Product Description

With NETGEAR's 54 Mbps Wireless Router and PC Card Kit, you're all set to experience blazing-fast 54 Mbps wireless speeds and impressive range. Up to five times faster than 802.11b, these higher speeds give a significant boost to your computer network, making it easy to surf the Web, download large files, videoconference, stream high-quality digital movies, MP3 music and photos, and play online games. Use it to quickly network one or more PCs, game consoles, or media players in your home, avoiding unsightly Ethernet cables. This wireless router and PC card also work with 802.11b wireless products so you can use them with your existing 802.11b devices as well as your 54 Mbps, 802.11g devices. Double Firewall with Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) advanced security provides maximum protection from professional hackers. The highest available level of Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) means you can rest assured that your wireless network communications are private. URL blocking and e-mail alerts provide parents with controls to limit access to inappropriate web sites and monitor children's access. Simple to install, you just follow the cues shown on your PC screen.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23079 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Netgear
• Model: WGB511NA
• Platform: Windows
• Dimensions: 8.90" h x 2.70" w x 10.90" l, .66 pounds

Features

• Kit includes both wireless router and wireless PC card for laptops
• Wireless router provides basic wireless networking and up to four wired connections
• Touchless WiFi Security makes securing your wireless network easy
• Delivers wireless reach to your desktop anywhere in your home
• Wireless laptop card provides mobile access to wireless router, office network or public hotspots

From the Manufacturer

The Netgear WGB51 Wireless Networking kit contains everything you need to get a laptop that lacks built-in wireless support up and running on a wireless network in your home or small office.

Netgear’s 54 Mbps Wireless Router offers a simple, secure method to add wireless to your network at a great value. It makes sharing your cable/DSL connection with other PCs a snap, enhancing your ability to download large files, video conference, distribute and play high-quality digital movies, photos and MP3s. The router also features double firewall protection that helps shield the network from malicious intrusions with two security methods—Network Address Translation (NAT) and Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI). All this in Netgear’s compact signature design, plus a convenient stand for vertical positioning.

The 54 Mbps Wireless Router is optimized for use with Netgear’s 54 Mbps Wireless PC Card (WG511), PCI Adapter (WG311), or USB Adapter (WG111). I t also i s backward compatible with 802.11b wireless devices.

Netgear’s 54 Mbps Wireless PC Card delivers wireless access to your laptop when installed in any available CardBus PC Card Type II slot. Optimized for use with the 54 Mbps Wireless Router, it enables you to download large files, video conference, distribute and play high-quality digital movies, photos and MP3s without the cost and effort of running new wiring. Installation is fast and easy thanks to a unique setup CD that automatically detects necessary settings, and a configuration utility that lets you monitor signal strength and adjust security settings. Standard 802.11g compliant and backwards compatible, it works with either 802.11g or 802.11b wireless routers and access points.

Customer Reviews

Use it as an access point...
I used to like Netgear. Great products with excellent design.
But, after moving to VoIP we need a stable firewall/router, one that just works w/o any questions or hickups.
The WGB511 I tried meet those (simple) demands. It sort of "hung" unexplainably when you most needed it. A switch to another WGB511 and later an upgrade to a newer version of WGB511 did not help.
It seemed to happen the same time Netgear went for more "design" and consumer product orientation, leaving their stoic, but realiable, blue metal boxes behind.

I eventually put the Linksys that vonage had provided at the "entry", replacing the Netgear, and it has been running now for over 2 years w/o any issues.
However, the Netgear works great as an accesspoint where reliability is not as important, but I tend to use WiFi as little as I can since the house is fully wired.

Sometimes it works, some times it doesn't.
When the router is working, it works beautifully. It seems that the router will eventually just stop allowing connections (possibly due to overheating). The fix is to just turn it off and back on. The wireless card bundled with the router also seems to be a little finicky. You would think that the card would work perfectly with the router, but it does not. The software that comes with the wireless card isn't great, but it can do the job. All in all, you get what you pay for.

No regrets
Contrary to popular belief, I even had a good experience the one time I needed technical support. A few random disconnects, but overall a great product.