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Usb wifi dongle - any recommendations?

Herzlos
Herzlos Posts: 16,333 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
I bought an off the shelf PC a while ago and had it connected to a router via ethernet but I've moved it across the room and the cabling is a nuisance. Turns out PC doesn't have wifi.

Are there any recommendations for wifi dongles? Is it worth getting a Netgear nano adapter (link) for £15 or some no-brand one from ebay for £5?

It's only used for browsing these days and the router is only connecting at about 16Mb. Connection is also shared with 2 phones. So it doesn't seem particularly high usage.
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Comments

  • Big_Graeme
    Big_Graeme Posts: 3,220 Forumite
    Go for the cheap eBay special, I've had one in both the desktops at work for close on two years without a problem.
  • Browntoa
    Browntoa Posts: 49,619 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Another vote for cheap eBay ones, only ever had problems with branded ones
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  • therandom
    therandom Posts: 14 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    I'm all about the homeplugs rather than WiFi. Especially if you're in a built up area where you're competing for available channels!
  • enfield_freddy
    enfield_freddy Posts: 6,147 Forumite
    I bought a Edimax 150Mbps dongle (very small) when I was playing with a setup using XBMC , its one of the few dongles that work without a painfull setup on a Linux machine


    its brill on windows , and on 8 (which I use now) very fast and stable , no drivers needed etc


    I have found that the basic cheap ones from ebay are a bit iffy


    edimax one , http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003MTTJOY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00
  • kwikbreaks
    kwikbreaks Posts: 9,187 Forumite
    Well there's one on eBay I can see right now at £1.99 delivered from a UK seller. I've had a similar one in the past which worked perfectly on a Win 7 PC and is currently doing sterling service on a Raspberry Pi with no issues whatsoever and no faffing about looking for drivers on either.

    Naturally ymmmv but on non critical items such as this I've always taken the cheapest option which 9 times out of 10 is eBay, Especially true now Amazon mimimum order for free delivery is £20 and the free super saver is usually slower than ebay sellers manage.
  • enfield_freddy
    enfield_freddy Posts: 6,147 Forumite
    ebay item number please? as the only ebay buy now in the uk is at £ 7.14 + postage of about £4 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Edimax-EW-7811Un-USB-2-0-1-1-150Mbps-802-11b-g-n-Wireless-Adaptor-/131504853905?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e9e4cd391


    so if there is one the same model , please post the item number ?
  • kwikbreaks
    kwikbreaks Posts: 9,187 Forumite
    I'm not claiming the model you mentioned just that there's a USB WiFi adapter similar to one I bought a while back for £1.99

    Item number is 261753180840
  • enfield_freddy
    enfield_freddy Posts: 6,147 Forumite
    yup different make , a std LB link one


    several here all slow/lethargic and not fit for purpose


    I specifically mentioned the edimax , because it WORKS!


    the non (if that's the word) geeks who use raspberry PIs and the like will not put up with crap ,


    the edimax is the best and most stable dongle I have used for a long time


    believe me , I am a tight git , but 5 X £1.99 , for crap or £7.99 for summot that works ? no contest


    if the OP wants an LB-link unit FOC , PM me and I will put one in the post free of charge , and send them a link via PM to the drivers
  • kwikbreaks
    kwikbreaks Posts: 9,187 Forumite
    edited 17 May 2015 at 7:36PM
    Well as I said mine works fine for what I want. The OP isn't looking for anything better than what will handle his 16Mbps ADSL across his living room and a G model would do that. The one you pointed to will cost ~ £10 by the time post is paid and something that will work just as well for what he wants can be had for £2. I know some cheap ones won't work on Linux but he doesn't need that and as it happens mine does - it runs 24x7 on a Pi I use to run a weather station.
    ===
    I see one seller will supply it for £7.40 post free so the potential saving is less. I'd still rather keep the £5 in my pocket though.
  • enfield_freddy
    enfield_freddy Posts: 6,147 Forumite
    in that case the £1.99 one from ebay is better (or not)


    the OP asked for a recommendation , I gave one .
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