D-Link DWA-160 Extreme-N Duo Dual-Band Draft 802.11n USB Adapter
by D-Link
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Category: CE
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: D-LinkAudio: English (Original Language); French (Original Language)
Format: CD
Platform: Windows
Model: DWA-160
Color: blackwhite
Product features:
- The Duo technology in the DWA-160 supports selectable dualband (2.4GHz or 5GHz) wireless signals.
- The DWA-160 utilizes MediaBand (5GHz), which is the best technology available for wirelessly streaming HD videos across your network
- D-Linkâ¿¿s Quick Adapter Setup Wizard guides you step-by-step through the installation process
- Delivers up to 14x faster speeds* and 6x farther range* than 802.11g
- Xtreme N Duo is the latest addition to the award-winning Xtreme N product family
- D-Link DIR-685 Xtreme N Storage Router and Photo Frame, 2.5" Drive Bay, 3.2" LCD, Draft 11n
- D-Link DIR-825 Extreme-N Dual-Band Gigabit Router
- D-Link DGL-4500 Extreme-N Selectable Dual-Band Gaming Router
- D-Link DIR-655 Extreme-N Gigabit Wireless Router
- D-Link DIR-855 Extreme-N Duo Dual-Band Draft 802.11n Media Router
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of D-Link DWA-160 Extreme-N Duo Dual-Band Draft 802.11n USB Adapter
Customer Review: Unusual Design But Works OK
Summary: 4 Stars
I received this adapter with a DLINK N router. I found it to work fairly well, although I could not test the speed due to my laptop limitations. Note that you should use this with the DLINK routers, since the "N" wireless standard is not yet, well, standardized. Also, this adapter has special speed capabilities when paired with a corresponding DLINK router.
The adapter has a very unusual configuration. It comes with a USB cable that terminates in what looks like a wireless transmitter, but in fact is the base station for the actuall transmitter (which is pictured here). I suppose this allows one to get better reception, but it looks strange. The "antenna" portion has a removable cap, which is the black part pictured above.
The instructions said to run the install wizard, which I did. This is not unusual. However, these wizards usually just install the drivers, and then Windows (I'm using XP) recognizes the adaptor when it is inserted. Instead, the wizard said to connect the adapter about 1/2 way through the install process. It then connected to my home network, including my typing in the security codes. The only problem is that once the wizard was finished, I had no connectivity. I rebooted my machine and used the Windows XP connection manager to scan for and connect to my network. After that it worked fine.
I had my laptop only about 20 feet from the base station, and I only had 4 bars reception, so I'm not sure how well this adaptor will fulfill the long range requirement.
For newer laptops with USB 2.0, this adaptor may work pretty well, but the unusual base station requires a lot of room in the laptop case. A PC-Card is much slimmer and easier to fit into that case. So I think that this adapter is best reserved for those with lots of room in their laptop case, or for desktop users who have the corresponding DLINK router.
****** Update ******
I finally hooked the device up to my laptop USB2 port (via PC card) to evaluate it's performance. The local area connection went to 130, as opposed to the normal 54. So far as Internet download goes, I'm restricted to 3 Mb anyway, so both this adapter and my internal Dell A/B minicard performed the same. However, if you were transferring files over the network between PCs, or using the network printer, this adapter is significantly faster than a standard one. If local network transfers are important, this this router/adaptor combination may be worth the extra money.
Having used this for a while, I find that I actually like the light and the configuration with a separate USB base. I can easily see the internet blinking when activity is in progress. However, I am using my laptop in a static environment, so size and bulk don't matter. For traveling purposes I don't this this is the smallest option. But hooked up to a desktop with a matching D-Link router, the local LAN performance would be superior, and the extended cord would allow better antenna locations, away from the PC itself.
Description of D-Link DWA-160 Extreme-N Duo Dual-Band Draft 802.11n USB Adapter
The D-Link® Xtreme N Dual Band USB Adapter (DWA-160) is the latest addition to the award-winning Xtreme N product family. The DWA-160 is designed for users looking to get a reliable wireless connection that can handle High-Defi nition (HD) video streams throughout the house. This is achieved by using the DWA-160 together with an 11n dual band router (D-Link DIR-855 or DIR-825 recommended).Digital Cameras & Photo Categories
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