Available network connections
Available network connections
I'm setting up a new system needing WiFi, and I'm searching for suitable recommendations. I'm considering the MSI Z370M Gaming board but have questions about the included Wi-Fi card. The card from this board is available here: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/...-8265.html. My current card (40% signal strength nearby) is: https://www.tp-link.com/us/products/deta...l#overview. Which option performs better in speed and distance? The MSI model appears weaker but includes MIMO technology, which might help. Regarding alternatives, do you have a preference for a new board that doesn't use WiFi and won't interfere with your M.2 SSD or GPU? Your existing router is the Asus AC3100.
The MSI one is a laptop card, though all M.2 cards are designed for laptops but function in desktops too. It’s a bit less powerful. Desktop versions include heat sinks, allowing them to run faster and better manage heat from the AC chipset. According to the specs, the Intel card on 5GHz reaches up to 867Mbps while the TP Link card tops out at 1300 Mbps. In reality, either will work. Both have external antennas, so signal reception should be similar. The MSI one has antennas at the top, which won’t interfere with other devices. If you had a motherboard with built-in WiFi, you could still use your existing card and compare both. You might consider USB as an alternative, though I’m not confident in that method. Another choice is using power line adapters or MOCA adapters if Ethernet isn’t available. A wireless bridge is another solution—it extends WiFi to devices without it by connecting via Ethernet.