Get reliable performance with the right laptop networking devices. You will find a variety of devices offering solutions for eliminating dead zones, improving your network speed or expanding an existing network. Achieve your desired results with a combination of the right network adapters, switches, access points, routers, USB gadgets and other networking devices.
Mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and IP cameras often have crucial network-dependent functions. However, most of these wireless devices lack an Ethernet port, which makes them incompatible with traditional wired networks. In situations where users are unable to access a truly wireless network, a hybrid network system helps provide a near-seamless solution. Hybrid networks offer a combination of wired and wireless network features. You can keep your network backbone wired while providing flexible wireless access using a wireless network adapter or another hybrid solution.
If your laptop does not have an Ethernet port, you can still connect an Ethernet cable using a USB gigabit Ethernet port. Easy to install, it comes in handy when moving around. Similarly, you can use a wireless USB adapter if your laptop lacks Wi-Fi support. Most USB adapters provide reliable high-speed connections with a data rate of up to 54 Mbps. You can also install a card network adapter or any other laptop add-on card if your laptop offers a compatible card slot.
If you live in a multi-story or large home, chances are your Wi-Fi signal may be weaker in the rooms farthest from the router. Range extenders might fix this problem. These devices act as signal repeaters, providing the range you need for laptop networking. Range extenders might appear similar to wireless access points (WAP), but they offer different functions. WAPs are devices connected to the physical network, which help create a separate wireless local area network. Range extenders do not create a new local area network. Instead, they extend the reach of an existing one by picking up the Wi-Fi signal from your router and re-broadcasting it to an even larger area, which helps provide added coverage over weak or dead Wi-Fi zones.
Modern routers often come with the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard, which is capable of delivering speeds of up to 433 Mbps using the uncluttered 5 GHz band. They are a good fit if you want to stream 4K videos from your media server without interruption. However, the 802.11n standard router is still a suitable choice for those who prefer to have a dual-band network. These routers can work on either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bands. In addition to a compatible laptop wireless adapter for either band, you will also find USB hubs and other laptop accessories that can help improve your productivity.