Paging Gyp

Looking through the group's archives on USB wi-fi thingies, and the
Philips one you got from Staples peaked my interest. Can I find it on
Staples' website though? Oh no.

Any pointers?

 

http://www.staples.co.uk/ENG/Catalog/cat_sku.asp?CatIds=,&webid=34431151&affixedcode=WW

or

http://www.staples.co.uk/ENG/Catalog/cat_sku.asp?CatIds=,&webid=34433685&affixedcode=WW

 

A telescopic pointer pen.

A laser pointer.

How do they do wi-fi then, and where do I plug them in?

 

heh again.

Oops again.

That's a Class 1 *whoosh*, then.

Jeez, MikeH's humour is just lost on some people.

 

FFS, that's just about sums up the reviews for every single USB wi-fi job
on the market, with some people having no problems at all, and the rest
getting drop outs and needing re-installs etc.

I want something very reliable as I don't have wi-fi at home but want
something for my laptop when I'm away in a hotel or something. I can test
whatever I buy by taking the laptop to work, but that's about it.

I suppose that PCMCIA won't be any better anyway.

It seemed such a good idea when I thought about it initially.

 

Not "lost on", "ignored by". Hardly sophisticated humour was it?

 

No, it wasn't. But it was funny, though.

Well, I thought it was anyway, and that's all that counts.

 

<Tired old refrain mode>

Windows does that - are you using the Windows built-in zero config
service or is it being handled by an application provided by the
wireless card vendor?

Cos you'd be better off (in my experience) relying on the card vendors
management program rather than on the Windows wireless network
handling.

Phil

 

After a few days of it being perfect, I started having problems. In the
end I uninstalled the Philips software are went for the XP built in
drivers and it's been perfectly fine ever since.

I based this on the only one of my machines that was totally 100% stable
for wifi being the one that was using the windows drivers, and so have
now started using them throughout my network with encouraging results
(so far)

Anyway, the device in question was the Philips SNU6500 Wireless USB
adapter, but Staples no longer appear to have it, which isn't a surprise
as they were on clearance when I bought my two.

 

Not very practical for the true road warrior but if all you're looking
for is use in hotels and such like then it might be worth looking at a
gaming adapter that plugs into the ethernet port.

Something like this
http://www.pcworld.co.uk:80/martprd/product/LINKSYS/WGA54G/374215

 

Thanks John, but I really want something smaller and lighter. Preferably
able to handle higher speeds and WPA (for when I connect at work - not
that I'll do that much, oh no).

 

That looks like the base station. At least when I put 'SNU6500' into
Amazon, that's what it returns.

Anyway, I'm encouraged by the comments from you and Champ, so I'll look
around for something that fits the bill and preferably can buy locally to
reduce returns hassles.

 

Ah, more digging yields the SNU5600 which is a 54Mbps USB stick. Or the
SNN6500 which is a 108Mbps PCMCIA card.

 

Ah OK - mine is based on the Intel software that's shipped on our
current round of laptops - it has a 100% success rate whereas the
Windows software has about a 60% success rate.

As with anything involving software and hardware YMMV.

The main flaw with the vendor stuff is that you actually have to log in
for it to pick up the wireless.

Phil

 

There was a bunch of clearance wifi stuff in the Swindon Staples so it
might be worth taking a whizz by your local branch.

 

Another UKRM'er round here?

<Add another name to the "run over on sight" list>

Phil

 

I'm going to Swindon on Friday.

Ali

 

<Thinks>
<Types>
<Erases>

<Types anyway>

That's OK - I have a cow-catcher on the front of the car

<Runs away and hides under the desk>

Phil

 

<spam>

Need directions to a good cafe for breakfast/lunch?

</spam>


--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

I do for next week - I've got most of the week off and I'm aiming to
get out on the bike at least one of the days..

Other than the day where I take it down to Chippenumumumum for it's MOT
and service of course.

Phil.