Wireless Card for PC

B

bigredLED15

New Member
ok so here's a pretty easy question for you. my neighbor has wireless internet and he says that he'll share it with me if i split the bill. so now i have to go buy a wireless card for my desktop. i dont know much of anything about wireless cards except that they usually come stock with the newer laptops. now since this is for my pc, do i need to buy a certain kind? can anybody recommend a certain brand? it looks like they run about $50, which sounds reasonable, i just want to make sure i'm spending that cash on a quality product. thanks!
 
IMO Linksys is brand to buy but you also have to think about how far the router will be from your system. you may have to get a range extender.
most run you $75.00 - $100.00 US

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124037

the range will very depending on the computer placement and the router placement and also whats in between the two, such as walls, brick, metel and electrical wiring and also by atmospheric interference.

one other thing this is againt the terms of use agreement that your friend has with his ISP
 
Jabes said:
if you don't want to install a pci wireless card (what intelcrazy showed you) or don't feel comfortable installing it then you could get a usb wireless device (all you have to do is plug it in to a usb port on your pc and install the software and you have wireless)

intelcrazy I like your new avatar pretty sick
Click to expand...

haha....yeah, my hate has grown for Dell, ATI, and AVG lately. I hate those companies.

Anyway, PCI would be better b/c of the antenna. As DeepBlue said, he will probably need a booster.
 
INTELCRAZY said:
haha....yeah, my hate has grown for Dell, ATI, and AVG lately. I hate those companies.

Anyway, PCI would be better b/c of the antenna. As DeepBlue said, he will probably need a booster.
Click to expand...

I see your point with dell but whats wrong with ati and avg?

yea well I was just giving the guy his options if he had never installed a pci card and just wanted something a little more simple but I see you point with the pci wireless card
 
Last edited:
Shouldn't be too hard to install a PCI card, just line up and push. I don't really think there is a real difference between an USB or a PCI one, with an USB you can move it around to get better reception with the help of an USB extension cable, that's what I do with my wireless network.
 
Jabes said:
I see your point with dell but whats wrong with ati and avg?

yea well I was just giving the guy his options if he had never installed a pci card and just wanted something a little more simple but I see you point with the pci wireless card
Click to expand...

I, as well, see your good point with the USB type.

ATI's cards have just not worked for me, this was my second ATI, the first one went dead in 6 months. I had a 9800 that I had not OC'ed, that thing was good, while it lasted. I currently have an X1300PRO, it is total crap, ATI's metal 'heatsink cover', was shorting the card. My computer wouldn't show anything on the screen upon boot-up. This won't be for much longer, my 8800GTX is coming to the rescue. As for AVG, my Dad hasn't been able to quit griping about his computer being slow, I finally went to look at it. I find that AVG is constantly scanning and it won't quit, so that was quickly uninstalled, with Avast! to take it's place.
 
As far as brands go, I would go with Netgear or D-Link over the Linksys. As for the PCI/USB issue, definitely go with the PCI card it's going to be much more reliable. Furthermore, where is the router going to be placed? (aka how far from you) You may want to consider investing in a Super G or N setup since you will have 2 exterior walls and some distance between you and the router, and may need the stronger signal to get a decent connection.
 
thanks for your help everybody! the distance between us really isnt going to be that big of an issue because we live together in a 2 family house. i live on the 2nd floor, he lives on the first. and believe me, there isn't a whole lot between us. ha!
 
bigredLED15 said:
thanks for your help everybody! the distance between us really isnt going to be that big of an issue because we live together in a 2 family house. i live on the 2nd floor, he lives on the first. and believe me, there isn't a whole lot between us. ha!
Click to expand...

In that case a normal PCI adapter would do fine.

As for USB adapters, they are more convenient but they are also very unreliable. Plus, they get pretty hot in the summer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top