----------------------------------- apomb Tue Jan 19, 2010 12:09 pm Desktop Wireless Card ----------------------------------- I recently moved, and there is no easily accessible ethernet jack near my desktop computer. I have been looking at wireless adapter cards but cant decide whether I should go with a low-end "802.11N" or high-end "G". I know the router is not N, but I dont know if its worth future-proofing my machine. Also, any suggestion on reliable brands to consider? Some of the cards I've seen on NCIX are $20... I dont know if i can trust those. Personally, I dont like D-link but thats because every D-link router I've owned sucked. I dont know about their cards, but they seem to be moderately priced. Anyway, thanks in advance for any replies. I know this is a bit of a null topic due to on-board wireless and laptop use nowadays, but I'd still appreciate some feedback. ----------------------------------- Euphoracle Tue Jan 19, 2010 1:55 pm RE:Desktop Wireless Card ----------------------------------- One of my home desktop computers has a lowbie DLink Wireless G card. If I were to buy another one at some point (unlikely, but still) I'd probably opt for a mid-range N card. 2 reasons: 1) I have a wireless N router (and if I didn't, I eventually would) and 2) Extremely expensive cards usually have gimmick features that are specific to windows and I cannot guarantee I'll be running windows. As for a recommendation, I can't say I've been following it but in general terms, go for a mid to high range card (don't get the cheapest option!) and wireless N has finally be standardized so go for that if you can. Wireless G sucks anyway, especially if your card has an abysmal throughput (my desktop's card has at maximum 1.8MB/s) ----------------------------------- md Tue Jan 19, 2010 2:37 pm RE:Desktop Wireless Card ----------------------------------- Don't. If you need speed at all (say, if you use yoru desktop as a file server, or to access a file server) then wireless simply won't be fast enough. If you really really can't run a wire, then get a good N card and an N router; getting a G card will just limit your future upgrade paths (mostly by costing you more money). Really though... 1gE should really be the base standard for LANs these days. Even at 1gE doing backups takes a non-trivial amount of time. 50MB/s is not nearly enough. ----------------------------------- rdrake Tue Jan 19, 2010 3:25 pm RE:Desktop Wireless Card ----------------------------------- What are your plans for the desktop? Streaming HD movies around the house? G won't cut it. Backing up? G won't cut it. Just transferring around some documents here and there, as well as web surfing? G is all you need. Give us an idea of what you will be using the desktop for and it'll be easier to make a recommendation. ----------------------------------- apomb Tue Jan 19, 2010 4:44 pm RE:Desktop Wireless Card ----------------------------------- All i'll be using the desktop for is regular file sharing/ internet surfing. I dont stream anything and I absolutely have no access to the router (I have a basement apartment). ----------------------------------- rdrake Tue Jan 19, 2010 5:09 pm RE:Desktop Wireless Card ----------------------------------- 802.11g it is! ----------------------------------- apomb Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:38 pm RE:Desktop Wireless Card ----------------------------------- Thanks rdrake! If I end up not liking it, i'm blaming you! haha ----------------------------------- ecookman Tue Jan 19, 2010 9:52 pm RE:Desktop Wireless Card ----------------------------------- I dunno i'd get the N, because of the better speeds. ----------------------------------- andrew. Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:00 pm RE:Desktop Wireless Card ----------------------------------- He doesn't really need the speed because he's not doing much LAN transfer and I highly doubt his internet speed is above 54 MBPS. So having a G router is fine. ----------------------------------- apomb Wed Jan 20, 2010 12:25 pm RE:Desktop Wireless Card ----------------------------------- And currently, the router is not N and like i said before, I have no access to the router... so it would only work at 54MBPS anyway. ----------------------------------- md Thu Jan 21, 2010 10:55 am RE:Desktop Wireless Card ----------------------------------- N is backwards compatible to G; might as well get an N card in case those with access to the router do upgrade it at some point. ----------------------------------- apomb Thu Jan 21, 2010 3:07 pm RE:Desktop Wireless Card ----------------------------------- This is a true statement. I went with a Linksys WMP110.