# What's the best USB Wifi Internet dongle?



## Black Panther (May 6, 2010)

Within a month we'd be moving to our small summer-place, meaning I have only the laptop and only access to the church-provided wifi service.

My problem is that from inside the place I get no wifi access to my laptop's onboard wifi.
If I hold my laptop just outside the window and like 30 inches upwards I do get an average signal. But it's kinda uncomfortable to hold a 12lb laptop in mid air... 

During the winter (we spent nearly every weekend there) I managed to solve this by doing away with the lappie's onboard card and using some cheap "edup" dongle my dad bought off ebay. Thing is that this dongle doesn't get any signal if I just hold it out of the window as I did with the laptop - to get a good signal I had to purchase a 15 foot long usb cable and put the dongle in full view on a public pavement... 

Now my doing so is out of the question during the summer months - there'd be kids running all over the place and curious people who'd be dying to know what would happen if they gave a jerk to that funny blue blinking thing - and my fear is more that of having the wire jolted and my laptop thrown on the floor than having a $10 adapter ruined or stolen.

So basically I'm asking what would be a really good adapter which equates or does better than my laptop's onboard *Intel 4965AGN 802.11a/g/n*.

Budget isn't an issue, it'll be always worth the price rather than going till next October without internet


----------



## DanishDevil (May 6, 2010)

They won't let you step them up to an N router? If I'm having a problem with wireless connectivity, and my laptop already has an N card (which yours should _4965AG*N*_) I would try upgrading the router.


----------



## Black Panther (May 6, 2010)

DanishDevil said:


> They won't let you step them up to an N router? If I'm having a problem with wireless connectivity, and my laptop already has an N card (which yours should _4965AG*N*_) I would try upgrading the router.



I'm not sure if I got your point - I get my summer house internet for free (it's some contract between the local church and the small village's local council for the community etc etc). Getting a free service I don't think I can order them to upgrade _their own_ router to accomodate me?  

That's why I'm asking what is the best recommended USB dongle suitable for my purpose.


----------



## Fourstaff (May 6, 2010)

Hmmm, actually, you can get a turbocharged router with those huge antenna, and then connect your laptop to it.


----------



## Black Panther (May 6, 2010)

Fourstaff said:


> you can get a turbocharged router with those huge antenna,



Like what?

Also, I wouldn't want 'huge antennas' which are accessible to curious bypasser hands....


----------



## Lionheart (May 6, 2010)

Dont no much man, but netgear seems to be a solid brand, if its sold in your country


----------



## Black Panther (May 6, 2010)

I was thinking about something like this. It's only £12.04 for UK residents but I won't be buying it since OcUk will charge me £21.24 for shipping making the total £37.10 inc VAT  






:shadedshu



*Edit: *Then there's this dongle at €63.95...





Why would this be so expensive? Well, if it's good for my purpose I'd be ordering one


----------



## Fourstaff (May 6, 2010)

I was looking at something like this

Not that brand specifically, but you know what I am talking about.


----------



## Deleted member 3 (May 6, 2010)

If you get a way better signal outside you might want to have a simple bridge, put it outside, possibly in some housing against crap weather, and connect it using an Ethernet cable, that way you won't have problems with cable lengths.


----------



## DRDNA (May 6, 2010)

Hands down

http://www.superwarehouse.com/p.cfm?p=1572303&CMP=KAC-GoogleShopping&sourcecode=SW09W002








AMAZON Reviews: three near the bottom of page >>  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002N8A0XO/?tag=tec06d-20


----------



## DanishDevil (May 6, 2010)

I was suggesting that you upgrade it for them (like you buy a new router) since this will probably give you better throughput. If you're driving a pinto and you put 91 in it, it's not going to drive like a BMW.

If you can't change the router, then I would recommend trying to get a Wireless Extender like this:

http://www.google.com/products/cata...ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CFEQ8wIwBQ#ps-sellers

I think you have to get a matching brand and ensure compatibility with the router, and I don't even know if you have access to the router whatsoever.


----------



## DRDNA (May 6, 2010)

Very good advice but it is not a wireless adapter..its a repeater. But they work well.


----------



## Black Panther (May 8, 2010)

DRDNA said:


> Hands down
> 
> http://www.superwarehouse.com/p.cfm?p=1572303&CMP=KAC-GoogleShopping&sourcecode=SW09W002
> 
> ...



Does that mean that I just plug it in a USB of my laptop, install the driver and still use my laptop's inbuilt wifi? It'd be cool if it is so...


----------



## Black Panther (May 10, 2010)

I'd buy one if they would work for my purpose - they're between $60 and $80 on ebay...


