Review: Socket’s Go Wi-Fi! P300 – A Simple and Powerful Wi-Fi Solution

 Socket advertises that the “P” in P300 stands for “performance” but after using it for just one day; I believe that the “P” is for “POWERFUL”.

Wi-Fi, a feature that folks continue to ask for but for some reason, manufacturers are just not giving it to us.  What can you do if there is a device you want and it does not have Wi-Fi? 

Socket Communications has again developed an outstanding solution that will solve this problem.  Using the Socket Go Wi-Fi! P300 will increase your mobile productivity as well as improve your overall satisfaction of your device.

I remember when I got my iPAQ 6515 I was a bit disappointed that it did not have Wi-Fi and I remember that I “sort of” talked myself into the fact that not having Wi-Fi was not a really big issue or at least I didn’t think it was. I truly believed that having the ability to connect to the “net” via my provider was going to be enough but truth be told, it was not. Bluetooth provided me with the ability to do almost everything I wanted to do but there were times that a Wi-Fi connection would have given the “complete” experience especially when I was stuck without cell service at my summer home and I needed to connect and couldn’t.

Because it was a big issue back then, I started a search on what possible solutions I could use that would satisfy my need for Wi-Fi connectivity. I wanted a Wi-Fi card that was small, efficient, and powerful and yet did not have a price tag that was out of control. I was fortunate back then because I found a solution that was darn close to perfect and that solution was at Socket Communications, Inc! At that time, Socket had their Go Wi-Fi! E300 which complied with the 802.11b standard and provided data rates up to 11 Mbps. It was (and still is) a cool add on for any device.

I used it for a long time and it truly provided me the ability to Experience Mobility at the level I wanted ... I was happy. As time went on, my iPAQ was retired and along came my JasJar then my KJAM; both had Wi-Fi and just about every other bell and whistle you would want so the Wi-Fi card was placed in the drawer (retired but not forgotten).

But last January I saw the new Palm 700W and have had “device envy” ever since. I wanted that device because its form factor was as close to perfect for what I needed in a device. There were two issues that kept me from getting it however; memory and no Wi-Fi. After many discussions with folks that were currently using the device and how they dealt with the memory issue, I felt that was an area that I could deal with very effectively (and as time has gone by, my thoughts were correct). The second issue of no Wi-Fi was not as big an issue because I had a Wi-Fi card. But a new device deserved the latest and greatest so I went over to Socket’s website and saw that they had a new Wi-Fi card - Socket’s Go Wi-Fi! P300.

The NEW Go Wi-Fi!™ P300 - 802.11g SDIO Wi-Fi card was being advertised as the world’s smallest 802.11g Wi-Fi card and it worked on Windows Mobile 2003, 2003SE or 5.0 devices. I liked that, it was going to be a very versatile card providing me with Wi-Fi connectivity with all of my devices that do not have Wi-Fi. The specs looked very good especially that it was 5x faster than any other SDIO WLAN cards in the market and that it was backwards compatible with existing 802.11 b Wi-Fi networks. This was definitely worth the try because if it provided me with the abilities I wanted so I ordered the card.

When my card arrived, it was in one of those hard to open, hermetically sealed plastic packages that you need to use a highway jack hammer to open or take your chances with a razor knife to slice the package open ... I chose the razor knife. Inside the package were the Wi-Fi card, an installation CD with user documentation and a bright orange paper indicating that the Windows Mobile 5 software had to be downloaded from the support site. There was also a strong reminder that ActiveSync 4.0 or greater was required.

My plan was to load the software on two devices, one with 2003 and one with Windows Mobile 5. I keep an iPAQ 1940 next to my chair in the TV room that I like to use to surf or play games as I watch TV and I wanted it on my Palm 700W so I could utilize the full potential of what was available to me. I had my iPAQ connected, inserted the CD, the software ran and installed the driver and Wi-Fi companion on my iPAQ. After the installation, I inserted Socket’s Go Wi-Fi! P300 and BAM, it was connected. A flawless install, an immediate connection and I was off and surfing my favorite mobile sites. I was impressed ... really impressed!

