USB Wifi For Desktop Computer?

CountMike said:

Have a look at the back of the case, if it has WiFi, it will have an antenna connector. Because of metal case, external antenna is a must.

That is not always true. I have a mini desktop computer with internal WiFI and no external antenna and my Dell Inspiron 5676 desktop full size has internal WiFi with no external antenna.

To see whether your Dell xps 8100 has Wireless look inside or the Device Manager > Network adapters, that is all you have to do, a 20 sec job.

"Also do people use this for laptops and if so... is the reason because their router is not that strong signal? Or because their wifi card on their laptop is weak?"

Neither, there does not have to be a specific reason. Certainly not those.
My reasons are for the one I suggested are technical ones like Dual Band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz ac, more Channels, moveable aerial.
That basically brings the Laptop to more modern Wireless standards, similar to my Desktop which has a Wireless Card on the MOBO.

Is there a way to find this out when im not near the desktop at the moment?


Would it be safe to assume there is no wifi card on it since this desktop was bought brand new back in 2010?

One thing: Don't get a cheap USB/WiFi adapter. The net is rife with complaints that they don't work at all.

When my laptop wifi failed years ago I needed a USB/WiFi ... and I ended up with a $50 Cisco unit.
Just say no to cheap crap.

Hi there. Network adapter on the desktop shows


Broadcom Netlink TM Gigabit Ethernet



That is all that is showing. There is a computer on the bottom right with a red X on it saying



Not Connected- No Connections Are Available.



So that means i have to use the wifi usb right? At the moment, i cannot connect it wired via ethernet because the desktop is in the 1st floor and the 2nd floor is being rented.



So because of what is shown under network adapters, the xps 8100 desktop has no wifi correct?

Hey all. I got the tp link usb adapter and installed it but few questions I have.


I did the speed test online and got


between 20-27mbps download and 20 mbps upload on the windows 7 desktop.


I got


54 download and 36 upload on my dell xps 15 9550 laptop.



We have optimum 100 so we should have 100mbps.


So is this still fine? But this advertises 150 mbps?


Also my windows 7 desktop is very very slow. Does that have any impact on the slow speed of the internet? Should i keep it or return it and get a faster usb adapter? Thing is im using it only temporarily.

Alright thanks. But at the moment, the internet is pretty slow with it. So that means this is not good then? However, my desktop which uses windows 7 is extremely slow. However it was like this previously. i did a clean reinstall but everything that was in the hard drive is still there afterwards.


Thus it lags so much etc. Should i make sure i do clean reinstall of windows 7 and then try it out later on?