What model wireless adapter do i have install#
What model wireless adapter do i have portable#

The market is filled with low-quality models that promise great performance but hardly last a month. Some modern adapters support both 2.4GHz and 5GHz (dual-band adapters), so buying one of those will enable you to pick whichever band your situation requires. However, 5.0GHz transmission tends to suffer from signal-loss over long distances. Many wireless gadgets operate in the 2.4GHz spectrum, which means 5.0GHz will less prone to interference. As a general rule of thumb, however, go for 2.4GHz if your home has a lot of walls, or if there wonвЂ™t be too much interference from other wireless devices. Wireless frequency: 2.4GHz or 5GHzД«oth frequencies have their strengths and weaknesses, so itвЂ™s perhaps best to do some research before making your choice. This wonвЂ™t matter if your broadband subscription is below 60MB/s, or if you choose any protocol other than 802.11ac, but itвЂ™s an important factor nonetheless. In comparison, USB 3.0 tops out at 640MB/s. If your laptop only has USB 2.0 ports, for example, the maximum theoretical speed you can get is 60MB/s. If you go for a USB dongle, the speed of your connection will depend on the type of ports you have. 802.11n or 802.11ac is usually recommended for users shopping for both the router and the adapter, to ensure fast and reliable connectivity. If you have an 802.11ac, for instance, youвЂ™ll want an 802.11ac wireless adapter. The key here is to ensure the adapter you pick can transmit on the same protocols as your router. 802.11b routers offer the shortest, slowest connection, while 802.11ac will provide the broadest and fastest connectivity. The letter that follows this number is what dictates the transmission protocol that the router supports. Wireless routers all have the number 802.11. Of course, if you own a laptop, a USB adapter will be the most practical choice. PCI adapters, on the other hand, come with multiple antennas and spatial multiplexing for maximum wireless-N throughput, but installing one will require more than just вЂњplugging and playing.вЂќД¬hoosing between a USB or PCI wireless adapter depends on what is most important to you between convenience and performance.

What model wireless adapter do i have portable#

And, although many USB adapters come in small, portable and antenna-free packages, their capabilities go all the way up to dual-band Wireless-N networking.

What model wireless adapter do i have install#

A USB adapter trades a bit of performance for convenience, in that itвЂ™s as easy to install and operate as a typical flash drive. When you request for a Wi-Fi adapter, your retailer will likely give you two types, USB, and PCI, their primary difference being how they connect to a host computer. Picking the right dongle requires that you look into not just the aesthetics, but the specs as well.Д«elow are six essential considerations to make when choosing a Wi-Fi adapter. Similarly, having two antennae doesnвЂ™t always make an adapter stronger than another with a single antenna. Just because two devices look alike doesnвЂ™t mean theyвЂ™re the same. Wireless adapters come in all shapes and sizes.