Can I use two wireless adapters in the same PC?

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MikeMesa10586

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Sep 29, 2015
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I have a Surface Pro 3 that I take to events. I am using the built in adapter to connect to the locations hotspot for internet. I have a photo printer that has a wireless print server but it requires a direct wireless connection but it has no access to internet. Can I plug in a USB wireless adapter to connect and print to the printer while using the internet on the built in wireless card?
 
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You should be able to have two adapters. You will have to set the one for local access only -- no default gateway and a static IP address. Make sure the static IP address range is DIFFERENT than the adapter you use for internet access. For example 192.168.1.xx for internet and 192.168.10.xx for local access only.

jpostma1

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Oct 21, 2015
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Can you elaborate on why this would not work and post a link to some source where you obtained this knowledge?

It seems to me it should be possible to communicate with as many wireless adapters (especially when they are usb adapters) as you plug in even though you might need to make your own program that correctly splits up the communication streams of each adapter.
 

kanewolf

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You should be able to have two adapters. You will have to set the one for local access only -- no default gateway and a static IP address. Make sure the static IP address range is DIFFERENT than the adapter you use for internet access. For example 192.168.1.xx for internet and 192.168.10.xx for local access only.
 
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kadirergun

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Mar 4, 2016
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Hi everyone, I have been looking for a way to use 2x11n usb wifi adaptors (or 1x11g built-in and 1x11n usb wifi adapters) in my laptop in order to increase my home network throughput when copying files from my laptop over wifi to my NAS drive attached to the usb port of my 300Mbps 11n modem. Is it the solution what is being suggested here and how I could do this? I am not interested in improving my internet download or upload speed by using, say, connectify, speedify etc, just curious making intranet faster, i.e. up to the allowed limit of 300Mbps 11n protocol.

The reason why I want this?: Simple. For some reason, I am only having data transfer speeds over wifi like 10-12 MB/s on an N300 network and I thought I could combine power of both wifi cards (a way to utilize the second adapter which came from an unplanned purchase) to obtain much faster speeds. I am worried of interference of two wifi adapters being in the same spot, that is especially problematic on 2.4Ghz frequencies. Any other suggestions if this is a stupid idea in essence?

Many thanks in advance.
 

kanewolf

Titan
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Probably not. The solution suggested was for connection to two independent networks. Copying data from a NAS would be on a single network. 10 to 12 MB/s would be around 100Mbit/s That is not too slow for an N300 network. Max theoretical throughput for an N300 is 150Mbit because WIFI is not full duplex so you can only transmit OR receive. If you want faster throughput move up to 5Ghz AC WIFI.
 

kadirergun

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Mar 4, 2016
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Highly appreciated... Many thanks for guidance.
 
Aug 12, 2020
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Euh... Please explain this then to me: i currently am using an asus and tp-link wifi adaptor on the SAME ROUTER in THE SAME PC. havn't tried bridging it and how it influences speeds and whattsoever but yyes it is DEFINITELY possible.

If humanity would never have believed in the impossible, we would never have left the stone age and u would still play with rocks instead of gaming 24/7.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Euh... Please explain this then to me: i currently am using an asus and tp-link wifi adaptor on the SAME ROUTER in THE SAME PC. havn't tried bridging it and how it influences speeds and whattsoever but yyes it is DEFINITELY possible.

If humanity would never have believed in the impossible, we would never have left the stone age and u would still play with rocks instead of gaming 24/7.
This thread is several years old.

Please start a new one, for your particular situation/question.
 
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