No matter where I went in my home I was able to connect. Clearly, this was a powerful card because it always found a signal. Later that night, I went out to dinner at a local Chinese restaurant. I turned on the iPAQ and found a signal from a coffee shop next door that offered Wi-Fi access. I was again easily able to connect, surf and watch TV using Orb. Socket advertises that the “P” in P300 stands for “performance” but after using it for just one day; I believe that the “P” is for “POWERFUL”.

When I got home, I decided to install it on my Palm Treo 700W. I went to Socket’s site, downloaded the latest driver and installed it on my Treo. I then installed Wi-Fi companion, inserted the card and BAM, again I was connected easily and I quickly began surfing the web.

Memory is an issue on the 700W so I try to load all my programs on an SD card. As a result, you won’t see any screen shots on the 700W but rather a few pictures I took with my camera. It’s too bad that the card does not have built in memory…that would clearly raise it to a different level of usability.

In any event, the install again was flawless and I was easily able to connect. I was impressed when I first inserted the card with a warning message indicating that Palm recommended turning off the phone when using the Wi-Fi card. I’m not sure if that warning came from Socket or the Palm software but I was still happy to see it.

Along with the drivers you need for the Go Wi-Fi! P300, it also comes with their best-selling Wi-Fi Companion. This incredible program allows you to manage your WLAN connections using powerful graphical utilities. Socket allows you to use this program on Windows Mobile devices with built-in WLAN ( i.e. Dell, HP, iMate and ASUS).

 

 

Wi-Fi Companion is a simple to use, very intuitive utility that gives you accurate graphical descriptions of your connections. The easy-to-use interface allows for management of your connectivity providing you with the ability to browse your favorite sites, check email, see what WLANs are in range, install security certificates, view IP addresses or modify profiles. A host of options that make it very easy for you to get the most from your connection and do it easily!

Features of Wi-Fi Companion include:

· Wi-Fi Finder where you can find Wi-Fi hotspots in range.

· Get Connected so you can connect to wireless networks securely with a single tap.

· Power Save allowing you to manage power save settings to maximize battery life of Windows Mobile devices.

· Security option that works well with all WLAN security protocols supported by Windows Mobile (WPA, WPA-PSK, 802.1x, 40/128-bit WEP, Open).

· Persistence Connectivity allowing you to connect to Wi-Fi networks quickly and stay connected to the right network.

· Ping Utility to check network connectivity and survey your network range.

· Trace Route Utility that allows you to check each hop in your connection to the Internet to see where delays occur.

 

 

 

Wi-Fi Companion is a terrific piece of software that absolutely complements your Go Wi-Fi! P300 Wi-Fi card giving you the ability to achieve the fullest potential of your connections. Its easy to use interface is designed for the novice to understand all of the features available and yet for the advanced user, you get some pretty powerful options to achieve total control over your Wi-Fi connections.

 

 

I have been incredibly pleased with Socket’s Go Wi-Fi! P300. It was simple to install, easy to use and POWERFUL with the connection it provides. If you are looking for a Wi-Fi solution for your device, then Socket has a terrific solution for you.

 

PROS

Small form factor

FAST

Backward compatible to 802.11 b Wi-Fi networks

Compatible with a variety of Pocket PCs

Supports multiple operating systems

Great Security Options (Supports OPEN,WEP-40/64,WEP-128, WPA-PSK, AES, WPA-2. 802.1x authentication with EAP-TLS or PEAP)

Very bright LED shows connection status

Automatic Power Saving mode

 

CONS

No case for storage of the card when not in use

No built in memory card

 

COST: $99.00

 

RATING: 5 out of 5

 

Visit Socket to find out more information HERE

 

Very shortly, David Matson will be publishing a complete review of Socket's Wi-Fi Companion.  David, an expert on this intuitive and powerful graphical utility, will present to you not only a description of what the program has to offer but how to best use it to increase your ability to Experience Mobility using Wi-Fi.

 

Click read more below to read the entire Socket GO Wi-Fi! Review