A Better Range From Your Wi-Fi Card

If you are frustrated by dead spots in your home Wi-Fi network or exasperated with poor reception at public hotspots, you may need better range from your Wi-Fi card. Of course, you could also buy one of the new MIMO gateways that double and triple Wi-Fi coverage, like the Belkin Pre-N router, but they are expensive and won’t be any help at a hotspot. Here are three cards you might want to consider.

Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless-G Laptop Card 2.0

The Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless-G Laptop Card 2.0 addresses both problems by combining an antenna with signal strengthening LEDs and a standard 802.11g adapter card. The Hawking card is compatible with all Wi-Fi routers and improves the range to MIMO levels, two to three times over a standard card or Centrino chipset. Because the pop-up directional antenna points away from the laptop, it avoids interference from the laptop itself, increasing distance. Since the Hi-Gain Wireless-G is a standard G card, you don’t need a "Turbo" or MIMO router to enjoy the greater range. The card supports both WEP and WPA encryption.

Linksys WPC54GS Wireless-G Notebook Adapter

The Linksys WPC54GS Wireless-G notebook adapter uses any available PC Card slot to add enhanced wireless capability, courtesy of Linksys' proprietary SpeedBooster technology, to any laptop. You can get about twice the throughput and it also offers slightly better range in most situations. Certified for both 802.11g and 802.11b, it supports both WEP and WPA encryption.

Proxim Orinoco 11/a/b/g ComboCard

Finally, with the wide assortment of public and private hotspots, 802.11a, b, and g protocols abound in the wireless landscape. Now you don’t have to limit yourself to one or the other. Designed with the frequent traveler in mind, the multi-purpose Proxim Orinoco 11/a/b/g ComboCard easily accommodates all three of the wireless LAN protocols. Wherever you are, you can use the ComboCard to connect to the fastest protocol available.

As soon as you select the Available Networks option, profile creation scans and registers all nearby access points and displays their network type (a, b, or g), security mode and SSID. You can then select the connection of your choice and construct an instant profile that you can modify at any point. A menu choice lets you turn the card off if there's no access point and you want to save power. The Combo card performs equally well with all three standards over reasonably long distances.

If you’re tired of dead spots but not so desperate that you’re willing to spend a lot for MIMO, there’s an adapter card for you.