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Wireless card!

Toothless

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So a buddy of mine killed my usb wireless card somehow when his desktop was off and he was at work. Weird huh?

So he's buying him and I new wireless cards but with me being a newbie with networking, I have no clue what to get. I know his desktop has PCIx1 slots and my desktop will have all the PCIs, and usbs aren't always taken up so input preference isn't there. We just need something that'll work and work well without breaking the budget.

Best bang for the dollar.

Suggestions?
 

Kursah

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I prefer a nice and cheap USB2 or 3 adapter honestly. I usually recommend this because it's price/performance/reception is AMAZING. You'll be limited to a peak of 480mbps with USB2...and with a good N router and connection you should see a 300mbps connection.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166056

You don't need the cradle...but it can help if you can place it somewhere for better reception...if that's even needed. The antenna does a solid job of finding a strong signal. After this, I find hit tough to recommend anything else...unless you get the dual antenna version if this same adapter or an AC version (I think there's one..).

I have several Cisco, Netgear, Belkin, etc. USB adapters, some cost $100+... this little $18 Rosewill beats them all... iirc didn't need specific drivers to just work with Win 7/8/8.1 like ALL the rest did.

I even have an old Linksys PCI WiFi card... was never really all that impressive, but worked. I'd rather save PCI/PCI-e space for large GPU coolers and sound cards. :D
 

Toothless

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I had a 300mbps card and that's the thing the died. That little adapter looks good though,
 
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I've had pretty decent luck with those Rosewill USB adapters too, but I've always purchased this one here and used velcro on the side of my desk for the antenna. I've never purchased another adapter that has better range. Period...and I've tried them all. Netgear, ASUS, D-Link, Cisco etc. They also work very well on Linux(Ubuntu based).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...ewill_wireless_adapter-_-33-166-046-_-Product

Although, I've recently replaced them with the Intel Centrino Advanced N-6205's, these are pci-e x1 based...they also work well(I'd say perfect), but the range isn't as good.

One thing I can say about both is...they never drop a connection.

Best,

LC

EDIT: I did want to mention that I thought my Rosewill adapter died one time...but it turned out that it was just the cable. $3 spent on Amazon remedied the problem. I've got two of these in service and both perform flawlessly...day in/day out. After reading Kursah's post closely...I agree with his sentiment regarding these cheap Rosewill adapters. They work well, especially where others don't.
 
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Just get the intel ones or ones with an Broadcomm of Atheros chipset those have the least amount of issues with motherboards

I had an Anped PCI20E that was realtek based and it wouldn't work in on M2NSI or M32Nsli but an atheros based one does
 
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How many spatial streams does your wireless router have? If you want the best performing card, get one that can capitalise on your router, or in the event it's a standard 1x1 router then you can save money and avoid buying anything up to 1x3 or 3x3 if you're crazy.
 

Toothless

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How many spatial streams does your wireless router have? If you want the best performing card, get one that can capitalise on your router, or in the event it's a standard 1x1 router then you can save money and avoid buying anything up to 1x3 or 3x3 if you're crazy.
All I know about his router is that it's a POS and it has feelings. Some days it likes to work and some days it'll just disconnect twenty times in a row.
 
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is it a blekin or dlink?
 
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USB adapters I got: Netgear A6210 (had the 6200 but exchanged for 6210), Amped ACA1, Edimax AC600, TP Link TL-WDN3200, Netgear WG111V3.
 

brandonwh64

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I have a USB rosewell wireless N and it has never let me down! Gets GREAT reception.
 

Toothless

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Found the card that died. My old one.

 
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