DLink660 s*cks, Ambicom WL1100C-CF rocks.

io333 · 03-24-03, 01:26 PM

I returned my Dlink 660 and picked up the Ambicom card, which is on sale at BestBuy for about $50 after rebate:

The Ambicom is:
1. Much smaller and lighter, noticeably lighter, especially when in the Axim and in hand.

2. Has ONE FIFTH THE POWER DRAW in powersave mode.

3. Leaves no gap between the axim and the top of the card.

4. Doesn't stick out nearly so much

5. Is much much thinner.

6. Allowed me to slip the Axim into a Palm 100 zip case with the card inserted, which I could't even dream of with the Dlink card.

7. Configured without problems, including DHCP (YMMV of course, depending on your setup and networking skills ;)

8. Has superior range -- I get signal where I had no signal before.

9. Is the same price as the Dlink.

10. This is most important: I was getting some weird benchmark results in a different thread, showing that the Dlink card was eating 50% of processor performance. I didn't trust the benchmark. I can now report that the Dlink card WAS EATING MY PROCESSOR PERFORMANCE. The difference is night and day. Web pages that took forever to load with the DLink card *snap* into existance now.

I can't believe how much the Dlink card s*cked! If you have a 660, do yourself a favor and throw it away. Dlink, I hope you are reading this and I hope you are ashamed of yourselves. Come to think of it, I've never had a Dlink product that didn't s*ck. One of their routers with a supposed lifetime warranty died on me, and I tried to get service, and never managed to get anywhere and eventually just gave up and bought a different brand of router.

ceej13 · 03-24-03, 01:28 PM

What's your range on the Ambicom vs the Dlink 660?

io333 · 03-25-03, 02:18 AM

I can't really give a good idea of that because I have a software hack boosted WAP11 cheap clone inside of a house with lots of oblique walls between it and me. I get full house coverage with either the Dlink card or the Ambicom. However, I get coverage in a lot of formerly dead spots in the back yard and street with the Ambicom now.

mialutz · 03-25-03, 06:10 AM

I can second that. I have had the D-Link 660w for a few days and now I have the Ambicom.

The Ambicom gives me increased signal strength within my home wlan and also gives me better access to public points. Where I had 40-60 signal strength at home I now have 80+.

I also find the drivers to be easy to use. Given the option I would buy an Ambicom over the Dlink. Especially since the pricepoint is equal.

bobnick · 03-25-03, 09:24 AM

All well and good, but where can you buy them from? I've had a look online, and most people don't list them or have them on back order.

how much does the ambicom cost? I've jush had the D-Link 660 delivered (31 bucks from amazon), but will swap it for the ambicom if i can find it somewhere at a similar price!

io333 · 03-26-03, 05:42 PM

I bought mine in store, at Best Buy. You can order it online from Bestbuy.com

It comes to $50 or $60 after the rebate and tax and stuff. It is so worth the extra money over what you can buy the Dlink card from at Amazon ($35ish after rebate??).