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(More customer reviews)I've been waiting a couple years now for a wireless manufacture to "get it" and realize there is a market for a USB wi-fi dongle with a detachable antenna. For all the PC Card versions out there with detachable antenna, it's taken forever for someone to come out with a USB equivalent. Finally, Hawking has, with the HWUG1.
The version I purchased is the Macintosh version (HWUG1A). This comes with a driver from a chip maker called Ralink. Ralink has been doing a public beta with this driver for a few years now, and I was already familiar with it. It's in pretty solid shape now. I guess you could say it's ready for prime time. And now that Ralink are actually getting money for it directly from OEMs like Hawking, MacSense and a couple of others, the driver is likely to be maintained and kept in good condition through OS X upgrades. This is an important consideration because, unlike some other nework interfaces, a wi-fi dongle requires a driver apart from anything that comes with the standard Mac OS X install.
The screw on antenna uses the popular and common SMA connector. Hawking sells several omni-directional and directional antennas that are compatible. I have also attached it to a Cantenna which works very well. But lately my favorite solution is to add a Tritium Flatenna reflector. I like the Flatenna because it packs so flat and slips right into my laptop case with my papers. Ironically, the Flatenna doesn't require a detachable antenna. But I still regard this feature as important.
Overall I'm very pleased with my purchase. I wish it had cost a bit less. I have been able to purchase D-Link wi-fi USB dongles, that I was previously using with the Ralink beta driver, for as little as $20. I paid over $50 for the Hawking. Also, the D-Link comes with a nice, weighted USB stand and extension cable. The Hawking does not. But with the included, foldable antenna, there is less need of a remote stand base.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Hawking Wireless G USB Network Adapter with external SMA jack, Apple Compatible - HWUG1A
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