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[Olympia5776]

Had to retire my old Sony Vaio desktop , still worked perfectly but the fan whine became unbearable as the component temp ramped up during use.
Have bought a HP desk top but it doesn't have wi fi connectivity . I'm averse to fitting a wi fi board if possible .
I purchased a usb wi fi adaptor but it's slow and drops the signal too often to be acceptable . It was cheap.......
So , I need to purchase a good dependable wi fi adaptor .
We have fibreoptic internet with an average  90 mbps download speed  with a dual frequency Vodafone Gigabox router.
https://deviceguides.vodafone.ie/vodafone/gigabox-windows-10/specifications/
The router is mounted near central within the house . There are various reasons which prevent me from hard wiring the PC to it although I am running a temp.cat 5 cable just now , and tripping over it continually ....
Distance from router to my desk is 10 m with two normally open doors in the line of sight .
The internet reception is great on our TV's, I pads , phones ,laptops and IP cameras ( externally mounted )  with all round great signal strength and comms over the fairly large area of the house ,so  no issues at all there .
I'm certain that the problem is the cheap tat of a adaptor that I have but after spending too much time trying to select a decent one with good reviews I thought I'd ask the Guru's on here  for any preferred or suggested ones.
Thanks in advance .
Don

[Entwood]

Decent quality mains network adaptors will give far better results than cheap USB wifi adapters... they are sometimes referred to as "powerline network adaptors" .. cheap and nasty are just that .. but decent ones are quite useable

Some reviews here..

https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/test-centre/network-wifi/best-powerline-adapters-3490638/

[Olympia5776]

Decent quality mains network adaptors will give far better results than cheap USB wifi adapters... they are sometimes referred to as "powerline network adaptors" .. cheap and nasty are just that .. but decent ones are quite useable

Some reviews here..

https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/test-centre/network-wifi/best-powerline-adapters-3490638/

/\ /\ /\
That there looks very interesting , I'll look into that .
Can I ask , do you use them ?
Thanks

[Entwood]

Decent quality mains network adaptors will give far better results than cheap USB wifi adapters... they are sometimes referred to as "powerline network adaptors" .. cheap and nasty are just that .. but decent ones are quite useable

Some reviews here..

https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/test-centre/network-wifi/best-powerline-adapters-3490638/

/\ /\ /\
That there looks very interesting , I'll look into that .
Can I ask , do you use them ?
Thanks

yes ....  router/telephone master socket position is such that I can't (won't) replaster the whole house to get cat 5E everywhere...  so I use decent powerline adaptors where needed ... especially to the TV for things like netflix .. never had a problem with the data rate even when watching HD films..   the PC mostly still runs off wifi as it is fast enough .. but if SWTSMBO wants to use her tablet to do something and uses all the wifi bandwidth then the PC gets switched to the powerline and normality is restored !!

[jimbobmccoy]

One of these -
 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01NBMJGA9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NCXTEbN809WMC
Will do you.

Also, noisy fan could possibly be sorted easily enough.

Having a useable mesh Wi-Fi I haven’t used power line adapters - do they provide a cat5 connection on each adapter or just extend Wi-Fi? If the latter an adapter will still be needed.

[Olympia5776]

One of these -
 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01NBMJGA9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NCXTEbN809WMC
Will do you.

Also, noisy fan could possibly be sorted easily enough.

Having a useable mesh Wi-Fi I haven’t used power line adapters - do they provide a cat5 connection on each adapter or just extend Wi-Fi? If the latter an adapter will still be needed.

I'm open to either options
I found Vodafone powerline adaptors so will call their tech help tomorrow to confirm that they are compatible with their Gigabox, two reviews I found said that they experienced issues.
I opened up the Vaio to see if there was perhaps a filter gauze pre fan but no there wasn't.
The fan is a tiny circa one inch diameter device ,bearings seem fine , it has always been noisy.

[TheBoy]

If its a desktop, then use a cable, and stop making feeble excuses that it will be hard to run.  A cat5e/cat6 is the best way of connecting any device, but is a tad inconvenient to move said device.

Wifi is shit.  You mileage will always vary, because it is impacted on so many things, including baby monitors, nearby radar, CCTV systems, remote door openers, other Wifi systems nearby, radio control, microwave ovens, the list is endless.

Wifi has 2 possible frequency ranges, 2.4GHz and 5GHz.  2.4GHz is used for just about everything thats wireless, and unfortunately, depsite 13 channels available, only at best, 3 are available, usually less with modern 40MHz channels.  Then idiots set theirs up on what they think are free channels, which overlap someone else, and everyone gets poor Wifi (Wifi works well if you are on same channel as somebody nearby, but not if you are on an adjacent channel).

