No spare PCI slot on PC so what is optimum USB wi-fi adaptor?
Indeed, as USB wireless adapters go that's much better thought out than most.
(but why not do it right first time and fit an internal card?
)
(but why not do it right first time and fit an internal card?
)
Because it may not be needed long term as he'd prefer to be wired. In which case he's got a spare, very quickly fitted USB wireless adapter. If some time in the future he got a laptop or something else with a USB port he's ready to go, but a card would be no help whatsoever.
Quote: "This slim, outstanding and wireless USB adapter achieves the impressive performance when plugging in USB extended cable stand included within the package"
My experience is that performance, signal strength, coverage/reception, reliability, resistance to damage etc. etc. are all much better with internal cards (be they in a desktop or laptop).
This is based on several years of experience with both.
(With laptops PC-card types are usually OK, but using a fully internal type with the laptops own inbuilt aerials if available is even better)
USB devices are prone to overheating and damage and going through the USB interface seems to frequently make them slower, and their aerials are usually not very good. The only variation I've never used is a USB device with a large attached aerial, as opposed to internal.
Sometimes, depending on orientation, having a directly-attached "stick" aerial on an internal PCI card isn't an issue, but I almost always replace them with a "pigtail" type desktop aerial unless one is supplied (which is often the case).
I only use USB network devices as temporary fixes these days.
Edit:
As it happens I was doing some testing just now, looking at channel interference on my local neighbourhood wireless networks.
I plugged a "good" USB adapter into the laptop I was using and checked the signal strength of my own network (2 rooms away) with that and the "onboard" mini-PCI card adapter that I had installed a few days ago. 15dB difference in signal strength!
(and yes it was the USB adapter that was worse, and I did try lots of different orientations to ensure it wasn't shielded in any way)
This is based on several years of experience with both.
(With laptops PC-card types are usually OK, but using a fully internal type with the laptops own inbuilt aerials if available is even better)
USB devices are prone to overheating and damage and going through the USB interface seems to frequently make them slower, and their aerials are usually not very good. The only variation I've never used is a USB device with a large attached aerial, as opposed to internal.
Sometimes, depending on orientation, having a directly-attached "stick" aerial on an internal PCI card isn't an issue, but I almost always replace them with a "pigtail" type desktop aerial unless one is supplied (which is often the case).
I only use USB network devices as temporary fixes these days.
Edit:
As it happens I was doing some testing just now, looking at channel interference on my local neighbourhood wireless networks.
I plugged a "good" USB adapter into the laptop I was using and checked the signal strength of my own network (2 rooms away) with that and the "onboard" mini-PCI card adapter that I had installed a few days ago. 15dB difference in signal strength!
(and yes it was the USB adapter that was worse, and I did try lots of different orientations to ensure it wasn't shielded in any way)
Just a quick update.
The Edimax EW7717-UN didn't arrive until this afternoon (Tues 16th Nov), whilst I was out, and having been tied up on something else this evening I have only recently gotten around to setting it up. I had some difficulties getting the software to install properly which turned out to be a conflict caused by Windows New Hardware Wizard, but I am now wirelessly connected to my Thomson 585v7 router albeit that the router and USB adaptor are all of 12 inches apart!
I wanted to get it up and running before moving the router downstairs to the test socket, which I have advised the PN Support people that I will do tomorrow (Weds 17th Nov) morning after fulfilling a pre-arranged appointment.
Perhaps not surprisingly I have 100% signal strength where the router is situated now, but I also found five other wireless networks via the scanning utility. I am actually quite impressed by that given that I am in a detached house. I know that the neighbours each side are online but the OAPs over the road certainly aren't which means that the other three WLANs that the adaptor can 'see' are at least 20+ metres away through two sets of cavity walls.
I can understand HP's reservations about USB adaptors but I don't see this as a permanent solution but rather as a back up option. If the connection to the test socket shows that I could get a vast speed increase by switching the router downstairs permanently then I will most likely get a PCIe card for the PC and might even consider the electrical wiring (Powerline?) option. I am just curious to see what transpires. If there is no improvement to be had at all then I will probably revert to the current hardwired ethernet arrangement but at least the next time PN need me to connect via the test socket, I will have the means to do so without being offline for the duration.
I will update this or the other thread as soon as I have something more to add.
Spruance
The Edimax EW7717-UN didn't arrive until this afternoon (Tues 16th Nov), whilst I was out, and having been tied up on something else this evening I have only recently gotten around to setting it up. I had some difficulties getting the software to install properly which turned out to be a conflict caused by Windows New Hardware Wizard, but I am now wirelessly connected to my Thomson 585v7 router albeit that the router and USB adaptor are all of 12 inches apart!
I wanted to get it up and running before moving the router downstairs to the test socket, which I have advised the PN Support people that I will do tomorrow (Weds 17th Nov) morning after fulfilling a pre-arranged appointment.Perhaps not surprisingly I have 100% signal strength where the router is situated now, but I also found five other wireless networks via the scanning utility. I am actually quite impressed by that given that I am in a detached house. I know that the neighbours each side are online but the OAPs over the road certainly aren't which means that the other three WLANs that the adaptor can 'see' are at least 20+ metres away through two sets of cavity walls.
I can understand HP's reservations about USB adaptors but I don't see this as a permanent solution but rather as a back up option. If the connection to the test socket shows that I could get a vast speed increase by switching the router downstairs permanently then I will most likely get a PCIe card for the PC and might even consider the electrical wiring (Powerline?) option. I am just curious to see what transpires. If there is no improvement to be had at all then I will probably revert to the current hardwired ethernet arrangement but at least the next time PN need me to connect via the test socket, I will have the means to do so without being offline for the duration.
I will update this or the other thread as soon as I have something more to add.
Spruance