Need a Wifi adapter, PCI-E (Mini), PCI or USB?

D

Dominat0r

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Will be needing a wifi card to get my system up in my new house...my question is would it be better to use a PCI card, PCI-E (mini or half card, cant fit a full size card) or USB?

Basically, ill have a full size card for PCI with the antenna connected or a Mini PCI-E card inside my machine. I was thinking USB, just cause of ease of use.

So...

PCI (full card)

vs

PCI-E (mini card, or half card, cant fit anything else cause of video card

vs

USB
 
I would go with the pci express. Look up the asus n15.
 
Hey, thanks for the info.

I cant use a full size PCI-E card (cause video card blocks the card) so if i got PCI-E it will have to be a mini or half card.

Which is why im asking....will a Mini PCI-E be better than a PCI full size card or a USB dongle adapter?
 
You didn't look up the n15 did you? Its x1 and comes with a low profile bracket. Can't get any smaller than that really. PCI expresshas the highest bus bandwidth, not sure if wireless n could reach the limits of usb 2.0 or pci. Too much trouble to check on my phone.
 
Oh you mean the little mini cards, not the slot style cards. Gotcha. I would just go with USB then if that's the case, simply for future usability. PCI is being phased out, thus not many boards these days will have PCI slots and that number is getting smaller and smaller. So if you ever upgrade, you might not be able to use the PCI card anymore, at least with USB you can use it on another system.

What motherboard do you have? Most motherboards have enough x1 slots to be more than 3 slots away from the PCI-e x16 slot where a video card would be installed, unless its an mATX sized board.
 
I would just stick with a USB wireless adapater if I were you.
 
Hands down best wireless card I have ever used (I've used a few before figuring this out) is the Intel 6300. You will have to assemble the card with the bracket and antennas, but it's really really easy. My wireless reception got waaaaay better.
 
Skillz said:
You didn't look up the n15 did you? Its x1 and comes with a low profile bracket. Can't get any smaller than that really. PCI expresshas the highest bus bandwidth, not sure if wireless n could reach the limits of usb 2.0 or pci. Too much trouble to check on my phone.
Click to expand...

All of this. I have an N15 Asus card on hand but don't use it. Nice little card.

I'd also note that every USB WiFi adapter I've used has issues with hibernate/sleep, if you do that kind of thing.
 
If you can do PCIe, then Intel all the way.

For PCI, go with this Rosewill adapter. It's been working like a champ, and also has a low-profile bracket.

Skip USB unless there is simply no other choice.

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