If your laptop is older and only has USB 2.0, the maximum theoretical speed you’d be able to achieve is 60MB/s, while USB 3.0 tops out at 640MB/s. Next, check to see what kind of USB ports your laptop has: USB 2.0 or USB 3.0. You want to look at the actual specs on the box (or web page): specifically, the wireless protocols it supports (b/g/n/ac), what generation of USB port it plugs into (2.0 or 3.0), and what bands it uses (2.4GHz or 5GHz). You can’t just judge a wireless adapter by its appearance. Just because two adapters look alike does not make them the same, and just because one adapter has two antennae and another only has one doesn’t always mean the first is going to be a stronger performer. What to Look for in a USB Wireless Adapter Instead of paying repair fees or sending the laptop back for a full RMA, you can just get a USB Wi-Fi adapter instead that will do the job just as well (if not better). Sometimes, your laptop’s internal card up and dies on you. This means if you’re planning on installing a fiber line or boosting your broadband subscription soon, a USB Wi-Fi adapter with an upgraded router will make sure you get the most speed you can out of your new connection.Īnd as always: things break.

The results: a Dell XPS 13 with an internal 802.11ac Wi-Fi card, and the same laptop with a high gain 802.11ac USB Wi-Fi adapter plugged inĨ02.11ac is much faster than than older a/b/g/n receivers, up to 1300Mbps in ideal conditions.

Wifi wireless adapter for pc