The original Netgear WG511 (v1) PC Card is one of the best 802.11g products
I've ever used or tested. It has remarkably good range (better than most
other 802.11b and 802.11g products I've used and tested), very good stability
(better able to hold a difficult connection than other products), and very
good speed (particularly in less than optimal conditions).

I recently needed an additional 802.11g PC Card, and when I couldn't readily
find an original WG511 (v1) PC Card, I went with the WG511v2 (which is a
different design). My expectation was that it would be at least as good as
the original WG511 (v1), and perhaps better. Unfortunately, it isn't even as
good:

* Range is significantly worse than the original WG511 (v1), on the order of
10-20% less. In some locations where the original WG511 (v1) can connect and
hold a weak signal, the WG511v2 is too unstable to be usable

* Stability of the WG511v2 is much worse than the original WG511 (v1), to the
point of losing connections even in strong signal conditions.

These observations are based on extensive careful testing of more than one
sample of both types of cards in multiple locations with the latest Netgear
drivers under Windows XP SP2 on an IBM ThinkPad T30.

Accordingly, my recommendation is for the original WG511 (v1) over the
WG511v2, which didn't even perform as well as other (non-Netgear) 802.11g
cards I've used and tested. Easy way to tell them apart:

* The original WG511 (v1) has a silver antenna bulge.

* The WG511v2 has a black antenna bulge.

See also <http://kbserver.netgear.com/products/WG511.asp>.

Although the original WG511 (v1) may be hard to find new, good used ones are
readily available on eBay (as of this writing) at bargain prices.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>