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Question Wi-fi adapters
- Thread starter nnaear
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I recommend you find an adapter and Google it with the word "review" and see what is said about it.
I recommend you look for an adapter that supports at least WiFi 6. While WiFi 7 is out it is not widely available - yet. But if you can find a WiFi 7 adapter that fits your budget, go for it. Just remember, you will not be able to take advantage of the speeds of these faster adapters unless your WAP (wireless access point - typically integrated with wireless routers) supports them too.
These are backwards compatible so if your WAP only supports WiFi 5, for example, no problem. You will just run at WiFi 5 speeds. But you will be ready should you upgrade your WAP in the future.
I also recommend you get an adapter that has external antennas similar to this one. That will typically provide better reception and propagation than those with antennas that sit inside the computer's metal case.
Some adapters have removable antennas that, with an appropriate cable, you can then mount high on a wall or shelf, for example - if you need even more range.
I recommend you look for an adapter that supports at least WiFi 6. While WiFi 7 is out it is not widely available - yet. But if you can find a WiFi 7 adapter that fits your budget, go for it. Just remember, you will not be able to take advantage of the speeds of these faster adapters unless your WAP (wireless access point - typically integrated with wireless routers) supports them too.
These are backwards compatible so if your WAP only supports WiFi 5, for example, no problem. You will just run at WiFi 5 speeds. But you will be ready should you upgrade your WAP in the future.
I also recommend you get an adapter that has external antennas similar to this one. That will typically provide better reception and propagation than those with antennas that sit inside the computer's metal case.
Some adapters have removable antennas that, with an appropriate cable, you can then mount high on a wall or shelf, for example - if you need even more range.
It is possible to find a good USB WI-FI adapter for a maximum of 8.50 dollars, I have no technical knowledge which is good and I am from Brazil but there are many cheap models on aliexpress
good at overcoming a distance of 10 meters from the tp link wifi6 AX3000 router and walls with strong and stable signal
good at overcoming a distance of 10 meters from the tp link wifi6 AX3000 router and walls with strong and stable signal
Most important thing is what radio chipset it uses. Most of these use Realtek chips and there are big difference between them. Google the reviews and if you can't find one for exactly the product and you know used radio chip it uses, google that. Some wifi dongles from Aliexpress are decent, as long as you are OK with the limitations and features of the chip it uses, better research it before purchasing. For example they often claim WIFI6 or 802.11ax but then you find out it's 2.4GHz only... don't buy that one. Also cheaper versions often doesn't have multiple antennas for MIMO (more is always better, it means more signal paths for both bandwidth and better sensitivity without dropouts). The sellers on Aliexpress sometimes lie about actual specs and I have even seen adapters with fake antennas (two were real, other two empty fakes). Buying cheapest of the cheap is just not recommended...
For use in regular PC, I would recommend PCI-E card instead. Even the cheap ones usually use notebook Intel wifi cards in an adapter for regular PC slot and are generally better than USB ones regarding latency and Intel driver quality is good.
For use in regular PC, I would recommend PCI-E card instead. Even the cheap ones usually use notebook Intel wifi cards in an adapter for regular PC slot and are generally better than USB ones regarding latency and Intel driver quality is good.
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TheLostSwede
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First of all, most USB dongles are 1x1 SISO or 2x2 MIMO, the latter is better in all circumstances, assuming you have a modern router, which you have.
Second of all, check what you can find drivers for, as these companies might not ship you drivers, or at best, very outdates drivers on a CD.
Stable and strong signal is impossible to predict, as there are too many variables, as you might get a device with an older chipset revision that had issues, that these companies got for cheap, whereas as V2.0 of the same chipset works just fine. Keep in mind that a lot of companies on there just want to get rid of stock and don't care if the product is good or not.
Then there's the antenna type and design, plus how well it was soldered to the PCB if they're not using a PCB antenna and if they're using a PCB antenna, is it a proven design or just something that kind of works.
Then there's firmware, do they run the current version or did they end up with whatever the chips launched with? Not all WiFi chipsets have a flashable firmware, some have one that loads on power up via the drivers, so if you can't get the latest drives, the dongle might be janky because of that.
I would not buy these products from aliexpress or from any unknown brand, as they won't be certified and tested to meet what are quite stringent specs and standards for WiFi devices to work well.
Also, outside of everything else, you might lose it in customs, as the Brazilian customs are experts at sniffing out wireless products. Trust me on this, I used to work for a router manufacturer and we shipped 20 odd routers there, all but one got taken by customs and destroyed.
If you haven't seen this one before, then it's something you should learnt today.
Second of all, check what you can find drivers for, as these companies might not ship you drivers, or at best, very outdates drivers on a CD.