5GHz has less contention, but more and more devices are now using it, and it has a shorter range due to poor penetration.


In the case of the USB junk you bought:
a) USB Wifi Adapters are universally junk. End of.
b) Wifi is shit. End of.
c) Virtually all are 2.4GHz only, so it forces you onto that frequency if your router is dual range, and thats not where you want to be.
d) Virtually all have crap antennas, far too small to pick up anything or xmit anything - antennas in you old laptop normally consist of 1 (on shitty laptops) or 2 or more (better ones) that are installed in the edges of the screen casing.


But the end result is that wifi remains shit with little hope of improvement on the horizon, and small USB devices dont make good transceivers.

A CAT5E/6 wins every time without fail.

Powerline adapters can be variable depending on distance and the age and quality of the house wiring.  Generally, they either work well-ish, are very intermittent, or simply dont sync.  Most of the chinese tat that the likes of Sky and ISPs used to dish out tend to need regular resets, as one locks up for no apparent reason.  If you must use them, go for branded, such as TP-Link, as they will tend to be much more reliable.  But not as reliable or as fast as a CAT5 cable


Oh, just to clarify, WiFi is shit.  Just in case it wasn't clear.

[Olympia5776]

Well , been some months since I was on here and read your erudite and often challenging input , nice to see your still as gracious as ever TB , I actually  think I missed you ..... 

Now ,with all respect ,without knowing the layout of my house it's a bit cheeky of you to think that my aversion to running a cat 5 cable is of a feeble origin , but I know you're just foolin' .
Your opinion and abhorrence of Wi Fi , I have to admit , has me bewildered .
I sold our baby monitor at a car boot sale in Letchworth in 1994 .. Radar ? nope don't think Ireland bought one  , CCTV is on the far end of the east wing , we don't often go there but it works admirably  , Remote door openers ? we still have handles ...  other WiFi systems ..Nah our neighbours are 1960's hippies  and are still using a Tandy 1400 on dial up via the Irish pstn network , radio control , Mmmm you've never been to Ireland have you ? Micro wave ovens, Uh Uh , forbidden by the Catholic Church ..
As I said , we have an abundance of Wi Fi devices all merrily chattering away keeping this a much happy household , with no fits of pique from it or us . Stream ,game, record ,browse or simply talky talky on the phonee all seem to work with monotonous regularity in this house, maybe we have a better  ah , maybe we're just lucky who knows ?
I did some digging on the cheap tat of a wi fi adaptor I regretfully purchased and discovered it's designed around XP , still revered over here apparently .
Ho Hum , my fault for taking a salesman's word and not worth sending back .
I spoke at length with a Computer Engineer that I use for any problems I experience on various properties that I manage . He sanctioned the concept of using a powerlink system suggesting the use of either Devolo or TP link ( spooky eh ? ) but then went on to say that , and he has been in my house , a good Wi Fi adaptor should be able to join in the Wi Fi chitter chatter .
Now please don't take me for a Luddite , a cat 5 link would be superb indeed I'm using one as I write this , but achieving it would be akin to reversing the removal of a varicose vein and besides  surface routed cables secured by cable saddles are sooo 1980's ....
So to paraphrase yourself ,WiFi or powerlink it has to be , in case I wasn't clear ......sweetie .

[Doctor Gollum]

Chris, it's a good job you're moving to France with all that backwardness to deal with 

[STEMO]

TP link worked fine for me for a year or so when we first moved in.

[TheBoy]

Indeed, for clarity, it was mostly tongue in cheek - but the bit around the frequency ranges was meant to give some facts.

If you are in the arse end of nowhere, then 2.4Ghz wifi can be really useful (it will still drop under high cpu load, and suspectical to other drops, but mostly useable).  If you are in a street in range of other households wifi, it can be more problematic, no matter how good your wifi device is. Same applies to other devices mentioned.  The band is too congested, and wifi users simply too stupid to allow it to be reliable.  An adjacent channel ("Overlapping") will absolutely, guaranteed cause issues.  If you can't find a free range of channels (unlikely, unless you live in the middle of nowhere), then being on top of another channel ("Cooperative") is better.  Think of it like being down the pub, and each group of punters is a channel. People in your group - on your same channel - communicate easily, as long as other groups nearby - Overlapping channels - aren't too noisy, if they are, you can't hear properly and have to ask your mate to repeat - interference and retries.

5GHz is less congested, and generally a lot more reliable because of this, and also because the channels don't overlap.  But the higher frequency is not good at distance - walls degrade the signal, and the signal doesn't bend round corners at all (to over simplify). So not always immediately the best solution.




Back to USB adapters, they will always be "less than ideal" (or, as I would say, "shit" ), as both USB and Wifi devices are not complete hardware solutions, but do quite a lot of packet handling in the driver.


