Windows 7 Looking for a good win7 64bit compatable wireless card.

[daninfamous]

Im currently using a Linksys wmp300n, and performance on win7 64bit is sketchy at best, the card in general has little to no 64bit support, ive scourged the web for the best solution I can for now, and while it works, im not happy overall.

Everything else works flawless, even in this beta state, so im going to buy a new Wireless NIC, im looking for some suggestions on something that has native 64bit drivers, and something that you might have used/witnessed being used in windows 7 with good results.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Vester]

I ran a LAN cable just after installing Windows 7 and got drivers for my wireless card at Windows Update. My home network is wireless, but my long LAN cables are handy in cases like this.

 

[daninfamous]

I've tried that, the drivers windows update got for my card we're the worse yet, that is also how I know my card is doing sub-par, ive done speedtest's wired and wireless, usually they are within 5 to 10% tops of eachother, the wireless in this case is half if its lucky, with lots of packetloss.

Dual boot back to vista, no issues, this card just isnt cut out for 64bit, let alone win7

 

[prazvt]

Try a wireless card that has a Ralink chipset ..they're usually cheaper and they work fine. They have drivers for almost all OS's - (I have a N and a G card..both worked in Vista x64 and OS X Leopard even). I have the N card in right now and the Vista x64 drivers worked fine (using vista compatibility during install). I think this card is an Encore card:

Newegg.com - ENCORE ENLWI-N IEEE 802.11b/g, IEEE 802.11n Draft 2.0 PCI 2.3 Wireless Adapter Up to 300Mbps Data Rates 64/128-bits WEP Encryption
WPA, WPA2
WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK - Wireless Adapters

$20

 

[daninfamous]

prazvt, is that the card your currently using under win7 64 bit? Can you confirm via speakeasy.net speedtest that your getting your max speeds with it?

A couple of reviewers on that card said they had a lot of troubles with it, but I'll take your word.

Just wanna know before I drop the money.

Thanks.

 

[prazvt]

Okay here's a link to the speedtest.net test run w/ the wifi card:



And here's a link to the speedtest.net test run w/ the computer connected to the router via cable:



The first test is with the Win 7 driver (for reference) and the center antenna being a 5db antenna mounted above the monitor. About the only thing I can't vouch for w/ these cards is the antennas - never been too satisfied with them, so if you have the antennas from your other nic, I'd say use those - but I also have 2 thick walls between my computer and the router. I've got a 16mbit connection from home so the second test is more accurate.

Finally, here is the link to the speedtest.net run w/ the ralink driver:



So it looks like the driver that comes w/ Win 7 works a little better, but either way the wireless downlink is slower than the hard connection. But honestly, my house is about 2 years old and it's like anti-wifi. We have one cable connection and it comes into the garage so I've got a complicated setup:

downstairs: cablemodem ->D-link N wireless router -> powerline ethernet adapter

upstairs: powerline eithernet adapter --> D-link G wireless router

So 2 networks, but these walls...I tell ya. Anyway the two wireless tests seem to reflect the loss to the walls using the N card, but it looks like Win 7 provides drivers. An alternative is the G version (2560 chipset) that I always liked better..

Newegg.com - EDIMAX EW-7128G IEEE 802.11b/g PCI Wireless Card Up to 54Mbps Data Rates 64/128-Bit WEP, 802.1x, WPA, AES - Wireless Adapters

I'd try and place the card in a better spot, but it's in a giant Coolermaster Cosmos S case.

 

[daninfamous]

prazvt, i really apprechiate your time/help. Thanks a bunch, im most likely going to order one of these, Ill let you know how it works out.

 

[mp3sgt]

I am using a Rosewill Wireless N PCI card. When I first started my computer after 7 install, it was not recognized. I used my ole LAN cable and downloaded the Vista x32/x64 driver from the Rosewill site and viola, full wireless capability. Newegg.com - Rosewill RNX-N300 IEEE 802.11b/g/n Wireless-N 2.0 PCI (1T2R) Up to 150Mbps Data Rates/ WPA/WPA2 (AES, 64,128-WEP with shared-key authentication) Cisco CCS V1.0, V2.0 and V3.0 compliant/ Vista Ready - W is my exact item, and works perfectly under XP SP3 and 7...just enable the wireless zero config so you don't have to use the driver utility.

 

[daninfamous]

I was literally about to purchase the encore card the wireless setup in my house started hiccuping, and I decieded im tired of the wireless issues, I ran cable through my basement 2 weeks ago to clean up some of the mess the cable installers left, and I decieded just move the router and cable modem into the basement.

After about 30 mins of work im now wired, and with improved results, I have the cable modem coming off a direct spit from the line coming into the house, it seemed to improve my conntection almost 2-3mbits, and 0 hassles of being hard wired now. Im enjoy windows 7 to its fullest, I still apprechiate everyones help. Cheers.

Strangley enough moving the wireless router into the basement further from my xbox 360, its connection also jumped from 3bars to 4bars, ill never understand wireless lol.

 

[veritas310]

Linksys WUSB600N

I can confirm that this Linksys WUSB600N with Vista 64-bit drivers works in 64-bit Windows 7. I have used this device since I got the beta, with no issues. Good luck!

Mike

 

[prazvt]

Well for gaming anyway, wireless never quite cuts it ...so even though the upstairs router is right outside my room, I have a cable running out to it. Just rather be wired ... esp after seeing the 10k difference in the speedtests.

 

[Baerme]

Newegg.com - ENCORE ENLWI-G(2) IEEE 802.11b/g TPCI Standard Universal Add-in card Compliant with PCI 2.0 Wireless Adapter Up to 54Mbps Data Rates Supports wireless data encryption with 64/128-bit WEP standard for security, Supports WP

This card has vista 64 drivers on the website, will it be good for 7

 

[prazvt]

If it has Vista 64 drivers, it should work. Plus there's a chance that windows 7 will have drivers for it by default. It looks like it uses a Marvell chipset.