Rosewill N900UBE IEEE802.11A/B/G/N USB2.0 Dual-Band Wireless Adapter Up to 450 + 450 Mbps Wireless Data Rates WPA/WPA2-PSK Rosewill N900UBE IEEE802.11A/B/G/N USB2.0 Dual-Band Wireless Adapter Up to 450 + 450 Mbps Wireless Data Rates WPA/WPA2-PSK

Pros: Linux driver that you download from Rosewill website also contains an 11 page file that explains steps needed to make it work in Linux it was tested in Redhat

Cons: I do not understand the instructions so cannot help out there but the additional comments shows 1 page of the instructions there is also the 2 pages concerning configuration

Other Thoughts: Linux kernel 2.4 and 2.6 series.
Tested in Redhat 7.3 or later.
Build Instructions:
====================

1> $tar -xvzf DPB_RT2870_Linux_STA_x.x.x.x.tgz
go to "./DPB_RT2870_Linux_STA_x.x.x.x" directory.

2> In Makefile
set the "MODE = STA" in Makefile and chose the TARGET to Linux by set "TARGET = LINUX"
define the linux kernel source include file path LINUX_SRC
modify to meet your need.

3> In os/linux/config.mk
define the GCC and LD of the target machine
define the compiler flags CFLAGS
modify to meet your need.
** Build for being controlled by NetworkManager or wpa_supplicant wext functions
Please set 'HAS_WPA_SUPPLICANT=y' and 'HAS_NATIVE_WPA_SUPPLICANT_SUPPORT=y'.
=> #>cd wpa_supplicant-x.x
=> #>./wpa_supplicant -Dwext -ira0 -c wpa_supplicant.conf -d
** Build for being controlled by WpaSupplicant with Ralink Driver
Please set 'HAS_WPA_SUPPLICANT=y' and 'HAS_NATIVE_WPA_SUPPLICANT_SUPPORT=n'.
=> #>cd wpa_supplicant-0.5.7
=> #>./wpa_supplicant -Dralink -ira0 -c wpa_supplicant.conf -d

4> $make
# compile driver source code
# To fix "error: too few arguments to function ¡¥iwe_stream_add_event"
=> $patch -i os/linux/sta_ioctl.c.patch os/linux/sta_ioctl.c

5> $cp RT2870STA.dat /etc/Wireless/RT2870STA/RT2870STA.dat

6> load driver, go to "os/linux/" directory.
#[kernel 2.4]
# $/sbin/insmod rt2870sta.o
# $/sbin/ifconfig ra0 inet YOUR_IP up

#[kernel 2.6]
# $/sbin/insmod rt2870sta.ko
# $/sbin/ifconfig ra0 inet YOUR_IP up

7> unload driver
$/sbin/ifconfig ra0 down
$/sbin/rmmod rt2870sta

=======================================================================

Pros: Plugged in unit and windows did not have driver but I expected that put in CD installed driver with Ralink software. windows did what Rosewill said about not installing driver installed anyway like instructions say after installed, setup my connection which was no problem and on internet with ralink software managing it saw no problems there, got about average wireless connection speed for our service based on using Edimax Nano adapter then uninstalled and just installed driver no problem used windows to connect to the internet and got about the same speed results as with ralink controlling the connection. after about an hour of using it connected it got warm to the touch but by no means hot.

Cons: then had my Linux friend try to install it on a Mepis box and it tried to use existing drivers but they were not compatible with chipset and it acted up. He then removed existing driver and installed the one from Rosewill website. After about 3 hours of tinkering with it he was unable to get the unit to work in his version of Linux, he did not know if it was his fault or a problem with the driver but suspects he is to blame for it not working, he has been a Linux user for the past 14 years.
the unit is definitely a bit bulkier than most but it has an extra antenna that should allow for better range which I could not test in our home, my computer sits 20' from router and Mike's Mepis box never got it to work so no idea there

Other Thoughts: For Windows 7 Pro I see this as a viable option for wireless internet but with what friend found I would question as to whether or not it is acceptable for average Linux user.
Router is a Linksys WRT54GL Wireless Broadband Router 802.11b/g that is about 4 years old

27.31Mbps download and 5.72Mbps upload speeds with wired connection
22.98Mbps download and 5.57Mbps upload speeds With wireless connection
System
ASUS Sabertooth 990FX
AMD FX-4100
GSKILL Ripjaws 16GB 2x8GB
Cooler Master Storm Enforcer
Antec 550W PSU
Lite-on Blu-ray Burner
Sony Optiarc DVD Burner
Koutech USB 3 card reader
EVGA GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit
Asus 23" monitor (Stacked Bottom)
Asus 23" monitor (Stacked Top)
Crucial M4 128GB SSD (OS)
Western Digital Blue 500GB SATA II HDD (Data Drive)
Windows 7 Professional 64bit

Pros: The performance of this adapter on the 5GHz band has the potential to be very good. It immediately connected at 450mbps, although it did fluctuate between 250mbps and 450mbps during testing. With the antenna pointed directly at the router, which was two rooms away, I achieved between 84mbps and 120mbps (12-15MB/s). This is a very good result.

