Good wireless adapter for PC?

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Monza

299 posts

Ultimate Geek

#143117 3-Apr-2014 20:34

Need to get my gaming PC onto the wifi, can someone recommend a solid reliable wireless adapter?

http://pricespy.co.nz/category.php?l=399

Quite a few to choose from, any disadvantage from using a USB one or should stick to PCI? VDSL router is a Telecom supplied Technicolour TG589 which supports 802.11b/g/n on the 2.4Ghz band.

resurrect

80 posts

Master Geek

#1018265 4-Apr-2014 09:21

Only disadvantage with USB is the decreased bandwidth, but even still USB2.0 has more data to the device than wireless N can put through at best (would only be a possible issue if you went to .11ac). an advantage with a USB is that you can give it an extension chord, the downside is that they usually have an internal Antenna with poor reception, so I recommend USB with an external antenna.

http://pricespy.co.nz/product.php?p=489479

that one should do the job just fine

gehenna

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#1018267 4-Apr-2014 09:25

Yeah I'd go PCI if possible, the USB ones I've used/bought in the past were never that reliable.

Sideface

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#1018320 4-Apr-2014 10:45

USB dongles don't have an external aerial - PCI cards do, and it makes a (good) difference to performance.

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matisyahu

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#1018892 5-Apr-2014 09:30

Personally I'd go for Powerline networking because the latency on wireless really sucks (video chatting is another one that is hit really badly). My experience with my old man's setup (that I setup for him) is the latency over powerline networking is pretty much on par had one laid a networking cable from the computer to the router.

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raytaylor

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#1019161 5-Apr-2014 20:24

gehenna: Yeah I'd go PCI if possible, the USB ones I've used/bought in the past were never that reliable.

I love this one
http://www.tp-link.com.au/products/details/?categoryid=243&model=TL-WN722N

Ray Taylor

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Monza

299 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1019188 5-Apr-2014 20:59

Sideface: USB dongles don't have an external aerial - PCI cards do, and it makes a (good) difference to performance.

That's what I thought but went to PB Tech on my lunch break and found this for $22:

Very happy with it so far, seems solid and reliable

raytaylor

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#1019279 6-Apr-2014 02:22

If you look under the cardboard insert in the box, you should also find a little 1m usb extension cable so you can put the dongle on top of the desk, rather than have it down under at the back of the computer or directly plugged into the usb port.

Ray Taylor

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Ragnor

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#1019285 6-Apr-2014 04:59

Gaming pc and wifi ew.. run a cable if at all possible where there is a will there is a way!

Monza

299 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1019288 6-Apr-2014 05:48

Ragnor: Gaming pc and wifi ew.. run a cable if at all possible where there is a will there is a way!

It's just temporary while we renovate a room and I always prefer ethernet but actually impressed by this wifi adapter so far....