Wireless USB adapters VS. wireless PCI adapters

I'm thinking about getting a wireless card for my backup computer, and
I'm not sure what to go with. I'm tempted to try the Hawking wireless
USB adapter with the external antenna.

But I've heard rumors that USB adapters don't have nearly the power or
range of a PCI card, and I really want to know whats better before I
buy.

Thx,
Borgslayer


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Borgslayer wrote:
> I'm thinking about getting a wireless card for my backup computer, and
> I'm not sure what to go with. I'm tempted to try the Hawking wireless
> USB adapter with the external antenna.
>
> But I've heard rumors that USB adapters don't have nearly the power or
> range of a PCI card, and I really want to know whats better before I
> buy.

Most PCI cards have an external antenna port which gives you more
flexibility.

Borgslayer wrote:

>
> I'm thinking about getting a wireless card for my backup computer, and
> I'm not sure what to go with. I'm tempted to try the Hawking wireless
> USB adapter with the external antenna.
>
> But I've heard rumors that USB adapters don't have nearly the power or
> range of a PCI card, and I really want to know whats better before I
> buy.
>
> Thx,
> Borgslayer
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> View this thread: http://www.wirelessforums.org/showthread.php?t=33690
> http://www.wirelessforums.org

An AP in client mode is just-plug-and-play in the LAN port, independent from
the OS you installed in your computer.

I lean towards USB adapters WITH EXTERNAL ANTENNA CONNECTOR. Hawking
makes one. There are others on the market as well.

To me this is the best of both worlds. A PCI card will not typically
have good range when stuck behind your metal pc. You can buy a remote
antenna with cable, but their thin cables typically are lossy.

A USB adapter can be placed higher,, and often, even with it's
typically weaker stock antenna (antenna is more important that power)
it can work better due to better placement.

Furthermore, USB extensions do not lose power like antenna cables.

Finally, if it has an external antenna connector, you can directly
attach a higher gain directional antenna (again, avoid antenna cables,
if possible) and improve range and power over a PCI.

Steve

seaweedsteve wrote:
> I lean towards USB adapters WITH EXTERNAL ANTENNA CONNECTOR. Hawking
> makes one. There are others on the market as well.
>
> To me this is the best of both worlds. A PCI card will not typically
> have good range when stuck behind your metal pc. You can buy a remote
> antenna with cable, but their thin cables typically are lossy.
>
> A USB adapter can be placed higher,, and often, even with it's
> typically weaker stock antenna (antenna is more important that power)
> it can work better due to better placement.
>
> Furthermore, USB extensions do not lose power like antenna cables.
>
> Finally, if it has an external antenna connector, you can directly
> attach a higher gain directional antenna (again, avoid antenna cables,
> if possible) and improve range and power over a PCI.
>
> Steve

On Dec 4, 3:32 pm, spamlet <spam.mores...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> seaweedsteve wrote:
> > I lean towards USB adapters WITH EXTERNAL ANTENNA CONNECTOR. Hawking
> > makes one. There are others on the market as well.
>
> > To me this is the best of both worlds. A PCI card will not typically
> > have good range when stuck behind your metal pc. You can buy a remote
> > antenna with cable, but their thin cables typically are lossy.
>
> > A USB adapter can be placed higher,, and often, even with it's
> > typically weaker stock antenna (antenna is more important that power)
> > it can work better due to better placement.
>
> > Furthermore, USB extensions do not lose power like antenna cables.
>
> > Finally, if it has an external antenna connector, you can directly
> > attach a higher gain directional antenna (again, avoid antenna cables,
> > if possible) and improve range and power over a PCI.
>
> > Steve- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

If your spare m/c is an older one you may or may not have problems
getting it to recognise the USB adaptor (Buffalo). We tried to do
just as you, and found that our old Dell laptop recognised the adaptor
for about a week, and was very good. Then it decided not to recognise
the device any more, and despite a lengthy correspondence in these
columns I never did manage to find out how to keep it 'recognised'.
The device is still in use however, as we found it was much faster on
our main pc than the onboard D-Link card. It also seems to work
faster still when both adaptors are working at the same time - but
they don't always 'get on'.

I looked at using a PCI card instead of the USB, but, found as many
threads dealing with these not being 'recognised' as for our USB (with
or without additional power supply), so decided not to bother in the
end. Old laptop is rather heavy, and ready for replacement anyway...

S

On Dec 4, 7:43 am, spamlet <spam.mores...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> On Dec 4, 3:32 pm, spamlet <spam.mores...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > seaweedsteve wrote:
> > > I lean towards USB adapters WITH EXTERNAL ANTENNA CONNECTOR. Hawking
> > > makes one. There are others on the market as well.
>
> > > To me this is the best of both worlds. A PCI card will not typically
> > > have good range when stuck behind your metal pc. You can buy a remote
> > > antenna with cable, but their thin cables typically are lossy.
>
> > > A USB adapter can be placed higher,, and often, even with it's
> > > typically weaker stock antenna (antenna is more important that power)
> > > it can work better due to better placement.
>
> > > Furthermore, USB extensions do not lose power like antenna cables.
>
> > > Finally, if it has an external antenna connector, you can directly
> > > attach a higher gain directional antenna (again, avoid antenna cables,
> > > if possible) and improve range and power over a PCI.
>
> > > Steve- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> If your spare m/c is an older one you may or may not have problems
> getting it to recognise the USB adaptor (Buffalo). We tried to do
> just as you, and found that our old Dell laptop recognised the adaptor
> for about a week, and was very good. Then it decided not to recognise
> the device any more, and despite a lengthy correspondence in these
> columns I never did manage to find out how to keep it 'recognised'.
> The device is still in use however, as we found it was much faster on
> our main pc than the onboard D-Link card. It also seems to work
> faster still when both adaptors are working at the same time - but
> they don't always 'get on'.
>
> I looked at using a PCI card instead of the USB, but, found as many
> threads dealing with these not being 'recognised' as for our USB (with
> or without additional power supply), so decided not to bother in the
> end. Old laptop is rather heavy, and ready for replacement anyway...
>
> S

I had a device (cellphone interface cable) that only worked on usb
port where I first installed the software, as if every usb port was
different. I find I have less issues with PC cards regarding drivers
than usb, but these damn manufacturers dumped cardbus for express,
obsoleting all my cards.