Chaps, Router location downstairs, PC is upstairs about 7m away. I currently have a 5 year old Asus WL-167g USB adapter for connecting to my router/internet. Ive just installed windows 7 and I had a little bit of trouble finding drivers, eventually got it sorted but performance seems to be a little flakey download speed and dropout wise. I was wondering whether investing in a new USB adapter or a dedicated PCI wifi adapter would be worth it? Would a new adapter improve speeds at all or am I barking up the wrong tree? I was looking at something like this which seems to get good reviews: http://www.ebuyer.com/155641-tenda-wireless-n300-pci-adapter-w322p but I am a bit of a network beginner so dont really know what would be the best solution. Any help chaps would be mucho appreciated. Chris
Your old one is probably showing its age and the fact it's just G spec (54Mbps) won't be helping. The Tenda ones are pretty decent, we sell loads at the shop where I work and have never had an issue with them. You probably wouldn't see a difference between the NMa (300Mbps) one you've linked or the N Lite version (150Mbps). Standard 'net usage wouldn't see a difference anyway. I personally prefer PCI cards as they fit internally, don't steal a USB port and have far less chance of getting lost/broken by curious hands. Other thing is, how old's the router and what does the wireless signal have to pass through to get to your computer? Any huge thick old walls or anything?
Ah ha! So I might well get myself the Tenda card I linked then, I also like the idea of having it squrriled away in my case rather than having it sticking out the top of my lovely new Fractal Arc Midi. Router is a bit pants, just the bog standard one I got from Sky when I signed up their broad band hoever a friend of mine who works at Plusnet has a brand new shiny whizz bang one for me which I should be getting soon. Oh and no major walls or anything to get through, basically just floorboards and carpet.
You know it's not as easy as just taking one router out and putting a new one in don't you? And good good on the wall front
I dislike PCI cards as unless you get en external antenna, they typlically put the antenna behind a big metal box (your case),low to the floor probably with you and or furnature blocking the signal from your wireless access point, but that kinda depends on your router placement. a new USB card and a usb extention cable to move it up from behind your case probably won't cost much and certainly won't do any harm. Although it's unlikley to be practical a length of CAT 5e is probably the cheapest and almost certainly the fastest most reliable way of doing thing.
No I didnt?!?!? Hopefully my friend will set it up for me when he come up in a weeks time, he knows what he's doing. However what the hell should I be looking out for If I have to do it myself?
I would love to hardwire but it would mean routing external to the house or trailing wire up the stairs which is a no go with a toddler in the house
