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What Is a Wireless Network Adapter?

In order for a computer to connect to a WiFi network, it needs a wireless network card, sometimes known as a network adapter, connected to its motherboard. A wireless card picks up wireless signals from a router or access point via its antennas, allowing the user to create a wireless connection to the internet.

If you have never seen or heard of a wireless adapter, it is probably because most of todays motherboards come with onboard WiFi cards built in. Thus, you usually won’t need to buy a separate WiFi adapter when you purchase a new computer. However, if you are building a desktop PC, some motherboard models require you to install your own wireless network adapter instead.

You might also use an adapter if your PCs built in card doesn’t support the latest WiFi technology, such as dual band 2.4GHz / 5GHz or the WiFi 6 standard. If your PC currently doesn’t support Bluetooth connectivity, you might also be looking for a so called combo card that also adds Bluetooth functionality.

Which Wireless Network Adapter Should I Choose?

These are some of the most important factors to consider when you are evaluating the specs of a wireless network adapter:

USB vs. PCIe: USB WiFi adapters connect to your computers USB port, typically via a USB-A connector. They are convenient to install and easy to move from one computer to another. Take note of the supported USB protocols if you are looking for the high speeds of USB 3.0. PCIe adapters connect directly to your motherboard through its PCIe slots. They are slightly more complex to install, although still relatively simple, and they tend to provide faster performance than USB adapters.

Form Factor: Some USB wireless adapters use only a fingernail sized dongle. Others, including most PCIe based models, use multiple external antennas to provide improved signal strength.

Connectivity Standards: Some wireless adapters also include Bluetooth compatibility, allowing you to connect Bluetooth devices to your computer. If your router uses popular speed boosting standards like MUMIMO or dual band WiFi, make sure your wireless adapter is compatible with these standards so you can enjoy the full advantages of their improved speeds. Finally, with more people making the transition to the WiFi 6 standard, it can also be a smart idea to look for WiFi 6 compatibility - so long as your router also supports it.

Operating System: Some adapters only support Windows or macOS, or in some cases, certain Linux distros).

Find The Best Wireless Network Adapters at Micro Center

Shop Micro Centers selection of wireless network adapters here and find the perfect connectivity solution for your PC. We offer industry best pricing on top networking tech brands like TP Link, Netgear, ASUS, and more. Setting up WiFi for your home? See our full lineup of wireless networking devices, including routers, range extenders, and more.

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Showing 1–20 of 270 for “usb wireless adapter”
Community Article USB Wireless Adapter Frequently Asked Questions - Micro Center Here are some of the most commonly received USB wireless adapter questions we receive at Micro Center: Q: What is a USB wireless adapter used for? A: A USB wireless adapter is essentially a wireless network card that is used to access a network through a USB port on your computer. Wireless adapters allow your computer to… Community Article Knowledge Base - Micro Center Community Article Upgrading my PC — Micro Center I am currently looking for a wifi adaptor and new grapics card for my PC. I currently have a Asus Sabertooth Z87 LGA 1150 Motherboard. what are my options Community Article add a wireless network adaptor — Micro Center can I add a wireless network adaptor to an older Dell Inspiron 537 computer for faster internet speed? Community Article Selecting Wireless Cards — Micro Center I have an old HP desktop that I inherited from my old work (they were upgrading). Community Article Help — Micro Center I just put a new PC together this evening. I have a corsair CX650M PSU. Community Article No WiFi option — Micro Center I’m trying to connect through WiFi. My network adapters doesn’t show a WiFi option. I’ve tried multiple things. Community Article Looking for WinBook TW102 default drivers — Micro Center I just purchased a refurb WinBook TW102 on 7May2020.  It came with tablet and power adapter.  Looks like new, but had a password from previous owner that l… Community Article Best Laptops for Working or Learning from Home 2020 — Micro Center If you’re looking to work or learn from home, Micro Center is here to help!  In this guide, we'll break down some of the best laptops for working or learning from home as well as necessary peripherals to add to your station! Community Article Budget WiFi Adapter — Micro Center Any suggestions on a budget WiFi Adapter? I can't use ethernet so I have to resort to a WiFi Adapter. Community Article Working & Learning at Home — Micro Center Working or learning from home can present new challenges, but Micro Center has solutions:  Community Article Knowledge Base - Micro Center Community Article HDMI Cables, possible physical adapters — Micro Center Recently purchased a portable monitor with USB Type-C and Micro USB ports. Plan is to use as additional display on an HP 250G laptop. Community Article Bluetooth — Micro Center My bluetooth recently stopped working on my desktop. I have updated drivers and still no luck. Community Article Power spec G228 not detecting any Wifi Wireless, No wifi adapter? — Micro Center I just bought a power spec G228 today, but it does not detect my wifi, only ethernet is connect. Community Article Network Adapters and Driver or Hardware Problems — Micro Center Hello,  Recently built my own custom PC, got it to turn on, boot, and post successfully. I installed windows 10 onto it via windows install media on a USB 3. Community Article Bluetooth is not working - Powerspec G705 — Micro Center My bluetooth is not working all of a sudden. I have the ASRock 802.11ac Dual Band WiFi Adapter card. Community Article I need a wireless card for my PC? — Micro Center I have an ASROCK b450m mother board with no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, I also need to travel 20 feet through about 4 walls and Bluetooth would be an added bonus. Community Article Need help on the best pc build 500-560$ That can run games and can have Bluetooth WiFi — Micro Center I wanna run games well and that’s Bluetooth WiFi this is gonna be my first gaming pc and I want to play almost every game such as fortnite,cod,Garry mod,rust,horror games,roblox,last year,gta etc.. Community Article USB Female to Ethernet Adapter — Micro Center I am looking for a specific product but it seems that MicroCenter doesn't have it, and I am not sure it even exists. Can't find much on Google either.

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