# PC Wifi Adapter



## RoboX (May 20, 2020)

Can you tell me which of these wifi adapters is best to connect the PC to the router?

Sitecom WLA-7100

FRITZ!WLAN Stick AC 430

Ubit WiFi 6  2974Mbp/s Wireless Adapter PCI Express AX200 Bluetooth 5.0 | MU-Mimo | OFDMA | Low Latency


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## TheLostSwede (May 20, 2020)

How come these are your options?

Two are USB, one is a PCIe card.

The PCIe card would be the better option long term and it also has Bluetooth. It's Intel based and need antennas sticking out the back of your PC.

The Sitecom seems ok, based on Realtek RTL8812AU.

The Fritz stick seems to be a simple 1x1 device based on the MediaTek MT7610U, whereas the other two are 2x2 adapters, i.e. the other two are faster, if your router is AC1200 or faster.


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## RoboX (May 21, 2020)

USB or PCIex make no difference for me


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## bonehead123 (May 21, 2020)

Depends on:

A)  Your needs, ie fast downloads, BT device connectivity, etc...
B)  Your router, it's capabilities and number of other wireless devices already connected to it

PS:  After experimenting with several brands of USB adapters, I went with a PCIe card, which gave me better sppeds, compatibility + BT 5 also, so if you want a low-priced USB adapter, please pm me, as I have a few laying around now


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## delshay (May 21, 2020)

TheLostSwede said:


> How come these are your options?
> 
> Two are USB, one is a PCIe card.
> 
> ...



PCI-e is cheaper in the long run as all you have to do is buy the tiny card & pop it in the slot. It's very cheap to buy on Ebay especially if you buy from china.


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## Fry178 (May 21, 2020)

@RoboX
I would chose the one coming with a Realtek/Intel chip, as they usually have better support when it comes to drivers (as long as they match the chip used).

@bonehead123 
pci is not making it faster, its the external antennas (usually larger than for most usb).


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## P4-630 (May 21, 2020)

I use this one and never had any issues with it:





						ASUS USB-AC68 Wi-Fi adapter - Kenmerken - Tweakers
					






					tweakers.net


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## Bill_Bright (May 21, 2020)

For a PC, the UBIT because it has external and adjustable antennas.


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## TheLostSwede (May 21, 2020)

delshay said:


> PCI-e is cheaper in the long run as all you have to do is buy the tiny card & pop it in the slot. It's very cheap to buy on Ebay especially if you buy from china.


Sorry, but why are you replying to me? I'm not the OP.


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## P4-630 (May 21, 2020)

Average throughput:













						23 WiFi-adapters review: upgrade je WiFi
					

Routers worden steeds sneller, maar veel laptops hebben povere WiFi aan boord. Heb je geen zin om een kabel naar je werkplek te trekken, dan biedt een l...




					nl.hardware.info


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## Fry178 (May 21, 2020)

@P4-630
Most ppl dont have a +100 Mbit line, and wont need anything past basic.
btw OP asked which one of the 3, so unless we get additional info, might even be a waste to go for anything past 811.n/ac.


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## Ramo1203 (May 21, 2020)

I would recommend getting something like a PCI-E x1 adapter that can take a laptop WIFI/BT card. It's great because you can upgrade if needed. I changed my 8260 for a AX200 for only 20$ instead of changing the whole adapter. I would stick with Intel chip personally.


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## Bill_Bright (May 21, 2020)

The problem with most of those laptop wifi "cards" is they have internal antennas. This adapter is needed for a PC. PC cases typically are made of metal. An antenna that is contained inside a metal box is not going to be very effective. So again, I say,





Bill_Bright said:


> For a PC, the UBIT because it has external and adjustable antennas.


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## delshay (May 21, 2020)

TheLostSwede said:


> Sorry, but why are you replying to me? I'm not the OP.



I replied to you as you posted something about Wi-Fi PCI-e, Bluetooth cards & what I should have said is, if a new faster standard appears in the future, all that is needed is just swapped the tiny card in the slot for the newer one. It's much cheaper that replacing a USB wi-fi card because your not replacing everything.

Everytime a new standard comes along, just swap-out the tiny card. Some Wi-Fi motherboards also have this slot, swap it out to the latest standard. You can also do this to some Laptops too.


