How to choose a Wi-Fi adapter for a PC - the main rules. Connecting and configuring the adapter for wireless Internet

Wifi USB adapter is a device for connecting a personal computer or other device to a wireless network.

What are Wi-Fi devices for?

When building a radio network in an office or at home, you have to use devices that do not have wireless functions. For example, computer system units, televisions, game consoles, and more. Even if the device is equipped with a wireless client, it is often necessary to purchase and install a more modern Wifi USB adapter that supports faster communication formats. After all, information technologies are constantly evolving, very often it turns out that a device released 2-3 years ago is now irrevocably outdated. Every day, devices are produced more and more miniaturized, and the functions and parameters at the same time increase. If a couple of years ago, in order to supply the Internet to two personal computers at once, it was required to install switches, stretch twisted pair cables around the apartment, today everything is much simpler. It is enough to install a USB adapter on the PC Wifii, which is compatible with all versions of operating systems, and that's it - the network is ready. Several wireless devices can be connected to such an improvised access point at the same time. For example, communicators, laptops and other computers. To support such networks, specialized software Virtual Wi-Fi is used. This software is the basis of the Windows 7 operating system. This wireless network supports high-level WPA2 PSK encryption.

Communication standards for wireless networks

When choosing a Wifi USB adapter, you must first of all pay attention to the standard that this device supports. This parameter must match your router. Since, having bought a device that is incompatible with the main equipment, you will not be able to coordinate and configure a wireless network. In this case, an important parameter is the frequency of radio signal transmission. Today, two are widely used (2.4 MHz and 5 MHz). In addition, when choosing an adapter, you must pay attention to the number of transmitting and receiving devices that the device can support.

Interfaces supported by Wi-Fi receivers

A few years ago, one could meet with various types of connectors: PCMCI, PCI, and others. However, today the USB standard has superseded all other types of interfaces. This is very convenient because, having purchased the said device, the user can use it with any personal computer. And even when replacing your PC with a new one or upgrading an old one, you can always use this adapter.

Specifications

The wireless USB Wifi adapter transmits data at a speed of 300 Mbps, and some models are capable of transmitting information at a speed of 450 Mbps. There are Wi-Fi devices with three antennas, which significantly increase the performance of the wireless connection and the stability of the signal. In the Russian market, the sales leaders are adapters manufactured by Asus, D-Link and TP-Link.

Turning a Wi-Fi USB Adapter into an Access Point

Thanks to the Wi-Fi Virtual technology, any adapter that supports this technology in the drivers can be used as a Wi-Fi signal distributor for client devices. To debug the system, the installation of drivers is optional, it is enough to use a personal computer with the operating system Windows 7. This software contains built-in installation utilities. And when you install the equipment, you will be prompted to download the latest software version. The list of adapter models that are compatible with the Virtual system can be found on the official website of the software developers. Basically, it is a graphical shell that works with the netsh snap-in through the console. This program makes the process visual and user-friendly, moreover, it is completely free and has all the necessary functionality. It is capable, in addition to the main purpose, to put the adapter into Ad-hoc mode, which allows you to create peer-to-peer networks. Almost all laptops and personal computers are capable of supporting this standard.

How to connect and setup Wifi USB adapter with Virtual Router system?

First of all, you need to install the necessary software on your PC (for example, Connectify), it converts the Wi-Fi receiver into an access point. After that, we connect the adapter to the USB port of the personal computer. The Windows 7 operating system independently installs the drivers; for this, the PC must be connected to the Internet. After that, we launch the program. The first step is to set the name of the wireless network, which is indicated in the HotspotName field. Further, in the Password section, you need to set a password for accessing the created system. For strong protection, it is recommended to specify a password of eight characters or more, which uses upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters. In the future, it must be entered on each wireless client during the first connection. In the "Internet" field, you must select the connected personal computer with access to the World Wide Web. For example, it could be a network card. Then you should select "Local Area Connection".

