D-Link wireless devices suck?

I tried and tried to move from Windows on an "always on" box. It's the only thing I used to keep up all of the time. Used to, because I can't get it to work. I tried moving from Windows to Linux ( Ubuntu) and found that Linux support for D-Link DWL-650 cards is still sparse due to D-Links policy of not giving up their API's or providing drivers, plus, there are like 6 different cards called the DWL-650. Not variations, different mfg chipsets. I eventually gave up getting the Linux drivers to work. I'd even tried NDISWrapper and using XP drivers. Close, but no happiness. The card would activate, but not connect. Eventually I tried Windows Server 2003, no luck. Drivers only cover up to 2000 and XP. I went to Windows 2000 server. No luck. Same problem as Linux with NDISwrapper. Back to XP. Hey, wait a minute. Maybe Linux would have worked. Turns out the card would connect and drop, connect and drop... Maybe I should be looking for another wi-fi solution. I think I may just spend the 50 bucks and get the Linksys WRT54G and use it to bridge my little in-the-house switch over to my access-point in the garage. I'd get the added benefit of a good wireless signal in the back yard, too. I think the core problem is d-link to "other" wireless brands incompatibility.