No spare PCI slot on PC so what is optimum USB wi-fi adaptor?

[#1]

I did think to tag this onto my running thread about Plusnet Extra, but although inter-related it is strictly speaking a separate issue so...
I was intending to buy a PCI wireless card today for my Dell Studio 540 PC (bought Sept 2009) but having taken off the PC's side panel, it turns out that there isn't a spare PCI slot at all. The two existing slots are taken up by my sound and video cards and since I don't want to lose either of those the only option available for full wireless connectivity for my PC is a USB wifi adaptor about which I have heard mixed reviews.
After a quick look on Amazon, the one that immediately stands out is the Edimax EW-7711UAN 11n 150mbs Wireless High Gain USB Adapter. It is a standard USB connection but has the same sort of aerial as on my Thomson 585 v7 router, and it is reasonably priced too which is a bonus.
If I go down the full wireless route, the router will be downstairs in the hallway, whilst the PC will remain upstairs in the back bedroom. I'm not sure how radio signals permeate around the house but the house is of standard brick construction and we have no issues with the existing (Panasonic) landline handsets so I am hoping for the same good performance for wireless broadband.
Anyway, to cut to the chase, can anyone suggest what would be the best USB adaptor to go for or would the Edimax one be suitable?
Thanks,
Spruance

[#2]

The other alternative is homeplugs which run ethernet over your mains wiring. You connect to them using an ethernet cable so you wouldn't need a card in your PC.

[#3]

I bought this usb dongle http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wireless-Internet-Adaptor-Dongle-Windows/dp/B003U9X3HA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qi... just over 3 months ago for £7.99. It has performed impeccably on my Desktop PC running Windows XP Home.
Read the reviews on Amazon before you decide what to do. 

[#4]

Thanks MrT. I'll check that out.
Jelv's suggestion looks very interesting too but obviously a bit more expensive so that might be something to fall back on if the dongle solution doesn't work out. I'm in a 3 bedroomed detached house but it's not so vast as to put me too far away from the router. The only reason I would need 40ft of ethernet cable (as mentioned in my other thread) is to avoid potential trip hazards.
Plusnet are being very obliging with my reported fault so it would be stupid of me to dig my heels in and not try to improve the situation my end. Hence moving the router downstairs to connect to the master socket seems a reasonable thing to do. This also opens up the possibility of getting a BT accelerator faceplate fitment which should improve the connection even further. It's just a pity that Dell didn't leave space for a spare PCI card but there's not a lot I can do about that.

[#5]

The point of connecting in the test socket with nothing else connected is that it well tell you the best speed your line is capable of; if it doesn't improve much over using the extension and it doesn't affect the number of errors you get you can safely carry on using the extension (and a filtered face plate won't make much difference) as that's not the cause of problems. You may however have to use the test socket for a time while faults are investigated.

[#6]

Yes I see your point jelv but the situation with the test socket is a bit of a stumbling block at the moment as with my present arrangement, moving the router downstairs even to use the test socket, means that I am automatically offline for the duration. I have only the desktop PC and no other devices to get online with and because I do absolutely everything online - including banking - these days I am in a complete mess if I have no access. Hence getting at least a USB adaptor/dongle device means that I could carry out the tests that Plusnet need without losing my connection to the web.
Now that I have raised a ticket on my speed issue, I get the impression that Plusnet are taking the matter seriously so it makes sense for me to do what I reasonably can to assist their investigations. If there is still no improvement at the end of the day then I can go back to the ethernet upstairs connection but in view of Plusnet's renewed efforts I need to at least try to connect via the test socket if that's what's needed, provided that I can still remain online throughout.

[#7]

Quote from: Spruance

there isn't a spare PCI slot at all. The two existing slots are taken up by my sound and video cards

Have another look.  
IIRC that model range only has1 PCI slot, plus 2 PCI-Express slots (x1 and x16).
Your Video is PROBABLY in the x16 slot leaving the X1 free.
I've got a couple of PC's with nice X1 wireless cards in, can't recall the model exactly but can check if you do actually have that slot free.
One system runs W7-x64 (and XP) the other Vista-x64 and XP, what is yours?
Edit: One of my adapters is an HP FH971AA. Cost about £30.
The other is a TP-Link TL-WN781N and was only £12 via Amazon!
The HP has a very good aerial.

[#8]

I had a look in good daylight and with a powerful torch as well. I am sure that there were no spare slots. There were two blanks on the back of the PC which made me think there must be corresponding free slots inside but there's nothing there when the case is opened up.
MY PC runs 32-bit Vista Home Premium and as far as I can see the two existing slots are fully tied up with my nVidia GT220 video card (in the top slot) and Soundblaster Audigy sound card in the bottom. In the gap between there are only outer casing blanks and nothing inside.

[#9]

PCI-E slots do look rather different to the old PCI slots.
There's a good comparison picture here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pci-e#PCI_Express_.28standard.29

[#10]

See http://www.nvidia.co.uk/object/product_geforce_gt_220_uk.html it's a PCI-E 2.0 card - not a PCI card.

[#11]

Thanks for the additional info and apologies if I am confusing the terminology but the used slots inside my PC were definitely white, not yellow, and again using Wikipedia as a source, it suggests that they are standard PCI slots....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PCI_Slots_Digon3.JPG
I just know that there aren't any spare ones.
It's too gloomy now to get a decent photo but I might have a go tomorrow to take a photo of the inside of my PC case just to prove the point!

[#12]

More info
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/p/19296474/19559828.aspx

[#13]

You can view the Dell Studio 540 Service Manual at http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/STD540/en/SM/index.htm
Click on Technical Overview then System Board Components.
You will see that there are a total of 4 PCI slots.

[#14]

Quote from: MrT

You will see that there are a total of 4 PCI slots.

One PCI, one PCI-Express-x16, two PCI-Express-x1.
(funny the info I looked at earlier said just 1...)
The X-1 slots are very short in comparison.
Or have you got the model wrong? 

[#15]

Thanks for the links but I am sure that there are no spare slots. I will have another look at take some photos. Maybe this evening if I can as I also want to get to the bottom of this side issue as well now.