Windows 7: Best Wireless USB Adapter for Win 7?

Hello,

I just upgraded to a new computer with Win 7 installed. The old USB Network Adapter did not work so we bought a Belkin N Wireless "high performance" USB Network adapter (F5D8053 N Wireless USB Adapter). The specs on the box did NOT say it worked with Windows 7, but the clerk said drivers would be available.



So far, the adapter does not work, the install of drivers does not help, and I don't find anything anywhere that says this adapter will work with Windows 7. So, it's going back in the box and I'm going to exchange it. But, to avoid any more wasted time, I would like any recommendations on what adapters do work and which are best.

I appreciate any help on this . . . too much time has been wasted fiddling with this hopeless project! Thanks,
Pamelaj

Just a little bump and a really, really sincere appeal for advice. Just looking for testimonies of exactly WHAT network adapters have worked with Win 7 with little difficulty. One recommendation from the Microsoft site is the HAWKING HWUN3 IEEE 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Hi-Gain Wireless Adapter.

Does anyone here have any experience with this? Really, getting decent performance from a new system with a new OS should not be this difficult.

Help please!

hi and welcome

are the drivers you have tried from an older oS, is vista?
If so you might want to etry them again. You may hust need to install them in compatibility mode. to do so right click on the installer>properties>compatibility>your OS

Good luck
KDJJ

Have a look at this lists different stuff thats compatible
Windows 7 Compatibility Center home
or check out manufacturers sites and see what drivers they got in advance
or check the comments on newegg/ebuyer etc to see what people think that have already bought a product there normally pretty useful

Hello Pauly and Zigzag,

Thank you both for your responses. I have been languishing sadly all day without wifi on my new big system.

To Zigzag, yes, I did try compatibility installation. I selected the newest "compatibility" there was, but got no response . . . nothing moved, nothing installed, nothing worked. Tried this several times. If I could have found any evidence anywhere that this adapter DID work with Win 7, I would have kept working . . . but I wasn't seeing anything. The upshot is, the adapter is now back at Best Buy in the RETURN pile.

I appreciate the link Pauly posted for compatible hardware, and will look that over next. In the meantime . . . if anyone has experience with that Hawking adapter, please let me know!

With gratitude . . .
'Pamelaj

Hi pamelaj,

I've narrowed your search a bit, in case you haven't gotten to it yet:

Compatible with Windows 7 with logo (Microsoft has officially certified these devices)

If it turns out the clerk who helped you didn't know what he was talking about, these devices are your best bet.

Cheers,

Walker
Windows Outreach Team

OK, thanks for the input and the links. However, these seem to be for 32 bit and I'm 64 bit . . . will look around here but if you have items to suggest let me know. Is it a good idea to get a network adapter which is the same brand as your wireless router? Just a thought.

That's just the default when viewing devices in a list like that - if you click on a device you'll go to its individual page, which has both 32-bit and 64-bit compatibility information listed on separate tabs.

Ultimately though, if a device has the 'Compatible with Windows 7' logo, it is certified 100% compatible with both versions.

Cheers,

Walker
Windows Outreach Team

EDIT: Also, no it is not important to match network adapter and router brands.

what router do you have as you may be just as well off getting a 802.11b/g adapter instead of an 802.11/n ?

Hi there Smackheadz,

I have a d-link DIR 655. My Vista laptop connects to it without a problem. My iPod touch 8 gig also connected right out of the box, but then suddenly stopped and works elsewhere but not here.

I'm getting very frustrated with wireless problems. I have a 30 foot LAN line running down my hallway to keep the desktop online!

Pamela