Customer Reviews for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
This product is no longer available. Continue shopping at Costco.
Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
802.11a/b/g & 802.11n draft 2.0 For use with: Samsung TV's & Blu-ray Players
Average Customer Rating:
(121 Reviews) 121
(out of 121 reviews)
Rating Snapshot (121 reviews)
5 stars
70
4 stars
28
3 stars
6
2 stars
7
1 star
10
89 of 104(86%)customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Review 1 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
MarcMi
Location:Los Angeles, CA
Date:September 13, 2011
AWFUL
Cons: not plug and play
"Patience ....Patience ....Patience .. it took me 1.5 hours to get this thing going. I cannot beleive that such a reputable company like Samsung does not make a product simple to use. If you do not have the patience to wait, i suggest to buy something else.... Be prepare to try more than one thing and make sure to do it, after your yoga class... you will need it."
Share this Review:
Review 2 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
DocSparky
Location:Edmond, OK
Date:August 14, 2011
Works well
Pros: great price.
"Works well once I established better line of sight with usb extension cord. Best price around."
Share this Review:
Review 3 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
Magee
Location:Aberdeen, SD
Date:July 19, 2011
Great Device
"Simple, easy to use, easy to install. I used it in conjunction with a Samsung Wireless DVD player I bought for my Mother-in-Law in order for her to watch Netflix. She loves it! Great purchase!"
Share this Review:
Review 4 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
DavidS
Location:Durham, NC
Date:July 7, 2011
Costly add-on that locks you into inferior brand
Pros: can be placed higher than the player for reception
Cons: costly compared with all-in-1 player, only works with samsung players, useless if you get a player with wifi built-in, useless if you switch to another brand
"I used this with two Samsung players, and it worked okay. I had it connected via a USB extension cord, and clipped to a shelf behind the TV to improve reception. Mine included a 90° angle adapter that I never needed.
Unfortunately, the first Samsung player, BD1590C, was "bricked" (rendered unusable) by a properly applied firmware update, and Costco graciously took it back for a refund so I could buy a newer player. This is not uncommon for Samsung devices. I sold that new player on to others after discovering that Panasonic BD players had better features. I'm very happy with a Panasonic BDT210 now (which some site reviews claim has the fastest load time).
The issue to consider is that you can get a good player with Wi-Fi built-in, so why save X dollars on a cheaper player and then pay Y dollars or more for this dongle -- you could end up spending MORE. And... You can only use it with a basic Samsung player.
Duh. Just ante up and get a player that provides all you need, including Wi-Fi ... you'll probably get a better player in the bargain.
[Note: I have not used this with a TV. But I HAVE read widely about Samsung TVs shipping with faulty PC boards which Samsung refused to repair/replace.]"
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 5 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
RezaL
Location:New Jersey
Date:June 24, 2011
Works as promised.
Pros: fast wi-fi streaming
Cons: none
Model Number: WIS09ABGN
"If you follow the instructions given at the Samsung website on how to set up your computer & TV to work together, this adaptor works great without any glitches. After software updates, the TV may need to be turned off & back on first. This unit works more smoothly than those from most other brands, including Sony."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 6 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
Lil1
Location:Portland, OR
Date:March 12, 2011
So far so good!
"Had it for over two months. It does what it's supposed to do. Netflix streams like a rocket! One thing to keep in mind - if you think your LinkStick doesn't work - check your router first! We got Belkin N600 at Cotso - what a piece of junk! Because of that router we alomost took our Samsung TV and the LinkStick back to Costco thinking something was wrong with them. The problem was the router. Bought Netgear 3700 - WOW! Everything is working beautifully! Never a problem!"
Share this Review:
Review 7 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
Sushihunter
Location:Westford, MA
Date:February 21, 2011
Works Perfectly
Pros: works as advertised, videos work just fine
Cons: samsung menus and navigation
"Samsung's install instructions and navigation are a real pain. It's not really the fault of the dongle, but it's Samsung's horrible set up menus and navigation that's the problem. The dongle itself works great and had no problem communicating with my Linksys E3000 router once I stumbled through the set up. On the plus side, once I figured out the pattern to the set up, it went fast. Only about 10 minutes start to finish. Downloaded videos from Netflix work without a hitch."
