What wireless adapter should i buy

Weight: g. Reasons to avoid - Can be tricky to install - Extension cable is a bit short. Dimensions: 85 x 75 x 20mm. Weight: 48g. Reasons to avoid - Design won't be for everyone - Bulky. Reasons to avoid - No macOS driver. Dimensions: x 30 x 17 mm. Weight: 44g. Reasons to avoid - Not the best 2. Linksys WUSB Specifications Standard: AC Dimensions: 41 x 18 x 12 mm.

Weight: 5. Matt Hanson. See more Networking news. The Nighthawk AC is a remarkably powerful and portable adapter but is somewhat bulky when compared to its peers; there were occasions where I was mildly concerned about snapping it off in one of my laptop's USB ports, and its size means that it may not always find a vacant port with the necessary clearance. It supports USB 3. The results are a bit of a mixed bag as this Asus adapter lags in the 2. While the 5 GHz tests are much more reliable, it still wasn't the fastest at either the close or far distance tested.

The adapter includes a cradle for use at home but can be plugged directly into a USB port for easy travel. Installation was straightforward, with Windows 10 managing the settings. While it is similar in size to other mainstream adapters, it cleverly features a small deployable piece that contains three antennas to increase range and throughput, along with support for both MU-MIMO and Beamforming technology. The EWUAC smoked the competition, with class-leading throughput on four of the six tests, which included both the 2.

We came away particularly impressed on the close 5 GHz test of The only real weakness was on the far tests where this adapter gave up a little ground to the competition.

To be fair, it is quite small. The WUSB balances its small size against decent range and throughput. While the spec does limit the 2. The longer distance tests for this adapter are even more impressive when you compare it against the competition that falls short in the wireless fringe testing. The best USB Wi-Fi adapters can deliver an experience that's almost indistinguishable from a built-in wireless module on your PC or laptop.

But those are generally the larger versions, with many antennae and a high price tag. The smaller, nano adapters won't perform as well, and will likely need direct line of sight to your router to get the best speeds.

But they are more practical if you need to be able to move around with your adapter. It's all about which adapter you choose, and how much you're willing to spend. The best USB Wi-Fi adapters will deliver online gaming performance that's practically indistinguishable from the speeds you can get from a built-in adapter. But cheaper, smaller versions might well add some extra latency into the process which will make them less suitable for competitive online gaming, particularly FPS games.

Netgear's Nighthawk A delivers the kind of performance needed for today's demanding internet activities like 4K streaming and online gaming. During our testing, we found the A was not only more than up to the task of handling the latest online games, but it actually did so at an impressive distance of three floors away from the main router.

Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi 5 As we found in our review, though, your mileage may vary on this one. As an added bonus, it also includes software for Mac and Linux systems.

It's also backed by a lifetime warranty that covers both manufacturing defects and dead units. It was a truly magical experience. Glam Hobby's Ourlink U is the perfect choice for road warriors, thanks to an ultra-compact design that lets you stick it into your laptop's USB port and basically forget about it.

Unfortunately, that smaller size comes with a pretty big tradeoff in terms of range. That said, even at a distance, it will still give you a fast enough connection for checking email and casually surfing the web. Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi The included four-foot cable and cradle allows you to position the USB Wi-Fi adapter and its accompanying antennas away from your computer or any other devices that might introduce interference, while also letting you align the high-gain antenna for optimal performance.

While the AC rating means it's not the fastest adapter you'll find, it's still more than fast enough to stream Netflix in 4K to a single laptop or desktop PC—even over a slower Wi-Fi 4 The external antenna also powers fast transfer speeds to ensure you'll get sustained performance even when farther away from your router.

While the WUSB doesn't lead the pack in performance at closer ranges, it excels at providing more consistent speeds as you move further away from the router. This gives you enough speed for everything from web surfing to streaming and video calling, although its higher latency makes it a less than ideal choice for gamers.

The name of the game for this one is range, since those four large antennas help to make sure that you can pick up a strong Wi-Fi signal even at a distance. This also helps you to get a better signal, as it keeps it away from interference that can be generated by the electrical components inside your computer.

The EDUP is a small but powerful USB Wi-Fi adapter that sprouts an external antenna to maximize range, giving you enough speed to game and stream throughout your home.

