

While various standards are on offer in this list, all of the devices support at least one of the following three: Wireless standards determine the speeds that wireless devices can reach. Even though the adapter isn’t going to live up to the proposed maximum bandwidth, it’s still going to be faster than an adapter with a lesser rating. With that in mind, however, it is always worth getting the fastest AC rating possible. You see, this is just a theoretical figure that, when put to the test in real-world situations, doesn’t really live up to the numbers. The number that immediately follows the AC is meant to represent the maximum bandwidth of that adapter. This offers faster wireless network connections on a 5GHz frequency. All wireless adapters come with an AC rating in their name – with the most popular being AC1200, AC1300, AC1900, AC2600, AC3200, and so on.ĪC means that the Wi-Fi adapter has support for the latest 802.11ac networking standard. AC RatingsĪnother important area to consider with your next Wi-Fi adapter purchase is the AC Rating. Getting a Wi-Fi adapter with a strong range is key to ensuring your connection is always stable. Trying to connect to your router through several walls, rooms, and floors can diminish the quality of your signal.

The range doesn’t just refer to distance either. Most of the newer Wi-Fi adapters come offering a pretty good wireless range, which is great for both gaming and general-purpose use. I mean, what’s the point in a Wi-Fi adapter if it can only provide a decent connection from 8 feet away? You may as well just get an ethernet cable.Įach Wi-Fi adapter has its own unique ability to connect to the router, and this is measured by its range. Wireless Rangeįor me, the range of a Wi-Fi adapter is one of the most important things to consider. These, too, come with antennae and provide excellent range/speed for the most part. This makes use of a PCI-e slot on your motherboard and is the much more powerful option. The other format you can opt for is the internal PCI-e Wi-Fi card. Both offer their own unique set of pros and cons – with the antenna providing a better range for the most part.
#USB WIFI ADAPTER PC#
Or you can go for the more elaborate antenna hub, which sits on your computer/ desk and connects to the PC via USB cable. You can go ultra-basic with a USB dongle that plugs into your USB slot and sticks out the back of your PC slightly. Having said that, within the external USB design, you have a couple of different extensions.
#USB WIFI ADAPTER SOFTWARE#
It plugs directly into your computer via a USB slot and has simple software to get things up and running. The external USB Wi-Fi adapter is by far the most popular and is fairly straightforward in both functionality and setup. When we think of a Wi-Fi adapter’s form factor, we usually think of two main designs external USB and internal PCI-e Wi-Fi card. One of the worst things you can do (as a buyer) is blindly jumping into a purchase without considering the main aspects of that hardware.įor that reason, we’ve outlined the most important aspects of a Wi-Fi adapter so that you’re fully equipped with the knowledge needed for your next purchase. One of the best ways to ensure that your next hardware purchase is the right one is to fully consider the main factors before purchasing. So, with that in mind, let’s dive into the best Wi-Fi adapters currently available. We’ve tested some of the best (and worst) Wi-Fi adapters we could find to ensure your next purchase is the right one. Well, fear not, our team of dedicated PC enthusiasts is going to do all the research for you. That means if you feel the need to connect wirelessly, you need to find one of the best Wi-Fi adapters the market has to offer.īut which one to choose? With a marketplace that’s currently flooded with affordable choices, how are we meant to know which are the best of the bunch?

Motherboard manufacturers still only provide onboard Wi-Fi support to a few hand-selected products. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is the need for a wireless connection to the internet. We now have the ability to order our shopping via a speaker that talks to us, AMD CPUs are finally competing with Intel’s for the first time in decades, and Virtual reality gear now allows us to feel what we’re seeing. Over the past decade, we’ve seen some pretty impressive implementations come to fruition in the technological universe.