Share this Review:
Review 8 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
rubicon2
Date:February 15, 2011
"seems a bit pricey but please with the services it provides, the streaming of NETFLIX is great, no jumping, rebooting, etc."
Share this Review:
Review 9 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
koolkut
Date:February 7, 2011
Easy set up
Pros: ease of application and price
"Download and sync was a breeze. I was apprehensive after reading some of the blogs who had difficulty with the unit sync-ing with their wireless router. It took all of 10 minutes and I was up and running Netflix via Blu-Ray. The price at Costco was attractive as well as it was considerably cheaper than other sources."
Share this Review:
Review 10 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
mcooprec
Location:Central Oregon
Date:February 4, 2011
Good performance after brutal setup process
Pros: strong signal
Cons: horrible documentation, may not work with "supported" routers
"The good news is this WiFi dongle has excellent range: it picked up my neighbor's WiFi network over 50 feet away. The bad news is that it is somewhat flimsy, not compatible with some routers it is purported to be compatible with and ill-supported by Samsung's horribly deficient documentation (which is written in very poorly translated pig-English in critical sections that deal with Internet-TV setup). When I first pulled the protective end cap off the LinkStick to expose the USB connector, the entire assembly came apart, exposing also the PCB board. That said, I could easily push the assembly back together, and no apparent damage was done.
I tried over the course of six hours to get it to work with my Cisco LinkSys WRT54G2V1 wireless router, a G-protocol unit which, according to Samsung, the LinkStick was compatible with. Even with the router placed less than 6 inches away from the LinkStick (plugged into my Samsung UN46C6400RF HDTV), the LinkStick could not "see" the WRT54G2V1 wireless router to connect to it. Multiple live-chat sessions with Samsung were fruitless; the Samsung agents directed me to reset my TV by holding down the Exit button on the remote control unit for over 30 seconds, but that did nothing but wipe out all my menu settings. Perhaps the problem was an incompatibility with encrpytion for the router, as I have a firewall.
Fed up, I bought a new Cisco LinkSys E3000 dual-band N-protocol wireless router. The LinkStick could not connect to it using Auto Setup mode. I navigated to Setup -> Network Settings, and the LinkStick found the E3000. With the router upstairs and the TV/LinkStick downstairs and about 12 feet away, I was getting 4 or 5 bars of signal strength at the TV via the LinkStick (out of a possible 5 bars).
Setting up my Samsung Internet@TV account was simple, but getting Netflix to work was not. Clicking on Netflix in Samsung Apps did absolutely nothing. Again, Samsung's Live Chat agent was totally clueless, having no idea how to fix the issue. I called Netflix, and their excellent agent immediately identified the problem: I had to power-cycling the TV to get it to download a software update (which it apparently would not do until I had my WiFi network connected to the TV and my Internet@TV account set up). It's ironic that I had to ask Netflix how to set up my Samsung TV and Samsung had no clue that a software update needed to be downloaded. Once I power-cycled the TV, the software automatically downloaded. Clicking on Netflix produced an access code which then allowed me to access my subscription.
One other thing: make sure your modem supports DOCSIS 3.0 protocol. Earlier DOCSIS versions don't support channel bonding and will probably not give you sufficient bandwidth for streaming video smoothly during peak hours of use such as on weekends. This is a commonly misunderstood reason why people complain unfairly about Netflix video-streaming quality; an outdated modem is often the issue.
My initial HD video-streaming experience was great. The LinkStick has been working great since I finally got it to work last night. At this early stage, it seems to be an excellent solution for WiFi access to the Internet. But getting to that point was like pulling teeth. YMMV."
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 11 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
WLJ1943
Location:near Mulino, Oregon
Date:November 16, 2010
Probably a good dongle, but....
Model Number: WIS09ABGN
"I ordered this after looking at my Samsung Blu-Ray player's manual, (no help) BUT Costco's internet product data did not have the compatibility listing that appears on the back of the package. Bottom line was (requiring a check with Samsung's product service line) my player was not compatible and I had to return it. Thankfully I read the back on the package before I opened it."
