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Will a USB Wireless Adaptor work better then PCI/PCIe adapter? I'm going to buy a Wireless adapter for my desktop and I have Dlink wi-fi router already.

In Market wireless adapters are in two form USB , PCIe and PCI. I know PCIe is faster then PCI but is USB better then PCIe.?

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Both approaches have their advantages. PCI or PCIe shouldn't matter since PCI can handle the speeds that wireless connections need easily. As with the other answer, i'd decide based on available slots, and use the slower slot for it if possible

USB is pretty close in speed to wireless, but it has the advantage of better flexibility than internal adaptors.

I'd prefer internal for a desktop since i won't be removing it, and protruding things tend to get caught and damaged.

If i want to switch it between systems (as part of a test toolkit, or for a older laptop), then i'd go with USB

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  • Agreed that USB is more flexible THAN PCI/PCIe. In my experience the device with the better antenna, especially a high-gain antenna, will work better. Both have the ability for the antenna to be moved away from the computer or placed up higher, USB through it's own cable, and PCI (or laptop card) through a possible SMA connector to the antenna.
    – Bratch
    Sep 22, 2011 at 18:30
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Short answer: no, a USB adapter won't work "better". The longer answer is "What do you mean by 'better' anyway?" Also "Which particular adapters in what particular circumstances?" However in most cases the PCIe adapter, though harder to install, will give overall better performance and will never perform worse.

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  • better in temrs of signal and speed. If PCIe will give better performance then I will go with that even if it's harder to install. My motherboard has One PCI Express* x16 bus add-in card connector Sep 22, 2011 at 12:54
  • @metal gear solid - The USB device will be limited by the speeds of more then likely USB 2.0 which means the PCIe device would be faster. The signal quality wouldn't be a factor.
    – Ramhound
    Sep 22, 2011 at 14:01

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