Customer Reviews

Netgear MA521 802.11b Wireless PC Card

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I bought this card after having lots of problems with a linksys card. I have a dell laptop and I'm running Windows XP Home. The linksys card had poor signal strength and repeatedly dropped signals, even if seated next to the router. This netgear card is phenomenal. The signal hasn't been dropped yet and I have a signal throughout my house (4000 sq. ft.) and outside! Avoid the linksys card and buy netgear! I can't say enough good things about this card. I love it!

I bought the whole deal - 2 wireless Neatgear MA 521 PC cards for our 2 laptops and the FM114P.
I am quite pleased, so far, with how it works (granted I've only been using it for a week).

The cards were the easiest thing to deal with. No problems there.

BUT - if you're using Windows XP, be prepared to figure out any problems by yourself. The support staff, via the web, could only quote the manual for me.

HINT: if you are using the FM114P with Windows XP, DISABLE the XP firewall in the Network settings. Your computer won't be able to find the Printer Port on the FM114P, otherwise.

You're not going to need that Firwewall, anyway. The router IS a firwewall. I used to get upwards of 30-40 potentially harmful inbound events registered on my Personal Firewall software before using the Neatgear router. Now, I'm surprised if I see 3 to 5 (even with XP's Firewall shut off).

Several people have noted that Windows XP does not detect this card automatically. This is true. The trick is to install the latest drivers (from the web, not the CD), then insert the card. Of course this might be a chicken-and-egg kind of problem, since you need to have access to the web before you can install the card. I downloaded the driver on my Ethernet-connected desktop, burned it to CD, then installed it on my laptop. Then (and this is very important), I told the driver install program to let Windows manage my wireless networking. The built-in Windows XP wireless utilities work much better than the Netgear ones, especially if you have Service Pack 2.

Once everything's set up, the card works great, and drop-outs are usually attributable to the router or access point, not the card itself. Netgear just needs to write better drivers. Three-and-a-half stars overall, but Amazon doesn't let me assign half stars.

I just purchased this w.card after having D-Link's 650+ w.card. With the D-Link, I constantly lost connections and when I took out the card, I had to reload the drivers often. This card is working like a dream. I'm able to establish my VPN which I wasn't able to prior and I haven't lost connection yet. I am also using D-Link's 614+ (very good router) and I had no complications with using an alternate brand w.card. The installation was very quick and easy with no problems. I was able to get online w/out updating the drivers, but did update them just in case. The Netgear website was easy to find the downloads. Nice product.

We'd just set up our wireless network using a Netgear MR814 router, and had one desktop computer plugged into the router via cable. Next step was to get my wife's Toshiba/WinXP laptop connected wirelessly to the network so that she could simultaneously roam house and net. The Netgear MA521 card slid right in, and the installation software was straightforward (including printed instructions to walk the uncertain user through each detail). Installation and configuration took maybe 15-20 minutes (and we're very slow and methodical about such things). Connection strength and speed throughout the house (typically 40-50 feet and 2 or three walls away from the router) is high. It's been a few weeks now, and we haven't had to touch card or configuration once since installation...

Recently purchased this card in lieu of the MA401 by NETGEAR. Plugged it in & I was off & running!! Have it configured to a MR814 NETGEAR Router. I have the router upstairs & I can actually reach my deck on the first floor (about 500 feet away).. So now I can sit outside and "surf!" I highly reccomend this & the MR814.

I bought this card for an old Toshiba laptop (Win98) that I got off of eBay, so I could access the DSL at home and school. I bought this card because 1)it was cheap and 2)it did not stick out of the laptop very far, which I hate about most PCMCIA wireless cards.

I wiped the hard drive and put XP Home SP2 on the laptop, and popped in this card. It asked for the drivers from the CD, and in less than five minutes I was connected and up and running on my wireless at home. So far so good, but I soon discovered that this card has a few odd quirks:

1) I ordered this card from a Zshops seller on Amazon.com, and I got a Comcast MA521, which is basically the same as the Netgear, uses Netgear drivers and utility etc. Same card, just rebranded.

2) When I am connected to my Linksys WAP11 at home, the signal is never full bars, and even sitting right next to the router, the signal varies from 2 to 4 bars for no apparent reason. However, when I connect to the Linksys WRT54G at school, the signal meter works just fine. Definately odd.

3) Once I am not in the same room as the router, this card will drop the connection and reconnect every few minutes. It is not a great problem because it usually reconnects in a second or two, but it means the "Connected to..." message keeps coming up. To get rid of these messages I let the Netgear utility program manage my wireless connections, but it still drops the connection for a second or two. Kinda annoying.

4) If I bring the laptop out of hibernation mode, the card does not connect properly the first time. I have to pull it out and push it back in to get a proper connection.

These 'quirks' occur only with my Linksys WAP11, so it appears that this card just does not get allong with my WAP11, which is rather annoying. It works fine with the newer WRT54G.

So basically, you get what you pay for. Don't expect excellent signal range, and it does start dropping the connection as the signal strenght gets low, which is annoying. It does its job though.

I have been using an SMC wireless card for some time now (with XP Pro) and couldn't figure out why the signal was being dropped every 5 or 10 minutes. Incredibly aggrevating! My dad also had an SMC card and XP Pro with his laptop and was having similar problems. It wasn't until I read reviews on Amazon when I was looking for a new card that I realized it wasn't the router or the age of my card (dad had newer), but the compatibility of SMC with XP Pro. I ordered two of the Netgear MA521s for both of us and neither has had any problems since. It takes slightly longer on boot up for the card to recognize that the network is there, but after that, never drops the signal. It has good range, I've been everywhere in our two-story, four-bedroom house and have not had a problem anywhere. I would highly recommend this card, especially to anyone running XP Pro.

I found the MA521 at Staples for $39 with a $20 mail in rebate. I already own an MA401 which I use in my other laptop. I didn't realize these two cards differed until the installation completed and I recognized a difference in the appearence of the config util. I had hoped the 521 would outperform the 401 (not that the 401 is a slouch). The install went very smooth for the 521 as opposed to some minor problems I experienced with the 401. However, my laptop was setting on my desk barely 24 inches from the router and the signal strength of the 521 was in the 82% range with link quality about 10% higher. I was amazed yet totally disappointed! How could ANY wireless device not achieve 100% signal and link when so close to the access point?!? Two rooms away is my other laptop with it's 401. A quick check showed 100% for signal strength and link quality! There must be a big difference in the internals of the 521 and the 401. While the 521 is a nice card for a nice price after rebate, I prefer to have a better performing card and will be exchanging the 521 for a 401 (IF I can find a 401!). If your wireless needs are such that the very best in signal and link is not required, then the 521 would be a nice card to own. It's a great card, just not as good as the 401.

This card was extremely easy to setup and linked up quickly. The signal is strong even across the house.