As the name suggests, these plug-and-play devices connect to any free USB port on your computer, at which point they show up in Windows or macOS just like an internal network card. Unlike the wireless hardware built into older laptops, however, the best USB Wi-Fi adapters support the latest Wi-Fi standards, so you’ll get the best possible speeds and be able to use the much faster frequency bands. The best USB Wi-Fi adapters are the ideal solution for anybody who needs new or better network capabilities on a desktop PC or laptop. During our testing, we found the A7000 was not only more than up to the task of handling the latest online games, but it actually did so at an impressive distance of three floors away from the main router. It also clocked in at speeds that were more than enough to handle even the highest-definition video streaming services, from Netflix to Disney+. A simple installation CD makes the setup process really straightforward, so you can simply plug it in, key in your Wi-Fi password, and you’ll be good to go in just a couple of minutes. There’s also a WPS button for connection to the main router if you prefer that method—and your router supports it. The adapter also folds up nicely, so you can slip it into your laptop bag for travelling, but it’s worth noting that the bulky size can make it a bit tricky to use with thinner laptops. Thankfully, there’s a magnetic cradle included that lets you set it up beside your laptop, which not only keeps it out of the way, but can also help you get a better signal. Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi 5 (801.11ac) | Speed: AC1900 | Bands: Dual-band While our testing showed that you won’t be able to rely on this one for streaming video at extended ranges, it does still let you maintain a basic connection throughout your home. As long you say stay reasonably close to your router, however, it provides more than enough speed to handle pretty much anything you’ll want to do on your laptop, from streaming 4K video from Netflix to keeping in touch with colleagues on Zoom. The NET-DYN AC1200 does promise a plug-and-play installation on Windows without the need to install any software. As we found in our review, though, your mileage may vary on this one. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to use the included CD, or even just fetch the necessary software from the manufacturer’s website. As an added bonus, it also includes software for Mac and Linux systems. It’s also backed by a lifetime warranty that covers both manufacturing defects and dead units. Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi 5 (801.11ac) | Speed: AC1200 | Bands: Dual-band Unfortunately, that smaller size comes with a pretty big tradeoff in terms of range. Since it’s obviously hard to pack big antennas in such a small package, speeds on the U631 fall off pretty quickly as you move away from your router. In our testing, we found that it was a great performer as long as you stay close, but don’t expect it to deliver the kind of speeds needed for gaming and streaming when you’re on the other end of the house. That said, even at a distance, it will still give you a fast enough connection for checking email and casually surfing the web. It also features a simplified setup, thanks to the accompanying CD, and it’s compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux. The real win with this one, though, is that it’s so small that it basically becomes part of your laptop, supplementing or replacing the built-in Wi-Fi. Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi (801.11ac) | Speed: AC600 | Bands: Dual-band While the AC600 rating means it’s not the fastest adapter you’ll find, it’s still more than fast enough to stream Netflix in 4K to a single laptop or desktop PC—even over a slower Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) connection. The external antenna also powers fast transfer speeds to ensure you’ll get sustained performance even when farther away from your router. Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi 5 (801.11ac) | Speed: AC600 | Bands: Dual-band While the WUSB6300 doesn’t lead the pack in performance at closer ranges, it excels at providing more consistent speeds as you move further away from the router. This gives you enough speed for everything from web surfing to streaming and video calling, although its higher latency makes it a less than ideal choice for gamers. Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi 5 (801.11ac) | Speed: AC1200 | Bands: Dual-band The name of the game for this one is range, since those four large antennas help to make sure that you can pick up a strong Wi-Fi signal even at a distance. Instead of hanging the TEW-809UB directly off a USB port in your laptop or desktop PC, you use the included three-foot USB cable to place it on a nearby surface. This also helps you to get a better signal, as it keeps it away from interference that can be generated by the electrical components inside your computer. Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi 5 (801.11ac) | Speed: AC1900 | Bands: Dual-band You can also rotate the antenna in just about direction to help you focus the signal, although in most cases you probably won’t need to bother, as our testing showed that it didn’t make a huge difference. Mostly, it’s just handy for keeping it out of your way. Regardless of position, however, we found that the EDUP-1635 performed admirably at distances of up to 20 feet, and easily juggled multiple 4K streams from YouTube and Netflix, as well as gaming in Rocket League. Don’t be completely fooled by the external antenna, however, as we found that this one won’t necessarily outperform the Wi-Fi that’s already built into your laptop. This one should mostly be seen as a way to upgrade an older laptop that only has Wi-FI 4, rather than extending the range of a more modern device. That said, considering that it costs about as much as a nice lunch, the EDUP-1635 does offer impressive performance for its price. Wireless Spec: Wi-Fi 5 (801.11ac) | Speed: AC600 | Bands: Dual-band Rebecca Isaacs has teamed up with Lifewire since January 2019. An avid lover of all things computer-related, she frequently uses Wi-Fi adapters for all of her gaming and work needs as she battles to get the best internet in the Midwest. She has personally tested many of the adapters on this list. Imad Khan has written for Washington Post, ESPN, Tom’s Guide, Engadget, Digital Trends, Variety, Men’s Health, VICE, and more. His areas of expertise include computers and laptops, and he reviewed EDUP’s EP-AC1635 on this list.
