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I have a 32 inch, curved screen HP, "Envy" and recently found out that the particular type of screen excitation they use is very hard on the eyes, and I can verify that I have been having eye comfort issues.
I still have my 7 year old Dell, XPS 430 which was working fine when I shut it off. The issue was that it really did not like win10, so I rather naively thought the machine to be obsolete. However, the last word I got from the MS Technician is that they cajoled it into running on win10, but that was after I had already gotten the new 'puter.
I am considering starting up the old Dell to see if I can get it to work right, and if I do, I will likely deport the HP unit.
The question I have is: why do USB wifi adapters vary so much in cost? I saw one at $7.95 and another at $49.95. I want a good test, but will likely only run the unit on wifi short term, and if it all goes well, it will once again occupy its rightful place on my desk and use a cable instead.
Comments
Wi-Fi adapters
If those prices are all from the same store it is probably because of the Wi-Fi signals they support. They would probably go in price from g to n to ac and above. The ones I've seen in Staples go from g-band at about $25, n-band at about $50 and I think the ac band at about $75. Each successive 'band' will give an increase in the possible speed of the Wi-Fi signal.
Danni R.
Door #3
Why not just pick up a different monitor? Anymore they are cheap! Awhile back I got a nice Toshiba 23" monitor/TV for less than $150. Given the number of stores closing their doors, Pennys, more Radio Shacks, etc, it should be easy to get something nice for cheap. Staples had some nice ones on sale not long ago, I considered upgrading but there just isn't room for a bigger one on my desk.
As for the USB Wi-Fi adapter, the ones I've seen have all been in the $50 range for a decent one. The latest and greatest may be $100 or more, but that likely won't get you any noticible improvement unless the airwaves are really congested where you are. I'd avoid anything cheaper, likely some corners have been cut in their manufacture.
As to why they are or seem expensive, well, you have to pay for quality. The dongle contains all the expensive parts. A full duplex radio at those frequencies requires some chips that aren't cheap. If a cheaper chip is subbed in you are just asking for problems down the road. Add in a well-designed and etched circuit board, throw a reasonable profit for everybody on top and $50 is actually a good price. Look for sales, check the online sellers and you may be able to save a few bucks. But the price of good dongle is 20% or more of a good monitor, and you'll get more milage out of a monitor than a USB dongle.
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin
The various models are due to
The various models are due to the age and what kind of signal they can receive. The majority use 2.4 GHz signals while newer ones use both 2.4 and 5 Ghz signals. The newer models can run on signals in both frequencies. Most wireless devices run on 2 4 GHz signals which is fine but not that good if you have more than three accessing the internet at the same time as things slow down for all especially if one is streaming videos. 5 GHz is less crowded but also supported by less devices. I use 5 for my laptop and everything else is on my 2.4 signal.
Check the adapter, it will say on there something like 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac. AC is the newer ones and usually the more expensive one. They are good for both frequencies.
Another thing is speed. More expensive ones handle not speed and thus are faster but not all that important to you as you aren't hardcore gaming or downloading hundreds of songs and movies through "sharing" sites.
The more experienced members will explain better than I can but I had to put my semester of wifi networking to some use.
I'm told STFU more times in a day than most people get told in a lifetime
The big question is:
The big question is:
What bands and protocols does your router/access point support? Unless it does, going for the latest in technology will be just a waste of money, unless you see it as an investment for the future (and maybe intend to use it outside your home on travel etc)
Be careful tho, the one that seems to be the cheapest of the state of the art might really be an old/primitive example put there to fool the technologically challenged.