Welcome to another installment of “Ask an Incontinent Viking,” the
gadget column hosted by Fjafalgnjir the Vexed, an 11th-century Danish
warrior transported into a modern world he never made. Unfortunately,
it turns out that loose stools are a side effect of time travel. But if
Fjafalgnjir can hack his way through an entire village of Picts, he’s
certainly not going to let a little tummyache keep him from answering
your consumer electronics questions.
Q. I was considering upgrading the speed of my home wireless network by adding a ZyXEL M-202 XtremeMIMO USB Adapter. But I don’t have a ZyXEL MIMO router. Would I still notice an improvement in my connection speed and range?
A.
By the beard of the serpent, aye, ye shall! Neither the mighty crow of
the Valhallan cock Gullinkambi nor the scalding pyres of Muspelheim
shall – oh, hold on a minute, ‘tis a churning in my bowels that demands
release!
Now, where was I? Oh, yeah. The greatest
swiftness and breadth shall come to he who conjoins his ZyXEL M-202
with its fellow ZyXEL MIMO devices, but it
will improve the speed of 802.11b and most standard 802.11g networks
surely as Thor slew Hrungnir of the triangle-shaped heart!
Q. What’s the best form of protection for my home wireless network?
A. Brigands and cutpurses are abroad in the land, with a covetous eye cast toward plundering your personal information! WEP 64/128
security soldiered nobly in its day, but only the latest battlements
shall stand against – ah, man, I need to run to the toilet again. Hang
on.
OK, I’m back. Anyway, yeah, the latest battlements! Right! Like WPA, WPA2, WPA-PSK,
and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)! Only behind these walls of
figurative stone shall ye sleep the easy sleep of Brynhild, daughter of
Budli!
Q. Do you enjoy living in the 21st century, or do you miss your own time?
A.
Truly have I seen wonders far beyond what my countrymen dreamed of,
beyond those of even fair Asgard itself! Yet had I known the foulness
that would befall my bowels, verily shall I have forgone the voyage and
remained – dammit! If you’ll excuse me, please, I really need to -
Warranty: One year
Features:
- Features the most advanced security protocols using WPA2 and WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access).
- Strongest encryption methods; AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) and WPA-PSK (Pre-shared Key) gives you peace of mind.
- SMB and Enterprise users can utilize IEEE802.1x support built right into the ZyXEL M-202 for authentication purposes.
- Up to 800% Better Coverage and Throughput Speeds
- Backwards Compatible with any IEEE802.11b/g Device
- Increased Security with WPA2 & WPA
- Ideal Solution for Heavy Payload Activities like Online Gaming and Video Streaming
Specifications:
- Communication Protocols – IEEE 802.11b/g standard compliant with Wi-Fi certification
- Adapter Interface – USB 2.0 / USB 1.1
- Frequency Range – 2.4GHz to 2.462GHz
- Modulation Technology – DSSS, OFDM
- RF Output Power: 16dBm @ 54Mbps, 18dBm @ 11Mbps
- Wireless Security: 64/128-bit WEP, WPA2 (AES) and WPA (TKIP), IEEE802.1x
RF Sensitivity
- -74dBm @ 54Mbps
- -75dBm @ 48Mbps
- -78dBm @ 36Mbps
- -80dBm @ 24Mbps
- -84dBm @ 18Mbps
- -86dBm @ 12Mbps
- -88dBm @ 9Mbps
- -89dBm @ 6Mbps
