I have an older iBook that requires an original Apple Airport card. Unfortunately these are no longer in production. They can still be purchased new online for $150-180 if you look for them, or you can get a used one from eBay for $100-150 or so. Couldn't see going those routes so I picked up one of these babies and it works flawlessly with OS 10.4. Belkin doesn't make drivers for it but you can get the driver at the Ralink Technology site (http://www.ralinktech.com/supp-1.htm). The Belkin adapter that I received from Amazon is version 3000, and it uses the RT71W driver. It's the one listed at the very bottom of the list of Macintosh drivers, dated 2006/01/25. When you open the box for this adapter, take the Install CD and the Quickstart Guide and all that other Windows-related stuff and throw them straight in the trash. Download and install the driver mentioned above and it'll prompt you to restart afterwards. Then go to your Network System Preferences pane and select Ethernet Adapter(en1) as your connection method. Plug the adapter into an available USB port (1.1 or 2.0, either one will work), then launch the Ralink Wireless Utility that you'll find in your Applications folder. And suddenly - hey yer smokin'! Been connected by cable for over three days now via a wireless Linksys router without a single disconnect. You can do it, too... BELKIN F5D7050 Wireless 802.11g USB Network Adapter
I've purchased and attempted to install three of these adapters. One of them was on an older Dell laptop,installed without any problems at all and connected seamlessly to a Linksys WRT54G router with WAP encryption.
The problems really started showing when I tried to install the second and third adapters, both on desktop computers running Windows XP SP2. The software installation was a breeze, but when I plugged in the adapter - nothing happened. Connect to network...which network? Scan..who? What?
It looks like this adapter has a very, very short range and doesn't work very well a wall or two in between the routers. It would see the router and connect - to drop the connection and not find one. But then it would find it again, and on and off.
Never really worked as expected on the desktops, so I've given up. I've had to disconnect them and reconnect them multiple times. Downloaded the updated software from Belkin's site, and still have connection issues with the desktops. The laptop works fine as long as I don't take it one room away from the router.
Avoid at all costs please. I've used other wireless devices with the same router that I'm trying to connect and they work fine - a few rooms away and all.
Spend a few more dollars and get something worth the money spent. Spend less time troubleshooting and more time surfing.
Good luck.
Installed drivers, plugged it in, nothing. Uninstalled, rebooted, installed drivers, NOTHING. Googled it and found tons of stories you have read here.
I like what a couple other people have said.
"Buy this for someone you hate." It's terrible...
I've had other Belkin products in the past and I'm surprised at how bad this thing is.
The few people on here that gave it 4-5 stars will probably win the lottery next week because they are the luckiest people I know.
ON WINDOWS XP:
=============
When you install the Software from the Installation CD of BELKIN F5D7050 Wireless 802.11g USB Network Adapter when it finishes, indicates us to Plug the Adapter. The Windows XP detects it and tells us to install the Driver.
HERE IS THE PROBLEM!!!!
The Windows XP, search for the newest driver for that Adapter on the machine, and selects his own driver "PrismaXP.sys", that in theory is the best, but it has the problem that it doesn't work.
When we have finished the Belkin software installation, and had closed all windows, we continue and PLUG the adapter, the Windows XP will detect it, but when it ask to install the software, take the option to select manually the driver, and select the driver located on the Driver's folder on the CD.
The Adapter wil be succesfully installed with 100% functionality.The fact, is that I'm sending that message through it.
I hope that will help you with that problem. see you.
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ON LINUX:
========
The problem in Linux is only that there aren't linux specific drivers for that adapter. Well, if there aren't drivers on linux, we will emulate the windows drivers, je je je!!!
There are 2 posibilities to do that:
1.- The LINUXANT
Paying a License of about 25 $, you have the a 100% functionality and an easily WEB configuration (Tested with The 30 day free trial license)
2.- The NDISWRAPPER
That is a free sourcecode project, but it is a bit uncomfortable than the LINUXANT. It is a command line program and there is an available manual on English in the LINK:
http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/
with tha instructions to make the installation. When it finishes, to use the Adapter is as easy as write:
ndiswrapper wlan0
Or another wlan if you have more than 1 wireless adapter.
The reason for only getting a 3 instead of a 5 is because of the following problem that I have encountered in the past on this network card. I have found that following the instructions provided by Belkin can lead to numerous problems. The installation way that I use on installing them are much easier for XP machines that I deal with.
1) place cd in tray, cancel or close the belkins welcome/install
screen
2)connect it to a usb port
3)when XP comes up with the install screen, let it search the
driver from the cdrom (or you can manually select it from the
X:\drivers folder on the cd(of course X: being your cd drive))
4)Let it complete the installation (*some computers ask to reboot
after installation is done,it is best to do this*)
5)depending on your network, you might have to configure your IP,
DNS, Gateway, and any Security or other settings you are
running at this time.
It takes longer to type this out than it does to do the installation. Doing this way has given me less headaches than trying to deal with Belkins software and the error codes an terminal problems running their wireless config software. (The wireless software is an 'aweful'ly close version and layout to the Linksys WUSB11 ver 2.6 adapter software. I might experiment with that later on this Belkin's). Once the install and setup is done, it operates at a relatively good signal in and around my house and yard. If not for their wireless software problem, I would have given it a 5 star rating instead. - Wireless - Adapter - Usb - Belkin'
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