Which Wi-Fi receiver for PC is better? Choosing a budget adapter for hacking Wi-Fi

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Over the past decade, mobile technologies have made a sharp leap towards mass adoption. That is why efforts are being made to implement such developments as a Wi-Fi adapter for a computer into almost every existing model.

Simplify data transfer

The idea of transmitting information “through the air” was first voiced in the scientific sense at the beginning of the twentieth century by Nikola Tesla. But then it was somewhat difficult to implement, and now it’s hard to imagine that someone would refuse to install a Wi-Fi adapter for a PC and would prefer to bother with laying cables.

If at the beginning of the 2000s the same wireless standards 802.11a and 802.11b simply could not compete for the most part with wired Internet in speed and cost, then with the advent of “g”, which could deliver up to 54 Mbit/s, real competition had already begun . And when in 2009 they patented and began to actively implement the “n” protocol with its 150/300/600 Mbit/s, the obvious advantage of Wi-Fi over an ordinary 100 megabit card became obvious even to the average user. The development of the mobile microprocessor technology industry, which includes tablets, smartphones, smart watches and the same laptops and netbooks, also played an important role.

But be that as it may, a fairly large percentage of computer users prefer to use desktop PCs. And they are not equipped with wireless modules, such as Wi-Fi adapters for a computer or Bluetooth, as standard. Fortunately, motherboard manufacturers carefully provide everything necessary for such needs. Therefore, it is worth considering the options available on the market that a user who wants to upgrade his PC can use.

Transition to wireless networks

So, the first step is to consider how to choose a Wi-Fi adapter for a computer, and for this you need to determine the intended purpose of the module, its type of device and the needs of the user himself.

It’s worth starting with the fact that this type of device can be stationary and mobile. The difference lies in the interface itself, through which the gadget will connect to the system unit of a personal computer. There are currently many variations on the market that can suit the needs of even owners of very old devices, but the cost and their benefits will be ephemeral at best.

Adapter Types

So we will look at the three most popular and widespread interfaces:

PCI Express.

The first one is of the mobile type, since to use this kind of device it is enough to plug such a USB-Wi-Fi module into any USB socket and, if necessary, it can be quickly removed and then installed in another system unit or device, without even turning off the PC . In general, this is a typical dongle, that is, a gadget that has the format of a regular flash drive, which many are already accustomed to using. Most of these adapters are designed for very short distances and have low power. There are, however, serious powerful devices that are not inferior to stationary ones, but their cost will be much higher.

The second and third types refer to stationary devices. They are installed directly onto the motherboard itself and are not very suitable for frequent removal. In addition, you need to make sure what type of interface is present on the motherboard of the user’s PC. This can be done either using special programs such as AIDA64 or Everest, or by removing the cover from the system unit and examining the connectors there, which in most cases are labeled. Offhand, the PCI slot is quite large and has 3 sections: two small ones on the sides, one large one between them.

PCI-Express, on the contrary, is quite small, about half to a third the length of PCI and consists of only two sections, where one is a couple of pins larger than the other.

As for the cost, a USB gadget will be slightly more expensive than a stationary sample with similar characteristics. So it’s worth studying this issue in advance, and it’s also a good idea to read reviews of specific models of Wi-Fi adapters for your computer before you go shopping.

Transmission speed

The second parameter that is worth paying attention to is the data transfer speed; it directly depends on the standard on which the Wi-Fi module operates. Currently, three standards are considered relevant for the common user:

802.11g.
802.11n.
802.11ac.

Their theoretical speeds are presented accordingly:

54 Mbit/sec.
150/300/600 Mbit/sec.
From 433 Mbit/s to 6.77 Gbit/s.

If everything is clear with the first, then explanations are needed for the second and third. Depending on the quality of materials, software, chip layout and signal strength that the equipment can produce, the speed of the same protocol (for example, “n”) will be different. Accordingly, the higher the quality, the more productive the Wi-Fi device itself will be. As you might guess, the more functional and high-quality the gadget is, the higher its cost will be.

