cheap and effective wifi solution

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charlywiggin

Weaksauce
Joined
Jul 18, 2008
Messages
126
Any good PCIE wifi N cards that wont drop connection? I need something cheap and robust for my desktop.
 
I switched to a Linksys WMP600N a little over a month ago. No dropped connections yet. I'm using it to connect to a Linksys WRT54G router. I'm not sure if you'll find it "cheap" (it sells for between $45 and $55 online), but I can easily recommend it.
 
No adapter should drop connections. If you have connection problems, it may be caused by any component of your network or it may even be caused by things that are out of your control like your neighbor's cordless phone or a microwave.

Encore ENEWI-2XN42 - $20 Shipped

If you need a dual-band PCIe adapter, then you'll have to do what diizzy said since no dual-band PCIe wireles adapters for desktops are available for pruchase at retail.
 
dhc014 said:
No adapter should drop connections. If you have connection problems, it may be caused by any component of your network or it may even be caused by things that are out of your control like your neighbor's cordless phone or a microwave.
Click to expand...

That sounds reasonable enough in theory, but the reality can be quite different for reasons like driver software bugs, bad antenna or circuit design, etc. I have a laptop (high-end, by the way) that keeps dropping connections to my home wi-fi network occasionally while my desktop hasn't done this even once for the same SSID. This same laptop usually can't even connect to the wi-fi at my parents' place, while my smartphone can connect to that same network without a hitch (at the same given time).

And that wasn't even my only such experience. I used to use an Abit PCI wi-fi adapter on my home desktop. (Remember Abit?) It routinely dropped its connection roughly once a day. My motherboard's built-in wi-fi adapter (same PC, same home, same wi-fi network) hasn't done it even once so far.
 
Best Solution is as follows:

Step 1 Do a site survey...or have a friend do one for you.
Step 2 But one of those Intel wireless nic mPCIe to PCIe adapter, w/a intel wireless nic
Step 3 Make sure you have a decent accesspoint/router.
Step 4 Configure it to be on a clear channel.....see step 1
Step 5 purchase more directional antennas, if necessary
Step 6 read the hard forum again
Step 7 upgrade...to something better
Step 8 return to step 1
 
Why does it have to be an internal card? USB devices these days have fantastic and non flappable connections. Rokland n3 and any 802.11n adapter from alfa is pretty much perfection. The WUSB600 and WUSB600 v2 are also fantastic adapters. Linksys AE1000 using the WUSB600 v2 chipset i've gamed for months without a SINGLE dropped connection. The linksys cards are a bit more expensive, but if you check out amazon you can pick up alfa cards for ~40 bucks and i bet my own testicles you won't be dissapointed.

Why do i hate PCI cards? Because all you need to fix a bad connection with a usb adapter is a cheap ass USB extension cord and a little moving around.
 
Astronomica said:
Why does it have to be an internal card?
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone said that it has to be. It's just that most posters were making recommendations based on their personal experience, and most happen to have experience with PCI adapters, apparently. In fact, I've had very good experiences with a Linksys WUSB54G USB wi-fi adapter as well.

On the other hand, PCI adapters have a few advantages, too. Most USB adapters are designed with size and portability in mind. One might wonder about the efficiency of the antenna designed to fit into the size of a pack of gum and (perhaps) any power limitations that might be imposed by virtue of being fed from a USB port.

Let me put it this way: Not many USB wi-fi adapters could hold a candle to a PCI adapter with dual external extended-range antennae...
 
99% of the people whom ask about how to make an great wireless connection (or somthing similar) are asking because they either are frightened that it will suck, or have had a poor experience previously.

So assuming the worst case scenario ....you get threads like this one.
 
have you tried changing the channel on your wifi? Usually it is an interference issue and depends on the antenna and sensitivity of the card.

Trust me, change the channel before you buy anything.
 
Consider going to 5.8GHz. Much less spectrum flooding than 2.4. Most of the newer high end routers do dual band, I recommend one that can do different SSIDs on 5.8 and 2.4GHz. I use a Apple Time Capsule and assign a different SSID to the 5.8GHz because otherwise sometimes my MBP will connect to the 2.4GHz side instead if it has the same SSID and slow me to 54Mbps (A lot of 802.11G devices here).
 
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