EDIMAX EW-7128G Wireless PCI Card Review

We picked up the Edimax EW-7128G Wireless PCI Card for $20 from Newegg for our media center computer. One of my biggest concerns about this card when I opened the package was the tiny antenna, which is smaller than the external antenna on most of our USB Wifi adapters, however I was pleasantly surprised. Our computer tower goes on top of our shelf where the TV would be in our bedroom of the 5th wheel, and to my surprise, it turned out to be a blessing that the antenna was so short. It just fit on top of the case, and this got it high enough to shoot over the top of the other campers, giving me a clear and uninterrupted view of the access antenna. Another bonus is this antenna is not attached directly to the PCI card, but instead it has a cable with the antenna attached to it so placement of the antenna is flexible. In other words you can set the antenna in different areas to find your best reception.

The Edimax EW-7128G Wireless PCI Card surprised us in it's reception and abilities, and when I hooked it up, for the first time we were getting as good a connection in our bedroom as the kids had in the living room to the access point several yards away. This was crucial in my book because the computer we attached it to was our media center, and not only do we watch TV and DVD's on it, but we also stream videos from the major networks and from Netflix, so a good reception with a fast connection was somewhat crucial to this particular computer.

The external cable antenna also allows easy replacement with another antenna if higher gain is desired.

The specs and features for the Edimax EW-7128G Wireless PCI Card are:

IEEE 802.11b/g standard
Up to 54Mbps Data Rate
64/128-Bit WEP, 802.1x, WPA, AES Security support
Open PCI slot required
Frequency range 2.4GHz - 2.4835GHz
LED for transmit, receive, and link
Transmit power 16dBm ~ 18dBm
External detachable dipole antenna with 94cm cable, (longer cable may be desired).
Operating systems supported: Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP/Vista and Linux
Comes with EW-7128G, Resource Disk, and Quick Start Guide.
2 year limited warranty on parts and labor.

Very nice adapter for a low price.