This also includes such a detail as “equipment coordination.” For example, a PC owner decided to spend money on an expensive, powerful and high-quality Wi-Fi adapter with the “n” protocol, but his router only works with “g” (including “a” and “b”, of course, since these protocols are backward compatible). Of course, the maximum that a user can get in such a combination of equipment (Wi-Fi card-router) is the same 54 Megabits. The second point is the speed coming via cable from the provider itself. If the contract with him is concluded only for 20 Mbit/sec, then even when using the 802.11ac module and router, the final speed will be only 20 Megabits.

Based on the above: you should decide in advance about your needs and capabilities before choosing a Wi-Fi USB adapter for your computer or even purchasing one.

Power

This criterion is often simply discarded as unnecessary, since for the most part it is irrelevant for owners of small apartments. But for owners of large houses or land plots, this parameter will be more than significant. Firstly, based on this aspect, some providers provide access to the World Wide Web, and secondly, if you need to cover a large Internet distribution area, then power is of paramount importance here.

Nowadays, almost all devices are equipped with WiFi wireless Internet. But there is a separate niche of devices on the market that are not equipped with wireless Internet - these are personal computers. To connect them to the wireless Internet, you will need WiFi devices. WiFi on your computer may be needed in several cases:

There is wireless Internet in the house, for example, on a smartphone or tablet, and it must be connected to a PC that does not have WiFi;
The computer already has Internet, but I want to distribute it throughout the apartment to save time and money on an additional tariff.

What is a WiFi adapter

A WiFi adapter is used to implement the wireless network function on devices that do not support WiFi. It allows the computer to receive a signal from a wireless network. Now there are two types of adapters: the first are capable of only receiving a signal, the second can operate in signal reception and signal transmission mode. Adapters that have the SoftAP function built-in allow you to create a WiFi access point on your computer.

How to choose an adapter

When choosing a WiFi adapter, it is important to consider the connection method. There are so-called USB adapters that are very easy to use as they can be easily removed and connected to another computer. There are adapters that use the PCI-E interface. This is a set of chips that are inserted into special slots in the system unit. Before purchasing such an adapter, you first need to check the system unit for free PCI slots where you can connect the device.

One of the most important criteria in choosing an adapter is the WiFi standard. Today, the recognized wireless communication standard is 802.11n, which guarantees fast data transfer of up to 300 Mbit/s. In addition, there are new communication standards such as 802.11ac. This latest standard can transfer data from 3000 Mbps to 10 Gbps. But for home use, there is no need to pay extra money for speed, since 300 Mbit/s is quite enough.

It is also worth paying attention to the transceiver. The recommended transmitter power is 20 dBM. If the initial transmitter power is lower, the signal will be very weak, even if the Internet source is located within the apartment.

If the appearance of the adapter is not too important, then you can purchase an adapter with an external antenna. It is able to receive a signal much better, but has large dimensions. In addition, there are devices with removable external antennas.

When choosing a WiFi adapter, you should pay attention to their frequency. Manufacturers began to produce devices with a frequency of 5 GHz, but now adapters operating at a frequency of 2.4 GHz are still common.

It is also worth paying attention to the presence of the SoftAP function in the adapter. It is recommended to purchase adapters from the same company as the routers that are in the house, as their compatibility will be much better. This will help avoid various kinds of connection problems.

The adapter is installed in a special slot on the computer. After installation, the adapter must be configured - install the necessary software for wireless data transfer. The driver can be installed from the disk that is included with the device, or by downloading from the official website. After installing the driver, you need to configure the network, select the necessary parameters and access points.

Types of adapters

External WiFi adapters

In appearance, such adapters resemble a USB drive. The price of a standard USB adapter ranges from 700 to 1000 rubles. If you search hard, you can find devices within 300-400 rubles. This adapter can be connected to a regular USB port or a USB cable.

Internal WiFi adapters

To connect such an adapter to your computer, you will have to slightly disassemble the system unit. The adapters are very easy to connect, and they are much larger than external adapters.

Many people are afraid that when switching to WiFi, the speed of downloading files will drop significantly, but in fact this is not the case. Typically, each WiFi adapter has its own bandwidth. Let's say the Internet connection speed is 1 Mb/s, and the adapter bandwidth is 54 Mb/s. Based on these data, we can conclude that the Internet speed will not drop, because the adapter’s bandwidth is much higher.

