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The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => Network and WIreless Adapters => DWA-160 => Topic started by: smlunatick on June 11, 2009, 07:01:09 AM

Title: How to tell if DWA-160 adapter is rev. B
Post by: smlunatick on June 11, 2009, 07:01:09 AM

I am looking at getting a DWA-160 adapter and locally I seem to only find hw version: A1 / A2.  I noticed that several online also sell this adapter.

Besides looking on the box, how can I make sure that the DWA-160 I attempt to buy is the rev. B model?

Title: Re: How to tell if DWA-160 adapter is rev. B
Post by: arod on June 11, 2009, 09:15:25 AM

Only way to tell is by looking at the box or the actual hardware

Title: Re: How to tell if DWA-160 adapter is rev. B
Post by: smlunatick on June 11, 2009, 12:22:23 PM

There is no "different" in the D-Link "product" code or UPC code?

Title: Re: How to tell if DWA-160 adapter is rev. B
Post by: Frankie on June 24, 2009, 09:42:45 PM

What's the difference ??? mine says A1, should I have looked for a rev b? Is it possible to just update the firmware on the adapter itself?

Title: Re: How to tell if DWA-160 adapter is rev. B
Post by: lizzi555 on June 26, 2009, 09:19:52 AM

No, it is different Hardware inside.
Rev A has Atheros 900x Chipset and Rev B a Ralink 2870 Chipset.

Title: Re: How to tell if DWA-160 adapter is rev. B
Post by: Frankie on June 27, 2009, 03:38:17 AM

sorry for the noobness, but what's the advantage of one over the other?

Title: Re: How to tell if DWA-160 adapter is rev. B
Post by: smlunatick on June 29, 2009, 07:58:27 AM

Quote from: Frankie on June 27, 2009, 03:38:17 AM

sorry for the noobness, but what's the advantage of one over the other?

Rev. A adapters use the Atheros 900x drivers, which Atheros does not seem to be continuing the development of the drivers.  D-Link seem to also have stopped any driver updates for this adapter.

Rev. B uses the Ralink RT2870 chipset.  Ralink seems to be constantly updating their "reference" drivers.  By using the Ralink RT2870 drivers, you can have a more recent driver.  Not only can the Ralink drivers be used with the DWA-160 rev.B adapter but several other adapters, different models and manufacturers, can also be used.  This will help to eliminate the "driver" interference that can happen.

Also, the rev.B adapters are newer tech than the rev.A model.