NETGEAR Universal N300 Wi-Fi to Ethernet Adapter (WNCE2001)

September 24, 2013 Review update: A few days ago, the Netgear quit receiving the wireless router signal. Nothing I did would get the signal back so I resorted to the slow Wi-Fi signal that I had hoped to improve with the Netgear (and did as long as it worked). Today, I looked up Netgear online service and could not get past the "Your unit is beyond its 'end of life' date so go away (or something to that effect). Looking at the order details showed that the unit has a one-year warranty so I was not easily discouraged. Calling their help line got me to a very nice and capable young man who looked up my unit by it's serial number and told me that the unit itself is still under warranty but the phone assistance period of 90 days was over. He also mentioned that this particular model was no longer in production and hadn't been since January of 2013. That means that when I purchased it from Amazon.com, it was an old model breathing its last gasp! Be that as it may, since my unit was still under Netgear warranty, the Service Tech put the unit through its paces to make sure that if it was defective, it would be replaced. He reconfigured it and brought it back to life! Now, we're back to 10 Mg instead of 500 Kb per second (either one is faster than I can run but for Internet, 10 Mg per second is better). Just be forewarned that Netgear WNCE2001 is out of fashion and get WNCE3001. As long as they work, they're great. And if you need Netgear Support, I hope you get the nice young man who assisted me."Wireless" is wonderful, but it does have it's limits - like distance. My wife's computer is not that close to our wireless router so the signal hardly went beyond one bar. She depends on her computer for family genealogy so speed is of great consequence to her. I had researched "Signal Boosters" but was hesitant to get any of them due to less-than-stellar reviews. Then I stumbled onto the Netgear WNCE2001 Universal WiFi Internet Adapter. I programed it on my computer which was a snap to do (just follow the directions). Then, I connected it to my wife's computer and off it went! Techies would say, "So what's the big deal, it works like it's supposed to". But to me, it is nothing short of magic! It is receiving a signal that was too weak for the computer, somehow making it stronger, and making said computer faster! And best of all, my wife thinks I'm a computer wizard! The unit itself is tiny and light so it doesn't take up much room. And as the techies would say, "It works like it's supposed to"! I would heartily recommend it to anyone who needs a stronger Internet signal for their computer, or Smart TV even. Get one and let it work it's magic!

My application is providing WiFi connectivity to an ancient desktop that I needed to move to a room without wired Ethernet access. This product (like other Netgear products I've used) is truly Plug-N-Play. Highlights:(1) The unit can be powered via a 120 VAC supply or via a USB port. Both the supply and the USB cable are included.(2) The provided Ethernet cable and USB cable are ~35" long, which permits you to place the adapter in a position with good WiFi reception. This is particularly important if the PC or other unit is located underneath a desk or in a cabinet.(3) The setup is truly Plug-N-Play. No drivers need to be loaded in advance. Once you connect the adapter, a browser window opens up. Instructions guide you step-by-step through the configuration process. Only unexpected behavior: I needed to reboot the PC before the WiFi connection kicked in. There was no mention in the instructions that a reboot would be needed. So, if your unit hangs after installation, reboot the unit before you decide to return the adapter.(4) The "mounting kit" is a strip of Velcro. I would not recommend using it by itself. The adapter does get warm, with most of the heat dissipated through the back, which is where the Velcro strip would go. There are four shallow rubber bumps on the back to provide some clearance for airflow. If you do need to stick the unit against a flat surface, I would provide additional spacers to provide a 1/4" or more clearance. Mine is resting on the curved top of my PC, so there is sufficient clearance.(5) This adapter supports 802.11 n, which has a higher speed than 802.11 g. Right now I'm using it with a standard 802.11 g WiFi router. I've not noticed any speed drop relative to a wired Ethernet connection.(6) My only negative comment is that this adapter is pricey. It costs more than the Netgear WNR 2000 router, which I'm about to order. But, at least the adapter and all accessories, with the exception of the "mounting kit", are all well-made and work without a hitch.