Next, in the Advanced field, specify the Wi-Fi adapter. If only one device is connected to the computer, then we select by default, and if there are several, then it is necessary to specify exactly the device that will be used as an access point. This completes the setup, it remains only to turn on the device. Basically, we created a Wi-Fi router from a regular adapter and a PC. After clicking the Start Hotspot button, another NAT server appears on the network. After that, you can connect the first clients: laptop, tablet or smartphone. To do this, we search for wireless networks and "connect" to ours using the specified password. The device is then ready for use.

How much does a USB Wifi adapter cost?

The price of such a device will depend primarily on the manufacturer and on the parameters of the device. In any case, the cost of a USB Wi-Fi adapter will be affordable for almost everyone, it is 10-20 US dollars, depending on the model chosen.

The topic of this article is how to enable a wireless WiFi adapter on a laptop. However, we will not only talk about this. We will analyze how to install it on a PC, as well as how to determine which Wi-Fi module is currently working. This will give you a better understanding of how the technology works and how to handle such equipment.

This, in turn, will allow you to easily and quickly solve various network connection problems that may arise in the process, as well as fix all kinds of problems yourself, without calling the wizard. This is a fairly broad topic, so let's break it down in order. The best place to start is how to connect a wireless WiFi adapter to your laptop.

How to connect a Wi-Fi adapter to a laptop

First of all, it is worth noting that in laptops, as a rule, two brands of wireless adapters are used:

• Atheros.
• Broadcom.

There are others, of course. But it is these that have received the greatest recognition and distribution. But whichever module you have installed, they all have the same connector. In order to remove or connect the WiFi adapter, you will have to disassemble your laptop. The module itself is easy to disconnect or connect, since it is located in a special mini PCI slot. An antenna is also connected to it to enhance reception.

All Wi-Fi modules have such a connection interface, therefore they are interchangeable. There are also external models that connect to the USB port of your computer. However, it should be noted that due to their compactness, there is not enough space for a full-fledged antenna. And the connector itself is not capable of providing the required speed. This means that data transfers using a USB adapter will be much slower than using an embedded mini PCI device.

But at the same time, USB models are easier to use, since they are much easier to connect. You do not need to disassemble the laptop for this. It is recommended, of course, to use the built-in hardware, because it is more stable, faster and does not occupy USB ports.

So, in any case, we move on to the question of how to install a wireless wi-fi adapter on a laptop. After connecting it to the appropriate interface, we need to install the drivers.

How to enable WiFi adapter: Video

How to install software for wifi adapter

If you bought a WiFi adapter separately, then the set with the device should include a disc with the necessary software. Insert it into your DVD drive and install the required drivers. It is worth noting that after connecting a new module to the computer, after loading the latter, the system will automatically detect new hardware and ask you to install the driver. If you are using Windows 7 or 8, then, as a rule, the operating system itself will find the necessary software and install it. However, it is still recommended to install it manually from disk. If there is no disk, then you can download everything you need from the Internet, you just need to know the model of the equipment. You will find this information on the box or in the instructions for the equipment.

How to determine which WiFi adapter is currently installed in the laptop? Everything here is extremely simple. To do this, simply open the Device Manager. This is done in this way. Press two keys simultaneously - Windows + R. In the window that appears, write mmc devmgmt.msc and press "Enter". This is the command to launch the Device Manager. All installed devices on the computer are displayed here.

We are interested in the "Network Equipment" branch. We open it. Wireless WiFi devices, as a rule, in the name contain the model of the device and such a phrase - Wireless Network Adapter (translated as Wireless Network Equipment). Here and see what devices are in use at the moment. You can also disable them in Device Manager.

To disconnect a device, open information about it by double-clicking the left mouse button. Next, go to the "Driver" tab. To disable or enable, press the corresponding button. You can also do this by simply clicking on the desired device with the right mouse button. From the menu that appears, simply select the desired action.

How to find out which WiFi adapter is in your laptop from the moment of purchase? This is also done in the device manager. But this information can also be obtained on the official website of the PC developer. Just go to the site and indicate your model in full. Thus, you will receive detailed information about all laptop devices, including the WiFi adapter. Here you can also download the latest drivers.