Regardless of position, however, we found that the EDUP performed admirably at distances of up to 20 feet, and easily juggled multiple 4K streams from YouTube and Netflix, as well as gaming in Rocket League.

This one should mostly be seen as a way to upgrade an older laptop that only has Wi-FI 4, rather than extending the range of a more modern device.

That said, considering that it costs about as much as a nice lunch, the EDUP does offer impressive performance for its price. Netgear's Nighthawk A is the best choice for anybody who needs maximum performance for streaming and gaming, but for anybody who just needs something portable and affordable to say connected on the go, the Ourlink U is hard to beat.

Jesse Hollington is a freelance writer with over 10 years of experience writing about technology and three decades of experience in information technology and networking.

He's installed, tested, and configured just about every type and brand of router, firewall, wireless access point, and network extender in places ranging from single-family dwellings to office buildings. Rebecca Isaacs has teamed up with Lifewire since January An avid lover of all things computer-related, she frequently uses Wi-Fi adapters for all of her gaming and work needs as she battles to get the best internet in the Midwest.

She has personally tested many of the adapters on this list. As the name suggests, a USB Wi-Fi adapter plugs into any free USB port on a PC or laptop, allowing you to wirelessly connect to any nearby Wi-Fi router or access point, whether that's in your home, your office, or using public hotspots out on the road. USB Wi-Fi adapters can even be used with laptops that already have built-in Wi-Fi to provide a faster and stronger wireless connection.

As long as you have a free USB port that's fast enough—which should be true for just about any computer made in the past decade or so—then a USB Wi-Fi adapter can offers several advantages over an internal Wi-Fi card.

Not only can you share it between multiple computers and take it with you on the go, but it also helps to get your Wi-Fi antennas away from any interference that may be generated by the electronics in your PC or laptop. You can even use a USB extension cable to place it in the best position for maximum range and performance.

Just about any inexpensive USB Wi-Fi adapter will get the job done if all you need to do is stay connected for less demanding activities like email, surfing, and social media. If you need to stream video, participate in Zoom calls, or plan to do serious online gaming, you'll want to get an adapter that offers maximum performance and range.

Since antenna size is important in this case, you'll need to give up some portability, but you can still get some pretty pocketable USB Wi-Fi adapters that offer top speeds—you'll just need to be prepared to spend a little bit more.

A USB Wi-Fi adapter is one of the easiest ways to add wireless network connectivity to a PC, laptop, or even a game console, and even if your device already includes built-in Wi-Fi, the right use Wi-Fi adapter can give you a nice performance upgrade. Since USB is a universal standard, a USB Wi-Fi adapter can work with just about anything that has a USB port, and is often as simple as just plugging it in, making them a much better option than installing a traditional network card.

While USB Wi-Fi adapters are available in a wide variety of designs from ultra-portable dongles that aren't much bigger than your USB port to larger devices that sit on your desk, they all basically have the same goal: to give you better wireless connectivity. The truth is, if your computer already provides good and reliable Wi-Fi, there's almost certainly no need to add an external adapter. For example, you might have an older laptop that doesn't offer dual-band Wi-Fi or faster In this case, a USB Wi-Fi adapter may give your computer a new lease on life, especially if you're hoping to stream 4K videos or do any serious online gaming.

Further, even computers that have modern Wi-Fi specs can be hampered by poor internal antenna placement, so an external USB Wi-Fi adapter can improve your range and performance.

Most USB Wi-Fi adapters work reasonably well when you're close to your router, but if you're sitting right beside your router anyway, you could probably just as easily plug in an Ethernet cable and get even better performance. The point of a USB Wi-Fi adapter is to give you the freedom to move around your home, so you're going to want one that offers the kind of range you need. To be fair, this is something of a double-edge sword. It's a cooperative effort, and if you have a larger home, you should definitely start by making sure you have a good long-range router.

Even if you have a powerful router or mesh Wi-Fi system that provides solid coverage for your home, the USB Wi-Fi adapter still has to do its part, and not all adapters are equal in this regard. Adapters that sit farther away from your computer's USB port—either by protruding out, offering external antennas, or using an extension cable—will generally provide better range, all other things being equal, since they have less interference from your computer to contend with.

A single-band Wi-Fi adapter operates on only one frequency—normally 2.