----------



## chloechen (May 12, 2010)

Black Panther said:


> I'm not sure if I got your point - I get my summer house internet for free (it's some contract between the local church and the small village's local council for the community etc etc). Getting a free service I don't think I can order them to upgrade _their own_ router to accomodate me?
> 
> That's why I'm asking what is the best recommended USB dongle suitable for my purpose.


there are two place which sell such cases for you, hope helps.
http://cgi.ebay.com/V2-0-USB-2-0-bluetooth-Dongle-Adapter-PC-computer-/290425513058
http://www.sourcingmap.com/54mbps-bluetooth-wifi-usb-wireless-lan-network-adapter-p-30456.html
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0032GV6RA/?tag=tec06d-20


----------



## roast (May 12, 2010)

I'd go for the Netgear if I were you mate. I had an Edimax one before and wasnt overly impressed with it. Granted, it was a cheap b/g one, but the software that was bundled with it was always interfering with Windows defaults. Uninstalling it resolves that issue however, but overall, the build quality was poor.


----------



## Mussels (May 12, 2010)

the thing is, no matter what dongle you get, the signal inside is going to suck.

its not that the adaptor cant find the signal, its that there IS no signal to get - the walls and such are blocking it.

You need to get some kinda of antenna (preferably a directional one) and point it at the church... from the roof if possible. If not, a raised position with line of sight (top of a window?)


----------



## roast (May 12, 2010)

+1 to Mussels there.

I dont understand why the church wouldnt let you set up a different router for them though. If they're supposed to be providing a service to the community, they have to get a better router than that one. Maybe try and speak to them again and get a few of the townspeople to chip in on a nice draft-n router?

Just realised I keep calling N a draft....is it a standard now??


----------



## Mussels (May 12, 2010)

wireless N is a standard now.

the thing is, if she pays for and gives them a wireless N router... what if it breaks or causes problems for people? what if it causes people on wireless G to lose signals cause its not as good at G?

basically, they'll chicken out and stick with what they got, leaving BP to get a better signal her own way.


----------



## roast (May 12, 2010)

Mussels said:


> wireless N is a standard now.
> 
> the thing is, if she pays for and gives them a wireless N router... what if it breaks or causes problems for people? what if it causes people on wireless G to lose signals cause its not as good at G?
> 
> basically, they'll chicken out and stick with what they got, leaving BP to get a better signal her own way.



Is it? Cool. Didnt even realise it, thanks.

Well I cant imagine that Ms. Panther is the only one with the issue. Theres gotta be some other people in the area having the problem too.

Alternativly, what she could do is use a router similar to a Netgear WNR2000 to "repeat" the wireless signal, and place it somewhere between the house and the church (maybe even in the church itself) So no change would be made to the origional router. The only downside to doing that is that Ping times would be about twice as high, but I doubt it would affect the speed too much.

Possible?


----------



## Mussels (May 12, 2010)

roast said:


> Is it? Cool. Didnt even realise it, thanks.
> 
> Well I cant imagine that Ms. Panther is the only one with the issue. Theres gotta be some other people in the area having the problem too.
> 
> ...



whatever is done requires there permission. Lets focus on things BP can do in her wee liddle house, until she tells us she has that permission.


----------



## Fourstaff (May 12, 2010)

Have you thought about "donating" a more powerful router for the church?


----------



## roast (May 12, 2010)

Fourstaff said:


> Have you thought about "donating" a more powerful router for the church?



Already been mentioned. 

I have another suggestion.

Clicky

I have a friend who hacked a cheap wireless dongle and connected one of these antennae to it. (not this exact model, but similar)
This looks sturdy enough, I think it also has holes on it for a wall-mount, so I doubt anyone could nick it.


----------



## Black Panther (May 12, 2010)

I bought a Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless-300N USB Dish Adapter.
Hopefully it's at least as powerful as the laptop's inbuilt wifi which gets the signal by holding the whole laptop out of the window...
I wouldn't mind putting it outside the window as long as it's within view, and not 20 feet away like the dongle I was using.


----------



## Fourstaff (May 12, 2010)

Black Panther said:


> I bought a Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless-300N USB Dish Adapter.
> Hopefully it's at least as powerful as the laptop's inbuilt wifi which gets the signal by holding the whole laptop out of the window...
> I wouldn't mind putting it outside the window as long as it's within view, and not 20 feet away like the dongle I was using.



Give us a mini review when you have used it


----------



## DRDNA (May 13, 2010)

Black Panther said:


> I bought a Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless-300N USB Dish Adapter.
> Hopefully it's at least as powerful as the laptop's inbuilt wifi which gets the signal by holding the whole laptop out of the window...
> I wouldn't mind putting it outside the window as long as it's within view, and not 20 feet away like the dongle I was using.



