802.11b and it works very well, its also USB so I can plug it into pretty much anything very easily.

zx5000 :: 2.4M :: 512 DDR :: 40gb 4200 RPM HD :: 15.4" :: Radeon 9600 Mobilty M10 :: Aquamark3 22,856

 

I just received my proxim card. The strength is always excellent inside our house. Not yet tried it outside. My problem is, I cant browse the internet. I think it has some issues with AOL broadband. My friend has a same setup and uses Roadrunner broadband and he says he has no problem. I try if my LAN card works in his house.
If yes, then AOL is the culprit.

 

Yes it works in his house. Tried it outside. Good reception... Really happy about the product. Still have to try it in other places to see its real world performance.

 

glad to see you like it, I would say they are my second favorite card manufactuer behind cisco.

zx5000 :: 2.4M :: 512 DDR :: 40gb 4200 RPM HD :: 15.4" :: Radeon 9600 Mobilty M10 :: Aquamark3 22,856

 

Seattle Wireless maintains a pretty decent comparison site. You can visit it HERE

 

I just thought I would add a little something about the A/B/G standards just in case anyone is interested.

First, the B standard was the first one out and remains the most commonly deployed. When you are surfing at an airport or a coffee shop, you will almost certainly be using B.

A was actually released after A. It is faster and as was discussed earlier uses the 5GHZ frequency instead of 2.4GHz. That said, A is generally considered to be a flop. The equipment remains expensive since it has never been sold in any volume and you will never (and I mean never) find a public 802.11A access point. The only reason to use A is if you need to be on the different frequency.

G is the latest standard. It was introduced to provide the speed of A while maintaining backward compatibility with B since Wifi hotspots have becomes fairly common. All else being equal, G is the one to buy as it gives you the best of everything.

Of course, all else is not equal and price is the big differentiator. G equipment still costs considerably more than B equipment. So, it is worth paying the extra for G? Well, it depends. G has the ability to reach 54 Mbps while B can only support 11Mbps - and those numbers are really marketing numbers because these standards really only support half that bandwidth in each direction and traffic tends to be primarily one direction at a time. So for all practical purposes, G supports 27Mbps and B supports 5.5Mbps. Most people use their wireless connection to surf the web and the bottleneck isn't the wireless connection, but the internet connection itself. If you have a DSL connection going 1.5Mbps then you are going to get 1.5Mpbs regardless of whether your wireless link is able to support 5.5 or 27. But that's still not all of the story.

As the signal strength drops, these devices negotiate down to slower speeds. So if you are using your wireless connection a godo ways away from the access point, you aren't really getting those advertised maximum speeds. Furthermore, if you are linking two computers together within your own house and copying files between them, then you can take advantage of as much speed as you can get.

So, when does B make sense? If you are using your wireless connection in a relatively small environment (such as 2 connected rooms in an apartment) and are just using it to surf the web, then B really gives you everything you need. You can buy G and that will protect you in case your needs change, but B is cheaper and you'll get the exact same experience as you would with G - the extra speed you'd be buying wouldn't be used.

If you are trying to use your wireless connection across a large area or if you access local machines across your wireless connection, G is probably the better choice. It gives you access to all the public hot spots since it is compatible with B plus it has the additional speed that you might find yourself needing at home.

And if you are just buying a wireless connection for public hotspots, then B is all you need right now but G is catching on. I'd probably buy the G card in that case as I suspect we'll start seeing G hotspots at some point. But even then, you're just paying extra for future proofing. If you buy B you'll get the full speed at today's hot spots.

 

Wow... good stuff for someone buying their first laptop... thanks!