Looking for a *business class* wireless client adaptors

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SJConsultant

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Jan 14, 2004
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Have a business location with a mix of PCs, (Dell GX and SX 280s). I'm looking for suggestions on wireless adaptors to use since the cost of running cable will probably be very prohibitive as compared to wireless networking.

Basic requirements are as follows:

1. Looking for wireless PCI and USB adaptors from the same manufacturer.
2. Adaptors must utilize XP WZC service, no vendor client utilities can be used other than basic drivers.
3. Adaptors must support WPA and 802.1x authentication

These adaptors will be used in a business setting, so please only offer insight on products you have *experience* with the above usage.
 
I've had good luck with the Cisco Aironet and Orinoco (Proxim) PCI and PCMCIA client adapters. I have found that the Orinocos usually got a little better signal strength and quality compared to the Cisco's, but they were both good.

I've never used a USB adapter in a business environment, so I cant comment on those.
 
Since I have had to go on the cheap end, I have used 2 different Netgear devices in my father's small SBS2k3 network. The first ones, which were USB, were total garbage. They disconnected constantly, and were pretty flaky.
I am now running a slightly more expensive PCI option, and it works great (Pretty sure this is it: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833122134).

The PCI ones have everything you have requested. The one thing they don't have, which I would like if I could have spent the money on it, is the ability to bring the wireless network up before the login screen appears. I know our dell laptops and cisco laptop cards at work can do that, and its nice. These ones cannot.
 
My ISP uses Tranzeo equipment at the customer's house/appartment and I used a Tranzeo antenna successfully over 1.5 years through conditions such as snow, rain, fog, and clear days. Sometimes the connection would drop because my ISP couldn't maintain power at their stations or couldn't keep their mountain towers upright through heavy wind storms, but the antenna survived the elements.

Depending on the hardware size / features it could cost $300-$700 per antenna...


Main Page:
http://tranzeo.com/index.php?country=America&=Enter+Site&cmd=set_country

Wireless Access points (w/ PtP bridging features)
http://tranzeo.com/index.php?section_id=40&sub_section_id=41&sub_sub_section_id=43


*Edit: These devices take Ethernet in and convert it to Wireless (and back again), and there is some configuration interface that I never figured out due to a router in the way...

*Edit 2: These are more for connecting distant locations...though I believe there are some products by the company for distribution of wireless to multiple computers in the building...don't know which specific antennas are used for that though, but I know my ISP has hotspots setup with Tranzeo equipment distributing it in public places, etc...
 
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