Great! I hope it proves to be to your liking! Also please do a mini review like Fourstaff asked


----------



## IggSter (May 13, 2010)

I would recommend the Netgear WN111, best USB wireless dongle I've ever used (and I've used quite a few)

I used a belkin one for around a year and it used to lose connection in some of the far corners of my house (100 yrs old, 650mm walls). With the netgear I get a minimum of 54meg (even at the bottom of the garden.

The only downsides i can thinks of are:

1. Price
2. The blue LED is blinding! I had to put some tape over it as it was giving me headaches


----------



## Mussels (May 13, 2010)

so its a USB wifi adaptor with build in directional dish... handy.


just remember that pointing it in the right direction will help massively, so try at different positions and angles before you resort to using it outside.


----------



## DaveK (May 13, 2010)

Glad you didn't buy the Netgear WNDA3100, I only have an average signal to an N router which is only downstairs in my house.


----------



## DRDNA (May 21, 2010)

Black Panther, how did this wireless adapter work out for you?

Oh ya it takes awhile for stuff to cross the great pond...I will be waiting in hopes of a good report


----------



## Black Panther (May 23, 2010)

Hopefully it arrives to my place tomorrow.

I just checked the tracking, it arrived to Malta yesterday (Saturday)



> Bullet  	Into Foreign Customs, May 22, 2010, 12:42 pm, MALTA
> Bullet 	Arrived Abroad, May 22, 2010, 12:42 pm, MALTA
> Bullet 	International Dispatch, May 18, 2010, 4:45 pm, ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS)
> Bullet 	Arrival
> ...



Edit: Lol ignore the bullets, they came out like that instead of the bullet symbol


----------



## Black Panther (May 24, 2010)

Things don't look so good.

I hope the customs aren't playing frisbee with my new toy....


----------



## Bo$$ (Jun 6, 2010)

Black Panther said:


> Things don't look so good.
> 
> I hope the customs aren't playing frisbee with my new toy....
> http://img.techpowerup.org/100524/post.jpg



i would be worried, a simple phone call might not hurt?


----------



## Black Panther (Jun 6, 2010)

Well, it arrived a couple of days ago.

I just tried it out... no mini-review forthcoming sorry for now - either I haven't yet found the best direction to point it or this thing is just a gimmick. 

I spent a couple of hours going around the place putting it at different directions and different heights. It gets a _lot_ more signals than the EDUP dongle I used before. I used to get just one signal now I get that plus some eight other neighbouring signals. But not one signal is strong enough to sustain a connection.

Finally I just gave up and used my old ghetto makeshift thingie I used before i.e. just the EDUP usb dongle thrust up a rigid black plastic pipe with a 5 meter extension cable  I'm connected with it just now.


----------



## Bo$$ (Jun 6, 2010)

oops didnt read the date XD


----------



## Fourstaff (Jun 13, 2010)

Lifehacker posted this up:http://lifehacker.com/5562180/diy-usb-wi+fi-dongle-waveguide-amplifies-bad-internet-signals


----------



## Black Panther (Jun 13, 2010)

Update - the Hawking works fine.
I had been trying to get the signal by myself, which wasn't practical.
However, putting hubby on the roof while I'm on the pc watching the signals made me find the best direction for a good signal very easily. Far easier than going up on the roof and back down like 40 times to change direction and check the signal....

Now the antenna is like 2 ft above the window behind my laptop and it works fine, using like only 1.5m of cable and getting a much better signal.
(Don't worry I got it fixed and my husband doesn't have to stay holding it on the roof while I'm online )


What made me retry the hawking was that the other dongle refused to work.
I had the EDUP dongle on a 5m cable plus another 2 ft cable to enable it to get the signal.
I'm thinking that operating temperature has a bearing on this. 

I had read that USB won't function if the extension is longer than 5m. However in our mild winter it worked at 5.5m.
Today it is summer, and it started giving me errors. Like device cannot start etc. After testing, I removed the 2 ft cable and found it worked on the 5m one. But the 5m one is too short for the EDUP to get a signal. I tried 2 other 2ft cables as well but the EDUP couldn't power up.
I'm thinking that with the outside temperature being 30 degrees, and with the EDUP in a black pipe in the sunlight it probably was reaching some 60 degrees inside there! Perhaps that was too much, but it still got power if I plugged it only on the 5m cable.

Well anyways, I won't be bothering any more with the EDUP now because the hawking is much more comfortable. And having only a short cable it's much easier to remove and reinstall.


----------



## Fourstaff (Jun 13, 2010)

Black Panther said:


> (Don't worry I got it fixed and my husband doesn't have to stay holding it on the roof while I'm online )



My friend read this piece and asked "What did your husband do to deserve that?"


----------



## Mussels (Jun 14, 2010)

you get voltage drop on the longer cables, and the hot components likely dropped it more.


----------

