Wireless adapter choices, which is best?

d3jake · Post by **d3jake** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 4:48 pm

Well, for Christams I was given a $50 gift card to Best Buy. So I decided that I wanted a wireless adapter for my computer so I wouldn't have to sit down in my basement to use my computer, it can get mighty chilly down here...
So, due to restrictions of the Gift card, I've narrowed it down to these. You'll notice that they are all USB adapters becuase I one of the guys I know says that he has a USB adapter in his computer, his brother has a internal PCI adapter (wireless g mind you) and he gets better reception even though they are connected to the same router and they're computer's are right next to each other.
Belkin - Wireless- G USB
Dynex - 802.11g Enhanced-G Wireless Adapter
If I can get up the extra $$ I'll try to get this(if I\"m lucky):Linksys 802.11g Compact Wireless USB Adpater

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 5:49 pm

Linksys or Belkin. Never heard of the other one.

Genghis · Post by **Genghis** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 6:58 pm

Did the other guy truly have internal wireless or did he have a PC card adapter? I just bought a Netgear WG511T PC card and it seems fine.

Things to consider:

USB 1.1 can only give you 12 Mb/sec, but 802.11g is 54 Mb/sec. So you'd better be sure your laptop has USB 2.0 ports, otherwise you're hamstrung.

On the other hand, a USB adapter can be used in any computer, not just a laptop. And if you extend it with a USB cable, that might act as an antenna, giving you better reception.

Oh, and I usually stay with name brands: Belkin, Netgear, D-Link and Linksys.

d3jake · Post by **d3jake** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 7:41 pm

Belkin... hmm... I think I'll get a PCI one... BTW, I was planning on sticking it on a desktop computer... The Belkin one is the best deal it seems... I thnk I\"ll wait untill some more people weigh in on it.

Jeff250 · Post by **Jeff250** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 8:42 pm

The conclusion I came to half a year ago when thinking about upgrading to wireless on my desktop is that all PCI wireless solutions suck. Why favor Belkin or Linksys when they probably all use the same no-name chipset. Instead, I bought a PCI to mini-PCI adapter, an antenna, and threw in a spare Intel Pro Wireless 2200 wireless adapter (which, le gasp, uses an Intel Pro Wireless 2200 chip (which rocks...)). Since the ipw2200 was a spare, I came out slightly ahead $$$-wise too.

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 12:22 pm

Uh Jeff, Linksys is almost entirely Broadcom. Every piece of Linksys equipment I've ever owned has been based on a Broadcom chipset.

Jeff250 · Post by **Jeff250** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 1:24 pm

The only thing I've heard about broadcom is how their drivers for the Linux kernel had to be reverse-engineered because they would not release specs for their chipsets, much less drivers for them.

Apogee · Post by **Apogee** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 2:19 pm

Honestly, go for the cheapest if there is a return policy. I've got a cheap wireless USB adapter (Hawking) and it works dandy. The technology is so widespread at this point that the only difference between a no-name brand and a big brand is the difference is price. That and maybe a warranty.

Foil · Post by **Foil** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:17 pm

I'd say definitely the Belkin, or possibly the LinkSys.

I've always had excellent results with Belkin products, and I've heard good things about their wireless stuff, especially their \"Pre-N\" routers.

d3jake · Post by **d3jake** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 5:20 pm

Me and a buddy of mine might be going to Best Buy next weekend (or the one after that...) because he got a gift card as well. He'll prolly be getting a N52 and a mouse since he plays on a laptop. I\"ll have to see what they have three, and the return policies.

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 12:42 am

Jeff250 wrote:The only thing I've heard about broadcom is how their drivers for the Linux kernel had to be reverse-engineered because they would not release specs for their chipsets, much less drivers for them.

True. They've never been OSS-friendly. The other option is to use ndiswrapper, which is only an option for PC hardware, not, say, routers.

Luckily, Linksys sells the Linux version of their Wireless-G router, and has GPL'd all the necessary code, so the Broadcom chipset used therein is now decently-documented.