Confirmed: Compaq Wireless Router $49, Wireless USB or PC card $29.99 at Radio Shack B&M

[kevman]

Ripped directly from f*t wallet forums

Compaq Connection Point (CP-2W) Wireless Access Point, $49 at Radio Shack without rebate, it's marked as $199, but rings up as $49.99
SKU: 25-3073 (Not available online, only B&M)

They also have compaq USB & PCCard wireless $29.xx each, both are originally $100.
SKU for PCMCIA Card: 25-3072
SKU for USB: 25-3071



Best thing to do is call up your local Rad-shack and ask them if these SKU's are on sale.

I pick this up and works great, a few things though, upgrade the firmware for the Router. Secondly, for XP Pro use the PC Card drivers that came with the CD


Review for the router


EDIT: changed it from YMMV to confirmed, Radio Shack is clearing these things out all over the country. newer firmware update

Older firmware update that works good

EDIT 2: Added links for both firmware revisons. The newer one is from 1/2003, the works really good to.

EDIT 3: Yet another Firmware revision 1/22/2003 woohoo



ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/softpaq/sp23001-23500/SP23456.exe

 

[wuhoo]

please add a ymmv to the title

 

[kevman]

I put ymmv in the title, but a lot of fokls have gotten in on this deal. I think it's a nationwide thing.

 

[JHawk]

I've had this setup at home for about 6 months. I've got 3pcs and 2 laptops connected. It works great and was simple to install. I saw the pc card at BB for $39.xx. so this is a good deal.

 

[psj01]

I have a question... I know it may sound dumb, but what does YMMV stand for?

 

[rufruf44]

YMMV = Your Mileage May Varies

 

[Grandmoph]

All the Compaq networking equipment is being phased out in RadioShack. Its being replaced Microsoft networking equipment. These prices have been in effect for about a month now and are National. The only YMMV is whether or not these will be in stock or not. Any RadioShack that has them in stock and is a corporate store will have these prices in effect. A simple phone call can determine whether or not your local RadioShack has them in stock. Only thing my store has left in stock is the Wired PCMCIA ethernet card, which is clearenced at $14.99.

 

[T2T III]

The wireless router & notbook wireless card would come to $80.00 - which isn't bad. However, for those of you who can't get in on this deal, you can pick up the Microsoft versions from Staples. I just used a $30 off $150 coupon today and picked up the router & card for $135.00 (including taxes.) Plus, there is $30.00 in rebates. Going this route is only about $30 more after rebates. The support for the Microsoft gear might be a little better, too.

 

[Ziptar]

I only had time to hit one RS tonight, they had the router but no PCMCIA cards. I will hit a couple tommorow. I got the last one and was marked with the sale price on the shelf. Sweet deal, nice router.

Thanks!

 

[xylem]

I picked up a couple of the USB adapters and they're shipping me an access point from another RS. Great deal!

 

[HESDog]

Confirmed in Houston. I picked up a couple of PC Card and USB adapters for 29.xx. They also have a Compaq iPaq networking 5 port 10/100 switch for 19.xx

 

[dude8604]

They have 1 of each at my local RS.

 

[FiDo14DiDo]

I'm not too familiar with routers but can you disable the routing capabilities and use this as a regular switch?

 

[kevman]

Originally posted by: FiDo14DiDo
I'm not too familiar with routers but can you disable the routing capabilities and use this as a regular switch?

Yes. Just change it to be an Access point in the configuration

 

[Jaxidian]

damn, called 5 different semi-local RS's and could only find a total of 2 pcmcia cards, guess I missed out on this one

 

[dude8604]

Originally posted by: Jaxidian
damn, called 5 different semi-local RS's and could only find a total of 2 pcmcia cards, guess I missed out on this one

You can ask them to ship one from another store. My RS is ordering a second one for me.

 

[tetatdo]

really? they will ship it?

 

[Jaxidian]

Originally posted by: dude8604

You can ask them to ship one from another store. My RS is ordering a second one for me.

I'll have to call them up and see if they'll do that, thanks.

Oh, I was able to pick up a 5-port 10/100 switch for $19.97 (25-3070). It's a tiny little horizontal-sitting thing, works good.

 

[kevman]

FYI...woodbridge mall in NJ has two PCMCIA cards, and Rad Shak in Plainfield has on router and one PCMCIA card on the shelves.

 

[spanky]

Originally posted by: kevman
FYI...woodbridge mall in NJ has two PCMCIA cards, and Rad Shak in Plainfield has on router and one PCMCIA card on the shelves.

hey i was at plainfield... i looked on the shelf and they only had one compaq desktop nic (not wireless)... the saleperson said they got nothing else. this was at like 6pm :disgust: but no sweat tho... the edison radio shack (on rt 1 next to patmark) had the usb and pcmcia wireless nics... no routers tho.

 

[ai42]

FYI there are 2 versions of the Compaq PCMCIA cards, one is a Dlink rebadge (DWL-650 the old version). The other is a Orinoco rebadge! I've been crusing stores and so far only the dlink junk, DEFINETLY wroth it for a Orinoco rebadge.

 

[Yo2]

IMHO the DLinks are pretty good too - definitely not junk - but the orinocos are just the best first generation 802.11b cards.

Yo

 

[Devildog]

how can you tell the differance in the pcmcia cards?

 

[EDiT]

Well, Arizona seems to be OOS. I got the last one in Mesa (recker & main), and drove all over town looking for a second. Fiesta mall shows 1, but has none. Superstition Springs has a floor model, but it may be gone by now. One other store had 4, but they had all been transferred to another store for a customer. Whoever is getting them, if you can spare one of the four, I really want a second one to set up a LAN bridge.

 

[Devistater]

I'll have to check this out. I need a wireless USB card. Thanks.