Advice on Speedstream wireless PCI adapter vs. any USB wireless adapter

[duuuma]

I'm looking for a cheap PCI wireless NIC and found this speedsteam model for $25. Is it worth getting to go along with my Netgear MR814? Anyone with experience with this card? Any opinions are welcome

 

[duuuma]

anyone?

 

[skyking]

unless it has a pigtail antenna, I lean toward the usb units. The card-mounted antennas are heavily blocked by the computer case, monitor, etc. The usb adapters can be placed higher, with better reception.

 

[duuuma]

Thanks for the tip. I also have in mind a compaq wireless usb adapter.

My friends use PCI wireless cards and usually have no problems though. I'm not sure what the pigtail antenna looks like. What brand/model uses such a antenna?

Anyone with the particular model I'm looking at, the Speedstream (Siemens) SS1024?

 

[alpineranger]

I have no experience with wireless PCI adapters, but I would highly recommend a USB adapter. If you choose to go the PCI route, I would probably opt to add an external antenna, which would make up for the inherently poor placement of the default attached antenna. I personally use exclusively USB adapters because 1) all my pci slots are taken 2)I like the flexibility of being able to move the adapter to another computer quickly and easily.

I use the netgear MR814 as well. I need the signal to go several hundred feet through lots of walls and doors, and I found that a higher gain, directional antenna improved the signal tremendously.

 

[Flashram]

I have 2 of the Speedstream USB adapters and they both work great. I was pleasantly surprised for $19 each.

 

[scorpioLP]

I would recommend the USB over PCI too.

It won't take away another slot, better reception, much easier to swap out, etc.

 

[duuuma]

Thanks everyone. I took all of your advice and got an usb adapter. The Netgear MA111 works really well, but I believe WinXP is having some issues with it as my computer will encounter a fatal error occasionally and reboot itself...if anyone has experience with this, please let me know .

Thanks again.