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Conclusion
The D-Link DWL-500 and DWL-120 are very unique and innovative products that enable users to connect their computers together in a network to share files, printers, internet connections and much more--all without having the drill holes in and around the house. Unfortunately, they were unable to reach the rated 11Mbps speed, although the speeds that they do attain (around 4Mbps) should suit casual users. For those who need blazing-fast transfer rates for constantly transferring large files to and from different computers, I would suggest that you look at a faster wired solution, however. Nevertheless, users of laptops should seriously consider any sort of wireless networking solution over wired networking, since it makes using the network much more convenient.
Unfortunately, going wireless isn't cheap. Both the DWL-120 and DWL-500 have an estimated street price of $109 USD. That's expensive for a network, folks. Getting two of these just to start a wireless network will set you back $218 USD-not cheap at all especially when the price of setting up a wired network for the same two computers will usually never go well above $100 USD. The question is: is it worth the extra dough? If you need to be moving your computer around all the time (i.e. a laptop) and if you need to drill multiple holes all around your house, then, yes, the extra convenience will be greatly beneficial. If you're just in it so that you don't have to drill one hole through a wall, then I suggest you reassess what your needs are.
So my final verdict? The DWL-120 is a great choice for both desktop and laptop users who have multiple computers in multiple rooms while the DWL-500 is a little less of a recommended solution, since it only gives a very small speed increase over the easier to install and use DWL-120 and at a slightly higher price. If you're a laptop user, however, any product in the D-Link Air line of products will suit you perfectly.
Stay tuned as we will be taking a look at one of D-Link Air's access points within a week or two. Since access points have unique features that can help to both increase the efficiency of your network as a whole and lower costs depending on the situation, I would suggest that you keep the DWL-120 and DWL-500 at the back of your mind before you decide on a definite answer on whether or not you want to or need to go wireless.
D-Link Air DWL-500
Pros
- Wireless!
- Decent speed--enough for casual users
- PCMCIA to PCI adapter works with other PC Cards
- Includes DWL-650--works with both desktops and laptops
Cons
- Installation hiccups
- High price
- Transfer speed not even close to rated 11Mbps
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D-Link Air DWL-120
Pros
- Wireless!
- Decent speed--enough for casual users
- USB interface makes for easy installation
- Works on both desktops and laptops
- Easy to move around to different computers
Cons
- High price
- Transfer speed not even close to rated 11Mbps
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