WiFi adapter

[Robert]

so Ethernet isn’t an option to my pc and my power line netgear av500s pull around 100mbit. They’re quite old.

Can anyone recommend a good WiFi adapter?

My router is an ac68u and I have the usb-56 adapter but it’s very buggy with windows 10.

 

[renton_2004]

Try something like a DLINK DWA-92.

USB3, on a wire so can be placed for best signal (within reason), and I'd expect should be able to talk to your ac68u at a fairly decent rate.

 

[MissChief]

Get a PCI-E one. USB ones are very flakey in my experience.

 

[labcoattech]

Avoid getting a PCI-e Wi-Fi card at all cost, I have the Archer T9E AC1900 Wireless Dual Band Express Adapter in my machine and at best I get around 40 - 60 Mbps, most likely due to the PC being under a desk with the antennas at the back.

I've been thinking about replacing the antennas with ones that can be placed away from the PC, but more then likely am going to wire a couple of Ethernet sockets when the room is redecorated.

 

[Avalon]

Avoid getting a PCI-e Wi-Fi card at all cost, I have the Archer T9E AC1900 Wireless Dual Band Express Adapter in my machine and at best I get around 40 - 60 Mbps, most likely due to the PC being under a desk with the antennas at the back.

I've been thinking about replacing the antennas with ones that can be placed away from the PC, but more then likely am going to wire a couple of Ethernet sockets when the room is redecorated.

So you're dismissing an interface altogether because you put your PC in an unsuitable location?

 

[bremen1874]

PCIe wireless cards can have problems if the antennas are directly attached. You've immediately blocked much of the wireless signal with a big metal box. It's not always convenient to point the backside of the PC in the most optimal direction.

 

[Rroff]

I'd actually recommend bridging using some kind of Wi-Fi router/booster/extender connected by Ethernet to the PC - USB Wi-Fi in my experience is a minefield with more often than not poor results and what works well for one person is just incredibly flaky for another and most PCI-e options while better compatibility wise for some reason as above tend to be harder to get in a good position for reception.

EDIT: Though one thing to watch out for the cheaper mainstream devices of this kind tend to have 100Mbit ports even though they are capable of >100Mbit Wi-Fi.

Purely as an example of what I'm talking about as I have no idea how well it works for instance "MECO 1200Mbps WiFi Extender Booster Dual Band WiFi Range Extender AC1200 WiFi Repeater with 2 Gigabit Ethernet Ports, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, Easily Setup, Seamless Roaming Function, Compatible with Alexa" an example on OcUK https://www.overclockers.co.uk/tp-link-re305-ac1200-wi-fi-range-extender-nw-218-tp.html but it only has a 100Mbit port.

 

[labcoattech]

So you're dismissing an interface altogether because you put your PC in an unsuitable location?

Not at all, as mentioned "I've been thinking about replacing the antennas with ones that can be placed away from the PC"

 

[DomBruv]

Booster with ethernet plugged in is your best bet unless you're really close to the router.

 

[Avalon]

Avoid getting a PCI-e Wi-Fi card at all cost...

So you're dismissing an interface altogether because you put your PC in an unsuitable location?

Not at all, as mentioned "I've been thinking about replacing the antennas with ones that can be placed away from the PC"

You specifically say to ‘avoid getting a PCIe Wi-Fi card at all cost’, then explain the issue isn’t actually the cards fault, but due to where you positioned the PC and your unwillingness to buy an appropriate pigtail/antenna set-up to improve things. Again, it’s not the interfaces fault the human in this scenario has made sub optimal choices. A USB dongle in the back of the same PC will likely see similar results, possibly even worse as a small integrated antenna is generally going to be even less effective.

 

[labcoattech]

The issue is the manufactures fault, they should have included cables so the antennas can be positioned away from the rear of the case.

 

[Avalon]

The issue is the manufactures fault, they should have included cables so the antennas can be positioned away from the rear of the case.

This is getting silly, why would it be the OEM’s fault that you put the PC in a poor location? For all they know you may have a 1u case or acrylic, or have your own pigtails, or be 30cm from the router (that can actually be as bad as being too far away). They supply you with equipment that is fit for purpose, they don’t allow for you making dumb choices, nor should they have to.

 

[labcoattech]

Good point, I will have a look and see if I can find pigtails with stands for the antenna.

 

[Rroff]

Check that the PCI-e card has an SMA connection or similar or otherwise you can't easily use pigtails, etc. annoyingly they are being removed from a lot of the general consumer grade stuff in favour of fixed connections.

 

[Robert]

My Asus router is downstairs next to the tv...I guess I could get another AC68 and mesh them - connecting my pc to a lan port on the upstairs router?

 

[Avalon]

If you want to connect the devices, then anything other than running a physical cable is sub-optimal.

 

[Robert]

Yeah....of course it is - but I don’t want to drill/install a cable and I can’t seem to find anyone competent to install cat6 for me.

 

[Rroff]

My Asus router is downstairs next to the tv...I guess I could get another AC68 and mesh them - connecting my pc to a lan port on the upstairs router?

Lot cheaper to do it like I mentioned before using a booster that has gigabit connections than buying another AC68 to do the same thing.

 

[Robert]

Well, I think I can get an AC68 for £130 I think and in my experience the boosters are never great

 

[ninezerofive]

I had :

ASUS PCE-AC56 AC1300

And was very satisfied with that card.

Now I run z390 with build in wifi module and sold that card.