Best Wifi AC adapter 2015?

smiths22 · 26 Jun 2015

Hi guys, me again.

I'm planning to move to Windows 10 but yesterday i found my linksys wusb600n adapter (which is pretty good regarding stability) doesn't have support regarding new drivers since windows 8...i'm on windows 7 currently.

Pretty much i'm gonna need to buy a brand new one, i need an AC one but so far, despite i've been doing some research, all the adapters have issues.

I bought the linksys AC 1200 adapter last year, a completely fail, speed drops and disconections.

i think these 2 are the "best" on the market currently:

1) Asus USB-AC56
2) Netgear’s A6200

Any suggestions? complaints? thanks in advance.

Death to BSOD · 26 Jun 2015

I was just planning to post a similar thread. I am also looking to buy the best USB wireless adapter compatible with Window 7 regardless of its price.

Based on my humble research of your suggested adapters, it seems both are considered great, but not compatible with Windows 10.

Thank you for this thread. And I apologize for derailing it.

smiths22 · 26 Jun 2015

Hi np, well so far there's no official windows 10 adapters yet. But those 2 are gonna be compatible because they are pretty much recent ( i assume).

Ztruker · 26 Jun 2015

Since you have a Desktop system, why not go with an internal PCI/PCI-E network card?

Also, I'd hold off on buying a new one until Windows 10 is released. I suspect it will work just fine. If not install teh Windows 7 driver and that should be okay.

smiths22 · 26 Jun 2015

Hi, well personally i prefer to have the adapter where i can see it, so i alway go USB.

You are right, i better wait, i just panicked because i've read my dual band adapter doesn't work on Windows 8.1 at leat the 5Ghz band is NOT supported.

Do you think Windows 10 will fix that? i don't have too much hope but maybe..

Regarding installing the old windows 7 driver on windows 10 i'm not that sure, i've read that at least windows 8.1 rewrites the 7 driver withe the 8 driver so the 5 ghz never works.

DMHolt57 · 26 Jun 2015

I have used 5Ghz band through 8, 8.1 and all of 10 builds...

Using Netgear AC Router R6300 and A6210 adapter on an HP dv7. Showing 585 Mbps to the router.

Lady Fitzgerald · 27 Jun 2015

I also have the Netgear AC6210 Wi-Fi adapter. I got it earlier this year and it's been working great. My only complaints are the setup software is a resource hog and the thing is physically huge. Once I had the adapter set up (an easy process thanks to the software), I didn't need the software anymore so I just don't run it. The body of the adapter is so big, I had to get a USB 3.0 port extender from China (no one in the U.S. carried one) through fleabay so I could get it to fit in one of my rear USB 3.0 ports without blocking adjacent ports I couldn't spare. The adapter does have a USB extension cable included that will allow putting the adapter on top of the computer out of the way. I didn't have room on top because of the exhaust fan and I didn't want to just let the adapter dangle from the cable so I got the extension.

Keep in mind that, to get full AC speeds, you will need a USB 3.0 Wi-Fi adapter.

smiths22 · 27 Jun 2015

DMHolt57 said:

I have used 5Ghz band through 8, 8.1 and all of 10 builds...

Using Netgear AC Router R6300 and A6210 adapter on an HP dv7. Showing 585 Mbps to the router.

Those are good news, i've been thinking perhaps those users reporting they couldn't use the 5Ghz is because they didn't know how to use it or configure? maybe...

I have to see it by myself next month.

Lady Fitzgerald · 27 Jun 2015

To be able to use the 5GHz band requires that both the router and the Wi-Fi adapter be capable of it. Also, even though the 5GHz band is significantly faster than the 2.4 GHz band, it's range is not as good. Many people complain about that, thinking their hardware is the cause but that just happens to be the nature of the beast.