Asus PCE-AC66 Dual-Band PCI-E 802.11ac Wireless-AC1750 Adapter

[RTN]

Asus PCE-AC66 Dual-Band PCI-E 802.11ac Wireless-AC1750 Adapter

ASUS PCE-AC66 Next Generation AC Dual-Band Wireless Adapter IEEE 802.11ac,
802.11b/g/n PCI Express Up to 1750Mbps (450/1300Mbps) Wireless Data Rates

PCE-AC66 802.11ac Dual-band Wireless-AC1750 PCI-E Adapter

• 5th generation 802.11ac chipset gives you dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz for up to super-fast 1.30Gbps
• Flexible extended antenna placement helps you pinpoint the best reception in your environment.
• Instant Wi-Fi upgrade for your desktop: no more messy Ethernet cables needed.
• High-power design clears up dead zones with 150% greater coverage
• Custom heatsink dissipates heat for more stable and reliable non-stop operation

http://www.asus.com/Networks/Wireless_Adapters/PCEAC66/

• IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11b/g/n
• Up to 1750Mbps (450/1300Mbps) Wireless Data Rates
• 2.4GHz/5GHz

Release Date: 12/31/2012 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320136

Asus PCE-AC66 BCM4360 PCI Express 3 x 3 802.11ac 1.3Gbps (5GHz) + 450Mbps (2.4GHz)

Asus USB-AC53 BCM43526 USB port 2 x 2 802.11ac 867Mbps (5GHz) + 300Mbps (2.4GHz)

• BCM4360 supports PCIe interface and implements 3-stream 802.11ac specifications, speeds up to 1.3 Gbps.
• BCM4352 supports PCIe interface; implement 2-stream 802.11ac specification to reach up to 867 Mbps.
• BCM43526 supports USB interface; implement 2-stream 802.11ac specification to reach up to 867 Mbps.
• BCM43516 supports USB and reaches speeds of up to 433 Mbps with its single stream 802.11ac implementation.

http://www.broadcom.com/press/release.php?id=s637241

Full 802.11ac product lineup

In addition to the RT-AC66U router, ASUS has also released the PCE-AC66 and USB-AC53 clients, both capable of 802.11ac speeds.
The dual-band PCE-AC66 offers a PCI Express client card for desktops, with 3 x 3 high-powered transmission. It can sustain 1.3Gbps
in 5GHz and up to 450Mbps in the 2.4GHz band. For easy USB upgrades to 802.11ac, the USB-AC53 compact dongle plugs into any
USB port, with 2 x 2 802.11ac. In 5GHz, the attachment can maintain 867Mbps, while in 2.4GHz it works at 300Mbps, achieving a
total throughput of around 1.3Gbps. The PCE-AC66 and USB-AC53 are enabled by Broadcom’s 5G WiFi chips, and demonstrate ASUS
technology leadership in bringing an 802.11ac ecosystem to consumers.

http://www.asus.com/News/rZcy4jXiQPQ5F8YL/

ASUS PCE-AC66 Dual-Band PCI-E Adapter which is capable of 802.11ac speeds. This dual-band PCE-AC66 offers a PCI Express client
card for desktops, with 3 x 3 high-powered transmission. It can sustain 1.3Gbps in 5GHz and up to 450Mbps in the 2.4GHz band.
The PCE-AC66 are enabled by Broadcom’s 5G WiFi chips, and demonstrate ASUS technology leadership in bringing an 802.11ac ecosystem to consumers.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151284872864116.494386.284216439115&type=1

http://wl500g.info/entry.php?2942-Asus-PCE-AC66-Dual-Band-PCI-e-Adapter

 

[wrugoin]

Beware to those who own, or will be upgrading to a (Haswell based) Z87 motherboard. This card is incompatible with the Intel Z87 chipset. The issue has been recognized by Asus and no driver or firmware update is available to resolve the issue. I have not read this issue exists with other Haswell based Intel chipsets such as the H81, B85, Q85, Q87, or H87

My issues, and it seems to be common to all Z87 owners, is that the computer fails to boot at all, either hanging right before getting to the desktop, or causing the computer to restart after a BSOD.

From my emails with ASUS customer support, they will be launching the PCE-AC68 shortly which will work with the Z87 motherboards. They have offered to provide me a refund or replacement once the 68 model is available. I've chosen to wait for the replacement.

For the 6 months prior to my upgrade, I used the card along with the RT-AC66U router. I found the combination of the two paired together to be a fantastic wireless solution. Signal strength and speed where not matched by any other wireless combination I have ever used. Once the correct drivers and updated firmware were installed, I never saw any issues with speed or disconnections.

My review of the PCE-AC66 adapter would have been a 10/10 prior to my incompatibility issues. I believe the Z87 chipset is the only platform this card has issues with. Will future Intel chipsets produce the same incompatibility? I don't know, but the only solution seems to be an upgrade to the future PCE-AC68 waiting to be released shortly.