Product Description

"RangeMax NEXT with Steady-Stream technology complies with draft 802.11n‡ and delivers up to 270Mbps†. This next generation draft standard and Steady-Stream technology enable stable connections at greater range for all your applications, all over the home, all at once†. You can simultaneously share files, download MP3s, make Internet phone calls, play network games, and stream high-definition videos. RangeMax NEXT products interoperate at up to 270 Mbps† speeds with other wireless products powered by Intensi-fi™ technology, plus they are compatible with all legacy b and g wireless products. Advanced design and 11n-True-Test high-performance testing and tuning ensure maximum draft-11n performance every time. Setup is easy thanks to NETGEAR’s Smart Wizard and 24/7 technical support*. Touchless WiFi Security simplifies establishing the highest level of wireless network security with WEP, WPA-PSK, or WPA2-PSK. "

Product Details

• Brand: Netgear
• Model: WN311B-100NAS
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 3.10" h x 8.90" w x 6.70" l, 1.25 pounds
• Networking: PCI

Features

• Wireless-N PCI adapter delivers exceptional speed and range
• Delivers up to 270 Mbps of wireless throughput
• Provides up to ten times the range of 802.11g networ
• Backwards compatible with 802.11g/b wireless networks
• Device measures 4.72 x 5.04 x 1.06 inches (WxHxD)

Amazon.com Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description

The NETGEAR WN311B RangeMax Next Wireless-N PCI Adapter offers: Wireless-N protocol for up to 270 Mbps throughput. Up to 10 times more range than an 802.11g network. Backwards compatibility with 802.11g and 802.11b wireless networks.

The NETGEAR WN311B RangeMax Next Wireless-N PCI Adapter makes it easy for you to provide blazing-speed wireless internet access to your desktop computer, letting you surf the web, check email, stream music, make internet phone calls, and get a leg up on opponents when playing online games.

The WN311B has up to 10 times more range than an 802.11g device. View larger.

Easy Setup
The WN311B is a PCI adapter and requires a Pentium 3 class PC with an available PCI slot for installation. It supports Windows Vista and is also compatible with Windows XP and 2000 SP4. Setup is as simple as installing the adapter into a PCI slot, connecting the included antenna, and installing the included software. The external antenna is housed in a small elegant white box that is pretuned for maximum performance and allows for extended range.

Fast, Backwards Compatible, and Secure
The NETGEAR WN311B uses the Wireless-N protocol (based on 802.11n draft) for speeds up to 270 Mbps and a range ten times that of 802.11g adapters. With this much speed and bandwidth, you can easily download large files, place Internet phone calls, download MP3s, stream video, and play online games -- all at the same time, without hiccups, and from farther away. You'll notice the difference immediately.

The WN311B is backwards compatible with 802.11g and 802.11b wireless networks so you'll be able to connect to any hotspot, and it improves network performance up to 50 percent when used with the older 802.11b/g networks.

You can feel secure about your information as the adapter supports Wi-Fi protected access (WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK) and 64-bit and 128-bit WEP encryption for IEEE 082.11b and IEEE 802.11g. The included software makes managing different WEP passwords a breeze as you can set up different profiles for each location you frequent, saving yourself the trouble of having to type in encryption keys each time you connect to a hotspot you've already used.

The NETGEAR WN311B RangeMax Next Wireless-N PCI Adapter is backed by a 1-year warranty.

What's in the Box
WN311B RangeMax Next Wireless-N PCI Adapter, desktop/wall mountable antenna case, installation guide, setup CD, warranty/support information card.

Customer Reviews

Garbage
I don't know where they are manufacturing the new netgear stuff, but it is all absolute garbage. I bought this card in a pinch, and I have many years PC and network experience. As usual, the Netgear software didn't work, and would not work on DHCP. The fix was to give a static IP. Negear was good a few years ago, but now it is all worthless garbage that doesnt work and the drivers which you must use are all buggy software.

Great problem for less-than-perfect WiFi reception
I bought this product after weird behavior on my new Vista Ultimate PC was set up. I transferred my old Zyxel G PCI adapter to the new PC. From day one, the Zyxel was intermittent dropping the connection - I wasted a lot of time trying to fix the link.

I ended up buying this Netgear and it was a dream come true. Instead of installing the PC, I downloaded the latest drivers from Netgear, installed them, then plugged in the adapter. Now my connection is solid with a consistent 24x7 -60dB signal! I dont know if its the diffrence of G versus N, but this product is amazing!

The PC is in a garage with lots of machinery and very challenging for the WiFi to penetrate but the antenna on this product does a great job.

The cable is ~1 meter long. Perfect for a floor tower under the desk and placing the antenna on the wall or on top of the desk where there is better reception.

The card with the latest drivers works flawlessly with Vista (it IS certified compatible) so dont be scared by the other reviews. I was concerned about this after reading the older reviews. It seems that Netgear worked out all the bugs.

Great hardware, crappy instructions
This adapter work great once it is installed.
After following the instructions to the letter, and wasted 90 minutes of my life, I had to call Netgear customer service who were not able to get my adapter to work. They finally told me to return it.
Before doing so, I decided to give it another try.
I first restore my Vista OS to a restore point 3-4 month old.
Then made sure the driver, or part of it, was deleted (used "Add remove software" from Control panel). I then reinstall the adapter driver but this time I waited roughly 15 minutes before turning off the computer to manually install the adapter in a PCI slot. Next, I turned on my computer and waited another 10-15 minutes before seing a window opening up asking me different configuration questions to finish the installation of my adapter, and then HOURRAY! My adapter finally started working. I think my initial problems were due to badly written instructions from Netgear. It tells you to run the driver instal file and then wait for a window telling you to turn off your computer and manually install your adapter. The issue is that when you get this window, the driver is not fully install yet. You can see a small pop-up message (that cannot be close) under the previously mentioned window that says something about the driver being install. YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR THIS MESSAGE TO DISAPPEAR BEFORE TURNING OFF YOUR COMPUTER. ET VOILA! Just be patient and the rest will go find.