What WiFi 5Ghz USB adapter buy ?

[Crosslink]

I'm planning to buy a WiFi 5Ghz USB adapter, but I don't know which one is truly plug and play. :huh:

Edit: By truly plug-and-play, I mean using the adapter without a driver taken from a website (and manually download it) or from a CD.

The target system is Windows 7, whatever version it can be.

Do anyone know if such WiFi adapters exists ?

 

[strollin]

Pretty much any adapter you buy will work with Win 7. See these: Amazon.com: 5ghz usb wifi

 

[Crosslink]

I plan to buy from there but I can't know if those adapters are trully plug-and-play with Windows 7.

By trully plug-and-play I mean without installing any drivers from a CD or downloading them from a website.

The problem is, the page products says nothing about that.

 

[strollin]

Pretty much all of them will automatically install drivers for Win 7 from the internet. It's not clear to me if your issue is that you don't want them to need to download a driver at all or that you don't want to have to go to a website and manually download a driver.

 

[Crosslink]

I see. So I don't want them to download a driver from the internet with an OEM proprietary tool, but also not want to go to a website and manually download a driver.

In other words, the only case from the internet that can be ok is from Windows Update, but I prefer not.

For the example, the only truest plug-and-play WiFi adapter known to me is the Intel WifiLink 5100 (no OEM Tool/manual internet download, no CD and no Windows Update).
I'm searching the same thing but unfortunately, it's not a USB adapter.

 

[Crosslink]

@strollin: Is it more accurate ? ^^"

 

[Crosslink]

Bump

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Um...what is your aversion to installing a driver from a CD or downloading a driver?

 

[Crosslink]

The problem is I don't have admin rights on the laptops I'm using.

Since my company's starting to switch their "old" hotspots to 5Ghz WiFi, I sometimes really can't work at all.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

In that case, wouldn't it be the company's obligation and responsibility to update the laptops?

 

[Crosslink]

Yup,

I asked them but they told me they are waiting laptops that comes with DDR4 ("much longer support since it's the beginning of").

Since I'm aware that they have to make their own "production tests", I will surely have to wait at least a year from now...

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Dang! How hard would be for them to install a driver for you? And how much would the cost of providing adapters and installing the drivers cost compare to lost productivity? They are going to be waiting a while for DDR4 to come to laptops and most desktop machines. Right now, only the expensive X99 MOBOs use DDR4.

 

[Crosslink]

Not that hard as you said. But their logic is about not buying something that will only last a year and then go garbage.

Plus, the cheapest WiFi 5Ghz USB adapter is around 24$ . Since we are 2000 people in the same building at least, that would cost much more than the 6$ difference between DDR4 and DDR3 (4GB value, single stick).

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Not that hard as you said. But their logic is about not buying something that will only last a year and then go garbage.

Plus, the cheapest WiFi 5Ghz USB adapter is around 24$ . Since we are 2000 people in the same building at least, that would cost much more than the 6$ difference between DDR4 and DDR3 (4GB value, single stick).

You have to just love corporate logic (said Jeannie sarcastically). In the meantime, it's costing them more in reduced productivity.

 

[Crosslink]

You have to just love corporate logic (said Jeannie sarcastically). In the meantime, it's costing them more in reduced productivity.

"Deal with it they said..." is so much appropriate here...

By the way, no sign of such WiFi 5Ghz USB adapters ? Or do my starter post is not accurate enough ?

 

[Crosslink]

Bump ?

 

[strollin]

I don't think you're going to get an answer for this. Maybe try contacting MS and ask what wifi adapters have drivers built-in to Windows?

the only truest plug-and-play WiFi adapter known to me is the Intel WifiLink 5100 (no OEM Tool/manual internet download, no CD and no Windows Update).

If you know this one will work, why don't you buy it?

 

[Crosslink]

I can't since it's the Intel WifiLink 5100 is a mPCIE adapter, what I want is an USB one but Intel doesn't make such adapters. Plus I can't disassemble my company's laptop.

I don't think you're going to get an answer for this. Maybe try contacting MS and ask what wifi adapters have drivers built-in to Windows?

Sounds like a plan, do you know where I can directly contact the exact MS team for that ?