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## TheLostSwede (May 21, 2020)

delshay said:


> I replied to you as you posted something about Wi-Fi PCI-e, Bluetooth cards & what I should have said is, if a new faster standard appears in the future, all that is needed is just swapped the tiny card in the slot for the newer one. It's much cheaper that replacing a USB wi-fi card because your not replacing everything.
> 
> Everytime a new standard comes along, just swap-out the tiny card. Some Wi-Fi motherboards also have this slot, swap it out to the latest standard. You can also do this to some Laptops too.


I was asking the OP some questions. You don't seem to quite understand how forums work...

And yes, I'm fully aware, I only worked as a tech journalist for well over a decade, I worked for a router manufacturer and I run my own consultancy business, but thank you for pointing that out to me and not the OP.


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## delshay (May 21, 2020)

TheLostSwede said:


> I was asking the OP some questions. You don't seem to quite understand how forums work...
> 
> And yes, I'm fully aware, I only worked as a tech journalist for well over a decade, I worked for a router manufacturer and I run my own consultancy business, but thank you for pointing that out to me and not the OP.



Yes, but did you also know that on intel cards if you have Bluetooth enabled it disable wi-fi on one antenna. If you switch bluetooth off, you have the benefit of both antennas giving you a stronger signal. Did you know that.

& next time you say I don't know how forums work, you can work things out for yourself.


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## sepheronx (May 21, 2020)

I myself just went with a cheap wifi usb dual band adapter I got for 13$ CAD from Amazon. My ISP is max at 150mbs and I get that rate from my router (something not so good from Telus imo).


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## delshay (May 21, 2020)

sepheronx said:


> I myself just went with a cheap wifi usb dual band adapter I got for 13$ CAD from Amazon. My ISP is max at 150mbs and I get that rate from my router (something not so good from Telus imo).



Yes, but for that price or just a little bit more or less, you can have the latest standard with all the bells & whistle if it was PCI-e based with a card slot.


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## sepheronx (May 21, 2020)

delshay said:


> Yes, but for that price or just a little bit more or less, you can have the latest card with all the bells & whistle if it was PCI-e based with a card slot.


not aware of any in Canada that is a relatively good price.  But sure.

Can you link me one? I may purchase one in future.


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## delshay (May 21, 2020)

sepheronx said:


> not aware of any in Canada that is a relatively good price.  But sure.
> 
> Can you link me one? I may purchase one in future.



EBAY.. Do a search on intel cards there's plenty. Remember your just buying the tiny card, but you must have the basic PCI-e card with a slot in-order to use them.

You must uninstall the old drivers before removing the old card. Failure to do this may result in problems when installing the new card.


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## Fry178 (May 21, 2020)

@delshay
getting something, just to be able to upgrade, is a waste of money for +80% of users,
and the ones that need more, know it already and wont ask these kind of questions..

but lets say we go with the latest, which is AX.
do YOU have an AX router? you know what they start at? right, lets get an adapter that requires to spend
at least another 100$ before it can work at its best advertised perf.

we dont know the bandwidth of his/her internet connection or what its being used for.
to surf the internet and stream even 4K, wireless N is absolutely fine.


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## kapone32 (May 22, 2020)

RoboX said:


> Can you tell me which of these wifi adapters is best to connect the PC to the router?
> 
> Sitecom WLA-7100
> 
> ...


 Go with the PCIe card. USB (have not used it in a while) is alright but you will get less drops and faster connectivity with the AX200. Be prepared to be able to download a Steam game, watch a youtube video in 1080P and have your free Epic game downloading at the same time (depending on your ISP speed). The AX200 is no joke I came from a 9260. Though it is not much faster than the 9260, the design of WIFI 6 allows for simultaneous throughput across multiple channels. Watch a video on it and you will agree. The other products are not worth the money vs the AX200. It is the only WIFI card I put in customer builds. Ensure that the card is completely connected though, it can be a real pain in the butt to socket the headers on the card itself. If there is no antenna connected Windows will recognize it but you will get limited performance.



sepheronx said:


> not aware of any in Canada that is a relatively good price.  But sure.
> 
> Can you link me one? I may purchase one in future.


