- Wireless connectivity at 11 Mbps
- Reliable, 802.11b standards-based networking
- 128-bit WEP encryption security
- Supports Win95/98/Me/NT/2000
- 5 year limited manufacturer's warranty
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The simplest wireless network you can create consists of two notebooks, each with a PCMCIA wireless network card--just like the Netgear MA401.
Setting up a wireless network is not nearly as hard as it used to be and using this card as half of the necessary hardware makes it even easier. It's an elongated, 16-bit PC Card that fits directly into any PCMCIA Type 2 socket on a notebook with just "the bulge" sticking out of the side of the case, to act as an aerial.
The MA401 card can be used in two ways: as part of ad hoc or infrastructure networks. An ad hoc network is when you bring together several PCs, either notebooks or desktops, without there being any specific network structure imposed on them. Typically, this would be at a meeting where everybody brings along their PCs and all network together. An infrastructure network is where the wireless network is linked directly into a larger, fixed network and each PC is expected to conform to the protocols of the network.
Installation of the MA401 is as simple as loading the driver software and plugging in the card. In a Windows XP environment, the drivers aren't even necessary. The default settings Netgear uses straight out-of-the-box should work for most networks, so you should be able to plug and go. If not, a simple configuration program enables you to change parameters for specific environments.
Documentation is the weakest part of this product. There's a brief printed user guide and a reference manual as a PDF file on the accompanying CD. Both are well produced, but assume too much knowledge of networking and that the card makes an immediate link with a wireless access point and needs no cajoling to get working.
Netgear claims a range of around 50 metres at the full Wi-Fi speed of 11 Mbps, tailing off to 1 Mbps at 150 metres. This progressive fallback on network speed is fully automatic, so all you will notice is that file transfers take longer as you get further from your wireless access point. The MA401 isn't suitable for Windows CE or PocketPC devices, as it needs to work with Windows 98 or above.
The card is designed to be fully compatible with the 802.11b standard, and should therefore work with wireless equipment from other suppliers. This means you should be able to use it to connect via hotspots at Internet cafés and other offices, as well as with your own wireless network. --Simon Williams
Manufacturer's Description
NETGEAR’s MA401 802.11b Wireless PC Card gives you total freedom—it allows you to stay continuously connected to your Local Area Network without any wires. Roam freely throughout your office from one access point to another and continue to send and receive e-mail and use other network resources, such as files and printers, at 11 Mbps speed. Quickly and effortlessly network your employees, including those in remotely located offices in your building, minus the time and expense of Ethernet cabling. Standards-based 802.11b technology and 128-bit Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption provide your network with the highest level of reliability and privacy. Designed for PCs running Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, and 2000, the MA401 performs with a wide range of wireless Internet services available in airports and hotels, and supports the vast majority of notebook PCs.
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