Wireless NIC Problem, Any Suggestions?

[Playmaker]

My sister has a computer from Best Buy that is about a year old, with the service plan. This summer she wanted a wireless NIC so I bought the Linksys Wireless-G desktop card for our Linksys Wireless-G router. After installing it, the computer would freeze at the first splash screen and not POST. I could get into the BIOS, but other then that it would not boot up. With the card out, it works fine. I had the same problem with all open PCI slots. I brought it into to Best Buy thinking they'd send it in to get the motherboard replaced, but the guy suggested I try another card first. I exchanged the card for another Linksys and had the same problem. I brought it in again today and they tried a Netgear card and it worked fine. He said the Linksys cards must not work with the computer.

My questions...Would a D-Link or Netgear Wireless card affect range/performance at all given that the router is Linksys? Does this "Linksys cards don't work in this computer" answer sound plausible? Or would replacing the motherboard fix the problem? The D-Link cards are sold out and the Netgear cards are more expensive than the Linksys, so I'd rather just get the Linksys to work. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Oyeve]

Let us know what mobo it is in, we may find issues with it. I generally only use USB wireless nics as i find them to be more reliable and I dont have to open my case if I get issues like you are getting. I find that the less than is installed in the case/mobo the less can go wrong. USB rocks.

 

[Gunbuster]

What Oyeve said, just get a USB wireless NIC

 

[Playmaker]

Is the D-Link Wireless-G USB card decent? Would there be much of a difference between it and the Linksys or Netgear models? It is the same price as the PCI Linksys card, so that would work out great.

 

[MDE]

You can mix and match brands without a problem. I'm using a Netgear 802.11g router with a Broadcom 802.11g chip in my laptop and a D-Link 802.11b card in my desktop without a problem.