Review: Belkin F5D8053 USB 2.0 Wireless N Adapter

[SXRguyinMA]

This is my first review, comments and criticisms welcomed :D

Ok so I had to reinstall windows and lost my install CD for my D-Link wireless card, and every driver set I find online makes windows hang, so it was time for a new wireless adaptor. After a lot of searching and review reading, I decided to go with the Belkin F5D8053 USB 2.0 Wireless N Adapter - 300Mbps, 802.11n. (http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=372137)

I did online searching, and found it at Tiger Direct for $49.99. (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?Sku=B20-2452)

I ordered it on a sunday afternoon, and recieved it on the following wednesday. As always, nice fast shipping from Tiger :up:

Specs:
Device Type: Wireless Adaptor
Interface: USB 2.0
Wireless Network Standards: IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11n
Wireless Data Transfre Rates: 300Mbps
Wireless Network Configuration: Ad-Hoc (Peer-to-Peer), Infrastructure
Security Protocols: WPA, 128-bit WEP, 64-bit WEP, WPA2, WPA-PSK

Packaging:
The box is as you would expect, clear pictures and clear specs on the unit.
http://www.postwhore.biz/albums/userpics/10082/normal_Picture%20005.jpg (http://www.postwhore.biz/albums/userpics/10082/Picture%20005.jpg)

Box contents included the following. Installation CD, USB adaptor, USB dockng cradle with 4-foot USB 2.0 cable, a Quick Install Guide and a troubleshooting guide.
http://www.postwhore.biz/albums/userpics/10082/normal_Picture%20006.jpg (http://www.postwhore.biz/albums/userpics/10082/Picture%20006.jpg)

A nice feature was that the USB adaptor came with a nice hard plastic cover to cover the USB plug when not in use, i.e. in your pocket, etc. if using with your laptop.

Cover installed:
http://www.postwhore.biz/albums/userpics/10082/normal_Picture%20010.jpg (http://www.postwhore.biz/albums/userpics/10082/Picture%20010.jpg)

Cover removed:
http://www.postwhore.biz/albums/userpics/10082/normal_Picture%20011.jpg (http://www.postwhore.biz/albums/userpics/10082/Picture%20011.jpg)

Heres a shot of the adaptor next to its cradle:
http://www.postwhore.biz/albums/userpics/10082/normal_Picture%20012.jpg (http://www.postwhore.biz/albums/userpics/10082/Picture%20012.jpg)

And sitting on its cradle:
http://www.postwhore.biz/albums/userpics/10082/normal_Picture%20013.jpg (http://www.postwhore.biz/albums/userpics/10082/Picture%20013.jpg)

another nice feature is the blinkng blue LED on the adaptor itself that shows activity. At a glance you can look and see if its working, instead of having to look behind your PC at the PCI card.

http://www.postwhore.biz/albums/userpics/10082/normal_Picture%20007.jpg (http://www.postwhore.biz/albums/userpics/10082/Picture%20007.jpg)

Installation:
All the reviews I read online from every source said the Belkn software is junk and to just use the CD to install the drivers. I wanted to see for myself so I installed the CD normally. This is where found they were correct. The Belkni utility didnt even see my wireless network. The Windows utility saw it with a low signal strength, as it always did even with my old D-Link PCI card. So I uninstalled the Belkin software and just loaded the drivers off the CD and used the Windows utility to set it up, worked like a charm.

Performance:
Well with my D-Link PCI card I was always connected with a speed of 54Mbps, at a very low to low signal strength. I would occasionally lose the network and not be able to find it for an hour or two - very frustrating. So far I have not experienced any signal drops with the Belkin adaptor, but I'm gettng the same very low to low signal strength (which can be associated from the layout of my house and my g-router), but I'm only connected at an average speed of 18Mbps! I tried moving the adaptor all around - up, down, left, right, etc. Speeds would range from 2Mbps to 59Mpbs, but they always fluctuate, they're never stable, no matter where I put it. This may have something to do with my g-router that came from Verizon for my DSL.

Final ratings:
Packaging: 10/10
Ease of installation: 7/10
Performance: 5/10
Asthetics: 8/10
Price: 8/10
Total: 38/50

I give it a 7/10 for ease of installation only because of the crappy Belkin software. If they just put the drivers on the CD w/o the software it'd be a 10/10.