 Why Intel AX200 cards are $30 on Amazon


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## TheLostSwede (May 22, 2020)

delshay said:


> Yes, but did you also know that on intel cards if you have Bluetooth enabled it disable wi-fi on one antenna. If you switch bluetooth off, you have the benefit of both antennas giving you a stronger signal. Did you know that.
> 
> & next time you say I don't know how forums work, you can work things out for yourself.


Sorry, but did you even read my post? I simply pointed out the features.
Your reply to me was completely random and you're again trying to explaining things to me, for what reason, I know not.
This is why I wonder if you understand the purpose of forums and how they work.
There's no need to educate people that are replying to the OP, that's just going to annoy people.


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## kapone32 (May 22, 2020)

Fry178 said:


> @delshay
> getting something, just to be able to upgrade, is a waste of money for +80% of users,
> and the ones that need more, know it already and wont ask these kind of questions..
> 
> ...


 The adapter is fine with AC, you won't get the speed increase but you will be able to more things at the same time with the AX200 besides the cards are usually $30 on Amazon.


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## TheLostSwede (May 22, 2020)

RoboX said:


> USB or PCIex make no difference for me


Just to point out that the Ubit thing you listed, is using an Intel 802.11ax/Wi-Fi 6 card under the shield. Most likely made by some company in China, as there are at least half a dozen different versions like it on Amazon Italy.
All the discussion here is just people being confused, I'm sorry to say.
There's nothing wrong with getting one of these cards and use with whatever router, as amazingly, Wi-Fi is backwards compatible.
Personally I'd go with this version, of the ones available, as it has better antennas.





						Pci Wifi 6 con AX200, Scheda Rete Wireless 802.11AX 2974 Mbps Dual Band 5 GHz / 2,4 GHz, Scheda Wifi pci Express con Bluetooth 5.0, Wifi 5ghz pci per Desktop, Windows 10 64 Bit, Linux 5.1 : Amazon.it: Informatica
					

Pci Wifi 6 con AX200, Scheda Rete Wireless 802.11AX 2974 Mbps Dual Band 5 GHz / 2,4 GHz, Scheda Wifi pci Express con Bluetooth 5.0, Wifi 5ghz pci per Desktop, Windows 10 64 Bit, Linux 5.1 : Amazon.it: Informatica



					www.amazon.it


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## micropage7 (May 22, 2020)

just buy the usb interface and the one that you can get locally, and don't forget to check the driver too. is your OS still supported by it?


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## Fry178 (May 22, 2020)

@all
i guess some need to reread the question.
op wants to know WHICH ONE OF THE THREE.
and unless we know what the USE/SPEED needs are and the lines bandwidth, any recommendation is as good as
doing a web search and blindly picking one.

maybe this is a 70y old using internet to read the news and check their email    and will never care for anything past having internet.

@RoboX 
i haven't used any of them (or i would have recommended one already), but the fritz one might be ok.
i know they usually go to "brand names" to make their stuff.


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## delshay (May 22, 2020)

TheLostSwede said:


> Sorry, but did you even read my post? I simply pointed out the features.
> Your reply to me was completely random and you're again trying to explaining things to me, for what reason, I know not.
> This is why I wonder if you understand the purpose of forums and how they work.
> There's no need to educate people that are replying to the OP, that's just going to annoy people.



& all I was trying to do is point out is that having a PCI-e card is cheaper in the long run because you can upgrade, but you turned it into some big drama.

Just to show how cheap it is if you have the right interface..  ..look here https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=wi-fi+6+ax200&_sacat=0&_sop=15

The only downside is the end user able to connect the antenna leads & you need to be extra careful if you are upgrading a laptop. USB Wi-Fi cards is easy for most if not all users, just plug-in & play.

EDIT: You can sell the old card back on Ebay. So total cost with new card cost less than 10.00 USD. Can't get cheaper than that & you have the latest standard Wi-Fi card.


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## TheLostSwede (May 22, 2020)

delshay said:


> & all I was trying to do is point out is that having a PCI-e card is cheaper in the long run because you can upgrade, but you turned it into some big drama.
> 
> Just to show how cheap it is if you have the right interface..  ..look here https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=wi-fi+6+ax200&_sacat=0&_sop=15
> 
> ...


And I'm still not interested in your opinion, as I'm not the OP.


