Recommend a good inexpensive USB Wireless adapter?

[katz]

I've tried a few $30 & lower USB Wireless adapters, and they seem to drop the signal often. Belkin, Cisco/Linksys, and D-Link to name a few. I am going through this with a client right now. They are using wireless on a desktop as the router is in another room.

As a test, I used my shop pc running Win 7, router in the same room, maybe 15' away & experience the same dropping issues.

Any good recommendations? Do they make a reliable one for cheap price?

 

[ohio_grad_06]

You sure it's the adapter? At home I'm using a netgear n300 router that I picked up at microcenter for around 30 bucks refurbished. The wifi card I'm using a little $5.00 ebay special that has an antennae.

These seem decent, I have used some of this brand, they are cheap and seem to work.

http://www.microcenter.com/product/378691/W322U_Wireless_N_300Mbps_USB_20_Adapter

The wifi adapter I have at home is similar to this one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/802-11n-g-b...SB_Wi_Fi_Adapters_Dongles&hash=item2ebdf79c18

Actually does pretty well.

Just do NOT use their routers, their wifi cards are great, not any good experiences with their routers. If your guy is having trouble though, I'd recommend swapping the router for a different model. As I said what's in my PC at home is a little 5 dollar adapter, and it's in the basement, whereas my router is in the middle floor above. What kind of router is he running? On home grade routers, I've had trouble with Cisco, Linksys sometimes, Tenda, Belkin, always had great luck with netgears, they seem to just keep working. Of course for business you want to shop a bit. But think I'd consider swapping routers and see if things don't clear up for ya.

 

[CLC]

I would just install a pci wifi adapter and be done with it.

 

[katz]

ohio_grad_06 -

I'm thinking it's the adapter because I get the same dropping issues on a couple different pc's with different routers. Netgear at clients house, TP-Link at another & my own TP-Link.

CLC -

Agreed, PCI would be the way to go here, but you know how it is, USB plug-in is much more convenient (when it works...)

 

[Martyn]

I've tried these in a couple of places where I needed a good connection. I do a lot of older houses with thick walls and these work well.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-...d=1395831240&sr=8-3&keywords=tp+link+wireless

 

[CLC]

I have one of these and I use in the shop constantly, never had a problem. Price has went down since I bought it a while back but it's never let me down. This is the model: F9L1001v1

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...14086&ef_id=UxaeXwAAAOQiJcbj:20140326115422:s

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Another thing to check, is he getting interference? On my Android I've got a free app called Wifi Analyzer that shows wireless signals in the area, and their strength as well as what channel they are using. Might check from that angle if a new adapter does not play out.

 

[katz]

Martyn - Thanks for that recommendation, they get good "reviews", I like TP-Link so I may try that one.

CLC - The one I used recently is actually a newer model of the one you have, it is the BELKIN F9L1500, and ha dropping issues with it.

ohio_grad_06 - That's something to consider, for sure. There is one weak signal in the area. They live in the woods & are picking up a faint signal from a neighbor. The think that seems odd is that I'm having the same issues in at least three separate locations, even here in the shop.

I live deep in the woods and there are no signals around me, we don't even use a microwave, no baby monitor. Nothing wireless in my shop except for my own router.

My smartphones hold a good signal from the router, as well as the laptops. Maybe I'm just getting a bad batch of adapters...

I do have a couple of old pci adapters lying around. I could pop one of those in & see how things go. One of the problems is that this is a mobile job that is 10 mi. from me, so this is quickly adding up to be a no profit job.

 

[HFultzjr]

Just a couple of thoughts........

Have you checked (changed) the settings in the router?

Maybe try a different channel, etc.

I've found sometimes changing the channel makes a big difference.