Cisco-Linksys WGA54G Wireless-G Gaming Adapter

by Cisco

Product Details

Product Manual [661kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 3.9 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches ; 7 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00009X6DT
• Item model number: WGA54G
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (192 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,382 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 3, 2004

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

From the Manufacturer The Wireless-G Game Adapter gives any wired Ethernet-equipped game console wireless connection capabilities. The Game Adapter can be used in two different ways. If you have an existing home wireless network and a cable or DSL Internet connection, the Game Adapter lets your PlayStation2, Xbox or GameCube attach to the network so you can get into online games without running wires to the game room. Or, use a pair of Game Adapters to form a "cable-less cable" between two game consoles for head-to-head gaming--in the same room, or all the way across the house.

It's completely driver-free, so it works on any platform. Since there are no drivers to load, setup is a snap. In some cases, it works right out of the box! If your setup's a little different--just configure the network settings through your PC's web browser, plug it into your game box, and go.

The Wireless-G Game Adapter provides lag-free gaming with communication speeds up to 54 Mbps when connected to other Wireless-G devices. It can also connect to Wireless-B (802.11b) devices and networks at 11 Mbps.

Spend your time gaming, not stringing wires, with the Linksys Wireless-G Game Adapter.

See a comparison diagram of the different wireless technologies.

Wireless networks are rapidly becoming more popular and coming down in price. Since they don't require cables, you can use the devices anywhere in an office or home, even out on the patio. There's no need to roll out an Ethernet network cable to each room of a house; you can network anywhere -- without wires. Outside of the home, wireless networking is available in hotspots at coffee shops, businesses, airports -- great when you're on the road and need to get some work done. For convenience, wireless networking is the answer. What Wireless Standard is Right for Me? Now that you've decided to create a wireless network, the next step is to figure out which wireless standard to use. Basically, a standard is a set of specifications for a device. All devices that follow a specific standard share operating characteristics, such as the radio frequency used and maximum data transfer speed. For wireless networking, there are three standards to choose from at this time: 802.11b 802.11a 802.11g 802.11a/g To learn about the differences between the standards and select the right one for your network, click here for an easy-to-understand chart.

Product Description

Linksys WGA54G Wirelss-G Game Adapter. Gives any wired-Ethernet-equipped game console wireless connection capabilities. The Game Adapter can be used in two different ways. If you have an existing home wireless network with a Cable/DSL Internet connection the Game Adapter lets your PlayStation 2 Xbox or GameCube attach to the network so you can get into online games without running wires to the game room. Or use a pair of Game Adapters to form a "cable-less cable" between two game consoles for head-to-head gaming--in the same room or all the way across the house.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

143 of 157 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hardware works, software stinks, August 28, 2004

By 

Rarkm "rarkm" (Camp Hill, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cisco-Linksys WGA54G Wireless-G Gaming Adapter (Personal Computers)

This took me about 2 hours to set up, after about 20 attempts. The hardware works fine, but both the setup utility and the operating manual are poor and only handle connecting to simple networks. I have a non-standard (read: I didn't let Microsoft set up my network automatically) network and a Linksys Wireless G router, with 128 bit WEP (encryption) as well as MAC filtering set on. (My neighbor across the street also has a wireless network, which I didn't know until I started fooling around with this one.)
In essence, if you use a router gateway to the net (which you absolutely should for its inherent hardware firewall capabilities) and you use wireless encryption (which you absolutely should to make it difficult for a techie neighbor from eavesdropping in on your network) you must set this device up manually. Not only that, but you have to set up your game machine network settings manually as well.

First, routers usually also act as DHCP servers (meaning that they'll automatically give an IP address to anything logging onto the network). That means that unless you give the device a static IP address you're never sure which address your game machine will have when it boots up. The same thing is true of the WGA54G. Unless you specify a proper static IP address and netmask, it won't connect. So you have to give both the game machine and the WGA54G (different) static addresses within the range of your local network and which don't conflict with any existing devices.

Secondly, if you do MAC filtering, you need to realize that the WGA54G has TWO ethernet adapters: the wired one (which you stick the cable plug into) and the wireless one (that connects to the antenna). The MAC address of the WIRELESS device must be included in the filter settings of your router, or it'll be blocked. Linksys doesn't make it clear how to find that address (it gives you the wired MAC address on the label), but the wireless MAC device is one of the two MACs you've got to include in your
router's filter list. (Hint: it's one digit higher than the wired MAC address -- just add 1 to the last two hex digits). The other MAC address needed is of the IP adapter contained in your game device (or attachment). That you have to obtain from your game network setup screens. I'm not completely sure why the WGA54G's wired adapter address isn't needed, my guess is that since it doesn't make any packet requests of the wireless router (interacts only with the game machine) it's not "seen" by the router.

You'll have to all of this by logging into the WGA54G's built in HTTP (web) server interface and your router's interface, not with the setup software on the disk.

Finally (on the Xbox, anyway), you've got to specify another static IP address for the game adaptor AND specify the router address as the DNS server (remember it allocates IP addresses for connected devices and stands between you and the internet, translating your network requests to the outside world.

If this sounds like Greek to you, well you're in good company. But this device is not inexpensive and is promoted as being easy to use.

