USB wireless adapter

I have had bad luck with built-in wireless adapters and would like to get a more powerful external unit.

1 - What is the most powerful USB wireless adapter?
I am thinking of the external unit with cable, not the ‘thumb drive’ like units.

2 - Will the signal strength be degraded if it is plugged into a USB hub?
I have multiple devices (camera, HD, Blackberry, printer), and would like to plug them all into the hub, and have one connection to the laptop (actually 2 –power and 1USB cable).

3 – Any suggestions for high power antennas to boost the external wireless adapters?

 

Not too sure if this is the kind of thing you are looking for,

But a nice little handy device is the WiFi Max for psp/ Nintendo DS, but it works for laptop's, pc's any wireless device. yes it does have a cable from usb to dongle. it can be used as an access point for other devices or as a station so it can use a connection in your neighbourhood. which is what you'd be wanting i assume but your connection not someone elses. these cost about £20 it's on ebay, play.com, amazon.com etc etc. Might not be what you are looking for. but it does the job for me.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000CSC936/202-9270655-6807858

Also to note, its does have security, ain't really mentioned anywhere but yes it has WEP.

Hope this helps
James

 

If it must be USB, I like the Belkin F5D6050 which is a 'b' type but that is faster than needed for the Internet. It has been able to hold on to a 4% signal and not drop out.

But for your laptop there ARE high power pcmcia wireless devices. There is the EnGenius brand (200mW) and ParkerVision Signal Max. I believe there is also a 300mW adapter but I cannot remember the maker. I have both the EnGenius and Signal Max and both are much stronger than the internal wireless. Google for high power wireless adapter and see what comes up.

 

MY thought was that an external USB device would be powered and have a bigger antenna, therefore it would be a strong reciever. Is that not the case?

 

Not necessarily ... but a USB device with a cord does have the advantage that you can position it for best signal reception. Having said that, there ARE some pcmcia adapters that have a socket for an external antenna - giving you that same flexibility. EnGenius has such a model.

Or if the 'b' speed is okay, there is another brand, Orinoco, also a pcmcia type, that has both an internal antenna AND a port to attach an external antenna. You will not find any of these brands I mentioned at the standard retail outlets, except for maybe the Belkin.

 

Upon careful consideration, I followed your advice, and bought two PCMCIA units last night to try them out in my Dell E1705 before returning it. Unfortunately, it does not have any PCMCIA slots. It is just one more data source to support the decision to dump the Dell. I understand that PS/2 plugs for keyboard & mouse are often not found any more, but this is the first laptop without PCMCIA. I did not realize that PCMCIA was a legacy interface. I just verified that the HP dv8000t that will replace the Dell does have a PCMCIA slot.

Would you still recommend the PCMCIA version over USB?

 

I can only speak about the ones I have .. The Orinoco Gold 8420(a 'b' type), which has an internal antenna and a connector for an external, the Parker Vision Signal Max (internal antenna only), the EnGenius (200 mW 'g' type - internal antenna on this one) ... those are pcmcia and the Belkin F5D6050 (a usb 'b' type)

I actually like them all.

BTW, they are all powered by the ports, so no walwart needed.

As for external antennas, I also have the Hawking 15dBi Corner Antenna which I sometimes use with the Orinoco and it does make the Orinoco pick up a better signal when that signal is a little too weak for use without an antenna.

I really can't recommend one over the other ... it depends on your location and what use you have in mind. Like is it for in-home use only or are you going to be travelling with it. The Belkin USB can be used on both the laptop and desktop since it is USB. The pcmcia cards will stick out of the port. The EnGenius sticks out about an inch and a quarter. The Parker Vision sticks out about two inches. The Orinoco sticks out about half inch. Would you find that having to connect the antenna everytime a pain if you travel? The port is very tiny.

What two kinds of pcmcia did you buy?

BTW, some of the new laptops come with the laptop equivalent of pci E ports instead of pcmcia. And so far I have not seen any wireless adapters to fit those ports. Maybe that is what your Dell has.

Oh, here's an example of a 300mW pcmcia type. It has a small internal patch antenna as well as connectors for an external. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=9700711215&category=45000

 

If you want USB plus high power (200mW) here's one:

http://www.wlanparts.com/product/NUB-362EXT