How to install driver for WiFi adapter: Video

How to enable WiFi adapter on laptop

Turning on the Wi-Fi module on a laptop is as easy as shelling pears. First of all, install the drivers and necessary software. Next, just press and hold the Fn key without releasing it, press the WiFi enable button. It is marked with a corresponding icon. Some models have a separate button. In this case, just click it.

If after these steps the module does not turn on and the system does not start searching for available connections, then you should open the Network and Sharing Center and check the status of the wireless connection. Click the network icon in the tray (lower-right corner of the desktop). Select the appropriate item.

In the menu that opens, go to the "Changing adapter parameters" section. We find the shortcut Wireless network (or wireless network connection). If it is gray, then right-click on it and select "Enable".

In this article, I promised to tell you about one interesting scheme that can be used to connect a TV to the Internet via a wireless network.

I will quickly tell you what the essence of this method is and in what cases it can be used. Well, then, let's start setting up.

This method is useful when your TV does not have a built-in Wi-Fi receiver, in which case, the TV can only be connected via a network cable. But, you don’t want to pull the cable from the router, or it simply doesn’t work.

Yes, you can buy this very branded external Wi-Fi receiver. But it costs twice as much as a simple router. But I am still inclined to believe that you will use this method in the case when you already have a router that is simply idle.

Or, for example, the signal of your Wi-Fi network does not catch in the place where the TV is. Yes, in this case, you can also buy a Wi-Fi repeater that will amplify the signal of your wireless network. But even a regular router can be configured as a repeater.

What will we do?

We'll take the router (which, for example, is gathering dust somewhere in your locker), install it somewhere near the TV, and set it up in repeater mode. Then, from this router, connect the network cable to the TV. That's the whole scheme.

Now a little more detail.

So, we take our router and install it near the TV. I have it TP-Link TL-MR3220, he has been standing idle for a long time. It is not necessary to install it near the TV itself, for example, you can even somewhere on the floor, behind the bedside table.

We plug the router into an outlet (you don't have to connect to the TV yet)... The main thing is to configure the router in repeater mode. We need it to take the Internet from your main router and transfer it to the TV. We configure everything according to this instruction -.

And only after this router (which we put near the TV) will distribute the Internet, go to the second step. To test, just connect your laptop or phone. If the Internet works, then you can connect the TV. If, nevertheless, you failed to configure the bridge mode, then you need to remember that not all routers can work in this mode with each other. (I'm talking about device incompatibility now)... It's good when both devices are from the same company, then there are more chances to make them friends.

If you succeed, then.

by the author: admin

It often happens that a direct internet connection is not enough. This can be due to completely different reasons. To solve this problem, there is a fairly simple way out - Wi-Fi. However, not all devices support this function. There is a perfect solution widely available in the market. This article will help you choose a Wi-Fi adapter. But before getting to the point, you may need some details.

Wi-Fi adapter - what is it and what is it for?

Before choosing a Wi-Fi adapter for yourself, you should figure out what kind of device it is and how it works. In simple terms, the adapter allows you to use Wi-Fi on any device. In more detail, this is a device, internal or external, that expands the functionality of portable and stationary computers and various media centers. The adapter allows you to use a wireless computer network based on the IEEE 802.11 standard.

Despite the apparent variety on the market, there are not so many types of adapters themselves. There are currently two types. These are external and internal, respectively Usb and PCI. Which one suits you is determined by your device or its internal functionality.

PCI adapters

Internal adapters are suitable only for stationary computers and laptops, as they are installed directly into the system unit or into the case of a laptop. These devices resemble a microcircuit with antennas or a micro-card.

Before deciding to buy such a device, you need to make sure that there is a PCI slot in your device.

Installation of the internal adapter for the system unit is as follows:

Your internal WI-Fi transmitter is ready from the technical side, it remains to configure the software part. The adapter comes with a disk / flash drive with a driver for your device. Insert the disc and follow the instructions of the program.

Internal device pluses:

• reliable, more powerful signal;
• stable work 24 hours a day;
• free USB ports, which wear out quickly with frequent use;
• the ability to replace antennas with more powerful ones;
• the absence of any external signs, except for the antenna;
• affordability.

