Product Description

TRENDnet's TEW-423PI 54Mbps Wireless PCI Card cuts the wires to your desktop and provides 54Mbps speed to handle bandwidth-intensive applications. It complies with the IEEE 802.11g standard, making it backward compatible with 802.11b networks for assured compatibility. Advanced 128-bit WEP encryption is supported to provide secure access for your data. Cut the wires and move your desktop where you need it with TRENDnet s 802.11g wireless PCI Card.

Product Details

• Brand: TRENDnet
• Model: TEW423PI
• Platform: Windows
• Format: CD
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .87" h x 4.76" w x 5.24" l, .14 pounds
• Networking: PCI

Features

• Wi-Fi Compliant with IEEE 802.11g and IEEE 802.11b Standards
• Uses 2.4 GHz Frequency Band, which Complies with Worldwide Requirements
• Supports Ad-Hoc (Peer-to-Peer) Mode or Infrastructure (AP-Client) Mode
• Dynamic Data Rate Scaling at 54, 48, 36, 24, 18, 12, 9 and 6Mbps for 802.11g.
• Compatible with Windows 98(SE)/ME/2000/XP

From the Manufacturer
TRENDnet's TEW-423PI 54Mbps Wireless PCI Card cuts the wires to your desktop and provides 54Mbps speed to handle bandwidth-intensive applications. It complies with the IEEE 802.11g standard, making it backward compatible with 802.11b networks for assured compatibility. Advanced 256-bit WEP encryption is supported to provide secure access for your data. Cut the wires and move your desktop where you need it with TRENDnet’s 802.11g wireless PCI Card.

Features and Benefits

• Uses 2.4 GHz frequency band (DSSS), which complies with worldwide requirements
• Supports IEEE 802.11g or 802.11b (11Mbps) wireless devices
• Dynamic data rate shift at 54, 48, 36, 24, 18, 12, 9 and 6Mbps for 802.11g; 11, 5.5, 2 and 1Mbps for 802.11b
• Supports Ad-Hoc (peer-to-peer) mode and Infrastructure mode (Access Point)
• Three-year Warranty

Customer Reviews

As Good (or Better) Than Cards at Twice the Price
I have multiple PCs linked to a wireless router and have used 54Mbps network card from Dlink, Netgear, Belkin, Microsoft and now TRENDnet. All of the cards were about $20, though the TRENDnet card is the only one that didn't require submitting a rebate form (and with my Dlink purchase, I missed the submission date on a $30 rebate so that one cost me $50).

The Netgear and Belkin cards were terrible (weak signal, dropped connections) and I ended up returning them. The Dlink and Microsoft cards on the other hand worked fine, though the initial install wasn't without some aggravation.

I was planning to get another Dlink card for my latest purchase simply because I have a Dlink router but I couldn't find the card for less than $30 (after rebate) which is why I decided to give TRENDnet a try. I'd never heard of the company before, but the reviews from users were mostly positive and the price was great. Well, I installed the card 2 days ago and it's been working flawlessly. Some reviewers had install issues and many mentioned problems with the drivers on the disk, but I didn't experience any issues at all - NONE! I loaded the connection management software, turned off the PC, popped in the card, turned on the PC, loaded the drivers from the disk, restarted the PC and I was done. It took less than 10 minutes and has been working perfectly.

As soon as I restarted the PC it connected to my network. All I had to do was enter the security code using the connection software. It now connects automatically every time and hasn't lost or dropped the signal once. This PC is in a finished basement office with the wireless access point on the 1st floor about 30 feet (2 walls and a floor) away, and the signal strength has been very good to excellent. I was planning to update the drivers, but everything is working so smoothly right now I don't think I'll bother (why mess with a good thing?).

Based on my experience, I would highly recommend this card. I'm fixing up an old PC for my daughter and will definitely be ordering another TRENDnet card. It works well and it's cheap which is a great (and rare) combination.

Excellent card and worth the money
Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Good warranty
- Easy to install and configure
- Superlative reception with no drop-offs
- Works in a plethora of operating systems

Cons:
- My system won't let me have this card and a wired NIC at the same time, but I think this may be a flaw in the Windows OS

Highly Recommend
When I was in search for a cheap and efficient wireless LAN adapter for my computer, I happened to run into TRENDnet's wireless PCI adapter. I wasn't sure if it would be any good since it was only $20. But after reading a couple of reivews, I decided to take a chance.

One of the best decision I've made (computer-wise). I just plugged it in, attached the detachable antenna, boot up my computer, and it was ready to go. Since I use Windows XP, I didn't even need to install the software that came with the disc it included. Which is a plus, in case you lose the disc and need to connect online to just download a newer version of the software for the adapter.

Overall, it's an excellent product for its price, and I highly recommend it.