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Wireless PC Adapters .. USB vs. PCI

N

need4spd

Golden Member
Will be purchasing a wireless cable router soon.... In addition to my host machine... I will be hooking up 1 additional PC and 1 laptop. My question is about the PCs and which adapter to go for.... USB or the PCI ?

Which one works better... or are they the same?

 
while deploying a small wireless network for my neighbor, I went with the USB variants reluctantly when I could not locate PCI cards at the local Fry's. However, I was quite surprised with the results. There was no real performance difference I could see between the standard adapters and the USB version. Also, the USB version is obviously more portable and easier to install and remove 🙂
 
The USB adapters also allow for better positioning of the antennas, since they are not stuck behind a box of metal, in the case of a desktop computer.
 
1. The USB versions are more expensive than the PCI versions.
2. The PCI versions often have bad antenna locations that may hinder connections to the basestation unless the PCI card has a detachable antenna like the sohoware netblaster 2. With the USB version, you can move the unit around on its cord for best reception.
3. The USB version can also be used with a laptop if the need arises. The PCI version stays in a desktop.

Which one should you buy? Dunno... 😉
 
My thought on the usb vs pci, which may not apply to you, is that the pci is more portable than the usb. PCI cards are supported better and more often than usb devices in various OSes. Of course, with Windows 9x/2k+ only machines, this may not be a problem.
 
My thought on the usb vs pci, which may not apply to you, is that the pci is more portable than the usb.

huh... I would think the USB is more portable...?
 


<< My thought on the usb vs pci, which may not apply to you, is that the pci is more portable than the usb.

huh... I would think the USB is more portable...? >>



Portable was probably the wrong word, if you read the rest of my post you would understand. (similar to portable code).
 
There is ?about? 1 or 2 real PCI Wireless Adapters and they are relatively expensive.

The vast majority of Wireless Clients are PCMCIA cards. In order to accommodate the Desktop need there is a PCI Wireless Adapter (goes for about $40). You install the adapter into desktop?s PCI slot, and you stick the PCMCIA into it.

Doing so gives the flexibility of taking the PCMCIA card and using it in a laptop or HHC.

If the need is for wireless range within a room or two, it is a good solution. Otherwise (as mention above) USB is a better solution since it has more flexible antenna (most Desktop PCMCIA will end up in undesirable Antenna position.)

PCMCIA Wireless are 11MHz cards they don?t have ?extra power?.
 
USB, PCI seems unnecessary...unless you don't want to use USB ports. if you get a PCI one, get one with an external antenna port so you can actually get some range from the back of your computer.
 
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