Cons: (1) Performance was all over the map, for one simple reason: this adapter is completely unidirectional.

On the 2.4GHz band, it performed only slightly better than a typical inexpensive single-band adapter or built-in wireless. It achieved between 20mbps and 32mbps on two test systems, with the best result of 32mbps right next to the router, translating to just over 4MB/s. The problem is definitely the unidirectional nature of the adapter. For instance, on my notebook test system, I could increase transfer speed from 24mbps to 31mbps if I turned the notebook and pointed the adapter antenna straight out in the direction of the wireless router several rooms away. This is impractical for regular use, and impossible on a desktop.

The situation was similar on the 5GHz band, although speeds were much higher. But again, the adapter is completely unidirectional. When using it on my desktop, which is against a wall, the transfer rate was a disappointing 40mbps (5MB/s). But when I used a USB extension cable I had on hand and pointed the antenna directly at the router several rooms away, I achieved sustained transfer speeds of between 84mbps and 120mbps (12-15MB/s), as noted above.

(2) The instruction manual has multiple errors in it. First, it indicates that you install the adapter prior to installing the drivers, and at the end indicates that you must install the adapter after installing drivers. The latter is correct. Also, it indicates that you should search on the CD-ROM for the drivers manually, when an installation program actually pops up upon inserting the disc. Simply click on Windows OS or Mac OS to install.

(3) The included Ralink software is not particularly intuitive, for instance in regard to how to connect or input passwords, and unless you are technically-inclined, just pass on installing it and use the built-in Windows wireless networking application.

Other Thoughts: So, how to rate this adapter? Honestly, without the ability to position the adapter appropriately, this is a 3-star product. It's simply too unidirectional for practical use on either the 2.4GHz or 5GHz band. If you're paying this much for an adapter, it must outperform cheap adapters without requiring the user to jump through hoops. I see that Newegg is currently bundling it with a USB cradle, which it should have come with in the first place. For that reason, I'll give it four stars, but unless you get it bundled or have one on hand, I do not recommend this product.

Note that the device will not be recognized automatically by Windows - if you do not have an optical drive in your system (for instance, an Ultrabook), you will need to download the drivers from the Rosewill website beforehand from another active Internet connection.

All tests were conducted using a high-end 802.11 dual-band wireless router.

Pros: 2.4 and 5Ghz bands
WPS button
Fast connection

Cons: Driver not found by Windows
Driver included on disc can only be accessed via .exe. file
Driver on disk cannot be verified by Windows 7
Large physical size

Other Thoughts: The packaging of this adapter is simple and quickly allows the device to be unboxed and for using. This adapter will stick out about 3 inches from the USB port so it was a bit cumbersome on the side of my laptop. Once plugged into a Windows 7 computer Windows declares that "Driver not found" after a few minutes. The device does include a disc but only an .exe on the disc to install the driver not the raw driver itself so you cannot tell Windows to find the driver on the disc. After running the .exe on the disc Windows informs you that the driver cannot be verified, once I continued past that warning the USB adapter started working without any noticeable issue.

This USB Wifi adapter delivers fast connection speeds. My built in Wifi card only shows a connection speed of 130Mbps while this adapter reported a connection speed of 300Mbps.

When testing actual speed I received considerably slower speeds than 300 but still fast. For testing I used read and write speeds over my network to my desktop connected to the router at 1Gbps. When writing a 1024Mb file over the USB Adapter I received an average of 85Mbps over several tests. For reading my tests averaged about 100Mbps. When testing a 50Mb file I averaged 57Mbps write and 74Mbps read. When testing my internet connection speed I was able to consistently reach the speeds my ISP advertises.

If you are looking for a fast Wifi connection and don't mind a 3 inch device hanging off your computer this adapter is great.

Pros: Great 5ghz speeds and not much other wireless interference.

Quicker download & upload speeds than my previous 2.4ghz network interface card (nic), albeit not very noticeable in the real world.

Excellent price point.

Works as stated.

Cons: Setup was a little slower than it feels like it should be...it's just installing a driver, it shouldnt take 15 minutes.

Received an error upon installation, albeit it was a minor error - invalid digital signature on the drivers.

5ghz drawbacks...it's not a fault of this nic, but of the 5ghz spectrum, while it can be a lot faster, it also suffers from being too far away with too many barriers. So with all 5ghz networks, if you've got clear line of site - you're smoking...add in more than 3 walls in between the router & your nic and you're about normal.

Other Thoughts: Running 2.4ghz mode I receive 4/5 bars in comparison to my existing nic in the same place. (existing nic is Rosewill n180ube) The benefit it enjoys over this nic is the fact that it has a detachable antenna & comes with a +5db (fat finger) antenna. So it's hard for this n900ube to compete with my home theater pc (HTPC) setup which is where i'd like to boost my wireless the most. It streams hd videos and is over 60 linear feet and 1 floor down from my router. However, i've never found a 5ghz nic that could compare to my existing 2.4ghz nic.

