PCI or USB Adapter?

[Ty07allstar]

I'm moving my computer to my room and i already have a wireless-g router and would like to know if should get a PCI or USB adapter to connect to the wirless internet. I'm gonna be about 40-50 feet away from the router and go through about 4-5 walls. I'm not sure whether to get a PCI or USB adapter. At the bestbuy store the person working there said that he thought that USB and PCI were the same and it just depended on what you wanted to get. Is this true or is one better then the other? Both USB and PCI are the same price but i dont know which to get. I would appreciate your answer.

 

[Rastalovich]

Erwwwooo, be sure it`s a G type to get 54meg as opposed to a B that`ll give u 11. But to be honest I`ve got some PCI versions that run extremely well, seen some USB that run extremely well, and the laptop on that probably runs off it`s pci bus works extremely well too.

Whether there`s any technical preference, bus wise I`d expect there may be, but for rates less than 100m, I don`t think the tech needs to come into it. And it would appear that ~30 meters would be the limit of pretty much all of them (usually Excellent connection from 10-15 meters, Good from 15 to 20, and any1`s guess after), qualitywize I`ve seen Linksys working just as excellently as Budget ones.

It`s gonna be personal preference I think, either u want it installed inside the pc and forget about it`s connectivity as it`ll work like a pci nic -- OR u get a USB one to get the flexability of being able to unplug it easily and use on another pc.

Imo it`s just those 2 questions as to which to buy.

 

[Phnom_Penh]

Pci, no question tbh .

 

[FragTek]

Pci, no question tbh .

Agreed, through that many walls I don't think the USB adapter is going to give you enough power to get a clean connection. PCI with a decent antenna will definately be the way you want to go mate.

 

[Ty07allstar]

Ok I'm most likely going to get this one. http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=1&pid=471 What do you think?

 

[FragTek]

That one should do the trick for ya mate. Just stay away from no-name brands that you see on eBay etc. D-Link, Linksys, Netgear, USR, etc will all be a sure-shot for a good pci card.

 

[Ty07allstar]

Aight thanks Fragtek. Ill post some pics of my new setup in my room when im finished.

 

[Bal3Wolf]

when you get it you might wanna get a bigger ant for it to they will work wonders.

 

[Rastalovich]

Not wanting to have the guy spend more than he needs to, get a stock pci card and see how you get on with it first.

I wouldn`t poo-poo the usb ones, there are ones from manu-s like msi that have a better range than a pci with expansions, and it`d cost sub £25 retail. Their antennas are of a different construction, not too unlike a mobile phone.

You can buy a 125m pci card for £40+, with an extra antenna ~£8, but you mell well waste your money if the router doesn`t advance further than a 54m G unit.

 

[Phnom_Penh]

I wouldn`t poo-poo the usb ones, there are ones from manu-s like msi that have a better range than a pci with expansions, and it`d cost sub £25 retail. Their antennas are of a different construction, not too unlike a mobile phone.

You can buy a 125m pci card for £40+, with an extra antenna ~£8, but you mell well waste your money if the router doesn`t advance further than a 54m G unit.

There are?

You can pick up a 54G card for like £20 and maybe a decent antenna for £10 if it's needed.

 

[Ham]

You sure you don't want a wire? wireless give you terrible lag in CSS & wire is liek £4 from most places.

 

[Rastalovich]

You sure you don't want a wire? wireless give you terrible lag in CSS & wire is liek £4 from most places.

Indeed, and if u`r router isn`t frendly enough to counter it`s reconnection timing, it`ll drop you out of a game every time a set period of time comes around, not nice if you play WoW (or similar) for hours on end.

 

[MikeEnIke]

Indeed, and if u`r router isn`t frendly enough to counter it`s reconnection timing, it`ll drop you out of a game every time a set period of time comes around, not nice if you play WoW (or similar) for hours on end.

Well, I use a wireless router, i'm guessing 50 feet away through two walls. It works just fine, I don't drop out of games, and I only have to turn off and on my router maybe 2 times a week.

 

[Rastalovich]

Well, I use a wireless router, i'm guessing 50 feet away through two walls. It works just fine, I don't drop out of games, and I only have to turn off and on my router maybe 2 times a week.

Neither does mine, it`s nice and friendly

2 times is alot, mines been on for a few months, it`s only a WRT54G. Last r/c was due to a flood.

 

[MikeEnIke]

Normally I just unplug it for funsies though, but every so often I get a bad spell and have to do it liek 2 times in a day. Normally it's runs pretty fluid though.

 

[Rastalovich]

Friend of mine uses an isp in north Tx, cebridge *I think it is*, she has to r/c very often due to her isp dropping >.<

To be fair to the isp tho, the source is wireless in itself, and they stated beforehand that they`re using "emerging technology" (or similar).

*eek sorry for straying so far O/T*

 

[Ty07allstar]

Hey and thanks for your guys input. I got the wireless g D-link adapter and it works great. I played CSS and it didnt lag at all and ill post pics of my new setup soon.