Best PCI Wireless card?

nicksource · 10 Oct 2008 at 17:15

I just got Vista Home Prem' 64bit. So far I'm loving it although the only problem I have found is my internet connection keeps dropping, which was never a problem with XP.

I've always been using USB dongles and have tried 2 different ones now but they both drop now and then (one more than the other).

So I've figured a top end PCI card would be best, any suggestions? Seems like the Netgears are getting good reviews, just which one to pick?

MarcLister · 10 Oct 2008 at 17:32

Sounds like you are using a PC? If so why not use the onboard network socket, your PC should have one, and link to your router/modem etc with a CAT5 cable?

C64 · 10 Oct 2008 at 17:41

It's the signal strength that will cause them to drop not the operating system.

I found vista using it's inbuilt wireless detection and just using the usb wireless dongle driver On it's own a better signal than I got with xp don't install the dongle sofware just the plain driver.

you can do this by installing the software package and copying the vista64 driver folder somewhere then uninstalling and install the driver that way in device manager update driver and point to the copied folder.

mattyfez · 10 Oct 2008 at 18:22

Im using a cheap £11 pci-wi-fi card with a decent antenna (£17) speedtest.net shows my net connection at 5meg, and is as stable as you like.
(the router I connect to is my mates across the street an is on beunlimited, he gets 14meg on ethernet)

So you certainly dont need to spend a fortune....I think there is a difference, if you must use wi-fi, then get a decent ariel on a wire, so its not stuck under your desk getting a bad signal.
Maybe thats why you have stability issues with the USB dongle.

But as always, good old cat5 is the fastest and most reliable method.

Snograt · 10 Oct 2008 at 18:44

Agreed with both the above. I struggled with wireless for over a year. Now, both my desktops and both my laptops are connected with Cat5. Elsewhere there is a thread where I ask for a spec for a switch as I'm going to link up the PS3, 360 and Wii with cable too.

Maybe the 805.11n stuff works better than the g I had, but when it comes down to it, wireless is nowhere near as good/reliable as a good old cabled connection.

nicksource · 10 Oct 2008 at 19:09

Just the joy of wireless is so you don't get Wires all the way up/down stairs.

I'll give a PCI 805.11n a try, thanks for the info guys.