Wi-Fi Card-Bus adapters

Such adapters are designed for laptops and PDAs that have a special PCCard slot. Such adapters have a built-in antenna, they are very compact and do not require lengthy setup.

WiFi adapter D-linkDWA 525:

The cost of this model is at the level of 500-700 rubles. The characteristics of the model are as follows:

Supported wireless standards: 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n
Maximum data transfer rate: 150 Mbit/s
Connection interface: PCI
Supported information security technologies: WEP, WPA, WPA2
Number of external antennas: 1 detachable antenna with R-SMA connector

WiFi adapter ASUS PCI-N10

The cost of this adapter is 500-600 rubles.

The adapter is 802.11n standard and has a PCI interface. It allows you to connect a personal computer to a wireless Internet network. The adapter can be installed in any 32-bit slot.

Specifications:

Encryption support 64/128-bit WEP,WPA2-PSK,WPA-PSK,WPS;
WPS (Wi-FiProtectedSetup) button – quick setup of a secure connection;
Software AP allows the WLAN adapter to act as a virtual access point.
Standard 802.11n (150 Mbit/s) with PCI interface.

Modern USBWiFi adapters provide wireless signals from access points, routers and other devices. Many computers and laptops are already equipped with WiFi function, but if it is not available, you can use a USB adapter. These devices are similar in appearance to small flash drives, but they have different technical characteristics.

You should also take a closer look at the parameters that characterize the antenna power (ideally, at least 20 decibels). Thanks to this, it will be possible to clearly capture even the weakest signals. The presence of a connector for an external antenna will be an additional advantage. The antenna can be purchased as a separate device or as a kit.

In some adapter models, two antennas can be raised in operating mode, which will enhance the signal quality and increase the data transfer speed. You can purchase compact models in which the antennas are built into the device body itself. The case should preferably have ventilation holes through which heat will be removed. Due to the absence of such holes, the performance of the device may deteriorate significantly.

The main characteristics of the adapter can be found on its packaging. The front side contains information that lists the standards that the device supports, special features for quickly setting up the adapter, and the choice of protection method. Apart from this, one of the most important points is the support for multiple connection modes between two computers.

One of the most popular models on the modern market are the D-Link DWA-127 and D-Link DWA-566 adapters.

The DWA-127 adapter has a built-in antenna that provides a large wireless connection area, and a special hardware WPS button that automatically configures a secure WiFi connection. Thanks to this adapter, a high-quality connection with devices of standard standards (labeled IEEE 802.11) is ensured.

DWA-566 is a wireless adapter that allows high-speed connection of computer devices to the network. There is no need to install additional Ethernet cables. This adapter fits all standard slots (x1/x4/x8/x16), has two detachable antennas (with a gain of about 2 dBi), is capable of operating in two bands: at a frequency of 2.4 GHz (marking: IEEE 802.11; b/ g/n) and at a frequency of 5 GHz (marking: IEEE-802.11; a/n). Due to these conditions, the wireless connection can reach speeds of up to 300 Mbit/s.

These adapters can operate using WEP/WPA/WPA2 encryption protocols, are fully suitable for secure wireless networks and provide reliable security for transmitted data.

The package includes the D-LinkManager WC utility, which allows you to configure convenient parameters and saves the most frequently used profiles. The DWA-127 costs about $22, and the DWA-566 costs about $47.

Setting up a WiFi adapter on a computer

To configure the WiFi adapter for the first time, you will need the following components:

The WiFi adapter itself;
Disc with drivers and other software;
User guide.

First you need to install the device into a USB port. It is best to use the ports that are located on the back of the system unit, as they are connected to the motherboard and are already completely ready for use. You can use the ports located on the front side of the system unit, but first make sure that they are in working order. After connecting the device, a message will appear indicating that a new device has been detected. Next you need to install the software and driver package. You should also install software utilities; they will not be superfluous, since with their help you can adjust network parameters and carry out more fine-tuning. Next, you need to look at the display of network connections (the network connections icon is located at the bottom of the taskbar). The drop-down window for network connections will list a list of devices that are connected to the PC; you must select the one that is currently installed. After this, you need to click on the new connection with the left mouse button. In the available network connections window that opens, click on the new network to enter the password.

