Wireless adapters

Nosmo_King_2

Whist waiting for our new Virgin wireless N router (standard) to arrive I have been trying to find out how best to make our Dell desktop wireless, should I go for a USB adapter or a pci card? (I asked Dell and they told me to go for a USB one as it was easier to install and also take back if faulty) and secondly would I be better off with a cheap 300mbps one or a "better" 150mbps one? I have looked at small USB adapters, ones with antennas, ones with a lead and to be honest I have reached brain saturation point!:eek: Is there really much difference between ones costing around £8 and ones costing £30+?
Help!!
Cheers

GunJack

Is there really much difference? Unknown until you actually use them

where is the pc sited in relation to where the router will sit ?? Mine are in the same room but at opposite corners, and used a £10 adapter which worked perfectly for 2 yrs (until mini-Gun#2 kicked it and physically broke it :mad: )

penrhyn

Avoid wireless like the plague unless there is no other way of connecting.
Ethernet is far more reliable and stable to use with a desktop PC.
If your router is in another room use a couple of Homeplugs.

GunJack

penrhyn wrote: »

Avoid wireless like the plague unless there is no other way of connecting.
Ethernet is far more reliable and stable to use with a desktop PC.
If your router is in another room use a couple of Homeplugs.

I do think this is a bit of overkill - choose your wifi channel wisely and you shouldn't have too many issues. I've been running everything (pc, 3 x lappys, 2x xbox, ps3, couple of ipods) in a three-storey house for 4 years and only ever had to change channel once.

...and £££homeplugs vs £10 usb - the moneysaving answer is .... obvious

penrhyn

You may well be correct, I couldn't possibly comment...........:D

Which way will the OP go?


PS. Some people think that because they have a wireless router everything has to be connected wirelessly.

GunJack

^^^^^^ good point, well put however, for me, I wasn't going to run Cat 5 around skirting board and over at least one door for this pc, so wifi it was and is

Nosmo_King_2

GunJack wrote: »

Is there really much difference? Unknown until you actually use them

where is the pc sited in relation to where the router will sit ?? Mine are in the same room but at opposite corners, and used a £10 adapter which worked perfectly for 2 yrs (until mini-Gun#2 kicked it and physically broke it :mad: )

The router will be within a foot or so from the pc and under normal circumstances I would have stuck with wired, however, young Nosmo wants to use wireless for his PS3 and Mrs Nosmo wants to use a netbook.
Would I be able to use the router both ways at the same time? ie keep it connected to the pc with the ethernet cable whilst still being able to use the wireless capabilities for everything else?

debitcardmayhem

Nosmo_King wrote: »

The router will be within a foot or so from the pc and under normal circumstances I would have stuck with wired, however, young Nosmo wants to use wireless for his PS3 and Mrs Nosmo wants to use a netbook.
Would I be able to use the router both ways at the same time? ie keep it connected to the pc with the ethernet cable whilst still being able to use the wireless capabilities for everything else?

Simple answer Yep

tedster123

i use usb dongle and works fine - stable connection and fast with O2.

penrhyn

Nosmo_King wrote: »

The router will be within a foot or so from the pc and under normal circumstances I would have stuck with wired, however, young Nosmo wants to use wireless for his PS3 and Mrs Nosmo wants to use a netbook.
Would I be able to use the router both ways at the same time? ie keep it connected to the pc with the ethernet cable whilst still being able to use the wireless capabilities for everything else?

Course you can, most if not all wireless routers have 4 Ethernet ports as well as a wireless one.