Final call for WCF12- has Linksys put their acts together?

Ehien · 01-06-04, 08:56 PM

This is my last try before dumping WCF12 and go for another brand.

The card has been working great with WM2002 (with or without WEP). However, after I upgraded X5 with WM2003 it kept giving me troubles. I tried either Senao or Linksys beta (SW_CD_Beta081903PPC2003) drivers. Either one worked fine WITHOUT WEP. But with WEP Senao flat out didn't work and combined Linksys beta with old utility WEP worked (even 128bit) but I had to retype WEP setting evertime it reconnected or restart.

Has Linksys provided a newer driver that actually work with stable ***WEP*** connection?

After a few months my wait is over. If whatever they have now and I tried so far is it, I'm not going to waste more time.

Ehien

gorby · 01-06-04, 09:23 PM

I got tired of waiting for a working driver from Linksys and got a Symbol card off eBay for 25 bucks shipped. Never looked back. Symbol rocks with Socket drivers - battery drain is minimal and connection range is best I have seen. But WC12 did not go to waste. I got one of those CF to PMCIA adapters and now using that card in my laptop with drivers for a Linksys laptop card. Works great and the range is awesome.

Ehien · 01-08-04, 07:27 PM

Ok. I'll give up hope on Linksys. They don't care much about their customers.

You made the right move I'm sure. Though the seller is selling it at $30 instead of $25.

What driver do you use with WCF12 in a notebook? Does it work in any CF-PCMCIA adapter? I tried it before and it didn't work.

Ehien

Quote:

Originally posted by gorby
I got tired of waiting for a working driver from Linksys and got a Symbol card off eBay for 25 bucks shipped. Never looked back. Symbol rocks with Socket drivers - battery drain is minimal and connection range is best I have seen. But WC12 did not go to waste. I got one of those CF to PMCIA adapters and now using that card in my laptop with drivers for a Linksys laptop card. Works great and the range is awesome.

gorby · 01-08-04, 08:59 PM

It should work with any adapter I think. I am using a generic one that came with my color printer to use with the CF memory card to print pictures. The driver that works is from the WPC11 card. I found directions on this site , here they are:

Here's soln for Win 2k, should work with XP:
- Download WPC11 v3 drivers
- Insertyour CF with PCMCIA card
- Go to CntrlPanel -> DevMgr
- click on ?Linksys_Wireless_CF_Card
- when askes to "Search yada yada yada" select "Display a list...yada yada yada" radio button
- Next and then Network Adaptors
- nav to where you unziped your download and select LSWLNDS5
- Open->OK then select "Instant Wireless Network PC Card v3.0"

That's it!

fredm2002 · 01-08-04, 10:59 PM

I would hope that someone from Aximsite would be willing to contact Linksys on all of our behalf and try and find a solution to why they are not releasing the final drivers to support PPC2003.

gorby · 01-08-04, 11:32 PM

I don't think it will help... unfortuately. A lot of us here contacted Linksys already and besides getting the "beta" drivers that are probably about 6 months old and work like crap we did not get anywhere. Some people got beta drivers to work but even in that case, the battery life is miserable compared to how it was with PPC2002. My last few requests about what is the estimate on when the final driver will be released got completely ignored by Linksys support. My guess - it will never happen. And if it will... you'll probably be running Windows Mobile 2004 or 2005 by then

wencyv · 01-08-04, 11:38 PM

iam working from LINKSYS, im one of the techsupport from LINKSYS, u could try emailing us at support@linksys.com and have a request for a wcf12 beta driver.....we had it in our ftp site, but dont know and have no reason why they just removed it out there.....but then just email us support@linksys.com

HOPE THAT WORKS!!!!

gorby · 01-08-04, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wencyv
iam working from LINKSYS, im one of the techsupport from LINKSYS, u could try emailing us at support@linksys.com and have a request for a wcf12 beta driver.....we had it in our ftp site, but dont know and have no reason why they just removed it out there.....but then just email us support@linksys.com

HOPE THAT WORKS!!!!

Good to know that Linksys support is based in Philippines ;)

I tried the beta drivers, they are not that good - acceptable for beta but it has been in beta for wayyy too long. I work for a software company and if we would keep our product in beta for that long we would be out of business by now. And I don't believe that it is because Linksys is just "working out all the bugs". I think it is just very very low on the priority list if it is even there. Too bad, I used to be a big Linksys fan... not anymore... that was the last Linksys product I will buy.

aximfanatic · 01-09-04, 10:37 AM

I was a huge fan of Linkysys also....but this is ridiculous...I paid good money for a something I thought that would be quality component....but without drivers.....what good is it?

LINKSYS...you just lost another one!

KnipKnup · 01-09-04, 11:20 PM

I bought the linksys wcf12 card and it was great for ppc2002 with low battery drainage and great range. However, as with everyone else, when I upgraded - along with the rest of the world - to WM2003, Linksys did not. Battery life sucks, range sucks, Linksys sucks.
It will be sold to the highest bidder and that is that. One less Linksys product is one step closer to a perfect computing world!

Ehien · 01-10-04, 05:32 AM

Just bought the Symbol WiFi CF on eBay for $30 shipped.

Linksys lost me...

Anyone knows of a cheap and good Bluetooth CF? May be useful someday.

aximfanatic · 01-12-04, 11:00 AM

Hi, how's the battery drain with the symbol card??? with the linksys...its really bad...I always need to make sure I got my charger in case I need to surf for more and an hour....thanks!

gorby · 01-12-04, 01:48 PM

Comparing to the Linksys card the battery drain with the Simbol card is much much less. You will be very suprprised. I don't have any other cards to compare to but I am very happy with this one and highly recommend it; especially cause it costs about 1/3 of the Socket card and they seem to be pretty identical.

Ehien · 01-15-04, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gorby
Comparing to the Linksys card the battery drain with the Simbol card is much much less. You will be very suprprised. I don't have any other cards to compare to but I am very happy with this one and highly recommend it; especially cause it costs about 1/3 of the Socket card and they seem to be pretty identical.

Received the Symbol card yesterday and I'm sure it'll last much longer than WCF12. It also worked flawlessly with 128bit WEP.

First, on the back of the card it says something like "Max. 100mW". I remember WCF12 is listed with 280mA peak. So there is a lot of difference in current (power) draw.

Also the Symbol is much cooler than Linksys card- a sign of less power consumption.

It just occurs to me that Linksys likely realizes that WCF12 is not competitive is not too big a market (WiFi CF card). Their intention is likely to let this product dies naturally and spend as littel efforts in supporting it as possible. It makes good short-term business sense but a bad one for customer loyalty. I for one no longer hold high regard for Linksys products.

Ehien

01-17-04, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gorby
I got tired of waiting for a working driver from Linksys and got a Symbol card off eBay for 25 bucks shipped. Never looked back. Symbol rocks with Socket drivers - battery drain is minimal and connection range is best I have seen. But WC12 did not go to waste. I got one of those CF to PMCIA adapters and now using that card in my laptop with drivers for a Linksys laptop card. Works great and the range is awesome.

ditto same here, my symbol was $20