Basic mistakes when choosing a WiFi adapter

One of the most common mistakes people make when shopping for a new device is that they unconditionally trust sales assistants. In reality, the seller, as a rule, tries to sell not the model that best suits the characteristics of others, but the one for which he can get his percentage. That is why, before purchasing, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the functionality of the selected models and read reviews about them on the Internet.

Another mistake is that people think that all adapters are essentially the same. In fact, different models differ from each other in power and characteristics, even from the same manufacturer.

Many people are confident that there is no need to spend money on expensive devices. Of course, you can buy an inexpensive device, but its power will be much less than that of one for which you will have to overpay only a few hundred.

In addition, it is also worth noting one of the biggest misconceptions that absolutely all equipment produced in China is of poor quality. In reality, the quality of products does not depend on where the manufacturer is located, but on who ordered the production of these products and from whom.

As practice shows, absolutely any user can configure a wireless network. WiFi adapters are reliable devices that are becoming indispensable for people. Buying an adapter can save you from many inconveniences, such as a large number of wires.

MICHAEL BROWN. We push six 802.11ac Wi-Fi USB adapters to the limit. PCWorld.

So you've finally bought a new 802.11ac router, and now you need a wireless adapter to connect your client PC to your Wi-Fi network. If your computer doesn't have a built-in 802.11ac adapter - and there are very few such machines yet - you won't be able to get the most out of your router. After testing six of the latest 802.11ac USB Wi-Fi adapters, I found that they varied greatly in performance.

The preliminary version of the 802.11ac standard regulates the creation of a physical connection with a throughput of up to 1300 Mbps (provided that the router supports three streams for data transmission and three for reception). The adapters presented in this review support only two streams, and their maximum throughput is 867 Mbps.

To determine which product was the fastest, I tested each device at four locations in my 260-square-foot, one-story home using only the 802.11ac protocol. Each adapter was connected to an AVA Direct gaming laptop equipped with an Intel Core i5-3210M processor and 4 GB of DDR3/1600 memory. The wireless network was created using a Wi-Fi router ASUS RT-AC68U standard 802.11ac. Using the JPERF test utility, I measured the TCP data transfer speed between a client laptop connected wirelessly and a server connected to the router via cable.

Some adapters come with a special stand and flexible USB cable, making them quite convenient to place. Other models plug directly into the USB port. Two more devices were equipped with rotating USB connectors, and they could be inserted into the USB port either straight or at a 90-degree angle. If the stand was not included, I connected them at an angle of 90 degrees.

USB surprises

It turned out that the type of USB interface does not have any noticeable effect on the performance of the adapter. The highest throughput was demonstrated by the ASUS USB-AC56 model with a USB 3.0 interface, but in second place was the Netgear A6200 device despite the presence of a USB 2.0 interface. But the Trendnet TEW-805UB model with a USB 3.0 interface showed the worst results.

The ASUS USB-AC56 adapter took first place in our tests when placing the client PC in the bedroom (3 meters from the router) and in the kitchen (6 meters away). And although the ASUS model was no longer so good at long distances, its average result at all four points remained the best.

The Netgear A6200 adapter finished in second place, lagging behind ASUS by only 2 Mbit/s and showing the best results over long distances. The D-Link DWA-182 model took third place and was almost closely followed by the Buffalo AirStation WI-U2-866D.

I measured the TCP data transfer rate between a client laptop connected wirelessly and a server connected to the router via cable. >>>

The overall first place was taken by the ASUS USB-AC56, but the Netgear A6200 is close on its heels. Plus, the Netgear adapter is much more convenient to use when traveling.

ASUS USB-AC56

The ASUS USB-AC56 model is also equipped with internal antennas, and if you do not want to connect a long external antenna, the protective cover covering the corresponding connector does not even need to be removed.

The USB-AC56 ($70 4 stars) comes with a USB cable-connected stand and a detachable swivel antenna. I thought that such an antenna should give the adapter an advantage over long distances, but in practice this did not happen.

The device equipped with a USB 3.0 interface demonstrated the highest throughput at short range. The data transfer speed in the bedroom, at a distance of three meters from the router, reached 404 Mbps.

When moving the client computer into the kitchen, six meters away from the router, the USB-AC56 model also turned out to be the best with a result of 347 Mbps.

