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 “plugging and playing.”Ĭhoosing between a USB or PCI wireless adapter depends on what is most important to you between convenience and performance. 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. A USB adapter trades a bit of performance for convenience, in that it’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.īelow are six essential considerations to make when choosing a Wi-Fi adapter. Similarly, having two antennae doesn’t always make an adapter stronger than another with a single antenna. Just because two devices look alike doesn’t mean they’re the same. Wireless adapters come in all shapes and sizes.

Wireless adapter for pc