Warm: Belkin WiFi PCMCIA Card + PCI Adapter for $40 @ OM

[ViRGE]

The local Office Max is having a sale on Belkin products. Get the Belkin "Wireless Notebook Network Card"(F5D6020) for $60 - $10IR - $10MIR, and get a free "Wireless Desktop PCI Network Adapter"(F5D6000). From the looks of it, most of the OM's should be having the same sale. I'm still trying to figure out how the PCI Adapter comes in for "free" though; it isn't in OM's coupon list, and it's not any sort of IR. Somebody catch something I'm missing?

Edit Latest OM ad(12/15) still shows the same deal going on. Make sure to point out the cupon code, and you should be good

 

[SonicTron]

this would be pretty hot if i had any use for a pcmcia card maybe if it was 2 pci cards then I would buy it

 

[crypticlogin]

In the flyer, there's a little red box underneath the PCI adapter that says "coupon #: xxxxxxxxxxx" (you can see this in the ad online, pg. 4, but the number is too small and blurred to read). I'm *guessing* that if you brought the flyer in at the checkout, they'd be able to punch that number in and it'd deduct the cost of the adapter. It's not a bad deal for someone wanting to hookup a PCI setup, and it's a little cheaper than getting one of the all-in-one PCI units that run $50-60, maybe more.

 

[JJordan]

The "Coupon Number" is 122574414103, but I see no way to add it On Line. on FW, someone suggested you could order and call in for an adjustment.

 

[LouPoir]

Originally posted by: ViRGE
The local Office Max is having a sale on Belkin products. Get the Belkin "Wireless Notebook Network Card"(F5D6020) for $60 - $10IR - $10MIR, and get a free "Wireless Desktop PCI Network Adapter"(F5D6000). From the looks of it, most of the OM's should be having the same sale. I'm still trying to figure out how the PCI Adapter comes in for "free" though; it isn't in OM's coupon list, and it's not any sort of IR. Somebody catch something I'm missing?

The PC card is free IR with the purchase of the PCMCIA card. I bought them today and it took them 10 minutes to figure out how to do it.

Im new to wireless. I thought the PC card was a stand alone wireless card. Not. You have to plug the PCMCIA card in the PC card. I wonder if their all that way??

Lou

 

[JJordan]

No, they are not all that way. You can buy PCI Card that is complete for wirless (around $50-$60).

 

[MrMaster]

However most of them you will find online are like this. If I had the cash I would scoop this up in an instant. Wireless pci and pcmia cards are too expensive yet. If they could just get them down to the $25 level I would be happy.

 

[Tranpkp]

I got a butt load of these months ago from clearance @ Target. Compusa still selling like $100 w/ rebates. I got $20 for a bunch of stuff. They work fine for me. FYI the Decktop PCI adater only works for the Belkin card I thihnk at least it won't work for any other CF adter or other PCMCIA adapters, but I still use my PC hooked up wireless w/ the adapter/card. Good deal if you ask me, still sellint like $60 @ BB and stuff.

 

[CZroe]

I got two of 'em already. The Belkin PCMCIA-to-PCI adapters explicitly state all over themselves and the site that they only work with their network card. I tried booting up with just the PCI card first and XP had no drivers. Because Windows detected it as "Networking Device" and the Belkin drivers require the card to be plugged in during installation, I'd say that it is a Belkin-only adapter.

Regardless, with the two free PCI adapters and two PCMCIA cards I can now network my laptop with either home PC (ADHOC, who needs an Access Point?!) whenever I want for less than $80. Going WiFi for under $80 for the whole setup is SWEET! When I want files from my entertainment system, I put one in my laptop and one in the PC's PCI card adapter. When I want files off my other PC, I just swap the card to its PCI adapter. NONE of my LAN party buddies even have a laptop, but they are all interested in this deal just so they don't have to drop cable at the next LAN.

The obvious disadvantages of these cards: No external antenna (No optional directional antenna for roamers) and it requires Belkin's configuration software even with Windows XP (According to it's notes). Now to get back to toying with them

 

[undefined]

for me, this is HOT because:

• the pcmcia card is prism-based (linux support for host-ap & sniffing),

• has a low profile antenna (supposedly stackable),

• comes with a linux-supported pcmcia-pci adapter (for shared use between a laptop and desktop), and

• all for < $60 (which is about the cheapest i've seen for both a pcmcia card and pci adapter).

i found the pcmcia card at officemax.com here. oddly, it currently sells for $50. guess they are going to raise the price $10 when they start giving away the pcmcia-pci adapter with it. maybe there's an angle there: buy the card this week, then go back next week and have them give you the $10 instant savings, free pcmcia-pci adapter, and reprint the receipt (to qualify for the rebate). that's definitely a YMMV. i'm not crazy enough to try that.

i can't find the pcmcia-pci adapter online at officemax.com. hopefully they are going to start carrying the thing before they start giving it away next week.

the rebate is already online here.

<off-topic rambling>

i have already acquired a brand-new prism-based proxim rangelan-ds @ justdeals.com for $35 a few months ago, which i just got done upgrading to station firmware 1.3.something (from 0.7.3 :frown: ). this card+adapter will let me (hopefully) use two cards on my laptop or have one in both my laptop and desktop.

i don't have a need for 802.11b as all my computers are in one room, i don't roam with my laptop (it stays safe behind the child-proof gate ), and only go on "802.11b neighborhood surveys" once every few months. but i'm interested in the current wireless technologies, and what better way than to make a small investment (~$75 total) and tinker with it. i'm also kinda eyeing the orinoco rg-1000 gateway at justdeals because it can be flashed to an AP-500 (802.1x support, radius authentication, etc). that would keep me busy tinkering for a long while.