If you are using it on a laptop or computer that has line of site &/or very few obstructions, this nic is amazing and priced well.

Moving over to the 5ghz spectrum, which in theory should be better (and for this nic it was better all around...i just wish you could add on another antenna) we see better gains over it's own performance operating on the 2.4ghz spectrum, but less so than my existing nic. In my home I run a separate wired network for my home office, 3 - 2.4 ghz wireless networks (primary network, secondary for media streaming, and a guest network), and 1 5ghz network. So naturally one would expect less wireless interference.

This portion of the comparison is the 2.4ghz vs 5ghz on this nic. It gets 3/5 bars rather than 4/5 bars on 2.4ghz (5/5 bars w/ my existing nic) it had a max connection speed of 324mbps rather than 300mbps. However, the connection speed was swinging like tarzan ranging from as low as 81mbps back up to the 324mbps.

I was able to transfer 104gb of mp3/flac/oog files (3782 files total) from my htpc to my server 10 minutes quicker than on the 2.4ghz spectrum, however in the same amount of time it took on my existing nic.

Gaming was normal, no discernible difference either positive or negative. There was never any heat issue with the nic after 5 hours of constant gaming.

Aesthetically it's a bit large, the green led light is not overly burdening, and the black color is nice to blend in w/ all the other black gear in my home theater.

Overall I give this device a 5 star review because for a 5ghz nic it performs within it's class, above average. It's priced well. And there were not any major flaws to the device, none that would require that you send it back...it does a great job.

Pros: No issues at all. Streams HD content from my NAS to my laptop flawlessly.

Easy install

Cons: Size. It is a little bulky. I would have knocked 1 egg off for that, but the actual USB plug is off set to the top of the plug making it usable if you put in the bottom plug. So they put a LITTLE thought into it I suppose.

Other Thoughts: The disk gives you the option to install the whole package or just the drivers...install JUST THE DRIVERS!!! Worked first time for me.
Also, turn off Windows Update for it. I allowed Windows to install the "newest" driver for it and I started having all sorts of issues. Rolled driver back, issues went away. Device Manager will label it as a "Rosewill Dual band Wireless Adapter". If it says it's anything else and you are having issues, go back to the drivers on the disk!!!

Pros: Works well for its purpose and price. Not too expensive and a good alternative to a wireless card. Easy setup and use.

Cons: Its a little bulky and you need to make sure you don't hit it.

Pros: worked after much trouble (due to ralink software)
seems to be as fast as stated

Cons: ralink software

Other Thoughts: I've had soo much trouble with ANY product that uses Ralink software. First it stalled halfway thru installation, then couldn't uninstall to try again. Ended up doing a restore, then reinstalling (clicking "driver and ralink utility" - mistake, you need to install JUST the driver). This time I got thru it, BUT couldn't connect with Ralink utility. Switched to microsoft's wireless zero configuration, and uninstalled the Ralink cr*p, THEN IT WORKED. I had another usb wifi receiver with Ralink software and same prob.

If you want an easy to install/configure usb wifi receiver, Try Rosewill's RNX-N180UBE. Great range/software, easy to install, NO RALINK. The number of wifi's it picks up is numerous (more than this). Like it's page says, "Great Coverage and Reliable Connectivity"

Pros: Price, specs

Cons: No driver for Linux in CD. Tried to see if Fedora 18 and Ubuntu 12.10 would recognize it on their own, but none of them did. The adapter box did not claim anywhere that it worked in Linux. BUT Newegg still has it on their site as supporting Linux (2-1-13). This is 15 days after I bought it, tried it, reported this to Newegg and received a full refund.
So the low rating is not for the card, which might be great in Windows or Mac; I do not know.
The low rating is for Newegg for not updating the misleading statement that this adapter is Linux compatible.It is not. Other people should not be wasting their time like I did because of a false claim of compatibility.

Manufacturer Response:

Dear Valued Customer,
Thank you very much for purchasing WL ADPT ROSEWILL| N900UBE R. Our apologies for your inconvenience. Please download driver from our link below.
http://rosewill.com/products/2386/ProductDetail_Download.htm.
Or call our support team either via phone at 800-575-9885 or via email at rma@rosewill.com so we may further assist you.


Thanks,
Rosewill Customer Care

Pros: Before I used this, I was on my laptop wireless card which for some reason, was not able to access our N-Network. Nor was I getting the speeds my roommate was getting. After getting this, I was able to connect to my N-Network and get about 50Mbps.

Cons: You have to install the software.

Other Thoughts: Upgrading from the previous Rosewill adapter that's highly rated, RNX-N1, the improvements are vast and excellent. I will be getting a few more of these for my other electronics (TV, etc.)