Plug and play wifi adapter

• The adapter likely came packaged with a CD containing the driver files. Insert this CD into your CD-ROM and install the driver.
• Or, go to the manufacturer’s site, download the adapter driver from there, and install it.

USB WiFi Adapter Recommendations

As stated, adapters can vary a lot in terms of price and performance. Nano-adapters are the most compact and discreet. If you don’t want your WiFi adapter to stand out, definitely go for these. They’re easily misplaced though, so do keep that in mind.

Standard-sized adapters are all-rounders, being both affordable and portable. The ones without antennas will suffice for basic usage.

But if you have specific needs like gaming, we recommend going for higher-end adapters (dual-band with at least one external antenna). They don’t come cheap, but the performance benefits are usually worth it.

WiFi Dongle vs USB WiFi Adapter

Vendors use these terms interchangeably, and they definitely look similar, but they’re not the same thing. A USB WiFi Adapter simply adds WiFi functionality to your PC. After installing it, you still need an existing WiFi network to connect to.

A Dongle is more like a portable modem. It connects your device to the service provider’s mobile network using technologies like 3G, 4G, and 5G. It’s commonly called a WiFi Dongle but it doesn’t actually let your device connect to WiFi networks.

Troubleshooting USB WiFi Adapter Problems

The main problem we’ve found with USB WiFi Adapters is that they don’t get detected. If you followed our installation steps covering switching ports and updating drivers, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Sometimes the adapter works initially but keeps getting disconnected or disabled afterward. We recommend checking your power management preferences in such cases. Here’s how you can do this on Windows:

1. Press Win + R, type devmgmt.msc , and press Enter.
2. In the Network Adapters section, double-click the USB WiFi Adapter.
3. In the Power Management tab, ensure the Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power option is unchecked.

Click on Change advanced power settings.

Expand Wireless Adapter Settings and set the Power Saving Mode setting to Maximum Performance.

Expand USB Settings and set USB selective suspend setting to Disabled.

Anup Thapa primarily covers Windows systems, networking, and computer hardware at TechNewsToday. Anup has been writing professionally for almost 5 years, and tinkering with PCs for much longer. His love for all things tech started when he got his first PC over 15 years ago. It was a Pentium IV system running Windows XP on a single 256 MB stick. He spent his formative years glued to this PC, troubleshooting any hardware or software problems he encountered by himself. Professionally, Anup has had brief forays into a variety of fields from coding and hardware installation to writing. In doing so, he’s worked with people of different backgrounds and skill levels, from average joes to industry leaders and experts. This has given him not just a versatile skill set, but also a unique perspective for writing that enables him to concisely communicate complex information and solve his reader’s problems efficiently. You can reach out to him at anup@technewstoday.com.

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Best WiFi Adapter for Gaming 2023 – Buyers Guide

Are you an online gamer frustrated with the significant issue of slow internet?

I believe the agitation and frustration followed by slow internet connectivity are universal and of similar magnitude.

Undoubtedly, the need for a good WiFi Adapter is essential, especially for an online gamer, as you would want to receive maximum output from your network.

TABLE OF CONTENT: BEST WiFi ADAPTER FOR GAMING 2023

• ASUS PCE-AC88 – Best Wireless Adapter for Gaming (Editor’s Choice)
• NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 – Mid-Range Survivor
• TP-Link WiFi 6 AX3000 – The Budget Star
• ASUS PCE-AC68 – Guarantees quality for the price
• OURLINK Dual Band Dongle – Recommended for extremely low budgets
• TRENDnet TEW-809UB – Best Mid-Range USB WiFi Adapter
• D-Link DWA-192 – Our Mid-Range Star
• Linksys WUSB6300 – Best Budget USB WiFi Adapter
• BrosTrend AC3 – Best buy for its price
• ASUS USB-AC56 – Worth the price

Best WiFi Adapter for Gaming in 2023

While the main focus is lag-less gaming with minimum latency, the high-definition streaming of your gameplay can also be strenuous on the network.

This is why I have put together a list of some of the Best WiFi Adapter for Gaming to ensure you can make an educated and competent choice when opting for an adapter.

So if you are worried about making the right choice regarding security and compatibility, you might want to look at this guide.

ASUS PCE-AC88 — Best WiFi Adapter for Gaming (Editor’s Choice)

• External magnetic antenna base with MU-MIMO technology for maximum coverage.
• Individual antennas can attach directly to PCIe Cards.
• Custom heatsink effectively dissipates heat to improve stability and reliability.
• R-SMA antenna connectors enable compatibility with various aftermarket antennas.
• Dual-band 4×4 AC3100 with increased speeds up to 2100Mbps on 5GHz and 1000Mbps on 2.4GHz bands.

The ASUS PCE-AC88 is undoubtedly one of the best gaming wifi adapters available in the market. It contains almost all of the top-tier features that a gamer would require to attain a fluid and smooth gaming experience.

Being a part of the AC3100 line by ASUS, the device is eons ahead of its competition due to the 4-part dedicated antennae setup. This allows the wireless adapter to provide fantastic extensive range and speeds without a hiccup.

Moreover, the device efficiently manages the heat flow with the inclusion of a custom heatsink that ensures the temperature remains low and your case doesn’t burn itself out. What’s more impressive is that it manages all this heat while implementing the MU-MIMO technology alongside the extensive process of Beamforming.

Now if you are a fan of tweaks and custom changes, you would enjoy the customizability feature that allows you to swap antennas out with an array of compatible devices. This will help you in increasing the life of your adapter, however, it comes with a cost of decreased range and speed because of the added interference(s).

Despite being pricier than its competition, it is safe to say that you can afford to trust the quality of ASUS and opt for this product to replace your stock wireless adapter.

Although the card is a hit in masses, some users have claimed that Windows 10 users looking for a 5GHz connection should avoid this product due to the consistent disconnection with 5GHz. Furthermore, the device can either go on without any kind of issue for days or refuse to connect with 20 – 30 retries in 10 minutes. It’s either this or that. This has been a significantly irritating factor when using this device.

You won’t find many cons of the ASUS PCE-AC88 because there aren’t many. Despite the increased price, the device makes up for it by providing top-notch quality and service to the customers to attain flawless and lag-less internet gaming sessions.

• Custom heatsink to ensure you don’t burn your device out.
• Latest wireless standards to ensure optimized speed.
• R-SMA antenna connectors to provide customizability for its customers.
• Extendable antenna placement to allow you to put this in your desired spot(s).

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