Wifi adapters are an attractive solution when we do not have a router nearby. Here you have all the information about these components.
Wifi is the best solution for connecting
devices scattered around the home or office. Regarding computers, we find adapters plugged into the motherboard, like others that plug into the USB port.
In the case of laptops, we do not find this problem because now they all
incorporate an integrated wifi adapter.
Next, you have at your disposal all the
information on wifi adapters.
What are they, and how
do they work?
Wifi adapters are devices that
provide the computer with a wireless internet connection. They work as a wifi
client; it receives the wireless signal from the router and transmits it to the
computer so that it can connect to the internet as if it were connected by LAN
cable.
Here is the complete guide prepared by Goclickonitstore
We see adapters in the
following formats:
Integrated.
We refer to smartphones, tablets, laptops, or Smart TVs. These have an adapter
integrated into their motherboard, so we do not see it, nor is it a component
that we have to buy separately. Although it is not the general rule, they
usually have less force or power than the other formats.
PCI-Express
The adapter comes in a PCI Express card, which must be plugged into the
computer's motherboard. This format appeared as the first solution for fixed
computers that could not connect via ethernet. We will see that there are cards
with antennas and without them.
USB
In this case, the wireless adapter is plugged into one of the USB ports on the
computer. It is always advisable to connect them behind the box since they
usually incorporate antennas that require some electrical current that the
front ports cannot provide. They are plug-and-play devices, which means that they do not have to
be configured in most cases.
Wifi Historical Background
Wifi and 1997, 802.11
The history of wifi dates back to 1971, so it is not a new technology. That said, we had
to wait until 1997 for the first standard: 802.11, which would
allow rates of 1 or 2 Mbit / s. It is entirely obsolete, but it was the first to
start using the 2.4 GHz band.
Wifi and 1999, 802.11b
This standard would expand its maximum
transfer rate to 11 Mbit/s, using the same method as its predecessor. However,
it would not be implemented in products until the early 2000s.
Wifi in 1999, 802.11a
The 802.11a would bring an essential
evolution regarding this standard. 802.11a would allow data to be transmitted
and received at speeds ranging from 1.5 to 54
Mbit/s. It was
implemented worldwide, becoming a standard used throughout the world.
Wifi and 2003, 802.11g
Using the same scheme as 802.11a would be
compatible with the same 2.4 GHz band. It would come close to 54
Mbit/s as the
maximum transfer speed.
Wifi in 2009, 802.11n
Nearly a decade gone, we saw a breakthrough with 802.11n. This standard would
come with MIMO, 5 GHz bands, and an increase in transfer speed from 54
Mbit/s to 600
Mbit/s.
Wi-Fi and 2013, 802.11ac
It is the most used and compatible standard
today. It surpasses its predecessors with 5GHz band support, a transfer rate of 866.7
Mbps, supports MU-MIMO, 3-streams, 80 MHz channels, and 256-QAM.
What You Should
Research Before Buying wifi Adapter?
Buying a wifi adapter is not easy at first
glance because we find specific terminology that tells us nothing. For this
reason, certain concepts must be mastered to differentiate a suitable adapter
from another with little power, for example.
Some believe that, by knowing which are the
"best" wifi adapter companies, they already have everything done, but
no. Below, you will find everything you need to know.
Wifi Placement
Before getting into technical concepts, we
must refer to the fundamentals:
· Meters of distance from the router to the device we want to put
a wifi adapter.
· Obstacles or walls exist between the router and the device.
This should be the first thing you need to know before buying any adapter. With
the data in hand, read below to refine the purchase of your network adapter.
Wifi: IEEE 802.11ac/802.11n/802.11ax
You will find these terminologies in the
vast majority of adapters. It is a standard to increase speed, be more
efficient, and have a more lavish reception radius.
802.11ac (wifi 5) is the evolution of 802.11n (wifi 4 ), a standard that could provide the computer
with a speed between 150 and 300
Mbps. Although, do not
trust yourself because, in practice, we do not see that transfer speed since
other factors come into play, such as the intensity of the signal.