HTH .  But remember Wifi is the worst option for connecting a static machine.  Wifi only advantage is the ability for the device to be mobile.  Or, in my normal terminology, "shit"

[Olympia5776]

Indeed, for clarity, it was mostly tongue in cheek - but the bit around the frequency ranges was meant to give some facts.

If you are in the arse end of nowhere, then 2.4Ghz wifi can be really useful (it will still drop under high cpu load, and suspectical to other drops, but mostly useable).  If you are in a street in range of other households wifi, it can be more problematic, no matter how good your wifi device is. Same applies to other devices mentioned.  The band is too congested, and wifi users simply too stupid to allow it to be reliable.  An adjacent channel ("Overlapping") will absolutely, guaranteed cause issues.  If you can't find a free range of channels (unlikely, unless you live in the middle of nowhere), then being on top of another channel ("Cooperative") is better.  Think of it like being down the pub, and each group of punters is a channel. People in your group - on your same channel - communicate easily, as long as other groups nearby - Overlapping channels - aren't too noisy, if they are, you can't hear properly and have to ask your mate to repeat - interference and retries.

5GHz is less congested, and generally a lot more reliable because of this, and also because the channels don't overlap.  But the higher frequency is not good at distance - walls degrade the signal, and the signal doesn't bend round corners at all (to over simplify). So not always immediately the best solution.




Back to USB adapters, they will always be "less than ideal" (or, as I would say, "shit" ), as both USB and Wifi devices are not complete hardware solutions, but do quite a lot of packet handling in the driver.


HTH .  But remember Wifi is the worst option for connecting a static machine.  Wifi only advantage is the ability for the device to be mobile.  Or, in my normal terminology, "shit"

It was helpful TB , and I thank you and everyone else for your assistance in this conundrum .
Powerlink adaptors must be in the same circuit . As it would be the router position and my study ,although only 10M apart, are on seperate circuits . When I built the house I must have paid that bellend electrician who did the wiring by the hour .....
There are genuine reasons for not wishing to go to the considerable trouble , and cost , of running a cat 5 cable , believe me I'd much prefer to have that as a solution , and now with the seperate circuit issue have elected to try a current spec TP link Wi Fi adaptor ( I know , I know ...  )  from a reputable source who said that if it doesn't work I can return it .
The powerlink option is still on the cards , although it will be a little more untidy than I would prefer , if the TP Link Wi Fi is a failure .
I understand the limitations of Wi Fi but as it would happen that we do live in the middle of nowhere in the arse end of beyond so corruption ( Wi Fi that is ... ) and interference are not a problem and it being for my desk top is for general internet access rather than more demanding requirements .
I've looked at my PC and fitting a Wi Fi board is an option if that gives a stronger performance , I'll manage that .
It all may seem a storm in a teacup but it is taking up too much of my lockdown time .....
Thanks again for all your help and advice , I'll let you know how it goes .

[TheBoy]

Talking of my often frank and unambiguous ways of answering a question, I might have got in a bit of trouble when one of our lot who decides what vendors we can use asked how our Cisco gear was.

I'm guessing they were after the usual cock-sucking replies that blight the company, not "open and honest" feedback, in front of their seniors 


Ah well, opps 'em.  They needed words of 1 syllable, and hopefully they are under no illusion of the reliability and functionality of the gear, and that the massive discounts we get (and I'm not talking a mere 50 or 60%) still makes it more expensive than other tier 1 vendors.  Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that I hope the backhanders were good.

[STEMO]

Talking of my often frank and unambiguous ways of answering a question, I might have got in a bit of trouble when one of our lot who decides what vendors we can use asked how our Cisco gear was.

I'm guessing they were after the usual cock-sucking replies that blight the company, not "open and honest" feedback, in front of their seniors 


Ah well, opps 'em.  They needed words of 1 syllable, and hopefully they are under no illusion of the reliability and functionality of the gear, and that the massive discounts we get (and I'm not talking a mere 50 or 60%) still makes it more expensive than other tier 1 vendors.  Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that I hope the backhanders were good.

There's been plenty on the news about how to claim UC. Apparently it's a shoo-in nowadays.

[deviator]

I agree with TB, try and avoid wi-fi if you can.

If you can't and have a smart phone, download wi-fi analyser. This app will show you what access points it can find and also the channels in use. Take a walk around your house and look at the signal strengths and channels in use. Then try and find a channel with at least 2 empty channels on both sides. This will be neigh on impossible, so pick a channel around the weakest external access points. Set this as the default channel on your router* and it should give better wi-fi results.

*Changing the channel on the router is quite easy, but if you are unsure or don't feel confident, then please get help.
(I will add, some ISP's perform regular 'updates' on their routers which resets everything)