Considering the size of the USB-AC56 antenna, I was quite surprised by the fifth place that the ASUS device took in the home theater, located two walls from the server. The fourth result was equally unexpected in a home office located 20 meters away from the router. But even in this case, with a throughput of 163 and 213 Mbit/s, the ASUS adapter should not have any difficulties broadcasting high-definition video to anywhere in a typical home.

The USB-AC56 looks a little bulky whether you use an external antenna or not (there's an internal antenna too, so there's no need to connect an external one). Without an antenna, the adapter protrudes almost 10 cm from the USB port. After removing the protective cover and connecting an external antenna, the length of the device increases to 11.5 cm.

After calculating the average throughput at all four points, the USB-AC56 adapter showed the best result, although it was less than 1% ahead of its nearest competitor.

Buffalo Technology AirStation WI-U2-866D

The rotating interface of the USB model WI-U2-866D folds inside the adapter, which protects it from damage.

In our tests, the Buffalo Technology AirStation WI-U2-866D ($40; 3 stars) finished second twice and took fourth place overall. With a retail price of $40, it seems like a very interesting purchase.

The antennas of the WI-U2-866D are mounted internally. There's no stand, but the box does include a flexible (albeit rather flimsy) USB 2.0 cable. The rotating interface allows you to connect the adapter in both vertical and horizontal positions. The length of the adapter is about eight centimeters, but in a vertical position it protrudes beyond the PC case by only two centimeters.

The Buffalo model was the only one that lacked a WPS button. By choosing this model, you will have to remember the router password, which you will have to enter when establishing a wireless connection. Like the ASUS adapter, the Buffalo device comes with a utility that reports connection status, signal strength, and other information. The utility can be used with both the Buffalo adapter and the built-in laptop adapter.

The throughput of the Buffalo device at a distance of 20 meters from the router was 248 Mbit/s (second place in our testing), 227 Mbit/s at a distance of 11 meters (again second place), 251 Mbit/s at a distance of 6 meters (fourth place) and 240 Mbit/s at a distance of 3 meters (fifth place).

D-Link DWA-182

The “C” version of the D-Link DWA-182 model is equipped with a USB 3.0 interface, but the use of the USB 2.0 interface did not entail a reduction in throughput.

Based on the results of testing 802.11ac client adapters, the D-Link DWA-182 ($50; 3.5 stars) finished in third place overall, having taken neither first nor second place in any of the tests. The length of the compact adapter, excluding the USB interface, is about 8 cm. D-Link offers a stand with a cable, thanks to which the adapter can be placed anywhere.

In the hardware version of C1, D-Link changed the interface to USB 3.0. I had the older version with USB 2.0 interface, but I don't think there is any significant difference between them. The adapter itself does not rotate, so it can be placed either horizontally or vertically. Measurements were taken with the adapter installed on the stand.

The device has a WPS button that makes it easy to connect a client computer to the router. The antennas are located inside the adapter. D-Link offers a simple utility for establishing a connection to a wireless router. The utility reports the connection status, the channel used, and also displays a graphical representation of the signal level.

The retail price of the DWA-182 ($50) is $20 lower than the top-performing ASUS USB-AC56 device, but $10 higher than the fourth-place Buffalo AirStation WI-U2-866D.

Linksys WUSB6300

Although Linksys was one of the first manufacturers to offer 802.11ac Wi-Fi client adapters with a USB interface, the WUSB6300 is far from the best.

Despite having a USB 3.0 interface, the Linksys WUSB6300 802.11ac Wi-Fi client adapter ($70; 2.5 stars) performed below average in three of four tests. The compact adapter protrudes beyond the edge of the PC by about 8 cm. Two antennas are hidden inside the plastic case, and connecting to the router is simplified by the WPS button.

However, there's no kickstand and the USB connector doesn't swivel, so there's not much wiggle room to find the optimal receiving position.

The device's best result was third place in a home theater room at a distance of 11 meters from the router. Overall, the performance of the WUSB6300 turned out to be very mediocre.

The Linksys adapter came in last in a test where the router was in the same room 3 meters away. The throughput in this case turned out to be 230 Mbps, while the ASUS USB-AC56 model exchanged data with the router at a speed of 404 Mbps, and the Netgear A6200 model at a speed of 310 Mbps. The WUSB6300 device performed slightly better in the kitchen, where the throughput was 232 Mbit/s, but the lag behind the ASUS adapter (347 Mbit/s) was still too great.

