Wireless Network Adapter for Desktop

Hi! I recently bought a refurbished desktop Dell Inspiron 530 with Windows XP Pro sp3 (had to have the XP OS since I'm planning on working from this computer, and work software not compatible with Vista). Anyway, it did not have a wireless network adapter card in it, and I have to connect to the Internet wirelessly. I have been using a laptop in the same room where I have the Dell set up, and it connects to our router with no problems at all and has a nice, strong signal. I have tried two USB network adapters now on the Dell with no luck. The signal is just not strong enough to maintain a viable connection.

Any suggestions? I tried a Linksys Wireless G (the router is a G) and a Belkin Enhanced N MIMO. Both have worked for a few seconds here and there and then dropped the connection. Neither shows signal strength anywhere near what my laptop shows in the same room. The sales clerk at Best Buy suggested the Belkin--even when I told him my computer is set up on a different floor and at the other end of the house from the router. He said if the Belkin didn't work, we would have to get a different router (more robust). I really don't want to do that, and the laptop internal adapter works great. I don't mind going with PCI card adapter if that's what it takes.

If anyone has any suggestions or concurs with the Best Buy guy, I would greatly appreciate the feedback.

 

I would try Rosewill RNX-G1W IEEE 802.11b/g USB 2.0 its mostdefo got good range and you can buy antennas for it I think its better than the two you tried so far
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166023

and if thats not enough (but it should be) you could try this on your AP or Dongle
http://revision3.com/bestof/systm-0045/

 

Oh my gosh! That's awesome. Thank you. That Rosewill USB is about a third of the cost of the Belkin and half the cost of the Linksys. I might just try doing that to our AP anyway because it sits on an outside wall of the house. Plus that is just SO COOL! :-D

 

Glad I could help let me know how it work out

 

I sure will let you know. I am awaiting the delivery of the wireless adapter right now for my new desktop, but I went ahead and made the parabolic antenna thingies for our router, and my laptop is now getting "excellent" signal strength back in my room as opposed to "good" or "very good". I'm getting five full bars!:-D I guess I have too much time on my hands, but that whole concept was so cool that I had to try it.

 

LOL I know what you mean first time i tried it I was floored on how good it works.

If you want try some thing else cool hook the booster to your dongle when you get it in and see how many more AP,s are in you area than you thought

 

Well, I'm making a lot of progress! I am actually typing this from my new desktop that is connected to the Internet wirelessly with the adapter from Rosewill. I ended up having to use a USB extension cord to get it up away from the back of the computer where all the electrical stuff is and near where the metal legs to my computer desk are. I also went ahead and put a booster on it.

Unfortunately I can't get onto my own secured network for some reason. I am on a neighbor's unsecured network right now. It just gets hung up on "acquiring network address" after I input the our key to connect and never actually gets connected. The signal strength is showing completely full.

Any suggestions? I am wondering if I need to unsecure our network temporarily and see if I can get on it that way. Amazing how strong the signals are with this adapter and its booster.

 

It works! Yay!

Long story short--we switched routers and got rid of our old Linksys. We had forgotten that our new DSL modem has a built-in wireless router, and once we figured that out and got it set up and secured--boom! All computers are connecting with no problems and the signal strength is excellent, even back in my office. This little adapter rocks.

Thank you so much!:-D

 

Cool glad to hear it Ya when you use the modems that have a router built in it and try to use another router connected to it some times things get screwy some times you need to disable the 1st router in order for them to play nice together or just do what you did and 86 the second one