| Value |  4.5 | | Performance | 4.5 | | Ease of Use | 4.5 | | Overall Satisfaction | 4.5 |
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5 of 5 An excellent product Tuesday, November 18, 2008
A Customer from Point Pleasant, NJ
The HWL2 accomplishes its two main functions well:
1. Finds and amplifies access point signals and
2. Connects to the signal ( I used unencoded and WEP).
I had no problems. Was this review helpful?  
5 of 5 Wi-Fi Locator works well Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Norman Henke from Cleveland, OH
Device installs easily and does a great job of picking up weak signals. Works properly under Win XP but there are no drivers for Vista 64. Was this review helpful?
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.
5 of 5 HWL2 Great Signal! +++ Saturday, August 23, 2008
kaimanson from Hialeah/FL
Great reception, even with "Low Signal" i'm able to surf the internet, the router is approx. 250ft from the antenna. With the OEM software you are able to look for a better spot for the antenna, due to the signal strengh panel. The shape of the antenna looks really nice and it's weightless. I would really recommend this antenna if you are trying to get reception from a neighbor or if you have a big house and want to stay out with ur laptop this is the antenna for you. I was using a netgear WG111T which is a good antenna but it didn't have the power to get a better reception. +++++ 5/5 Was this review helpful?
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.
4 of 5 not too bad Monday, August 28, 2006
snake from SA TX
As others have stated, the plastic case is kind of cheap and I doubt it would take a fall onto concrete if dropped. The power button on mine is a bit hard to use, it is recessed down into a hole a bit far, and requires use of your fingernail to push it down. Once pushed, the unit blinks three times and then shows the strongest network with a series of lights. It isn't always right, sometimes shows open when the network isn't and vice-versa, but does work properly most of the time. The scale seems a lot stronger than you can receive tho, sometimes showing 4 out of 5 bars and the signal not strong enough to connect to. Also, it only shows the strongest signal, too bad it couldn't list several and name them, but I guess I'm asking too much. It seems to have an internal wireless card, as I turned my PC's internal card off and used the unit to connect to the net. The "directional" antenna isn't bigtime directional, and the unit's internal card/antenna combo is just slightly better than my intel pro 3945 wireless card in my PC. But all in all, a great unit to wardrive around and aim at homes and businesses. This thing will pick up a signal from a rest area at farther than 1/2 mile- but you won't be able to connect to it from that distance. Still a good simple toy that fits into a shirt pocket to pass the time as I drive around during working hours. Just using it to wardrive, I haven't killed the battery in a week's time as long as I don't use it to surf the net. Was this review helpful?
3 of 5 Loaded with features, but flawed execution Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Walter from NJ
The WiFi locator functionality is easy to use (5 out of 5) -- just press the Locate button, then see the signal strength, network type and encryption LEDs light up. The software is another matter. I could not get my computer to connect to any networks using the HWL2 as an adapter. No networks were even detected. The first unit I purchased had flaky locator functionality (often couldn't detect a network just 10 feet from my D-Link 802.11g router, while my computer was connected and working fine) and Hawking sent a replacement via RMA. The replacement works better as a locator, but the software on PC still doesn't work. It's a pity, since it supposedly has many features, including access point functionality. Unfortunately, buy.com won't accept a return any more, and neither will Hawking. So I am stuck with a half-functional product. I would check out the TrendNet TEW-429UB -- nicer form factor as a laptop wireless adapter, as long as it works well. Was this review helpful?
2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.
5 of 5 Much Better Reception Than Built-In Wi-Fi Friday, October 21, 2005
Lewis Edge from Princeton, NJ USA
This gadget gives me much better WiFi reception on my laptop and fewer drop-outs than my computer's built-in WiFi adapter. The included software and configuration utility is much more flexible than using the Windows-XP configuration software. The case is cheap-looking and somewhat flimsy. I keep it closed with a rubber band, but the electronic performance is first-rate. Hawking tech support is difficult to contact and slow to respond. Was this review helpful?
3 of 3 customers found this review helpful.
3 of 5 Good function, cheap construction Tuesday, October 18, 2005
DDTA from somehwere, out there
It does as advertised. Very convenient to be able to scan locale for networks and determine secure or unsecured. Has rechargable battery for added convenience that charges through USB. Support is non-existent via e-mail. At one point my HWL2 was stuck on a single lit LED for three days and couldn't get reset (if there was a way) therefore no scanning capabilities. I let it drain its own battery then recharged and no stuck LED and everything is working well again. This is a convenient item for the business traveller. At least the unit opens like a flip-phone so war drivers can pretend to use it to make a call should 50 pass by... Was this review helpful?
1 of 3 customers found this review helpful.
5 of 5 best service fast!!! Friday, October 07, 2005
teijmech from miami
best quality easy connetion any wireles find 100%100 recomend buy
THANK YOU! Was this review helpful?
5 of 5 HWL2 is a terrific equipment for wireless Tuesday, September 20, 2005
A Customer from Boston, MA
I just bought this tiny equipment several days ago from buy.com. The service here is also excellent. With it I can detect several signals in my neighborhood and always found some stations available on the road with my laptop. I feel very happy with it.
CON: it is too light to fix on a spot. It is even lighter than the USB calbe attached to it. I have to stick it with tape. Was this review helpful?
5 of 5 Hawking WiFi locator HWL2 Saturday, September 10, 2005
Tom from Chandler, AZ
Works pretty well however on a few occasions it wasn't able to locate a hotspot that I know is available. As a stand alone unit it will tell you whether or not to pull out the laptop. Easily distinguishes between 11a, b, and g networks and if wep is enabled. For more detailed information hook it up to your laptop and you'll get a wealth of information on the networks available. You can connect to the unsecured wireless network easily via the software that comes with the unit. I've already located 5 available wlan's near me. I'm thinking I should go secure their open relays for a price... Was this review helpful?
5 of 5 Very Impressed Friday, August 19, 2005
Jim from Saint Paul
It does just what I need it to. I went from 0-1 bars signal strength to 2-3 bars. The signal never drops out and usually stays above 48Mbit speed. One cool feature is the ability to use it as an access point. Very slick device. Was this review helpful?
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