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Cheapest Wireless link?

New MessageCheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) idiotboy
Profile
Bust Buy has linksys cards ( that may or may not work ) for $99 and if you want
to hook up to a desktop box, you need a $50 pcmcia/pci adapter board. So, you
would shell out $250 for a wireless link from your pod to your pc.

( if you say that you can get Compusa to pricematch the $99 best buy price and
get a $30 rebate on that.... let me know AFTER you get your reabate. )

Are there any cheaper alternatives?

jack

01-24-2001 07:10:24

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) bbreneman
If I were you I would bite the bullet and get a wireless ethernet bridge and a card for the epod. I use Proxim, but that is because I already owned it. Today I would probably buy Linksys. The benefit of the bridge is that your cost to add additional wireless devices to your network is pretty low (around $100). Most bridges will support at least 16 devices.
01-24-2001 07:31:15

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) idiotboy
Profile
For simple home use.... sitting in the living room, controlling your X10
or TiVo or checking the TV Guide.... I'm thinking of just a 1 node wireless
link. I can see where you'd want an Access point if you have more than
a couple of wireless units.... but for a single unit, I want something on
the cheap.

jack

01-24-2001 07:45:35

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) Jingoro
idiotboy : How did you get your $250 figure? Shouldn't it be $150? ($99 + $50)... Just asking because I'm thinking about taking the Linksys wireless route as well...
01-24-2001 10:27:10

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) idiotboy
Profile
That's what I thought at first until I read the fine print. The $50
PCI Linksys card is JUST a pci/pcmcia adapter. You still have to have
2 of the wireless cards ( $99 x 2 ). You just plug one of the PCMCIA
cards into the linksys pci/pcmcia adapter board. You'd think that someone
would make a PCI card that did the wireless stuff. ( I think that Dlink
does, but it cost more than a PCI/PCMCIA adapter + wireless card. )

jack

01-24-2001 10:32:51

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) MikeM
Isn't there someone who makes a USB wireless NIC to go along with the PCMCIA one?
01-24-2001 11:05:25

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) idiotboy
Profile
Dlink makes a USB and PCI version of the 802.11b wireless protocol cards.
They each cost around $175 - $200 at buy.com. Out of my price range. I'd
like to spend less than $150 to get my ePods connected to my network with
out a wire.

jack

01-24-2001 11:46:44

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) Perplexer
I had CompUSA pricematch Best Buy's $99 price and have mailed in the $30 rebate. If you haven't already bought your Linksys WPC11 card however, your're out of luck, as the rebate only applies to purchases made between Jan 13 and Jan 20.

If anyone has purchased the WPC11 from CompUSA between these dates and would like a copy of Best Buy's price, email me and I'll scan and mail it to you.

I also suggest the access point route, simply for expandability. Plug the AP into a Cable/DSL router, and you can browse the web even if your main PC is off. With an AP, you can talk to any other PC on your wired network.

For ~$350, you get an access point ($250) and PCMCIA card ($100).
For ~$250, you get two PCMCIA cards ($100 ea.) and a PCI adapter ($50).

It's a matter of deciding if the extra functionality is worth an extra $100.

What if the distance between your main PC and your ePods is too great, and the signal strength is low? It would be much easier to relocate the access point than have to relocate your entire PC setup. (I speak from experience; see my posts in this thread: http://www.linux-hacker.net/cgi-bin/UltraBoard/UltraBoard.pl?Action=ShowPost&Board=EpodsOne&Post=277&Idle=0&Sort=0&Order=Descend&Page=0&Session= :)

01-24-2001 13:48:43

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) lensman
Profile | Email
I've got a epods with the 1.02 shell connected to my lan via a D-Link DWL-650 pc card and a D-Link DWL-1000AP access point through my Linksys BEF41SR broadband router to my cable modem. This cost me:
$120 (wireless lan card at amazon.com)
$229 (access point $279 - $30 coupon at amazon.com)
$100 (broadband router at buy.com)

