ASUS USB-N13 802.11n Network Adapter Review

Setup & Installation
I went to ASUS’s website and downloaded the latest drivers and ASUS Wireless Utility. Setup was a breeze, just point Windows to where I downloaded the drivers and run the setup for the ASUS Wireless Utility. I was up and running within a few minutes.

Once everything is setup and you’re connected, you’ll see the above status screens. The first “Status” tab will provide general information about which SSID you’re connected to, the speed you’re connected at, and the channel you’re on. Also, you have the options here to disable the radio, or connect to a different AP.

ASUS USB-N13 802.11n Network Adapter ASUS USB-N13 802.11n Network Adapter ASUS USB-N13 802.11n Network Adapter

The config section allows you to get your hands dirty. Here you can manually config all of the wireless options. This is useful if you don’t broadcast your SSID, or if you want to setup the device for another network that isn’t in range. These config screens are also home to the Software AP setup. Setting up the Software AP can be a little bit confusing if you’ve never set one up before, or if you don’t read the manual. There isn’t a wizard to guide you through the process, so it’s trial and error if you aren’t too sure what you’re doing. Just remember to set a unique SSID so you know which network belongs to the USB-N13, and to select the right connection that you want to share. Even though this might seem a bit daunting, the ASUS Wireless Utility actually takes care of the difficult part, which is setting up Internet Connection Sharing in Windows. Once you get past the initial confusion and get the Software AP setup, it works like a champion. Performance results for the Software AP are provided later in this review.

ASUS USB-N13 802.11n Network Adapter ASUS USB-N13 802.11n Network Adapter ASUS USB-N13 802.11n Network Adapter ASUS USB-N13 802.11n Network Adapter

*Note: Some of the features in ASUS Wireless Utility aren’t available in Windows 7. Performance is unaffected by the missing features. I recommend not installing the ASUS Wireless Utility in Windows 7, just install the drivers and use Windows Wireless Management.

Finally we have the Site Survey and About tabs. You can use the Site Survey to scan your area for available wireless networks to connect to. And the About tab just gives you information about the utility and currently installed driver.

ASUS USB-N13 802.11n Network Adapter ASUS USB-N13 802.11n Network Adapter