Cisco-Linksys WGA54G Wireless-G Gaming Adapter
by Linksys
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Our Price: $89.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $24.99 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Cisco-Linksys WGA54G Wireless-G Gaming Adapter
Customer Review: Not Ready For Prime Time
Summary: 1 Stars
After reading several reviews, I figured that the WGA54G was just hard to configure, and since I've written networking code before I thought that I could figure it out. I bought it to hook my DirecTV DVR (HR21-700) to my home network and since I already had a Linksys router, I thought that I'd stick with a known quantity.
I was trying to use this in an Infrastructure environment (not head-to-head) with a Linksys WRT54G with everything updated to the latest firmware revisions. Interestingly enough, the firmware on the WGA54G was one revision higher (1.16) than what Linksys had on their web page as the latest version! My wireless is WPA secured and is a 802.11g only network.
Setup via the web-based method was "nominal" given that I'm somewhat of a networking expert, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone that is using any security or non-mixed (802.11g only) infrastructure. The device would not consistently "take" the setup parameters. Just to be sure, I used the PC setup program with the same results. Many parameters did not survive a power cycle.
I was able to see the device right after power up on the network but it soon disappeared and would not hook up consistently and definitely did not allow my DVR onto the network.
After about 4 hours of reading web postings and trying different setups and configurations, I bailed on this device and the next day got an Airport Express. Apple 802.11g AirPort Express Base Station with AirTunes It took literally 5 minutes to hook up the Express and have it bridge my DVR over to the network so it's definitely worth the extra $30.
Customer Review: DirecTV Video On Demand
Summary: 5 Stars
I just purchased this today and won't receive it until Friday. I am hoping that this adapter has the CAT5 connector on the end, I read the product description but didn't find anything stating whether it was USB or CAT5. My DirecTV only works with a CAT5, the USB is still not available. DirecTV now has for free Video On Demand (VOD) starting with channel 1000. So if USA is channel 245 on DirecTV then 1245 will be the DirecTV VOD. When I get this I hope it's compatible with my 2WIRE QWEST modem because I am running a wireless network I need for this adapter to work with my wireless modem. Once I have my VOD hooked up and hopefully running well I will post another review or update to let you know if this works for the DirecTV VOD service. The price I paid here is the same as Newegg and a couple other places but with Amazon my shipping was free. Keeping my fingers crossed! Well I have owned it now for two weeks and it works great picking up my neighbors wireless connection but not mine. I ran the setup disk (first mistake) and tried to get it to download my DirecTV VOD but it just doesn't want to seem to work on my network, I would make sure before you buy this that you have more knowledge about wireless networks than the average user because I can't get mine to work, the lights come on and it says its working but it's not, oh well.
UPDATE January 11, 2009
Forgot that I had written this review. I received this item, it has a CAT5 connection, I hooked it up to my DIRECTV and now receive Video On Demand and it works great with my wireless network modem from QWEST. I highly recommend this item if you want to use the VOD on DIRECTV
Customer Review: If you enjoy frustration, go right ahead and get this one
Summary: 1 Stars
We purchased this adapter and tried to use it with our existing Microsoft wireless home network. We set up our Microsoft network in less than 15 minutes, so we thought this would be easy. After an hour of trying to follow the "simple" installation directions, we could not get the computer to detect the adapter and vice-versa. We spent another hour waiting for an available support technician to answer our call. Then, the clueless support tech spent over 90 minutes talking us around in useless circles. He had no idea how to fix the problem. He put us on hold (presumably to go ask somebody who could speak English) and after an additional 30 minutes of waiting for him to come back to the phone, we hung up. Total time trying to connect this simple device: 4 fruitless hours. Also, the Linksys support website featured a host of broken & totally useless links, including the online support link. This should have been a clue as to what type of terrible experience we were going to have. I wish we had checked this out before purchasing. Futhermore, Linksys USA needs to hire support personnel who speak English clearly and concisely without heavy foreign accents. Most Americans DO NOT want to talk to a foreigner who can barely speak English when they are in the middle of having technical problems. I certainly don't. It might not be "PC" to says this, but I don't really care. After all, I couldn't move to France and presume to offer sound technical support using "broken" French. All of these issues add up to a miserable experience. I reccomend not buying from Linksys until these issues are resolved.Customer Review: If you value your sanity, stay away.
Summary: 1 Stars
I have spent a lot of money on a lot of useless electronic things in my day. But not a single one of them has frustrated me like this tremendous piece of death. I bought it at Staples for about 100 bucks, which seemed pricey but I was determined to play the new Madden online (I have the PS2.) I read the box a few times, and I couldn't get any real information from it. I use a Macintosh, and the box doesn't mention that the supplied software will not work on a Mac. Okay, fine. I used an old PC I had, and threw the disc in. I checked all the connections, but every time the start-up wizard would claim that the adapter could not be found. I must have tried 30 times. I gave in and called the support hotline, but that futile, as they outsource their Tech support to India. Needless to say, communication problems arose. I called five times. Each time more unsuccessful than the last. The most success I had was when I manually typed in the IP so I could tell it how to bypass my wireless password (WEP) This seemed to work until I plugged in the unit to my PS2. All three lights were on, but the thing would not connect. I am surprised Linksys allowed such a shoddy product to be released, as they usually have great wireless hardware. This, however, will drive you to the brink of insanity and then throw you off the edge. I returned the thing last week, and I have never felt so liberated. I have heard that D-Link makes a functional wireless game adapter, but I have not been able to locate said device. Anyway, if you take one thing from this review, let it be this: DO. NOT. BUY. THIS. YOU WILL BE MISERABLE.
Thanks for reading.
Customer Review: Horrific Linksys product support!
Summary: 1 Stars
I am a desktop/network support analyst for a large company, I recently and very easily configured a 802.11G wireless home network using Linksys and Cisco products. This game adapter however cost me an entire Sunday afternoon, which to me is rediculous. I ended up purchasing two of these adapters, exchanging one after I worked for 2 hours on configuring it using a wireless notebook. It never once was able to connect to the wireless network and yes before I attempted to add this I turned on SSID broadcasting, disabled MAC filtering, switched the SSID channel to the default of 6. After waiting for approx. 50 minutes on hold for Linksys support, the call lasted 2 minutes instructing me to return it, as it was defective.
I returned with another adapter and called Linksys immediately, waiting for over 60 minutes this time and spent another 60 minutes on the phone with a support rep that was not very technical or experienced with the other Linksys 802.11G products I had (WAP54G, WPC54G, WMP54G) he concluded that I was too far from the WAP to receive any signal, although I remind you that I was using a notebook with a wireless adapter in the same room that had access/signal without problem. Even from within the same room as the WAP I couldn't get signal, I could only get signal when it was physically attached to my router.
After seeing the other reviews, I may try the 802.11B adapter and see how that fairs. I just want to express if you have difficulty, don't waste your time calling, just try to use the included and web materials or return the item. Cmon Linksys, please address this problem!