In separate tests, the Linksys WUSB6300 came in third, fifth and last place. The combination of such low performance with a fairly high price ($70) does not add points to this adapter in a dispute with any of its competitors, with the possible exception of the Trendnet TEW-805UB.

Netgear A6200

The rotating USB interface allows you to best orient the adapter in relation to the router. Buyers also get a stand with a USB interface.

The Netgear A6200 ($50; 4 stars) has a USB 2 interface with a rotating connector. The antenna is housed inside a thin rectangular plate that can be rotated to fine-tune reception. At the same time, the design of the Netgear antenna is significantly less fragile compared to the ASUS USB-AC56 roll-on antenna (if the ASUS antenna is removed after each session).

On the stand and with the antenna in a vertical orientation, the Netgear adapter as a whole was almost as good as our leader ASUS USB-AC56, losing only 2 Mbps in speed. But when the client computer was three meters from the router, the performance difference widened: the Netgear device communicated at 310 Mbps, and the ASUS adapter communicated at 404 Mbps. The A6200 model showed the second result (312 Mbit/s) in the kitchen, second only to the USB-AC56 (347 Mbit/s).

But the Netgear adapter left its competitor offered by ASUS behind over long distances. In the home theater, at a distance of 11 meters from the router, it exchanged data at a speed of 233 Mbps, while the ASUS device had a throughput of 163 Mbps, and in the home office, 20 meters from the router, the Netgear model won with a score of 264 Mbit/s versus 213 Mbit/s.

The length of the A6200 adapter is almost 13 cm (including the antenna, but excluding the USB interface). With the antenna folded in the stowed position, its length is slightly more than 9 cm. The USB connector rotates, but does not fold completely, like the Buffalo WI-U2-866D. If high transfer speeds over long distances are important to you, this adapter is an excellent choice. If not, it is better to give preference to the ASUS USB-AC56 model.

The Netgear Genie utility provides useful information about the connection availability, data transfer speed, and the current IP address of the client computer.

Trendnet TEW-805UB

The Trendnet TEW-805UB adapter, which does not have a stand and a swivel USB connector, does not offer flexibility in placement.

The Trendnet TEW-805UB ($40; 2 stars) is inexpensive (it retails for $40) and doesn't take up much space (it protrudes 7 cm beyond the computer's borders).

The adapter is equipped with a non-rotating USB 3.0 connector and does not have a stand, which greatly reduces the freedom of its placement. The TEW-805UB's short-range performance was quite adequate. While the winning ASUS USB-AC56 device in our testing had a throughput of 404 Mbit/s at a distance of three meters from the router, the Trendnet model took fourth place with a result of 256 Mbit/s.

In the other three tests, the Trendnet adapter finished last by a wide margin. It failed to achieve triple-digit throughput at its furthest distance from the router (20 meters), and struggled to make it in a home theater setting at 11 meters away. When the client computer was located in the kitchen, the TEW-805UB model was 33 Mbps slower than the fifth-place Linksys WUSB6300.

So, if your budget is limited to $40, the Buffalo WI-U2-866D is the best buy. If you're willing to spend $10 more, the D-Link DWA-182 will provide better performance. In our opinion, there is no particular point in choosing the Trendnet TEW-805UB adapter, but the final decision is yours.

It often happens that a direct Internet connection is not enough. This may be due to completely different reasons. To solve this problem there is a fairly simple solution - Wi-Fi. However, not all devices support this function. There is an ideal solution widely available in the market. This article will help you choose a Wi-Fi adapter. But before we get to the point, you may need some details.

Wi-Fi adapter – what is it and what is it for?

Before you choose a Wi-Fi adapter, you should understand what kind of device it is and how it works. In simple terms, the adapter allows you to use Wi-Fi on any device. In more detail, this is a device, internal or external, that expands the functionality of laptop and desktop computers and various media centers. The adapter allows you to use a wireless computer network based on the IEEE 802.11 standard.

