Netgear WNCE3001.jpg

Most Internet enabled devices come with WiFi these days, but not all do. If you have an older gaming device, media player, or any other device that might not support WiFi connectivity, then Netgear’s Wireless Adapter is the perfect solution. It easily turns any wired Ethernet-only device into a wireless one.

So if you have lengthy Ethernet cables connecting your router to those non-WiFi devices, or you just need a wireless solution for a new Ethernet-only device, the Netgear WNCE3001 is a simple solution. The Netgear Wireless Adapter sits right next to the Ethernet-only device and plugs into it via an Ethernet cable and it does the rest, wirelessly connecting it to your network.

SetupWNCE3001 Back Panel Connections.jpg

Netgear’s wireless adapter does need a power source, which can be either the power adapter that comes with the device or a USB port. If your Ethernet-only device has a USB port you can plug directly into that for power, and if not just plug the power adapter into a household outlet.

Connecting to your home network is pretty easy as well. If your router has WPS (WiFi Protected Setup) all you need to do is press the WPS button on the WNCE3001 and your router and they will automatically connect. If your router doesn’t have WPS, then plug the network adapter into the Ethernet and USB ports of your computer, open up the web browser on your computer and it will take you to a simple setup page that connects it to your network. Once connected, you can move the Netgear adapter to any device without having to configure anything else.

Netgear Wireless Adapter In the Box.jpeg

In the Box

In addition to the actual adapter, it comes with a stand, an Ethernet cable, a USB cable, a power adapter, an instruction manual, and a wall mount sticker if you want to mount it on the wall. The adapter with stand is made up of a shiny and durable plastic case in an attractive wedge shape. It has dynamic LED indicator lights that provide real-time network connectivity status at any point in time.

Technical Specs

The Netgear WNCE3001 has two PCB antennas and their operating frequency ranges cover from 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz. It is a dual-band network adapter, which maximizes the wireless streaming performance when connecting devices to your network. It consumes very little power as it runs 1 amp and 5 volts. Lastly, it uses an 802.11 network standard and works for all the various 802.11 specs: a/b/g/n.

Netgear Wireless Adapter Configuration.jpeg

Home networks can get fairly messy with more and more devices that require Internet access. This is only going to increase as we move closer to the Internet of Things. For those devices that don’t have WiFi connectivity, the Netgear Network Adapter WNCE3001 is a simple and effective solution, and has the flexibility to be used with literally any Internet enabled device.

The wireless solution it provides is simple and much cleaner than trying to wire up your house with lengthy Ethernet cables.

Tom Brauser
I love to try new technologies and I have a practical approach to techie stuff - it has to be easy to use and make my life better. I have my house fully wired, with a surround sound system in my family room for music and TV viewing, but also drive music throughout the house as well as outdoors. I Internet stream content on all my devices at home, which provides a huge variety of entertainment to enjoy.