Recommend a wireless N adapter for me

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Danja

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
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195
I'm temporarily living with my parents and my current system isn't being friendly with their wireless setup. The router is a Linksys WRT120N on the second floor. It is connected to my dad's computer via ethernet and moving it is not an option. My PC is located in the basement and it has massive trouble connecting to the network. All of the settings are correct because it does eventually connect, but it takes between ten minutes and half an hour after powering on or waking from sleep and it drops the connection periodically. The adapter is an Asus USB-N13. I've tried updating to the latest drivers, switching channels and broadcast mode on the router, updating router to the latest firmware, etc., all to no avail. I'm currently on my laptop using an Intel Centrino 6200n card just 5 feet away from the desktop and I have excellent signal reception and no problems connecting to the network.

I would just wait it out since I'm leaving for grad school soon but there's another computer here which needs a wireless card, so I figured I'd donate my current N13 to the cause and instead purchase the best wireless N card I could find. Could someone suggest a card for me? I don't care if it's USB or PCI; all I want is a card with the range of this Centrino. Dual band would be nice even though the current router is 2.4 gHz only; however, this isn't a deal breaker. Any recommendations?
 
Linksys routers have gone to shit in recent years based on my experience with a WRT610N (died 2 months out of warranty, Linksys told me to get bent) so that may be the real issue.

Getting another Intel Wifilink card and an adapter from mini-PCIe to PCI or PCIe 1x ($15-20 + cost of the card, maybe $50 total) is an option, but do a lot of research on which card to get first. I picked up a 4965AGN because it was cheap and still Intel so I figured "how can I go wrong?" Well, this piece has been nothing but trouble and currently is unusable with what is apparently a very common "Error 10" device cannot start issue.

What I'm using is a little more costly and reception may not be as good, but it does work and I've never had issues -- a Trendnet TEW-684UB.
 
I just bought this one for my brother and he says the wireless is working very well now:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QYGNKQ

I bought it when it went on sale for $20 a few weeks ago. My brother used to not get any connection in his room at my parent's house and with this Alfa wireless NIC, he's getting 4/5 now. He can play games online and access the internet on his desktop now instead of his laptop.

Danny_Bui recommends this one:
Danny Bui said:
Halfway decent:
$28 - Asus PCE-N15 Wireless Adapter
Click to expand...

I'd actually ordered both and had them shipped to my brother but he hasn't used the Asus one yet.
 
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I also recommend the Asus PCE-N15 wireless adapter.
 
Is there any way to extend the range of the antennae for the PCI adapters?
 
Skillz said:
I also recommend the Asus PCE-N15 wireless adapter.
Click to expand...

I agree, because my router and my desktop are roughly 50FT away from each other, I have owned the ASUS PCE-N13 for about 2 years now and I have had no issues with it, its been great.

I would recommend getting the N15 over my N13 so you get the 300/300 over my 150/300Mbs connection.
 
I'm not sure why you don't want to do an adapter when it is the same thing as you are going to buy anyways. The wireless cards found in laptops are just better in performance/stability. That's why you buy them and an adapter for the desktop. Another options is buying a $30 router put DDWRT or Tomato on it and make it repeater or bridge. A much better option and can provide internet to multiple devices.
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1638014

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-PCI-E-...US_Internal_Network_Cards&hash=item2c66062d62
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-Half-...US_Internal_Network_Cards&hash=item2a1de41d91
 
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Danja said:
Is there any way to extend the range of the antennae for the PCI adapters?
Click to expand...

depends how much you're after, a usb yagi antenna will do 20 miles easy. as far as brands go.
Airlink n: the usb and coaxial is so nice to have for antenna swapping: http://www.amazon.com/Airlink-Adapter-Detachable-Antenna-AWLL5166HP/dp/B005BE6TZU
dlink n: the usb dongle was terrible but their coxa antenna was insane: http://www.amazon.com/D-Link-2-4Ghz-Directional-Wireless-Antenna/dp/B00064AW62
Illumi-nations Yagi: serious trolling can be done with this antenna as long as you're in line of sight. Its pretty much overkill but fun to play around with. http://www.illumi-nations.com/brass-modular-yagi-usb-antenna

hope that was helpful
 
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rekd0514 said:
I'm not sure why you don't want to do an adapter when it is the same thing as you are going to buy anyways. The wireless cards found in laptops are just better in performance/stability. That's why you buy them and an adapter for the desktop. Another options is buying a $30 router put DDWRT or Tomato on it and make it repeater or bridge. A much better option and can provide internet to multiple devices.
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1638014

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-PCI-E-...US_Internal_Network_Cards&hash=item2c66062d62
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-Half-...US_Internal_Network_Cards&hash=item2a1de41d91
Click to expand...

