Which is the best wireless G network adapter?

All of the major brands use the same protocols, so it really makes little difference which brand you get. The best advise is to match the brand of the card with the brand of the router. Then you are 100% sure they are compatible.

Wireless cards today come in two speed. What are called 802.11G and 802.11N. (Or simply "G" and "N".) Check your router to see whether it says it is a "G" or an "N", and match the card to the router's type for best results. The "G" router is the most common today, runs at a speed of 56 mpbs, and has an average range of about 300 feet. There are also "Super-G" routers which use a larger antenna to send the signal further (up to 1200 feet). But if you are in an apartment, you probably do NOT want a router that broadcast the signal into dozens of other people's apartments.

The newest type of the market is "N". It has a range of about 1200 feet, and a speed up to 450mbps. However it only gets those from an "N" router. It will connect to a "G" router, but only at "G" speed and distance. The "N" is still new enough that most places do not offer it. However within the next two years it will probably be the "standard". So if you plan to keep the computer for over two years, you might consider getting an "N" card even if you have a "G" router. They also cost more than "G" cards.

Most N and G cards may also say that they are compatible with "B" cards, an older standard from several years back that is rarely seen any more. Only had a speed of 8 mbps.


Beyond that, there is not much else you would need to know. The main "rule" to remember is that matching brands and types (G or N) will give you the best chance that the router and card will work together without problems.