Possible disadvantages:

• the complexity of the installation, requiring knowledge of the technical features of the PC and the system unit in particular;
• availability only on personal computers and laptops;
• long uninstallation of the device.

External Wi-Fi adapters

External Wi-Fi receivers have the visual appearance of a USB device, usually of a small size. Sometimes they are almost indistinguishable from a flash drive. Antennas may also be present. Suitable for all devices with a USB port: both laptops, media centers and PCs.

These devices are not designed for 24/7 use. If you use the internal adapter constantly, the model will fail very quickly. You can buy a higher quality model to smooth this point, but it won't completely avoid wear.

Also, external models are more susceptible to damage from careless use, or simply from poor-quality assembly of a cheap model. This usually happens when you try to force the adapter to the computer / device.

Video review of the mini Wi-Fi adapter:

The main advantages of using external devices are mobility, wireless system, and ease of installation and operation. In rare cases, the package contains a disk with drivers, most often after placing the USB Wi-Fi adapter into the port, the device automatically installs and self-configures.

Positive sides:

• Mobility;
• Easy to install on all devices;
• Ease of use;
• The ability to use on multiple devices;
• Quick uninstallation;

Possible cons:

• Occupies a USB port;
• Wears out ports with frequent use;
• More expensive than internal analogs;
• Not designed for 24/7 continuous operation;
• It is easy to damage if used carelessly;

After you have decided on the choice of the type of network adapter, you should understand the models themselves. A few guidelines will help you with this.

Try to get a device with the highest traffic speed. This will reduce the loss of speed of your ISP to an imperceptible minimum. Remember that it doesn't work the other way around. Even the most powerful Wi-Fi adapter in the world will not be able to accelerate the upper limit that is specified in your contract.

Pay attention to the antenna power. If your router is at your fingertips or somewhere nearby, then you don't need to pay special attention to this. And if further, then it is worth taking a device with a capacity of at least twenty dB.

Don't worry too much about compatibility between your device and your router. They can be from different manufacturers, but they are still compatible. Only very old models can get caught as an exception.

Also, almost all adapters can be installed on any version of Windows: from XP to the modern dozen. To verify this, look at the characteristics of the selected model. In addition, they are suitable for Mac OS as well.

Misconceptions about adapters

Don't assume all adapters are identical, unworthy of the time to familiarize yourself. Many models differ from each other. Even the models of the same company have different characteristics, suitable for completely different needs.

Also, in no case save on the receiver model if it fits your conditions perfectly. Better one, slightly more expensive purchase for many years than several relatively small ones. This will save you time as well as eliminate internet problems in the process.

There is a myth about the poor quality of goods produced in China. This statement has nothing to do with reality. The only important thing is which manufacturer ordered and who manufactured the device.

Support video for choosing a Wi-Fi adapter:

We live in a business world, and you need to keep this in mind when communicating with the seller. The ideal consultant will certainly help you choose the right Wi-Fi adapter for your device. But even he acts as an intermediary between your interests and the interests of the store.

Therefore, the best consultant when choosing a device is yourself. The main thing is not to be overly arrogant: ignorance of the adapter's features and a cursory acquaintance with the characteristics will not help you choose a good device.

Internal and external Wi-Fi transmitters are very different, and you've probably already decided which type is right for you. There is little left to do: decide on the model and power for your needs and go shopping.

Nowadays, almost all devices are equipped with WiFi wireless Internet. But on the market there is a separate niche of devices that are not equipped with wireless Internet - these are personal computers. To connect them to the wireless internet, you need WiFi devices. WiFi on your computer may be required in several cases:

• The house has wireless Internet, for example, on a smartphone or tablet, and it must be connected to a PC that does not have WiFi;
• The computer already has the Internet, but I want to distribute it throughout the apartment in order to save time and money on an additional tariff.