The Ultimate USB Wi-Fi Adapter Buying Guide
A USB Wi-Fi adapter is one of the easiest ways to add wireless network connectivity to a PC, laptop, or even a game console, and even if your device already includes built-in Wi-Fi, the right use Wi-Fi adapter can give you a nice performance upgrade. Since USB is a universal standard, a USB Wi-Fi adapter can work with just about anything that has a USB port, and is often as simple as just plugging it in, making them a much better option than installing a traditional network card. While USB Wi-Fi adapters are available in a wide variety of designs from ultra-portable dongles that aren’t much bigger than your USB port to larger devices that sit on your desk, they all basically have the same goal: to give you better wireless connectivity.
Why Buy a USB Wi-Fi Adapter?
Since most laptops already have Wi-Fi built-in, you may wonder what the point is of a USB Wi-Fi adapter. The truth is, if your computer already provides good and reliable Wi-Fi, there’s almost certainly no need to add an external adapter. However, for users of laptops with poor Wi-Fi hardware or PCs that typically don’t include Wi-Fi support at all, a USB Wi-Fi adapter will help to bridge that gap. For example, you might have an older laptop that doesn’t offer dual-band Wi-Fi or faster 802.11ac speeds. In this case, a USB Wi-Fi adapter may give your computer a new lease on life, especially if you’re hoping to stream 4K videos or do any serious online gaming. Further, even computers that have modern Wi-Fi specs can be hampered by poor internal antenna placement, so an external USB Wi-Fi adapter can improve your range and performance.
Range
Most USB Wi-Fi adapters work reasonably well when you’re close to your router, but if you’re sitting right beside your router anyway, you could probably just as easily plug in an Ethernet cable and get even better performance. The point of a USB Wi-Fi adapter is to give you the freedom to move around your home, so you’re going to want one that offers the kind of range you need. To be fair, this is something of a double-edge sword. It’s also up to your router to provide the coverage that you need, and a USB Wi-Fi adapter isn’t going to work magic if your router can’t get a signal out to it in the first place. It’s a cooperative effort, and if you have a larger home, you should definitely start by making sure you have a good long-range router. Even if you have a powerful router or mesh Wi-Fi system that provides solid coverage for your home, the USB Wi-Fi adapter still has to do its part, and not all adapters are equal in this regard. Adapters that sit farther away from your computer’s USB port—either by protruding out, offering external antennas, or using an extension cable—will generally provide better range, all other things being equal, since they have less interference from your computer to contend with.
Single-Band or Dual-Band Wi-Fi?
A single-band Wi-Fi adapter operates on only one frequency—normally 2.4GHz—which offers basic compatibility with almost every Wi-Fi network on the planet, but also means you’ll be stuck using the same frequencies that most other devices are using. By contrast, a dual-band Wi-Fi adapter can make connections on the higher-frequency 5GHz band, providing your router supports it, giving you faster speeds and fewer devices competing for bandwidth. Whether to choose a single-band or dual-band USB Wi-Fi adapter will largely depend on what your home router supports. If you’re purchasing an adapter for a laptop that you’re going to travel with, however, you’ll want to go with a dual-band adapter for maximum compatibility. Also keep in mind that most laptops today already offer at least single-band Wi-Fi built right in. This means there’s not much point in even considering a single-band Wi-Fi adapter, and these days even the most affordable ones provide dual-band W-Fi support. What about tri-band Wi-Fi? Well, that’s not something you’ll find in a USB Wi-Fi adapter, as it’s a feature exclusive to routers that need to support a larger number of devices. Tri-band routers offer an extra 5GHz frequency band to divvy up devices for maximum performance. Since a single device can only connect to one frequency band at a time, there’s no such thing as a tri-band Wi-Fi adapter.
