Ebay USB Wifi Adapter

chloJ
Member

237

02-24-2016, 03:01 AM

I'm looking at the Wi-Fi adapter carefully and wondering if it's something I should be cautious about before buying. Any tips or things to keep in mind? Thanks!

chloJ

02-24-2016, 03:01 AM #1

I'm looking at the Wi-Fi adapter carefully and wondering if it's something I should be cautious about before buying. Any tips or things to keep in mind? Thanks!

superschut
Member

02-25-2016, 07:42 PM

It relies on the Realtek RTL8188 chip, meaning the main point is the listing's name is misleading. It isn't USB 3.0, doesn't handle 802.11ac, and isn't dual-band.

superschut

02-25-2016, 07:42 PM #2

It relies on the Realtek RTL8188 chip, meaning the main point is the listing's name is misleading. It isn't USB 3.0, doesn't handle 802.11ac, and isn't dual-band.

Frostyduff
Member

237

02-25-2016, 09:08 PM

Thanks, I'm thinking about it again. I noticed it was USB 2.0, not 2.4.

Frostyduff

02-25-2016, 09:08 PM #3

Thanks, I'm thinking about it again. I noticed it was USB 2.0, not 2.4.

GFR59
Junior Member

03-13-2016, 12:00 AM

It seems like a budget Chinese copy of an actual product. If I wanted one, I’d go to a regular store instead. They usually have it in stock, offer warranties, and are branded properly.

GFR59

03-13-2016, 12:00 AM #4

It seems like a budget Chinese copy of an actual product. If I wanted one, I’d go to a regular store instead. They usually have it in stock, offer warranties, and are branded properly.

Dinox11
Junior Member

03-13-2016, 10:58 PM

I was checking to see if there were any ways to cut costs.

Dinox11

03-13-2016, 10:58 PM #5

I was checking to see if there were any ways to cut costs.

MMASTER7
Member

227

03-16-2016, 01:45 PM

The antenna likely isn't functioning like a basic Wi-Fi adapter, as removing it still allows it to work. It seems more of a demonstration than a practical device.

MMASTER7

03-16-2016, 01:45 PM #6

The antenna likely isn't functioning like a basic Wi-Fi adapter, as removing it still allows it to work. It seems more of a demonstration than a practical device.

tsnyder01
Member

171

03-18-2016, 06:35 AM

I've tried cheap eBay WiFi adapters before—they're not worth the money. I own two identical chipsets, one from TP-Link and one from a generic brand. The generic version underperforms because of weak antennas, bad amplifiers, or other design flaws. You can't depend on the chipset alone to judge quality. A trusted brand usually works better, and if it doesn't, you should return it.

tsnyder01

03-18-2016, 06:35 AM #7