Rating of the best WIFI adapters in 2022 for home and office (TOP 5)

Table of participants in the rating of WIFI adapters in 2022

TP-LINK Archer T4U Plus

Unlocks the TP-LINK Archer T4U Plus rating. The design is unusual, it looks more like a router than a signal amplifier. Connects via USB cable. The case is small, but with two antennas, each about 7–8 centimeters long, which makes the device not so compact, unlike its younger model — TP-LINK Archer T4U. A diode is placed in the center of the case, which lights up when the device is connected. Positioned as a first-class model for use in data transmission systems or in offices to speed up data transfer.

Operates in two frequencies — 5 and 2.4 GHz. In the first case, we get an incredible connection speed — 867 megabytes per second, in the second — 400 megabytes. The manufacturer himself tells us this: «Use 2.4 GHz for web browsing, mail and social networks, and 5 GHz for online games, HD streams and downloading large files.» The antennas seem to complement each other. In addition to the fact that their gain exceeds the average router, the connection speed is also incredible. He can also change position: leans forward, backward, and also to the side.

They thought of everything to the smallest detail, even equipped with USB 3.0 for higher data transfer speed. The device supports MU-MIMO technology, thanks to it it is possible to transfer data to several devices at the same time, without it, work is possible only with one specific device. The price of an adapter in large online stores is just over 20$. If we talk about the minuses, then this is a glossy surface, which dust loves so much, and the dimensions we have already mentioned.

The main advantage of this adapter over its competitors are antennas, yet it is thanks to them that it works almost without failures and shows a good Internet connection speed.

Mercusys MU6H

The fourth place is occupied by Mercusys MU6H. This Wi-Fi adapter will be incredibly useful for those who have an old laptop that does not support new Wi-Fi network frequencies. Or your system card in your PC has broken, but you don’t want to spend money on a new one, and the device in question has a much higher signal reception level. The adapter is a glossy plastic antenna with a leg and a USB connector. The leg can be deployed in different directions, so it definitely will not interfere.

Supports two signal types — 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz. What is their difference? 5 GHz will work faster and with fewer connection interruptions, and most routers now support this signal. With the speed of the Internet, everything is fine here — when using 5 GHz, the Internet connection can reach 200 megabits per second, and at 2.4 GHz — 433 megabits per second, very worthy indicators if compared with the same LUMAX DV0002HD. These figures are enough to watch a movie or series in 4K quality or to download gigabytes of data.

At what distance the device operates, the manufacturer does not disclose, but, as users say, there are no problems even in an office environment through walls. When you first connect, you need to configure the device, but everything is very simple. It comes pre-installed with drivers that you will need to download to your PC, and when the installation is complete, you can connect to a wireless network. Just do not forget to remove all the drivers of the previous wi-fi adapters before this, otherwise there will be incidents in the work. In large stores, the price of the device does not exceed , in the same Citylink it costs .

This is the device that will improve the quality of the wireless connection several times. He does not take up extra space. The only negative is that it does not work on all operating systems, so you should not buy it for an old version of Windows or Linux.

Tenda U9

In third place is Tenda U9. It is a kind of flash drive, only with a large number of functions. The adapter is made of matte black plastic and belongs to the AC750 class. It will be useful as an Internet signal amplifier, of course, it can be used in any other directions, but it will not become a special assistant. On the plastic case there is a company logo and an indicator: when everything is set up and connected, it lights up in blue, if the signal is interrupted, low Internet speed or some other problems, it will let you know about it. The manufacturer positions it as a device for desktop PCs, laptops or small-sized HTPC systems.

Operates simultaneously in two bands — 2.4 and 5 GHz. At the first, the bandwidth up to two hundred megabytes will be accurate, but it depends on your Internet package and the provider as a whole. At five gigahertz up to 633 megabytes per second, it will provide you with, and this is enough with the head even for demanding tasks. Users are satisfied with the speed of the Internet: “Just like in the Pentagon,” they write in one of the comments. It works at short distances, but there should be no problems in an apartment or small office, the manufacturer indicated the range of the router up to 10 meters. Supports all current Wi-Fi standards: Wi-Fi 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

The setup here is automatic, which the manufacturer boasts of, but they forgot to mention that the built-in drivers do not work on all versions of Windows and do not work on Linux. In the first case, after a good search in the vastness of various forums, you can find old versions of drivers, but let’s say right away, be extremely careful when downloading something from the Internet, and even better, buy compatible Wi-Fi adapters with your operating system. In the case of Linux, everything is sad, this model definitely does not fit here. Even in such a miniature device, another nice feature called Mu-Mimo was installed, it will give you the ability to exchange data with several devices that are part of the same home network at once. Most users did not find obvious shortcomings. In the DNS, the price of the device is 10$.

One of the best Wi-FI adapters in terms of price-quality ratio, allowing you to watch videos, surf the Internet, and also play a couple of matches in online games.

LUMAX DV0002HD

Second place goes to LUMAX DV0002HD. The guys at Lumax have this to say about this Wi-Fi adapter: “Ultra-small ultra-modern external device. DV0002HD combines 2 functions: receiving data and transmitting information. A compact and modern device is a kind of drive. The model is one of the most affordable on the market: its average price is , and now there are discounts at all, so you can buy almost 2 times less than the market price.

Its weight does not exceed 4 grams, while the signal catches at a distance of up to 180 meters. A device with many features. For example, it will be very useful the ability to view photos and videos that are stored on your home computer or other devices, but they must definitely be included in your home network. But the company itself has focused on using it with set-top boxes: you can watch movies and TV shows on Megogo platforms without ads and unnecessary settings. Various services are available: YouTube, Gmail and the LUMAX branded cinema.

Connection speed — 150 megabits per second, so if the speed of your provider allows, then you can watch movies in 4K quality without any problems. A USB 2.0 port is used to connect to the device. The antenna is built-in. Another plus was support for all operating systems — from Windows XP to Linux. It uses Wi-Fi of the fourth, third and first generation, thanks to which the model will be compatible with all devices in your home. The frequency range here is 2.4 hertz. Users did not like the difficulties with installing drivers, and without them the adapter cannot work. There are no features other than the already mentioned compactness.

An inexpensive device for home or office use, it works almost flawlessly, but you should not place high hopes on it.

ASUS PCE-AC58BT

The leader of my TOP ASUS PCE-AC58BT. The model is a system board with a stand on which two antennas are located. The manufacturer describes this device as follows: “Affordable controller that supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, which is capable of providing high-speed Internet”.

Operates simultaneously on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, if you use the first, then the maximum connection speed will be equal to 300 megabytes per second, in the second case — as much as 1733 megabytes per second or 1.7 gigabytes, this is what my brain did not immediately perceive. As tests show, it gives out 1.5 gigabytes per second confidently, but this item depends on the quality of your provider. The adapter is installed in any motherboard, and in terms of dimensions it is small, so it will be possible to put even in the smallest case. The Bluetooth connection here is the fifth version, so everything works quickly and flawlessly.

The adapter supports all types of wi-fi connections except AX. The kit comes with a disk with drivers that you need to install on your PC and run. Works on both 32-bit and 64-bit systems. They are updated here often, but there is a minus — all versions of Windows are not supported, but they are compatible with Linux. Users note the simplest setting compared to the same Tenda U9 and the fact that the device distributes a signal over fairly long distances. Antennas are connected via wire, which will not create discomfort, but in 2022 one could come up with a slightly different solution. Users did not like the lack of antenna mounts for the table and a cable 85 centimeters long. The average price of a model in Russia is about 40$, which is not very cheap.

Suitable if you want to save work space and get a fairly fast connection speed.