need PCIe 1x wnic recommendations

[Todd]

Hi All,

For a PCIe 1x slot, does anyone have a favorite (meaning
trouble free) wireless network card?

Many thanks,
-T

 

[charlie]

Hi All,

For a PCIe 1x slot, does anyone have a favorite (meaning
trouble free) wireless network card?

Many thanks,
-T

Actually, No.
The definition of "trouble free" covers too much ground.
Plus, every time I've had to get one, the off the shelf cards
changed models and or makes from the previous need.

These days, with desktops, I generally use an Ethernet connection to a
router. The router has a simultaneous dual band capability.
In a few cases, we've used a router as a bridge for a wireless connection.

 

[Philip Herlihy]

Hi All,

For a PCIe 1x slot, does anyone have a favorite (meaning
trouble free) wireless network card?

Many thanks,
-T

Hmm - I've just ordered a TP-Link TL-WN781ND last night. It was a toss-
up between that and the HP FH971AA. It's to be installed in a new Dell
Inspiron 620 MT, running Windows 7 64-bit. I should have it tomorrow, so
I can post back the outcome.

 

[Wolf K]

Hi All,

For a PCIe 1x slot, does anyone have a favorite (meaning
trouble free) wireless network card?

Many thanks,
-T

Random observations which may help:

Desktops rarely include wi-fi because the assumption is you'll have it
one location, so why not use Ethernet? Unless you're in the habit of
moving the box around your house, a cable is your best bet IMO.

AFAICT, it's a chipset issue, not a brand issue. FWIW, the chipset in
our old laptop is by Broadcomm, and has given us no trouble whatever,
under any OS (XP and 3 flavours of Linux so far -) OTOH, the USB
wi-fi dongle I used on this desktop for a while had a different chipset
(sorry, I've forgotten whose), and it had issues. I'd go for the most
plain-vanilla card you can get.

If you want the wi-fi on the desktop so you can stream movies to your
TV, I think it would be better to ask about the setup as a whole.

Good luck,
Wolf K.

 

[Todd]

Random observations which may help:

Desktops rarely include wi-fi because the assumption is you'll have it
one location, so why not use Ethernet? Unless you're in the habit of
moving the box around your house, a cable is your best bet IMO.

AFAICT, it's a chipset issue, not a brand issue. FWIW, the chipset in
our old laptop is by Broadcomm, and has given us no trouble whatever,
under any OS (XP and 3 flavours of Linux so far -) OTOH, the USB
wi-fi dongle I used on this desktop for a while had a different chipset
(sorry, I've forgotten whose), and it had issues. I'd go for the most
plain-vanilla card you can get.

If you want the wi-fi on the desktop so you can stream movies to your
TV, I think it would be better to ask about the setup as a whole.

Good luck,
Wolf K.

Thank you!

-T

The wnic is to connect to an iPhone hot spot. There is no other
networking involved.

 

[Todd]

Hmm - I've just ordered a TP-Link TL-WN781ND last night. It was a toss-
up between that and the HP FH971AA. It's to be installed in a new Dell
Inspiron 620 MT, running Windows 7 64-bit. I should have it tomorrow, so
I can post back the outcome.

Thank you!

 

[Todd]

Actually, No.
The definition of "trouble free" covers too much ground.
Plus, every time I've had to get one, the off the shelf cards
changed models and or makes from the previous need.

These days, with desktops, I generally use an Ethernet connection to a
router. The router has a simultaneous dual band capability.
In a few cases, we've used a router as a bridge for a wireless connection.

It is to connect to an iPhone hot spot.

 

[Philip Herlihy]

Thank you!

Opened the case, slotted it in. Booted the PC, and ran Device Manager.
There it was, no problems shown. Then I noticed that the wireless
networking icon was now showing and indicating available networks.
Picked mine, entered the key: connected (in an area of the building in
which there isn't normally a good signal). I'd put the driver/utility
disk in the drive, but I didn't run setup and I don't think the PC
accessed the drive (I'd have heard it spin).

How easy was that?