Performace gets a 5/10 due to it getting way lower speed than my D-Link PCI card did, regardless of location, and it was only a 108Mbps max card. I'm savng up to get a N-router, so once I get that things may change

Asthetics get 8/10, as its a rather attractive piece, even the cradle. Still ugly to have a 4-foot USB cable around, but unless you're on a laptop or have it plugged in directly, its something you have to deal with. Also, if you were to plug it in directly its rather long, so there ma be clearance issues depending on how youre area is setup.

Price gets 8/10 because of Tiger, and is also tied into its performace. Belkin wants $79.99 for this, while Tigers regular price was $59,99, but also had a $10 instant savings. If its performace was better, it would have been a 10/10.

Overall
This is a good piece at a good price (from Tiger) and works well. No dropped signals, although speed varies and the Belkin software is crap. If you're looking for a good part on a budget, this is it. If you've got more to spend, you may look into something else

[SXRguyinMA]

gee, over a week and not a single comment? was the review that bad? :? lol

[jdbnsn]

I had actually overlooked this review, sorry. I think it was a very good review, good pictures and appropriate amount, clear and concise description. I'm also glad to see more critical reviews like these, many reviews tend to give 9/10 or better to just about anything and frankly that usually indicates that the product wasn't critically analyzed. Nice job!

[SXRguyinMA]

thanks Jon :D

[spaztiK]

i have the same wireless thing on my pc but the 54 megabit one. it works really well once its installed but everything has to be set up manually. the software wont find my wireless either, but my router is the belkin one that came in the same box as the wireless adapter.

[AMD Killa]

I have two of the 802.11g versions of this adapter. You are definatly right in saying drop the belkin wireless software.

The second of the adapter's I bought, the CD kept saying it was empty.

Sometimes more trouble than they are worth, but when they work, they are fantastic.

Brilliant review, but I don't see why you went with the N version, when you have a G router, unless you are planning to upgrade in the future.

[SXRguyinMA]

yea, I'm planning on getting an N router in the future...hopefully for christmas :D I plugged it into a 6-ft USB extension and moved it around a wall and it gets much better signal now, stays connected ranging from 36-54 at low to very good, so I cant complain now. Once I get the N router I'll see how it changes

[Xtrykr]

I have this also, it worked good for my desktop, but ever since I sold my desktop, I actually don't have a need for this. I would give this Wireless N USB adapter 5 more points, say 43/50 because it is one of the few N USB sticks that works in both Vista 32 and 64 (the nGear and Linksys ones do not work in Vista 64).

[SXRguyinMA]

thanks for the info Xtrykr, I'm running XP Home 32-bit so I did not know about the Vista/64 compatibility, thats a handy little piece of info :up:

[grizzlyironbear]

i tried all of the regular wireless adaptors..and found them to fail miserably at getting the high speeds and also the retaining of the high speeds as well. Thats why i finally decided to spend 30 bucks more and bought the high gain wireless router that i did my review on...and...i havent looked back..

[meatguy87]

i have this same product, i need to reinstall the software from the Install CD.
the only problem is, when i moved, i think my ex through out a bunch of old stuff of mine and tossed that CD with my other things, is there any were i can get a copy of the CD, or a copy of the files on the CD to load on my computer to run in Installation to get it working?

[Oneslowz28]

Welcome to TBCS Meatguy87!!!!

You can download the drivers from belkin's site. Here is a direct link to the download page. http://www.belkin.com/support/product/?lid=en&pid=F5D8053&scid=223

[Will]

I have this one as well. It's on my main PC which is one floor above the AP. I used netstumbler to aim the antenna on my AP. I have no complaints as far as speed goes. The only problem is that it gets really hot and quits working if I'm transferring lots of files.

[SXRguyinMA]

I havent had any issues with it getting hot and shutting off. I did end up plugging it into a USB extension cable to get better signal strength, which worked nicely. I've also been using it with win7 now, works flawlessly :up:

[billygoat333]

Nice Review! after having a Belkin router crap out on me and be just a general PITA, I have given up on Belkin. Although I do have an Ipod cradle for my car that is a Belkin that is really nice, I think I am done with that company :)