What is a WiFi adapter

A WiFi adapter is used to implement the wireless network function on devices that do not have WiFi support. It allows the computer to receive a signal from the wireless network. Now there are two types of adapters: the first can only receive a signal, the second can work in the receive mode and in the signal transmission mode. Adapters that have a built-in SoftAP function allow you to create a WiFi hotspot on your computer.

How to choose an adapter

When choosing a WiFi adapter, it is important to consider the connection method. There are so-called USB adapters that are very easy to use as they can be easily removed and plugged into another computer. There are adapters that use the PCI-E interface. This is a set of microcircuits that are inserted into special slots in the system unit. Before buying such an adapter, first of all, you need to check the system unit for free PCI-E slots, where you can connect the device.

One of the most important criteria in choosing an adapter is the WiFi standard. Today, the recognized standard for wireless communication is 802.11n, which guarantees fast data transmission up to 300 Mbps. In addition, there are new communication standards such as 802.11ac. This latest standard can transfer data from 3000 Mbps to 10 Gbps. But for home use, there is no need to pay extra money for speed, since 300 Mbps is enough.

It is also worth paying attention to the transceiver. The recommended transmitter power is 20 dBM. If the original transmitter power is lower, then the signal will be very weak, even if the Internet source is within the apartment.

If the appearance of the adapter is not too important, then you can purchase an adapter with an external antenna. It is able to receive a signal much better, but it has a large size. In addition, there are devices with removable external antennas.

When choosing a WiFi adapter, you should pay attention to their frequency. Manufacturers began to release devices with a frequency of 5 GHz, but now adapters operating at a frequency of 2.4 GHz are still common.

It is also worth paying attention to the presence of the SoftAP function in the adapter. It is recommended to purchase adapters from the same company as the routers that are in the house, as their compatibility will be much better. This will help you avoid all sorts of connection problems.

The adapter is installed in a special slot on the computer. After installation, the adapter needs to be configured - to install the software required for operation for wireless data transmission. The driver can be installed from the disk that is included with the device, or by downloading from the official site. After installing the driver, you need to configure the network, select the desired parameters and access points.

Types of adapters

External WiFi adapters

In appearance, these adapters resemble a USB storage device. The price of a standard USB adapter ranges from 700 to 1000 rubles. If you search well, you can find devices in the range of 300-400 rubles. This adapter can be connected to a regular USB port or to a USB cable.

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The best USB WiFi adapter in my opinion in terms of style and design, as well as with a good transmission speed and 5dbi antenna Here .

Internal WiFi adapters

To connect such an adapter to a computer, you will have to disassemble the system unit a little. The adapters are very easy to connect, and they are much larger than external adapters.

Many people are afraid that when switching to WiFi, the download speed of files will drop dramatically, but in reality this is not the case. Typically, each WiFi adapter has its own bandwidth. Let's say the Internet connection speed is 1 Mb / s, and the adapter bandwidth is 54 Mb / s. Based on these data, we can conclude that the Internet speed will not drop, because the adapter's bandwidth is much higher.

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Wi-Fi Card-Bus Adapters

These adapters are designed for laptops and PDAs that have a special PCCard slot. Such adapters have a built-in antenna, they are very compact and do not require lengthy tuning.

WiFi adapter D-linkDWA 525:

The cost of this model is at the level of 500-700 rubles. The characteristics of the model are as follows:

• Supported wireless standards: 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n
• Maximum baud rate: 150Mbps
• Connection interface: PCI
• Supported information security technologies: WEP, WPA, WPA2
• Number of external antennas: 1 detachable antenna with R-SMA connector

WiFi adapter ASUS PCI-N10

The cost of this adapter is at the level of 500-600 rubles.

The adapter of the 802.11n standard has a PCI interface. It allows you to connect your personal computer to a wireless Internet network. The adapter can be installed in any 32-bit slot.

Specifications:

• Encryption support 64/128-bit WEP, WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK, WPS;
• WPS (Wi-FiProtectedSetup) button - quick setup of a secure connection;
• Software AP allows the WLAN adapter to act as a virtual access point.
• 802.11n standard (150 Mbps) with PCI interface.