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## kapone32 (May 22, 2020)

sepheronx said:


> not aware of any in Canada that is a relatively good price.  But sure.
> 
> Can you link me one? I may purchase one in future.




Assembled $49.99



			Amazon.ca
		


Just the card 






						AX200NGW Wi-Fi 6 11AX WiFi Module 2 x 2 MU-MIMO Dual Band Wireless Card with Bluetooth 5.0 Internal WiFi Adapter Support Windows 10 64bit, M.2/NGFF : Amazon.ca: Electronics
					

AX200NGW Wi-Fi 6 11AX WiFi Module 2 x 2 MU-MIMO Dual Band Wireless Card with Bluetooth 5.0 Internal WiFi Adapter Support Windows 10 64bit, M.2/NGFF : Amazon.ca: Electronics



					www.amazon.ca
				



 also watch Youtube an


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## delshay (May 22, 2020)

TheLostSwede said:


> And I'm still not interested in your opinion, as I'm not the OP.



Is there not a ignore, block button or something, "use it", that way you will not receive my opinion.


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## sepheronx (May 22, 2020)

kapone32 said:


> Assembled $49.99
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I saw some on eBay for about $34.  I may order one just to have one available (lots of customers ask me for wifi).


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## kapone32 (May 22, 2020)

sepheronx said:


> I saw some on eBay for about $34.  I may order one just to have one available (lots of customers ask me for wifi).


Trust me try it and let me know what you find.


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## sepheronx (May 22, 2020)

kapone32 said:


> Trust me try it and let me know what you find.



I will.  It will take a month before I buy but I will remember.

Plus, did you ever get a chance to find the 1600AF?


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## kapone32 (May 22, 2020)

sepheronx said:


> I will.  It will take a month before I buy but I will remember.
> 
> Plus, did you ever get a chance to find the 1600AF?


Nice

 Nope we had COVID 19 so my Cousin never bothered to get it for me as it was only in store where he lived.


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## sepheronx (May 22, 2020)

kapone32 said:


> Nice
> 
> Nope we had COVID 19 so my Cousin never bothered to get it for me as it was only in store where he lived.



Fair enough.  Hopefully you guys are healthy and fine!

So really any of the AX200 Wifi cards should be good on ebay, yeah?

This? https://www.ebay.ca/itm/AX200NGW-PC...618204?hash=item5b7321ca1c:g:-XgAAOSwbLpeoTSF


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## kapone32 (May 22, 2020)

sepheronx said:


> Fair enough.  Hopefully you guys are healthy and fine!
> 
> So really any of the AX200 Wifi cards should be good on ebay, yeah?
> 
> This? https://www.ebay.ca/itm/AX200NGW-PC...618204?hash=item5b7321ca1c:g:-XgAAOSwbLpeoTSF


 Well you can't say for sure that every listing is real but one of the things to watch out for is if it says drivers included.


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## sepheronx (May 22, 2020)

kapone32 said:


> Well you can't say for sure that every listing is real but one of the things to watch out for is if it says drivers included.


That one doesn't say it comes with drivers. No good eh?


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## kapone32 (May 22, 2020)

sepheronx said:


> That one doesn't say it comes with drivers. No good eh?


 What I actually meant is when you get the card and install it you must download the driver from Intel. Windows does not have native drivers fir the AX200 currently.


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## RoboX (May 22, 2020)

P4-630 said:


> Average throughput:
> 
> View attachment 156133
> 
> ...



in the end, if i have to choose one of these, is it better to prefer a pci-e or usb?
(there are some with excellent performances in the same price range both usb and pcie)


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## TheLostSwede (May 22, 2020)

RoboX said:


> in the end, if i have to choose one of these, is it better to prefer a pci-e or usb?
> (there are some with excellent performances in the same price range both usb and pcie)


Personally, I'd go PCIe, unless you are ever going to want to be able to easily use it with another computer.


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## P4-630 (May 23, 2020)

RoboX said:


> is it better to prefer a pci-e or usb?



Well I went with the Asus USB-AC68 so I can use it with my laptop or any other computer when needed.


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## Palladium (May 24, 2020)

I used many cheap USB sticks, and my conclusion is make sure you get one with Realtek 802.11AC or better chips and stay far far away from anything with Ralink or Mediatek. The latter ones are really flaky especially if they are connected to a non-Intel PHY USB port.


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