The question allows you to establish working Internet access even when there are no wireless nodes in its range. If there are problems with the battery in your notebook (or if it has not been charged at all), you will still be able toon of whether a WiFi motherboard or a wireless LAN card will be more convenient to use, has long been one of the most controversial topics. Many experts argue that this is primarily an issue of convenience and individual taste: whatever is better for the user. In fact, both ways have their own advantages and disadvantages. Choose what you want depending on your specific needs and preferences.
Motherboard Wifi and Wifi Card
Motherboard Wifi
Most of your computer components like CPU, GPU, RAM, Storage, and other peripherals, are directly connected to the motherboard so that they can all work together for making a functional computer. And if you want one with WiFi connectivity, you should consider the following factors:
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Chipset:
The most important thing to check in a motherboard is its chipset since it tells you about the supported features. Considering both Intel and AMD options, there are a lot of chipset models out there like B450, B360, X570, Z490, and various others where a higher number is usually better.
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Socket:
You need to buy a motherboard that supports the CPU that you want to use. Apart from getting a supported chipset, you also need to have the right CPU socket on your motherboard. While most Intel options use the LGA 1151 socket, AMD CPUs need an AM4 socket to work.
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WiFi:
Not all WiFi connections are the same as there are various options out there. While WiFi 5 or 5 GHz should be enough for most users, modern motherboards also come with WiFi 6 support that offers much better speeds. Some motherboards have an inbuilt WiFI antenna while others have an external antenna that can be placed away from the PC for better signal reception.
Wifi Card
When buying your laptop, confirm that the manufacturer explicitly states the Wi-Fi radio has dual-band support in both 2.4 and 5 GHz radio frequencies or the specifications specifically include Wi-Fi ac/a/n or 802.11 ac/a/n. The presence of the letter “a” indicates the radio operates in the 5 GHz frequency; this is the performance differentiator. Anything else will not be able to take full advantage of Drexel’s network speed.
If you are not sure if the Windows laptop you are considering is single-band or dual-band, look under the laptop’s wireless device/Wi-Fi card specifications on the box, label, or product webpage.
Look for the product details of a laptop you are interested in. Usually, the wifi card information will be listed under the “Communications” section and the WLAN category
Wired Network
Wired network adapter (wired) connection is the same as the connection of any other computer peripheral device, such as a printer or a scanner. The card is interfaced with the slot using an appropriate cable. A wired network adapter (wired) works within a radius of about 20 meters from your router, depending on the data transfer rate and signal quality.
Wireless LAN
Wireless LAN (WLAN) utilizes short-range wireless communication technologies to connect devices that are physically close to each other without wiring. Here are three methods for connecting: wifi motherboard,USB dongle and PCI-E card. The wifi motherboard, wifi card and USB dongle can support two modes: Infrastructure mode and Ad Hoc Mode; which one do you need? Find out now!