09 September 2010
manufacturer:
- bluetake
supplier:
- bluetake
price:
- ?
review by:
- inder
related www:
- forum thread
- bluetake
pros:
small and compact, portable, led activity indicator for link / active status, compliant to 802.11b standard, usb 1.1 interface, supports 64-bit and 128-bit wep encryption, support for ad-hoc and infrastructure modes, 30m to 300m range, supports windows xp / me / 2000 /98, chip antenna based - no external aerial, works in all environments.
cons:
easy to loose? keyring loop might be useful addition.
modtown rating:
- 4.5 out of 5
do you agree with our rating? why not drop by the forums and leave your comments...
The BW101 is a very compact unit, measuring only 77.5mm long, 27mm wide and
about 10.5mm thick. It is constructed
of a smoked translucent plastic shell. The unit is also very light, weighing a
mere 19g. At one end is the USB connector that allows the BW101 to be connected
to a spare USB port (or an USB Extension Cable) and the top of the BW101
features an LED along side the 'BLUETAKE' text.
As the plastic shell is partially see-thru - you are able to view the PCB
(Printed Circuit Board) construction inside. The unit
is powered by an board Chip Antenna, which is one of the reasons for its compact
size. Closer inspection shows that this chip is
manufactured by a company called ZyDAS Technology Corp., a Taiwan-based IC
design house.
The Chip Antenna...
Using the BW101:
Before plugging the BW101 into a spare USB port, the user must first install
the driver. This is just a case of inserting the supplied CD-ROM and choosing
the "Wireless LAN Driver Installation" option from the menu that pops-up:
CD Menu - Driver and Setup Guides.
Once the driver has been installed, BlueTake recommend that you restart you computer, after which the BW101 can be plugged into a spare USB port. Windows will automatically detect and proceed to install and setup the driver.
Plugging the BW101 into a spare USB port.
Once installation is completed, a 'ZDConfig' icon will show up on the Windows taskbar, which will allow you to search for and contact to any available WLAN's...
ZD USB Wireless LAN Configuration Tool.
The ZD Configuration Tool is easy
to use, pressing the 'Refresh' button instructs the BW101 search for any available WLAN's that are in range. As it
discovers them, it lists the SSID (Service Set
Identifier, an unique identifier of the WLAN) and strength of the signal.
Further information about the WLAN selected is also provided, such as the Channel
ID and if WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is turned on or off etc...
Conclusion:
The
BlueTake Wireless LAN 802.11b BW101 USB Adaptor is a convenient way for
users to connect to a WLAN, be in their home, at their office or any other
spacious public place where a WLAN might exist. It's small and compact size
makes it extremely portable and ideal for laptop user's, all that is required is
a spare USB port.
Being easy to setup is a great bonus - as users of all experience can just 'plug
in' and get connected with minimum fuss. The ZD Configuration Tool makes it easy to find and
connect to available WLANs, providing all the information required in a simple
interface. As well as connecting to WLANs, the BW101 also supports WEP Encyption
(both 64-bit and 128-bit) for security and peace of mind.
modtown rating: 4.5 out of 5
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