Modern USB WiFi adapters provide wireless signals from access points, routers and other devices. Many computers and laptops are already equipped with WiFi function, but if it is not available, you can use a USB adapter. These devices are similar in appearance to small flash drives, but they have different technical characteristics.

You should also take a closer look at the parameters that characterize the antenna power (ideally, at least 20 decibels). Thanks to this, it will be possible to clearly pick up even the weakest signals. An external antenna connector will be an added benefit. The antenna can be purchased as a separate device or as a set.

In some adapter models, two antennas can be raised in operating mode, which will enhance the signal quality and increase the data transfer rate. You can purchase compact models with antennas built into the body of the device. The case should preferably have ventilation holes through which heat dissipation will occur. Due to the absence of such holes, the performance of the device may deteriorate significantly.

The main characteristics of the adapter can be found on its packaging. The front side contains information that lists the standards that the device supports, accessibility options for quick configuration of the adapter, and the choice of protection method. In addition, one of the most important points is the support for multiple connection modes between two computers.

One of the most popular models on the market today are the D-Link DWA-127 and D-Link DWA-566 adapters.

The DWA-127 adapter has a built-in antenna for a large wireless connection area and a dedicated hardware WPS button that automatically configures a secure WiFi connection. Thanks to this adapter, a high-quality connection with standard devices (marked IEEE 802.11) is ensured.

The DWA-566 is a wireless adapter that enables high-speed connection of computer devices to the network. At the same time, there is no need to carry out additional laying of an Ethernet cable. This adapter fits all standard slots (x1 / x4 / x8 / x16), has two removable antennas (with a gain of about 2 dBi), is capable of operating in two bands: at 2.4 GHz (marking: IEEE 802.11; b / g / n) and 5 GHz (marking: IEEE-802.11; a / n). Due to these conditions, the wireless connection can reach speeds of up to 300 Mbps.

These adapters can work with WEP / WPA / WPA2 encryption protocols, are fully suitable for secure wireless networks and provide reliable security of transmitted data.

The package contains the D-LinkManager WC utility, which allows you to configure convenient parameters and saves the most frequently used profiles. The cost of the DWA-127 is about $ 22, and the cost of the DWA-566 is about $ 47.

Configuring a WiFi adapter on a computer

For the initial configuration of the WiFi adapter, the following components are required:

• WiFi adapter itself;
• CD with drivers and other software;
• User guide.

First, you need to install the device into the USB port. It is best to use the ports located on the back of the system unit, since they are connected to the motherboard and are already completely ready for use. You can use the ports located on the front side of the system unit, but first make sure that they are in working order. After connecting the device, a message will appear stating that a new device has been detected. Next, you need to install the software and driver package. You should also install software utilities, they will not be superfluous, since with the help of them you can adjust the network parameters and carry out more fine-tuning. Next, you need to look at the display of network connections (the network connections icon is at the bottom of the taskbar). In the drop-down window for network connections, a list of devices that are connected to the PC will be listed, you must select the one that has been installed at the moment. After that, you need to use the left mouse button on a new connection. In the opened window of available network connections, click on the new network to enter the password.

The main mistakes when choosing a WiFi adapter

One of the most common mistakes people make when shopping for a new device is that they implicitly trust sales assistants. In reality, the seller, as a rule, is trying to sell not the model that best suits the characteristics of the others, but the one for which he can get his interest. That is why, before buying, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the functionality of the selected models and read reviews about them on the Internet.

Another mistake is that people think of all adapters to be pretty much the same. In fact, different models differ from each other in power, characteristics, even from the same manufacturer.

Many people are sure that there is no need to spend money on expensive devices. Of course, you can buy an inexpensive device, but its power will be much less than that for which you will have to overpay only a few hundred.

In addition, it is also worth noting one of the biggest misconceptions that absolutely all equipment manufactured in China is of poor quality. In reality, the quality of products does not depend on where the manufacturer is located, but on who and from whom exactly ordered the manufacture of these products.

As practice shows, absolutely any user can configure a wireless network. WiFi adapters are reliable devices that are becoming indispensable for people. Buying an adapter can save you many inconveniences, such as a lot of wires.