Which wireless network adapter is right for you?
802.11 G wireless networking adapters are what connect mobile laptops to hotspot gateways and thus the internet. There are many different WiFi adapters to pick from. There are USB (external) versions, PCI (internal) versions for desktops, and tiny PCIMCA wireless network adapters for laptops. These will all get the job done, but each one is intended for a different wireless network environment. There are also different brands of networking adapters that perform better than others.
Some laptops come with a built in wireless network adapter in the motherboard and chassis of the device. These tend to work just fine, but cannot have an external antenna attached. If you have an integrated WiFi adapter, you probably have little reason to acquire another one. If you don’t, most mobile laptop users have a small PCIMCA card that goes in the side of their laptop. These are only a few inches wide and look like a credit card with a thick blob on the end that sticks out (somewhat inconveniently). A few of these come with various small antennas sticking out of them but usually the blob on the outer edge is the only antenna. You can buy an adapter with a small adjustable attached one if you worry about getting a connection. PCIMCIA devices are not usable in a desktop without special adaptations.
A PCI network adaptor can be physically installed into the inside of a desktop just like any other hardware component would be. There is usually a small antenna sticking out the back of the computer. The main disadvantage of this would be that the computer case (sometimes made of metal) as well as the internal components could interfere with the reception. The internals of the computer have etched wires and active electronic signals that could reduce the wireless network signal if the case is between the antenna and the wireless network’s gateway.
USB external adapters attach to a standard USB cable and therefore sit far enough away from the computer not to be blocked by the case. These usually get all of their power through the USB cable so they do not require a power cord. The main advantage to USB WiFi adapters is they can be physically located or moved to a location that has better reception. All wireless technologies (including a cell phone) operate on a line of sight basis between the two ends (adapter and gateway). The wireless adapter has a limited ability to transmit and receive through walls and other objects. This capability varies based on the materials it has to transmit/receive through and how much. Because of this an external USB wireless adapter has the advantage of being moved around to find a spot with better reception if it is not getting a solid signal.
Any WiFi adapter will be able to make a connection in a wireless hotspot. However, some hotspots are more convenient than others. Also with wireless networks, it is a common issue that a connection cannot be made because the transmitter and receiver are too far away with too much “stuff” (medium) between them. Antennas can help this slightly. Also the brands LinkSys and D-Link use a lower power level to transmit; these two brands will always get worse quality 802.11 connections. While D-link and LinkSys are frequently the cheapest on the market we strongly recommend against getting these due to link quality issues.
We have a very wide selection of wireless network adapters available in our store for you to pick from. I encourage you to look it over and I doubt you will find it overpriced.
If we do not have your card in stock we have a business partner who also carries adapters for laptops and desktops.