The Best USB Wi-Fi Adapters

Updated Dec 10, 2022

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Plugging in a USB adapter is one of the easiest ways to add 802.11ac Wi-Fi access to a desktop PC, especially if you don’t want to (or are unable to) install an internal card yourself. After 50 hours of testing 20 models against a high-end laptop’s internal Wi-Fi, we are confident the TP-Link Archer T4U is the best USB Wi-Fi adapter for most people.

TP-Link Archer T4U V3

Solid performance, not too expensive

The Archer T4U has better performance than the internal Wi-Fi adapter built into our test laptop and is relatively inexpensive. It also has extensive driver support, so it works with Linux computers, Macs, and Windows PCs.

We recommend

TP-Link Archer T2U Plus

Great for basic connectivity

The diminutive Archer T2U Plus has about half the Archer T4U’s performance at short range, but it's a bit faster when farther away. It’s the best one to get if you want to spend $25 or less.

Budget friendly

Netgear Nighthawk A7000

For frequent high-speed use

The Netgear Nighthawk A7000 costs significantly more than our other picks, but it’s the one you want for speedy file transfers and large downloads.

The Best USB Wi-Fi Adapters

Updated Dec 10, 2022

TP-Link Archer T4U V3

Solid performance, not too expensive

We recommend

TP-Link Archer T2U Plus

Great for basic connectivity

Budget friendly

Netgear Nighthawk A7000

For frequent high-speed use

A better upgrade

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