Stable and strong signal is impossible to predict, as there are too many variables, as you might get a device with an older chipset revision that had issues, that these companies got for cheap, whereas as V2.0 of the same chipset works just fine. Keep in mind that a lot of companies on there just want to get rid of stock and don't care if the product is good or not.
Then there's the antenna type and design, plus how well it was soldered to the PCB if they're not using a PCB antenna and if they're using a PCB antenna, is it a proven design or just something that kind of works.
Then there's firmware, do they run the current version or did they end up with whatever the chips launched with? Not all WiFi chipsets have a flashable firmware, some have one that loads on power up via the drivers, so if you can't get the latest drives, the dongle might be janky because of that.
I would not buy these products from aliexpress or from any unknown brand, as they won't be certified and tested to meet what are quite stringent specs and standards for WiFi devices to work well.
Also, outside of everything else, you might lose it in customs, as the Brazilian customs are experts at sniffing out wireless products. Trust me on this, I used to work for a router manufacturer and we shipped 20 odd routers there, all but one got taken by customs and destroyed.
If you haven't seen this one before, then it's something you should learnt today.
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I am not a fan of USB WiFi adapters (dongles) except for laptops. I note the OP said PC.
While one must be careful buying from Aliexpress, the same can be said for Amazon or just about anywhere else. What's important is to do your homework - which is part of researching where I said above about a device you find, to Google it with the word "review" and see what is said about it.
While one must be careful buying from Aliexpress, the same can be said for Amazon or just about anywhere else. What's important is to do your homework - which is part of researching where I said above about a device you find, to Google it with the word "review" and see what is said about it.
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I did that a few years ago.
A very bad idea. i returned several malfunctioning wifi usb dongles.
Intel AX200 and Intel AX210 are also a bad idea.
I use ASRock B75M-DGS R2.0 and a Radeon R7 360 is already connected to it and I think I no longer have space to put a PCI-E WiFi card. I don't know which way to go. I thought about USB but I saw reports of problems here. I didn't know that the most important thing was the chipset used. Many sellers on AliExpress don't mention the chip used.
TheLostSwede
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Well, there are just a "few" chipsets...
These are some of the ones from Realtek alone.
techinfodepot.shoutwiki.com
techinfodepot.shoutwiki.com
I would avoid A models from Realtek, as that's first generation chipsets, whereas B or C should be fine, as most of the bugs would've been worked out by then.
The same site lists no less than 5,988 wireless adapters, although half or more of those are most likely outdated.
techinfodepot.shoutwiki.com
In addition to Realtek, Mediatek, Qualcomm and Intel, which are the ones that make most of the consumer device chipsets, there are some less known companies out of xina as well, where you might never get a driver update.
It's easy to buy "the wrong thing" as a consumer when it comes to wireless products and just as with so many other tech products, the device manufacturers quite often swap between different hardware and unless you can see the packaging and the specific hardware revision, you have no idea what you're getting.
Even for someone like me that has worked in the business, it's a jungle out there.
These are some of the ones from Realtek alone.
Realtek/Wireless chipsets/USB - TechInfoDepot
Realtek/Wireless chipsets/PCIe/USB/SDIO - TechInfoDepot
The same site lists no less than 5,988 wireless adapters, although half or more of those are most likely outdated.
Category:Wireless Adapter - TechInfoDepot
In addition to Realtek, Mediatek, Qualcomm and Intel, which are the ones that make most of the consumer device chipsets, there are some less known companies out of xina as well, where you might never get a driver update.
It's easy to buy "the wrong thing" as a consumer when it comes to wireless products and just as with so many other tech products, the device manufacturers quite often swap between different hardware and unless you can see the packaging and the specific hardware revision, you have no idea what you're getting.
Even for someone like me that has worked in the business, it's a jungle out there.
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Yeah, in that case USB is sadly your only option. There is another slot but it's old legacy PCI. There are mini-PCI adapters out there but cards end at 802.11n (some at 3x3 MIMO tho), there's nothing newer.
In that case look for USB adapter with known chipset with at least 2x2 MIMO capability. Usually searching name + "linux" is good way to discover more technical info and posts about drivers and internals. External antennas are always better than small ones on PCB, the very small USB WIFI adapters are the worst.
- Joined
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| System Name | Brightworks Systems BWS-6 E-IV |
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IMO, the problem is not with the WiFi portion of the device, but rather the USB side. Sadly, USB is just not reliable as it should be. A quick look will show how folks are constantly reporting problems with all sorts of USB devices loosing connection, from thumb drives, external hard drives, even keyboards and mice.
RTL8811 is a good or bad chipset? For a strong signal 10 meters away from the router and passing through walls, is it better to have a USB adapter with 4 small antennas or 1 large antenna? In Aliexpress hard found 2x2 MIMO capability?