This supposed improvement has been
investigated, and we see a minimal speed increase, not what the manufacturers
promise us. Logically, there are many factors to consider, such as the walls,
the number of adapter antennas, the type of router we use, etc.
The two novelties that 802.11ac brought
were consuming less electricity and achieving greater range. As for the first,
it is perfect for mobile devices; As for the second, it is possible thanks to Beamforming, a technology that the most recent routers equip
and that allows the signal to be directed directly to the devices that request
it.
In 2018, 802.11ax (wifi 6 ) emerged, a new network standard that
increases the maximum transfer speed to 3.5
Gbps in the 5GHz band. At the moment, there are few devices and
routers that support this technology, but we can find them.
Therefore, if you have a router with
802.11ac, buy wifi adapters that carry it. If not, don't worry because there
are no overwhelming differences between 802.11n and 802.11ac, although the
latter is more recent.
Wifi WiDi
WiDi is a protocol that Intel developed to
transmit multimedia content to the TV wirelessly, be it music, video, or photos. It may seem silly. Still, it is another benefit that
an adapter of this type can offer us.
The only drawback is that your television
is not compatible with this technology. In this way, it is of no use to us that
the wifi adapter that we buy incorporates it.
Wifi Dual-band: 2,4GHz y
5GHz
In the past, the routers only transmitted
the signal on one band, the 2.4 GHz. Now, this has changed, and the most recent
routers incorporate it.
Dual-band technology means that our router can work with two
different bands or frequencies: one band is 2.4GHz, and the other is 5GHz. It gives the user more options since each has its
pros and cons.
The 2.4GHz network:
· It is much more compatible with the vast majority of devices
because it is a more long-lived technology.
· It has a more significant network range or coverage, which is
essential in connections of this type. The more walls, the better this network
looks.
· It has fewer channels, precisely 14 non-overlapping.
· It is usually more saturated by interference from neighbors or
communications by waves.
· Your connection speed is lower, although it can become more
stable.
· It occurs in 802.11b, 802.11n, and 802.11g
The Red 5Ghz:
·
It is less compatible because newer devices or adapters
incorporate it.
·
It has less coverage because it becomes unstable with more walls
or obstacles.
·
It has 25 non-overlapping channels, which puts you ahead.
·
It is not so saturated, and the connection is of higher quality.
·
Your connection speed is faster because it is broader, which
means we can transmit data over many channels. For example, a 2-lane highway is
not the same as a 4-lane highway.
·
It occurs in 802.11a, 802.11n, and 802.11ac.
We can choose the one we want based on our
needs or devices with these two bands. Therefore, it is preferable to choose
wifi adapters that have dual-band.
MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output)
We find this technology in 802.11ac, in
addition to using Beamforming and transmitting instantly to the client. In
this way, the router will be able to send data to each client simultaneously,
taking advantage of all the bandwidth.
It is about using the internet connection
(vulgarly said) without waiting for a turn.
We can accelerate data downloads and
uploads at maximum speed, thanks to MU-MIMO. Of course, this technology must be
supported by the router and the adapter. On the other hand, it is essential to
stream or broadcast live events.
USB 3.0
If you want a USB wifi adapter, you have to make sure that it is USB 3.0 since
data transfer speeds are essential to take advantage of the speeds provided by
802.11ac and its 5GHz band.
Antennas
The theory tells us that the more antennas it has, the better signal reception
we will obtain, but it does not always have to be that way. The antennas can be
found in PCI-Express or USB adapters, although we can find PCI adapters that
have antennas on the other hand, not on the network card itself.
In a wifi antenna, we care about its gain,
polarization, and direction. But, in its datasheet, you will read a value
expressed in isotropic decibels (dBi ). The more dBI we have, the more power our
adapter will have, which will allow us a high-quality signal. This means, in
short, that the higher the dBI, the greater the possibility of increasing the
connection speed.
Depending on the infrastructure of your house, you will have to observe this
value.
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