Review on Cisco-Linksys WMP54G Wireless-G PCI Adapter: High-Speed Connectivity for Your Desktop by Dustin Ferguson

NICs like this couldn't be easier to use. Of course you can buy some sort of USB network adapter, but if you can build a complex Lego set and have a spare expansion slot on your desktop, why not free up the built-in USB ports with something that's designed for permanent installation. "The Linksys WMP54G Wireless PCI Adapter is arguably one of the last internal network cards made before the consumer PC market transitioned to USB. In my case I installed the card on an Asus P4SP-MX motherboard in Windows XP SP3 and it couldn't be simpler - in less than 10 minutes the card was installed and ready to use Windows XP Wireless - I was absolutely sure that I was ready to connect to the local wireless network until I realized I still had some homework to do. While it seemed ready to go, wireless security protocols have changed in the decade since it was made. Wired Equivalent Security (WEP) Enabled is a legacy protocol in the 802.11 standard that has been superseded by the much stronger Wireless Protected Access (WPA) protocols, which are NOT included in the Windows XP detection mentioned above. You MUST visit the Windows update page to download a driver update that should allow you access to current 2015 "WPA2" wireless networks. Another caveat is that driver support for these wireless cards seems to end after Windows 7, for some very unfortunate reason, making them almost impossible to use on modern computers. For better or worse, I'm stuck on Windows XP Pro. and Windows 2000 Pro. and with the supplied CD with drivers for operating systems from Windows 98 to Windows XP you can see its age. Why should you get a PCI card? Although in my case it was only because I could - the internal card addresses some of the speed issues associated with motherboards with older USB v1.1 ports that limit transfers to around 11MB/s. You may already have so many devices connected and ports so densely packed that a bulky USB wireless adapter forces you to decide which one to switch off. While the simplest solution would be to use a USB hub, running MORE cables out of your computer is counterproductive. With the PCI card, not only do I get rid of the USB intermediary, the detachable antenna also gives me the opportunity to use special antennas that can increase the range and quality of my wireless reception. It might exceed the needs of the average consumer to have nicely on hand. All in all, this is a great card in many ways. Not only does my computer have a great antenna/tail, but I connect to the internet and LAN just as easily as I would any wired connection. I don't move around with USB devices and I don't worry about losing them.