If I didn't already own the Linksys broadband router, I would have gotten the SMC SMC7004WBR which offers 4 10/100 ports, 1 Wan Port, 1 Serial Port, 802.11b wireless, AND a print-server port, in addition to the Cable/DSL router and firewall. All for $295 - $30 coupon = $265. Add an 802.11b wireless lan card and you're done at $365.

wireless router:
http://www.us.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10264442

coupon:
http://www.us.buy.com/retail/coupon.asp?prid=80492381

lensman

01-24-2001 23:57:02

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) C=64
I'm curious - are 802.11 (notice the conspicuous absence of the 'b') pcmcia network card and access points available? I'm willing to live with a "mere" 1 mb connection to my ePod if that'll makes a wireless setup affordable.
01-25-2001 01:28:40

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) Jingoro
Unfortunately, the buy.com coupon has expired...
01-26-2001 00:25:29

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) nukem
D-Link 802.11b Wireless Access Point $199 at Buy.com ($169 with $30 off)
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=18&threadid=22790
01-26-2001 20:57:49

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) vetteman
Has anyone tried the an Acer Warplink with an ePod? Looks like it might be a cheap solution if it works.
01-27-2001 15:22:59

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) Courier5
Couple of solutions ranging 190 - 210 (or close to it)

Go to www.bestbuy.com and search proxim...you will get the Symphony cards listed at

PC card - 79.xx
PCI card - 129.xx
with next day shipping around $5 (important for below)

Now you could order them from best buy or pricematch with staples, then use the 40 off 200 coupon. (www.fatwallet.com)

I was lucky and did the store availabilty on best buys site and found 3 at the Evansville, IN store (only one to have it for 500 miles). I picked up one (all I need, so two are still there and it rings up 60.00 for the pc card and $119 for the pci.

Now, to just get terminal services set up and away I go.

Hope this helps.

C5

01-27-2001 15:38:43

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) jack
Those proxim symphony cards look like they are only 1.6mbs cards. The
others are 11mbs. I'd prefer to spend the extra $60 to go from 1.6mbs
to 11mbs.

jack

01-27-2001 18:24:11

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) Siggie
I live about 1hr from two best buys. I got my Epods and a copy of both win2000 server (NFR with Metaframe) and also a copy of whistler beta2 RC3 that we have been testing in IT. I've got both installed, but now need a wireless network.

Does anyone know if the $99 price on the linksys cards are still good, or is it back up to $149?

Calling the store has proved to be useless.....BB-CS "yeah we have them, $149 on the tag'...me "could you do a price check"..."yeah $149 on the shelf tag"..."no could you check it in the computer"..."No only if you are here". Great service...I've had this conversation in various forms.

Thanks

02-13-2001 21:23:45

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) aadesai
Profile
it's going for $120 at buy.com. not quite $99, but close.
02-13-2001 23:22:26

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) nukem
Get the DWL-1000ap instead of a PCI card and use the default infrastructure mode instead of adhoc.
$195 at buy.com - http://www.us.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10258307&loc=101
Get an additional $10 off
http://www.us.buy.com//retail/coupon.asp?prid=80335209

(I bought mine from buy.com for $199 and used a $30 off - $175 shipped!)

This is only $25-$50 more than a PCI card setup and you can take the AP with you, friends, family, hotels, LAN parties! It is very small: Dimensions (WxDxH) / Weight - 4 cm x 12.3 cm x 13.5 cm and is easier to setup than peer to peer if you are also sharing the Internet.

Use the default setting and no setup needed, also there is no need to have a PC always on (and working) to access the net if you have a cable modem/NAT setup. Well worth the extra bucks!

02-13-2001 23:46:05

New MessageRE:Cheapest Wireless link? (modified 0 times) nukem
I forgot to add; With the AP you should get better range and performance. The AP has an internal fixed antenna and an external adjustable antenna. This true diversity antenna that can be placed anywhere a RJ45 and AC power can reach performs much better than the patch antenna on the PCMCIA card that would be stuck behind the large metal ground plane of a desktop PC.
02-13-2001 23:50:58

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