Continuing TechRepublic’s look at the latest crop of wireless broadband PCMCIA cards for laptops, we take a first look at the offering from Cingular Wireless. The Sierra Wireless AirCard 875 connects users to the Cingular Broadband network using either cell phone technology or the standard 802.11 wireless protocol, depending on which is more advantageous.
© CNET Networks / TechRepublic
Mark W. Kaelin
The Sierra Wireless AirCard 875 arrives in a DVD-sized plastic box.
© CNET Networks / TechRepublic
Mark W. Kaelin
The back of the box highlights some of the card’s capabilities. Notice that it only requires a laptop with 300 MHz Processor and 256MB RAM. Just about any laptop of any real business use can meet those requirements.
© CNET Networks / TechRepublic
Mark W. Kaelin
The DVD-like boxt includes the card and a small instruction booklet. Installation of the software was so easy even a caveman could do it (to borrow a phrase).
© CNET Networks / TechRepublic
Mark W. Kaelin
The PCMCIA card itself comes in a clear plastic case. Perhaps it is not as stylish as the Sprint Mobile Broadband case I looked at previously, but it is sturdier.
© CNET Networks / TechRepublic
Mark W. Kaelin
The Sierra AirCard 875 is painted in the familiar Cingular icon and color scheme. The one I received has a slight blemish, but I’m not concerned. This is the kind of thing that will get beat up during daily use anyway.
© CNET Networks / TechRepublic
Mark W. Kaelin
There are connections for an external antenna too.
© CNET Networks / TechRepublic
Mark W. Kaelin
The connection software application that comes with the Cingular LaptopConnect Card is better than the one that comes with the Sprint.
© CNET Networks / TechRepublic
Mark W. Kaelin
I ran a few DSL Reports speed tests. In this case, I used a server in New York. The speed figures are faster then what we saw with the Sprint card.
© CNET Networks / TechRepublic
Mark W. Kaelin
A DSL speed test to the other coast, in this case Los Angeles, shows only a small drop in performance.
© CNET Networks / TechRepublic
Mark W. Kaelin
Not only will the Cingular Card connect to the Cingular network, you can also connect to standard 802.11 wireless systems. Here the connection software is showing me some known Wi-Fi Locations in Kentucky.
© CNET Networks / TechRepublic
Mark W. Kaelin
The Sierra AirCard 875 also located wireless networks visible in my office building. Two are CNET / TechRepublic networks, but that third one is new to me.
© CNET Networks / TechRepublic
Mark W. Kaelin
Here the software is connection to the TRLabs test network.
© CNET Networks / TechRepublic
Mark W. Kaelin
Another nice feature of the Cingular connection software is the ability to show it with a minimal desktop footprint.
© CNET Networks / TechRepublic
Mark W. Kaelin
Mark W. Kaelin has been writing and editing stories about the information technology industry, software, hardware, gaming, finance, accounting, and technology geekdom for more than 30 years.
