Amazon.com Product Description
The Linksys Dual-Band Wireless A+G notebook adapter lets your notebook communicate with all three wireless network standards: 802.11b, 802.11a, and 802.11g. Typical 802.11b networks have a data rate of 11 Mbps, and are commonly found in corporate environments and in homes for household Internet connectivity without the need for running cables. They're also popping up all over the country in coffee shops, airports, hotels, convention centers, and other public spaces offering Internet "hot spots" to mobile users.
In high-speed or heavy-usage environments, 802.11b is quickly being replaced by 802.11g, which uses the same 2.4 GHz radio band, but at 54 Mbps--almost five times faster. The third wireless network standard is 802.11a, which also runs at 54 Mbps, but operates in the less-crowded 5 GHz radio band. Corporations are the most common user of 802.11a networks.
Whichever standard you use, the Dual-Band Wireless A+G notebook adapter is ready to connect. And it's simple to use. Just pop it into a PC Card slot and run the included Setup Wizard, which will walk you through the configuration. All wireless communications can be protected by up to 152-bit encryption, so your data stays secure.
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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 the home, wireless networking is available in hotspots at coffee shops, businesses, and airports--great when you're on the road and need to get some work done. For convenience, wireless networking is the answer.
Which 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: 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 WPC55AG Dual-Band 802.11 A+G PC Card - Wireless networking has taken off with computer users for it's ability to give you speedy wireless access to the Internet in a variety of locations. But if you are looking to equip your notebook for wireless fun, which protocol should you use? There's 3 to pick from: 802.11b, 802.11a, & 802.11g. To make things more confusing, some versions are not compatible with each other, so you could be left in the cold when trying to access a particular network! Thankfully, Linksys has made your life easier with the WPC55AG PC Card! This PC Card supports all three wireless versions, so no matter where you go, you're connected!
