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USB adapter

My old(ish) desktop pc does not have wireless capability but I do now have a wireless router and enabled laptop. I would like to do away with the lan cable and make the desktop connection wireless. I do not require the greatest speeds and would like to buy a basic (cheap!) usb adapter. Argos have some as do Maplins. Any advice as to what to buy or avoid would be appreciated. Carstairs
 
check out ebuyer.com cheapest one ive seen is around £7, most products have been reviewed, l myself picked up a new dongle which was Windows7 compatible (tho lm awaiting delivery) for around £12 tho lm still in the process of putting money aside for getting the new OS :p
 
Buy the same make as the router if you can; I have had issues when mixing makes, especially on "N" spec gear.

Aria have "G" spec cards from about £7 and "N" "lite" (150mbps) spec cards from £8.50
 
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/seconded

You can see a big difference when you buy adapters and routers of the same make versus mixed brands. Likewise be careful with some of the older 'N' spec USB adapters because they might be called 'draft' and some have not yet recieved a firmware update to the final specification. This could affect performance and compatbility.

On the other hand if range and raw speed aren't critically important then just get the cheapest :) . For example, if you only recieve a speed of 2-4Mbps than you won't see much benefit from spending extra on the best or matching kit.
 
Thanks for the replies. It's much appreciated.
I actually have a good connection rated at up to 8mbps, giving an actual speed of 6mbps but I am quite prepared to compromise as the desktop is now used infrequently.
Carstairs
 
TBH even a "G" spec card is going to give you a faster connection than your ISP provides; as long as you are in range of it, the only advantage of "N" spec for most people is the longer range.

If you intend using it as part of a home wireless network, go "N" otherwise go "G"
 
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