Pros: This small, lightweight adapter can turn one of your USB ports into an ultrafast Ethernet port.īuy Cable Matters USB to Ethernet Adapter $12.74Ģ. The only downside is that this USB network adapter doesn’t have any extra ports, so if you’re looking for a multi-use accessory, this isn’t a great pick. A small LED on the top of the adapter lights up when it’s plugged in, and two LEDs on top of the Ethernet port signal when a network is detected and data is being transferred. The pocket-sized adapter weighs one ounce, and has a three-inch USB cable that terminates into a gigabit Ethernet port. If you need a solid, single-use USB network adapter, Cable Matters has you covered.
BEST USB WIRELESS ADAPTER FOR PC DOWNLOAD
Both of those speeds are fast enough to stream 4K video, download modern video games, video chat with your friends, and surf the web without worry. Our wireless pick has a maximum speed of up to 433Mbps (megabits per second). Our wired picks all have Gigabit Ethernet ports on them, which have a maximum speed of 5Gbps (gigabits per second). Speed: The biggest reason you’ll will want a USB network adapter is to increase your computer’s internet speed. If you’re connecting it to a MacBook released after 2016, you may need a USB-A to USB-C adapter to plug it in. If you’re only using it in one place, you can use a larger hub, which will have more ports.Ĭompatibility: All of the USB network adapters in our guide work with both PCs and Macs. Size: You may need to take your USB network adapter with you all the time, so we made sure most of the ones in this guide are pocket-friendly. Hubs bring back additional functionality lost as computers got thinner and lighter, and allow you to connect more external accessories - think flash drives and SD cards - to your computer at once. Those adapters are good for desktop PCs, which may not have a WiFi card built in, or a laptop with a flaky wireless connection.Įxtra ports: USB network adapters are sometimes bundled into an accessory called a “hub,” which features many different types of ports. Another type of USB network adapter is a WiFi antenna, which connects to your computer’s USB port and allows it to connect to a wireless network. These adapters generally have a USB plug on one end, and an Ethernet port on the other, so you regain the ability to connect your laptop to a wired network. Computer companies aren’t going to start adding ports back to their machines, so the best solution is to get a USB network adapter. Yes, laptops have WiFi, but you’ll get a faster and more reliable connection by using a cable.
This is much more apparent when looking at Apple’s MacBook line, which only has Thunderbolt 3 ports on them, but the trend has hit Windows-based PCs, too.Įthernet ports, which allow you to connect your laptop directly to a WiFi router or cable modem was one of the first to go. One of the many features laptops lost as they became thinner and lighter was ports. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
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