spdstr280z

I purchased a Netgear MA701 CF Wireless card in January. The card worked great for a few months, then performance started to degrade, then it stopped identifying itself to the Axim correctly but would still work if reseated a few times, then it just died. Netgear replaced it without much hassle, but now the second one is starting the same thing. It started out as reduced performance, then I could set 5 feet from the AP's (multiple, work and home) and watch the signal strength and quality meters (in the MA701 utilities) oscillate between 0 and 100%, now it is beginning to not get a signal more than it does, and the card is not always recognized correctly again.

I'm about to call Netgear again, but am just curious how many others have had the same problems. I have seen a couple of other postings elsewhere on the web about exactly this behavior, and I'm wondering just how common it is.

Thanks !

MBT

I've had the MA701 for about 6 months and have had no problems with it. Quite happy with it.

Sorry about your luck. Maybe it is the Dell?

drunken

i had the same problems with my D-Link DCF-660W so i've sent it to D-Link for RMA - hope it doesn't happen again though...

__________________
- d r u n k e n -

"Trying is the first step towards failure"
- Homer Jay Simpson

- in my pocket -
Dell Axim X5 Advanced (400Mhz)
Windows Mobile 2003 (A05)
RhinoSkin Aluminum Hardcase
D-Link DCF-660W CF WiFi Card

spdstr280z

OK, Here's the update. After waiting 2 weeks for the callback from Netgear, and getting an e-mail from them about a router which has nothing to do with my problem, this is what they tell me. The MA701 has a known issue with XScale devices, causing the problems I have been seeing. In fact, they tell me that they are not suprised what it is doing, they are suprised that it works for 2 or 3 months. This sounds kind of strange to me, but they believe it, because they are refunding my money. ANybody else run into anything like this ? I have a hard time with them keeping hte card on the market if it will not work with XScale devices....

tange1

yea I know someone who had one die in like a month, no reason why. But netgear wouldn't replace his cause he didn't "register it" they said. Mine thus far works ok, sometimes it must be re-seated to get it to register, but taht doesn't surprise me much

lucific

I'm glad that someone else has experienced this. I thought I was loosing it. At first I thought it was the Axim, but after a hard reset and a clean install of the NetGear (MA701) driver the Axim would still not recognize the card. How did you go about getting a refund from NetGear (I ~think~ I registered) and what wifi card are you using now?

spdstr280z

Well, they gave me the e-mail for the person who handles RMA / Refund, I have sent 3 mails with absolutely no response. So, I don't guess I count as having gotten my money back. The whole thing pisses me off, so I don't plan o buy or reccomend any Netgear products in the future, including for work.

Oh, I am using a D-Link now and love it......

Handy

That's pretty interesting! I got my first Netgear card replaced under warranty a few months ago. Now the 2nd card is becoming erratic, as you describe.

I thought it was the Axim, because I had problems initially with Linksys cards, too. I don't understand how an XScale processor could cause a CF card to fail, though??? Besides, most of them have a PRISM chipset.

So what's the most reliable CF Wi-Fi card?

MBT

I'm now on the phone with Netgear - the lady can't speak english.

They are sending me a replacement, maybe, I can't understand her and she can't understand me :bang: :bang: :bang:

After this, if this card dies, I'm never buying another netgear product. The router I bought was DOA.

:bang:

wired57

my netgear cards died too, the casing broke open on me, but the electronics are just fine. however the card worked afterwords, but has since been degraging and is now dead :(

Handy

This is pretty weird! I wonder if other PDAs are having this problem?

e-heli

I bought my wife a Axim X5 for Xmas of 2003. I had the Linksys WCF12 card in it. After a few months the card stopped being recognized. I figured the kids must have bent it while in use and just scrapped the card. I then bought a Netgear MA701 card to replace it. That card worked for a few months and stopped being recognized as well. It was within their 90-day warranty so I got a replacment. Now that one is starting to go out again.

The card will work sometimes if I insert it by putting it into the slot, and pushing the card against the back on the Axim while inserting it.

So is it a problem with the Axim? I say that because I see another person other than myself who had their Linksys card die on them as well as the problems with the Netgear cards.

At this point I think I'll probably replace the X5 with something else. I'm thinking maybe the X3i or perhaps I'll get a iPAQ 4155 for my wife, which is what I have.

__________________
Current PDAs: HP iPAQ 210
Past PDAs: TRS-80 PC-1 and PC-5, HP 100LX, Casio Z-7000 Zoomer, Casio A10, HP 620LX, iPaq 3135, HP Jornada 567, iPaq 3835, Toshiba e740, iPaq 5455, iPAQ 4155, Dell Axim X50v

Handy

My first card was a WCF12. It was flaky from the beginning. I had the same problem with a 2nd WCF12, so I switched to an MA-701. The first one worked for several months, then began to have the problems described above.

I got the MA-701 replaced under warranty, and the replacement recently started acting up, too. I lost that card while on vacation a couple of weeks ago, so I just got a Symbol card to replace it.

The Symbol works great, so far. I really like the utilities that came with it, too. It's really easy to switch profiles and sign onto different access points without having to reconfigure everything.

I'm hoping this one is a keeper!

e-heli

Thanks for the note about the Symbol card. I saw someone posting them for sale on eBay for $30 shipped, so I went ahead and bought one. I actually used to have one a couple of years ago and it worked great. I regretted selling it, but hey, now I'm getting another one.

So my wife will be keeping her Axim X5 for a while longer.

Do you happen to know if the Symbol card has WM2K3 driver support yet? I went to the Symbol site, but I did not see any WM2K3 drivers there. Are people using the Socket drivers with their Symbol cards?

__________________
Current PDAs: HP iPAQ 210
Past PDAs: TRS-80 PC-1 and PC-5, HP 100LX, Casio Z-7000 Zoomer, Casio A10, HP 620LX, iPaq 3135, HP Jornada 567, iPaq 3835, Toshiba e740, iPaq 5455, iPAQ 4155, Dell Axim X50v

dementedlemur

Yes, go to socketcom.com to get the 2003 drivers.