Alright, you've convinced me. I went ahead and got the adapter and card that you linked me to; I've been nothing but happy with the rock solid Intel card in my laptop. My desktop is standing in a corner and I'm afraid it might be creating a deadzone behind it. Is there a cheap cable I could buy to screw into the antenna socket on the PCI adapter on one side, and screw into the antenna on the other, so that I could elevate the antenna above the computer?
 
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Danja said:
Alright, you've convinced me. I went ahead and got the adapter and card that you linked me to; I've been nothing but happy with the rock solid Intel card in my laptop. My desktop is standing in a corner and I'm afraid it might be creating a deadzone behind it. Is there a cheap cable I could buy to screw into the antenna socket on the PCI adapter on one side, and screw into the antenna on the other, so that I could elevate the antenna above the computer?
Click to expand...

If you bought a router, you could put it where ever you want depending on the length of the ethernet cable you have anyways. I think with a 3 antenna device you will get little benefit unless you upgrade all the antennas to something better. I think you will be fine with the 3dbi antennas provided but you can always upgrade the antennas to 6dbi for cheap to get a little better signal if needed.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-Band-2...k_Antennas&hash=item20c639d4fb#ht_3729wt_1396
 
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I have a similar issue as the OP. The room with the router is right above my office downstairs and the router can't be moved. I was thinking about ordering a 30-50 foot Cat 5 cable and running it out the upstairs window, down the side of the house, and in through the downstairs window.

Would a Cat 5 cable that long work fine, or would the length cause any kind of speed/stability issues?
 
greens said:
I have a similar issue as the OP. The room with the router is right above my office downstairs and the router can't be moved. I was thinking about ordering a 30-50 foot Cat 5 cable and running it out the upstairs window, down the side of the house, and in through the downstairs window.

Would a Cat 5 cable that long work fine, or would the length cause any kind of speed/stability issues?
Click to expand...

cat5/cat6 can do ~330ft so you will have no issues
 
Alright, I got both components today but I'm not sure how to put the mini card into the adapter. Here's a link with pictures of the adapter:

http://www.amazon.com/Protronix®-Express-Wireless-Adapter-Antennas/dp/B005JTEREW

How am I supposed to remove the metal back plate? There are bent metal bits on the other side of the card that are bent inward to clamp it on there; they look pretty fragile though. Do I just pry them backwards to straighten them?
 
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I think you have to remove the antennas. Remove the brass nuts holding them on, and that metal plate holds the card in according to that Amazon review. I don't own one, so not sure exactly.

You could always zip tie or tape it down to make sure it doesn't move once seated. It will be inside your case anyways. :)
 
An update: I set up the card, and was instantly disappointed with the results. The Asus card would wait 5 - 20 minutes before telling me it couldn't connect to my network. The Intel card simply told me the same information right away. I gave up and moved my computer to another part of the basement in a less comfortable location. Now I do seem to get a decent signal, but the Intel card is underperforming horribly. Here is a Speedtest of the Asus N13:

WNC1.png


And here is the 6300n:

WNC2.png


The only difference in location is that the 6300n is behind the computer, which is facing the router (which is now two floor above and almost exactly 20 feet in front of the PC). The N13, on the other hand, is plugged into a port on top of, and near the front of, the PC. I guess having to tunnel through the Phantom chassis takes a lot out of the signal. I'm underwhelmed, but at least I have a connection.
 
This is why I would have probably got the router with DDWRT/Tomato as you can play around with location. The router would have more signal power as well. You could try getting 6dbi antennas for it or moving them around on the Intel card/or adapter.

like this \ I /

You should get getting pretty good signal from that far away I would think. It may be a simple as moving your desktop around. Also test transfer speeds as they should be very good with that card as well.

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1602927
 
The distance isn't near so important as the amount of shit between you and the router. 6 walls / floors / furniture / whatever and it might as well be a quarter mile.
 
Yea, that too. The best way to spread wireless throughout the house would probably be using wireless repeaters or running a cable and putting an AP on each floor.
 
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