</off-topic rambling>

 

[CZroe]

This week? The deal was over last month.
And the price was $49.XX - $10 IR = $39.XX. So is was DECREASED by 10 when the PCI adapter was given away with it

BTW, I've run mine in AP mode using Sputnik's AP Linux boot disk. I couldn't get it to share my Internet connection though

I looked at your rebate link, and there is no F5D6020 (PCMCIA card) or F5D6000 (PCI adapter) offer. The PCMCIA card mentioned is probably just a wired Ethernet card

Thnx for mentioning the AP software. I already knew about it after buying them and then researching why you had to do ADHOC (Basically, it's a conspiracy to sell you hardware) but I wish I knew about that a long time ago!

Compaq and Zoom both have Windows Access Point software for it, but neither will install without a key

 

[undefined]

DANG IT! YOU'RE RIGHT! :|

i saw "F5D5020" on the rebate form and mistook it for "F5D6020" (the part # for the actual pcmcia wireless adapter).

this has got to be either the biggest blooper on the part of om's marketing dept (as it's advertised as rebate available on both the website and b&m circular; free pcmcia-pc adapter in-store only) or a thinly-veiled conspiracy. and i almost fell for it.

UPDATE #1: i just got off the phone with the store manager. it appears he is also baffled by this discrepancy, so he took my name and phone #, and is going to do some research and call me back later today. i'll update everybody once i hear back (and have a chance to get back here).

UPDATE #2: the store manager called me back (and rather promptly) and said that he had received a "mail" (email i suppose) that said that the rebate form was still to be used even though the pcmcia wireless card was not listed. he told me that if my rebate request gets rejected, that i could visit the store with the rebate paperwork, and he would personally take care of it.

so when purchasing this product, you might want to bring this issue up with the store (manager), and see if they won't provide some sort of guarantee. yes, they can deny they ever said anything, but it's better than nothing.

 

[CZroe]

Yeah, I got the circular just after posting that. It DOES still show the offer! I just sent off for my Belkin 6020 rebates last week and I was pushing the deadline (I don't remember the exact date, but I was long past the "purchase by" deadline).

It looks like the deal DID spill-over into the first week of November contrary to what I said above, but I got one on the first Monday (Oct 28) and went back for the Tuesday to find them all sold out. Luckilly, after hasseling them for a while about options the guy brought a couple from around back (He said that if they were being held for someone, I was here and they weren't so I win ). So I got my second one and was on my way.

HOPEFULLY your OM restocked! I'm sure many people can get their OM to honor the flyer's price "instantly" because the REAL rebate form for that is expired

Now, do you suggest that I go for the $54 access point? I really don't need it but it sounds like a good price!

 

[netbull]

Just picked up mine at OfficeMax after reading the weekly flyer. $49.99 with $10 mail-in rebate. Free PCI adapter card is IR using a coupon code on the page. What's even better is I found a couple big boxes named "Complete Office" for $20. It includes a nice Mobile computer workstation (kinda like a laptop stand - wood and steel), a Task chair (cheapy one) and a Mobile file cart. I couldn't believe the price but it's true. It looks like might be a store only deal since I couldn't find it on their site so YMMV. (I bought this in the Page Ave. store in St. Louis, MO)
Nice start of the holiday shopping season for sure.

 

[dp004i]

Got a used one for $30 (without the PCI adapter), seems to work well so far

PS: Didn't know there's a way to network two computers without an AP, if that's the case I just might grab another one.

 

[Epinephrine]

Hey Netbull,

I found a similar deal in Overland Park, KS

Atari Revival - $2.00 (Missle Command, Warload, and Combat)
Complete Office Setup - $20
Belkin Wireless Card with PCI Adapter - $39.99 (after rebate)

All of these Sunday deals are making me attend the "Church of Hot Deals!!"

Thanks!!

 

[ECartman]

I'm using a US Robotics PCMCIA 802.11b card with a Belkin PCI adaptor with no problem, so you certainly can use other than Belkin cards with the PCI adaptor. This price is pretty decent for the PCMCIA card alone, the PCI adaptor is a great bonus.

 

[CZroe]

Originally posted by: dp004i
Got a used one for $30 (without the PCI adapter), seems to work well so far

PS: Didn't know there's a way to network two computers without an AP, if that's the case I just might grab another one.

Fell for the conspiracy to sell additional hardware through missinformation huh?

ECartman:
Is that another Prism chipset version? If so, that's because it's THE SAME CARD

 

[kerokeroppi82]

hmmm...cant you use a $10 coupon from another place (staples) to make it $49 - $10 coupon - $10 MIR = $30?

 

[Draknor]

Sweet deal!!!

So here's my order (placed online):

Belkin PCI Home Networking Card ($4.99)
Belkin Wireless PCMCIA Network Card ($49.99)
Belkin Wireless Access Point ($99.99)

I used a $20 off $100 coupon, so total + tax ($11) = $146

Then I called Customer Service and asked for the $35 IR for the access point (listed in sales flyer) and the free PCI wireless adapter. She added those to the order, so now my total is at $111.

After rebates ($5 + $10 + $10), total comes to $86 for a PCI ethernet card (needed another anyway!), wireless card + PCI adapter, and wireless AP. Not a bad deal if you ask me!

 

[ViRGE]

Bump. The deal's still going on.

 

[Syclone]

Draknor, I can't find the wireless cards online, can you tell me how you did it?

 

[kryp101]

Please post the SKU #

thanks

 

[ViRGE]

As taken out of the ad:

PCMCIA card: 2010-5743
PCI-PCMCIA Adapter: 2010-5672
Coupon #(to get the adapter for free): 122574415625

 

[spanky]

does OD take staples coupons?