Despite the apparent diversity on the market, there are not so many types of adapters themselves. There are currently two species present. These are external and internal, respectively Usb and PCI. Which one is right for you is determined by your device or its internal functionality.

PCI adapters

Internal adapters are suitable only for desktop computers and laptops, as they are installed directly into the system unit or into the case of a laptop computer. These devices resemble a microcircuit with antennas or a micro-card.

Before deciding to purchase such a device, you need to make sure there is a PCI slot in your device.

Installing the internal adapter for the system unit proceeds as follows:

Your internal WI-Fi network transmitter is ready from the technical side, all that remains is to configure the software part. The adapter will include a disk/flash drive with a driver for your device. Insert the disc and follow the program instructions.

Pros of the internal device:

reliable, more powerful signal;
stable work 24 hours a day;
free USB ports that wear out quickly with frequent use;
the ability to replace antennas with more powerful ones;
absence of any external signs other than the antenna;
affordability.

Possible disadvantages:

complexity of installation, requiring knowledge of the technical features of the PC and the system unit in particular;
Availability only on personal computers and laptops;
long time to uninstall the device.

External Wi-Fi adapters

External Wi-Fi receivers have the visual appearance of a USB device, often small in size. Sometimes they are almost indistinguishable from a flash drive. Antennas may also be present. Suitable for all devices with a USB port: laptops, media centers, and PCs.

Such devices are not designed for 24/7 use. If you use the internal adapter constantly, the model will fail very quickly. You can purchase a higher quality model to mitigate this issue, but you won’t be able to completely avoid wear and tear.

Also, external models are more susceptible to damage due to careless use, or simply from poor quality assembly of a cheap model. This usually happens when you try to connect the adapter to the computer/device forcibly.

Video review of mini Wi-Fi adapter:

The main advantage of using external devices is mobility, a wireless system, and ease of installation and operation. In rare cases, the package includes a disk with drivers; most often, after placing a USB Wi-Fi adapter in the port, auto-installation and self-configuration of the device occurs.

Positive sides:

Mobility;
Easy to install on all devices;
Ease of operation;
Possibility of use on multiple devices;
Quick uninstallation;

Possible disadvantages:

Occupies a USB port;
Wears out ports with frequent use;
More expensive than domestic analogues;
Not intended for continuous operation 24/7;
Easy to damage if used carelessly;

Once you have decided on the choice of network adapter type, you should understand the models themselves. A few recommendations will help you with this.

Try to purchase a device with the maximum traffic speed. This will reduce your ISP speed loss to an unnoticeable minimum. Remember that this does not work in reverse. Even the most powerful Wi-Fi adapter in the world will not be able to speed up the upper threshold specified in your contract.

Pay your attention to the antenna power. If your router is at your fingertips or somewhere nearby, then you don’t need to pay much attention to this. But if it goes further, then you should take a device with a power of at least twenty dB.

You don't have to worry too much about compatibility between your device and the router. They may be from different manufacturers, but they are still compatible. As an exception, only very old models can be included.

Also, almost all adapters can be installed on any version of Windows: from XP to modern ten. To make sure of this, look at the characteristics of the selected model. In addition, they are also suitable for Mac OS.

Misconceptions about adapters

Don't assume that all adapters are identical and not worth the time to familiarize yourself. Many models differ from each other. Even models from the same company have different characteristics that suit completely different needs.

Also, do not under any circumstances skimp on the receiver model if it ideally suits your conditions. It’s better to have one, slightly more expensive purchase for many years than several relatively small ones. This will save you time and also eliminate internet issues in the process.

There is a myth about the poor quality of goods made in China. This statement has nothing to do with reality. The only important thing is which manufacturer ordered it and who manufactured the device.

Helpful video on choosing a Wi-Fi adapter:

We live in a business world, and this needs to be kept in mind when communicating with a seller. An ideal consultant will certainly help you choose the right Wi-Fi adapter for your device. But even he acts as an intermediary between your interests and the interests of the store.

Therefore, the best consultant when choosing a device is yourself. The main thing is not to be overly arrogant: ignorance of the features of the adapter and a superficial acquaintance with the characteristics will not help you choose a good device.

Internal and external Wi-Fi transmitters are very different, and you've probably already decided which type is best for you. All that's left to do is decide on the model and power that suits your needs and go shopping.