Linksys WUSB54G

February 10, 2006 | By Bob Bowman In Hardware, Wireless Adaptor |

The Linksys WUSB54G Wireless-G USB Adapter is a compact 802.11g USB adapter measuring just 0.91 inches high x 3.58 inches wide x 2.8 inches deep , and it weighs just 2.82 ounces. 802.11g can, theoretically at least, reach speeds of 54Mbps (megabits per second), and it’s backward-compatible with older and slower 802.11b (which has a top speed of 11Mbps).

After installing the software and entering the proper security information for my network, I plugged one end of the included USB cable into the WUSB54G and the other end into my notebook. The USB cable provides power to the WUSB54G, so there’s no need for an additional power adapter.

I wasn’t crazy about the need for a USB cable. For desktop computers this arrangement works nicely as it helps get the antenna out from behind the PC. On a notebook, however, the WUSB54G turned into a dangling appendage every time I tried to move the notebook. I got decent reception with WUSB54G, although it wasn’t as good as the reception I usually get with my notebook’s integrated wireless. Signal strength ran fairly low in certain parts of the house, especially when on a different floor.

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