It’s compatible with both Windows and Mac OS, it’s incredibly small and affordable, and for most computers, all you need to do is plug-and-play. If you’re looking for a portable WiFi adapter that you’ll barely notice, the TP-Link N150 is a good option. This minuscule WiFi adapter is so small you’ll barely notice it.

The performance of these won’t be quite as good in terms of speed and range, but for some uses, like in laptops, that’s okay space is more important. These are sometimes called “micro” or “nano” adapters, and they’ll be anywhere from the size of a USB thumb drive to barely bigger than the metal part of the USB plug itself. But if space is at a premium, especially if you’re going to be using the adapter with a laptop, you’ll want something as small as possible. If you’re shopping for a WiFi adapter for a desktop, and you have plenty of space on a desk for an alien-looking gadget, then sure, go nuts with the biggest WiFi adapters out there. But that doesn’t mean you should necessarily be looking for the biggest adapter on the market. You can think of these like old-school cell phones: the larger the antenna, the more capable the WiFi adapter will be at connecting farther away from the hotspot. So what should you look for in the best WiFi adapter? WiFi adapter sizeīigger is sometimes better, at least when it comes to network adapters like WiFi adapters. WiFi adapters come in many shapes, sizes, and price points.

Best budget WiFi adapter: EDUP WiFi Adapterįeatures to consider when shopping for the best WiFi adapter.

Best WiFi adapter for gaming: WAVLINK WiFi Adapter.

Best long-range WiFi adapter: TP-Link Archer T4U Plus.

Best budget high-AC WiFi adapter: TP-Link Archer T3U.

Best AC-rated WiFi adapter: ASUS USB-AC68.

Best high-end dual-band WiFi adapter: Netgear AC1900.

Best budget dual-band WiFi adapter: TP-Link AC600.

But what do you really need, and which is the best WiFi adapter on the market?

Perhaps your computer does have WiFi, but it’s on the fritz, and that’s an expensive repair. You could install one, but there’s really no need: a USB WiFi adapter will be similarly priced, with similar effectiveness, and far easier to set up. Many desktop computers, especially older ones, don’t have internal WiFi cards. There are many reasons why you might want one. WiFi adapters, at their core, add WiFi to all kinds of different devices through a simple USB port.

What wifi adapter do i need