It may be that Linksys can't tailor its software to every situation, but they can certainly write better documentation to help novices cope with the issues raised by slightly more complicated local networks. I also think that its odd that a wi-fi "G" device doesn't support the newer and more secure WPA encryption standards (which Linksys certainly includes in its wireless routers). That means that you will have to run your whole network on WEP encryption if you have this device set up, because WPA devices can't coexist with WEP encryption. WEP can be hacked, and WPA basically, cannot (unless you're a lot spookier than the average wardriver).

Yeah, it runs kind of hot, and yeah its LED lights are kind of strange, but who cares about that? The problem with this device is that it seems to have been shipped too early and because it's a game device is not being seriously supported or updated by Linksys in the same way that they'd support a "serious" device.

Like I said, the hardware seems to work fine (haven't experienced any of the dropped signals others report here), it's the software and documentation that's lacking.

Is there a better alternative? I don't know, I don't have the money and time to find out and I got this puppy running, so I'm movin' on to other things. I do know that Linksys is a decent manufacturer and can do better.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars IF you can get it configed, works great!!!, April 4, 2006

By 

Red Rhino (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cisco-Linksys WGA54G Wireless-G Gaming Adapter (Personal Computers)

Ok, several other people have left reviews here on troubles configuring this device and I ran into the same. After hours and hours of searching the web, I found a tip here and a tip there and eventually got it configured. Hopefully this will help someone who is having some trouble configuring this device.

First I have the WGA54G v2, however, I believe these should help anyone who has v1 or the AG devices.

1) Plug the adapter into your CPUs ethernet port with the RJ45 cable that comes with it and the other end into the game adapter.
2) Since the game adapter will default to 192.168.1.250, you will need to configure your ethernet port to work with the above address. I set mine to 192.168.1.249.
3) Plug in the power for your game adapter and give it about 30 seconds to boot up and configure itself. Open your browser and go to 192.168.1.250 (may want to run the setup on the CD first), but some people may be able to go directly to the game adapter without running the setup CD.
4) Once you are logged on the game adapter, be sure to set up your WEP settings, if you want to use it. Sorry WPA or WPA2 security doesn't work, so you have to configure your whole network to use WEP.
5) On the advanced page you need to be sure you are using a Mixed Mode even if all your devices are 'G band', also don't forget to set the router to mixed too. Cloning should be disabled and don't forget to set the gateway.
6) After changing the settings on the game adapter and you can test your device by pinging 192.168.1.250 on your network. If you get a response your are set, if not, you should start over and make sure you set up everything correctly.
7) Once you have the game adapter working, unplug it from your computer and plug it into the game console. You will need to set your game console to use a static IP as well. Configure your game console to use a static ip as well. (at least I had too, I used 192.168.1.251)

Linksys tech support is hopeless, don't even waste your time calling them. IMPORTANT: if your wireless light doesn't stay on, don't worry about it. Mine doesn't and it works fine, I spent hours trying to get it to turn on when it was working all the time. As long as you can ping it you are fine.

I hope these directions helps save someone the hours I spent figuring this out, and I really, really, really wish Linksys would do better with their documentation.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Product Once It's Working..., March 17, 2005

By 

Jared Dove "Rico" (ABQ, NM) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cisco-Linksys WGA54G Wireless-G Gaming Adapter (Personal Computers)

I didn't read all of the reviews so some of this information is probably repeated. Although some people have not had any problems, I feel I should walk through a good method for setting up this device with most security features, i.e. WEP, disabled SSID broadcast, and MAC filtering. I also use DHCP, so I will talk about this as well.

1) Log in to the web utility and perform all of the following manually (don't use the setup disk). If you are unable to log in to the web utility, this may be due to an issue which Linksys has conveniently left out of it's technical documentation. On some computers, you must set your IP address and Default Gateway for your wired adapter. IP: 192.168.1.100 and Default Gateway: 192.168.1.250 Now log in to the utility as suggested by Linksys

2) As far as entering all of the necessary information, I recommend disabling the SSID and MAC filter (on your router) first. Go ahead and enter the WEP key and SSID into the WGA54G's web utility. Save the information and then proceed to the advanced tab. If your router uses DHCP, click on the appropriate button, then save the settings. (You probably won't be able to access the WGA54G after this using your PC). Follow the correct device startup sequuecne discussed below and you are almost good to go.

3) Now you can worry about the MAC filter and SSID broadcast. Changing either option does not require you to re-access the WGA54G. Change the appropriate settings on your router and you should be good to go.

Note: Don't worry if the Wireless-G LED isn't lit. This does not mean anything. The device could be working perfectly and you wouldn't even know it because the LED is rarely solid. Nice of Linksys to mention that, huh?

Note2: Make sure you follow the correct startup order of devices. Router on, WGA54G on, XBox on.

Note3: I found patience to be the most important thing. If you are like me, you require instant network gratification. I am using this device to play Halo with some friends on a LAN at home. When the XBox starts looking for a multiplayer game, give it time!!!!! Give it up to 30 seconds (the first time) to connect to the router and find the game. After the first time, it should find games right away.

Fianl Note: The router I used was the Linksys WRT54GS, although the use of a different router with the same capabilities should not affect (ideally) the above process.