Speed and Wi-Fi Standards
How fast you need your USB Wi-Fi adapter to be depends largely on what you plan to do with it, although modern dual-band adapters should be more than adequate for most online activities. Even the most affordable USB Wi-Fi adapters support at least AC600 speeds, which generally works out to 433Mbps on the 5GHz band and 150Mbps on the 2.4GHz side. By contrast, streaming a Netflix movie in 4K UHD only requires 25Mbps of bandwidth. One important thing to keep in mind, however, is that as with all Wi-Fi devices, speeds will drop off as you move farther away from your router, and not all USB Wi-Fi adapters offer the same range. If you plan to work at a distance from your router, you’ll want to make sure your chosen adapter offers good performance at a distance. If you’re a gamer, you’ll have to consider more than just speed. In this case, make sure you pick an update up that has low latency for maximum lag-free performance. On the flip side, however, there’s no need to worry about buying a high-speed adapter if you’re only planning to connect to public hotspots at airports, hotels, and coffee shops, as these usually don’t offer particularly speedy internet performance in the first place. While many routers are offering support for the very newest Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax standard, Wi-Fi 6 compatible USB Wi-Fi adapters aren’t yet widely available—but they’re coming soon.
Size and Design
There are many styles of USB Wi-Fi adapters available, so it’s easy to find an option that suits your specific needs. However, you’ll want to make sure that you look beyond just the physical design, since there are some important tradeoffs here. As a rule, the smaller the USB Wi-Fi adapter, the less range and performance it’s likely to offer. Little dongles that barely protrude from your USB port may be great at close range, but it’s not realistic to expect them to provide good Wi-Fi performance on the other side of your house (unless you have a mesh Wi-Fi system, of course). Adapters that extend further out from your computer’s USB port or connect separately via a cable will avoid being affected by interference from the electronics in your computer. Your mileage will vary here depending on what type of PC or laptop you’re using, though, as some are better than others in this regard.
Antennas
Larger USB Wi-Fi adapters may be bulkier, but they also offer more room for internal antennas—or even external ones, in some cases—that ensure you get the best range and performance. If you’re looking for maximum speeds at the edges of your Wi-Fi coverage, you’ll want an adapter with separate antennas that can be positioned and offer beamforming to maximize signal strength and focus your signal back to the router. Of course, an adapter with external antennas will sacrifice some portability.
Compatibility
Most modern USB Wi-Fi adapters are pretty much plug-and-play for Windows users, but if you’re using a Mac or a Linux system, your options may be more limited. You’ll want to check the specs before buying a USB Wi-Fi adapter to make sure it’s not only compatible with your operating system, but also the specific version of your operating system. This is even more important if it’s from a lesser-known brand, as you may need to install custom drivers even on Windows, and the manufacturer may not offer those drivers for other operating systems. If you’re looking for a USB Wi-Fi adapter for a game console, your options will be even more limited. Don’t expect a standard USB Wi-Fi adapter to work with a PS3 or Xbox unless it specifically lists compatibility with those devices.
USB 3.0 Support
Your USB Wi-Fi adapter can only offer speeds that are as fast as the USB port on your computer. Since older USB 2.0 ports max out at 480Mbps, you’re going to need a USB 3.0 port if you want to benefit from the speeds offered by an AC1200 or better USB Wi-Fi adapter. Of course, even if you don’t have USB 3.0 available on your computer, this doesn’t mean you can’t buy a faster USB Wi-Fi adapter, as they’re all backward compatible with older USB standards; you simply won’t get the advertised speeds, however 480Mbps is still perfectly respectable for streaming movies and even gaming—as long as the adapter offers low enough latency to keep your games moving fast.
Top Brands
Netgear While Netgear is best known for its Nighthawk series of wireless routers, it also makes USB Wi-Fi adapters to complement them, bearing the same Nighthawk branding. Naturally, Netgear brings its years of networking expertise to bear in producing quality USB Wi-Fi adapters, and while they tend to be pricey, as with the company’s extensive lineup of routers, you’re getting what you’re paying for. Linksys Linksys is also a household name in Wi-Fi gear, having been in the business for over three decades, and having passed from independence to being a division of Cisco and later Belkin, however it still produces iconic routers under its own branding, while also offering a small lineup of USB Wi-Fi adapters that deliver solid performance at more affordable prices. Net-Dyn Net-Dyn is a small American family-owned business that does one thing, and does it quite well—making USB Wi-Fi adapters. While the company has branched out into a few other small products, USB Wi-Fi adapters are still its core business, and they not only offer impressive performance for the price, but they’re also backed by a lifetime warranty.
Conclusion
While it may seem like there’s a lot to consider when buying a USB Wi-Fi adapter, it’s important to keep in mind that it all boils down to one thing: Getting better wireless connectivity for your PC, laptop, or console. While you’ll still almost always get better performance by plugging into your router directly, a USB Wi-Fi adapter can give you more flexibility to move around your home and save you from running Ethernet cables, and can be a great way to equip an older laptop with the latest Wi-Fi standards for when you’re on the road. That said, if you’re simply looking to equip a stationary PC or game console with internet access, you may want to consider a Powerline adapter instead, which can extend a wired network connection to other parts of your home using the electrical wiring in your walls.