Share this Review:
Review 12 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
zzinFL
Location:FL
Date:November 10, 2010
Great Connection with Samsung LinkStick
Pros: good range easy installation
"I own 2 of these and have an excellent connection using the Linksys Cisco E3000 router with a Samsung Blu-Ray and Samsung 6400 tv. After connecting, I was immediately able to upgrade and could not be happier. Minimal technological knowledge is needed for setup; just read the manuals for your devices if having a bit of trouble."
Share this Review:
Review 13 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
KidneyRock
Location:Illinois
Date:November 3, 2010
Works like it's supposed to!
Pros: works great makes tv fun!
Cons: not really necessary if you have a computer!
"The device works as advertised. It is easy to connect. It recognized the wireless network right away. The password for the network and the MAC address of the device are case-sensitive. This almost tripped me up. The netflix stream, internet apps, multiple video rental streaming sites all works very well. It makes it fun to have the AP stream news on the bottom of the display, to keep up with the latest news while watching another show! Highly recommended."
Share this Review:
Review 14 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
Fred3
Location:Central Texas
Date:September 5, 2010
Worked After Software Upgrades to BD-C5900 Blu-ray
Pros: it works!
Cons: could not use the supplied right-angle adapter.
Model Number: WIS09ABGNX/XAA
"Samsung 2010 LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle Model WIS09ABGNX/XAA worked after a Software Upgrade to my Samsung BD-C5900 Blu-ray Player. I bought it primarily to get Netflix HD movies, and it works just as well with my D-Link Router in 802.11n wireless mode as it did with an ethernet cable to the same router. No more tripping over the ethernet cable! I did have one slight problem, it came with a right-angle adapter to keep it from sticking out so far from the back of the Blu-ray player, but I had to plug it in directly (without the right-angle adapter) to get it to work consistently. I think it would have worked if the right-angle adapter had allowed for it to angle up instead of horizontally (which happened to be away from the router location and hidden behind all the cables attached to the Blu-ray player)."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 15 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
kka10
Location:Near Denver Colorado
Date:August 26, 2010
Easy to Use
"We are using it with Samsung 6400 LED TV and it's been working great. It was easy to set up following the TV user manual. Connection speed is as good as when we had LAN. Been using it to watch Netflex for over two weeks without any problems. Must wait a minute or so after turning on the TV for connection to work."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 16 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
unknownma
Location:Mansfield, MA
Date:August 14, 2010
Worked After Software Upgrades
Pros: add a pro
Model Number: WIS09ABGN
"Streams very fast. If you have Belkin wireless router, upgrade Belkin firmware to latest available and also upgrade Samsung software. Used WEP button to configure."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
Review 17 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
Capshroud
Location:Kansas City
Date:July 28, 2010
Does exactly what's it's supposed to do
Pros: easy installation
Cons: a bit pricey even at costco's discount
Model Number: Linkstick
"The complaints about speed and content are off base. That's an issue with your Samsung TV ... it's just not a fast media server.
I bought this to free up my wire Ethernet connection for use with my BD player. It's as fast as the wired connection"
Share this Review:
Review 18 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
pianoguy
Location:Long Beach, CA
Date:July 28, 2010
Worked with no hassles
"This was very easy to set up, and has so far given me identical performance to my wired ethernet connection. I'm able to get HD with Netflix, and there is no stuttering or dropoffs. Though my bluray player is fairly far away from my router, it has a pretty good line of sight without many walls obstructing, so maybe this helps performance. Most of the time when people have trouble with this type of device, it has more to do with the router/ISP than the device itself. I'm very happy to be free of the wires."
Share this Review:
Review 19 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
mrnp
Location:San Jose, CA
Date:July 23, 2010
Easy to use
"I followed the TV istructions and the the istallation was super easy. My TV is now wireless!"
Share this Review:
Review 20 for Samsung LinkStick™ Wi-Fi USB Dongle
Rating:
Anonymous
Date:July 23, 2010
Regrets
Pros: nothing good about it
Cons: dead slow connection. stopped working
Model Number: WIS09ABGN
"Nothing but mere regrets to have bought it. There cant be a DeadSlower connection than what this linkstick can give. I checked on another adapter and it was ok. I did this to verify if there is a prob with my router. It stopped working now. Absolute trash of an adapter."
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.
Share this Review:
