Which mini usb wifi for laptop to get?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
D

duyhx48

Distinguished
Nov 23, 2014
32
1
18,545
I'm looking to buy a cheap, compact usb wifi to use on my laptop. I have an Atheros AR956X adapter built-in which keeps disconnecting all the time (I've googled a bit and a lot of people face the same issue as well, maybe it's just poor designed).

I'm wondering if dual band wifi is worth it on laptop? Because I'm not willing to spend over $20. Currently I'm favoring this https://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1475176328&sr=8-4&keywords=mini+usb+wifi

because of it's tiny design and reasonable price (but it is single band)

If there were any other choices would you recommend? Thanks
 
Solution
Barty1884
Depends on your router etc - can you access AC or 5GHz? If so, something supporting those options makes sense.

Limiting yourself to mini USB limits your options dramatically. Most good quality USB adapters are USB thumb drive sized or greater, some with antennas in addition to it's own size.

Personally, I use this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Wireless Network Adapter: Asus USB-AC55 USB 3.0 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter ($28.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $28.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-29 15:49 EDT-0400

It's $29 after rebate (so $49 initially), but I can highly recommend it.

Other than that, for...
Sort by date Sort by votes
Barty1884

Barty1884

Retired Moderator
Apr 16, 2015
22,250
1,350
108,740
Depends on your router etc - can you access AC or 5GHz? If so, something supporting those options makes sense.

Limiting yourself to mini USB limits your options dramatically. Most good quality USB adapters are USB thumb drive sized or greater, some with antennas in addition to it's own size.

Personally, I use this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Wireless Network Adapter: Asus USB-AC55 USB 3.0 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter ($28.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $28.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-29 15:49 EDT-0400

It's $29 after rebate (so $49 initially), but I can highly recommend it.

Other than that, for mini - I'd ensure you go with a reputable brand with proven driver support.

Something like this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link Archer T2U USB 2.0 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter ($20.98 @ B&H)
Total: $20.98
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-29 15:50 EDT-0400

Marginally over your $20 budget, but includes AC.

Beyond that, this one reviews pretty well (especially considering the price)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link TL-WN725N USB 2.0 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi Adapter ($7.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $7.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-09-29 15:52 EDT-0400
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom