WFi or Use Ethernet Card for Internet Access?

[Viper69]

Ive run across a few laptops that are not made with a traditional network card, but rather only come with a WiFi card for internet access.

How critical is it to have a NIC card?

My uses for connecting to a network are generally internet access for surfing the web.

 

[Mr.Scott]

It's not critical.........but there's always another option.
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Ethernet-Network-Adapter/dp/B00ET4KHJ2

The Zenbook you're looking at comes with this already.

 

[Theocnoob]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...brent_usb_ethernet-_-9SIA10V3R49017-_-Product

I've used these. They work. A wired connection will always be more reliable than a wireless connection.

 

[trents]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...brent_usb_ethernet-_-9SIA10V3R49017-_-Product

I've used these. They work. A wired connection will always be more reliable than a wireless connection.

Ditto

 

[Viper69]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...brent_usb_ethernet-_-9SIA10V3R49017-_-Product

I've used these. They work. A wired connection will always be more reliable than a wireless connection.

I figured reliability hadn't changed. I prefer wired myself.

- - - Updated - - -

It's not critical.........but there's always another option.
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Ethernet-Network-Adapter/dp/B00ET4KHJ2

The Zenbook you're looking at comes with this already.

Thanks on the Zenbook tip, didn't know that. Still sorting through specs, and undecided yet what to get.

Do these USB connections allow for pretty fast web surfing speeds? I didn't know these existed.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...brent_usb_ethernet-_-9SIA10V3R49017-_-Product

I've used these. They work. A wired connection will always be more reliable than a wireless connection.

Do these USB connections allow for pretty fast web surfing speeds? I didn't know these existed.

Ditto

Do these USB connections allow for pretty fast web surfing speeds? I didn't know these existed.

 

[Theocnoob]

yes

 

[JrClocker]

Yes - USB 3.0 if much faster than 1 Gig Ethernet.

 

[Theocnoob]

Just to be clear, that doesn't mean you'll magically get 10Gbps download speeds, it just means that, even if you have a Gigabit connection, it won't bottleneck due to the USB3.0 interface.

 

[trents]

Even USB 2.0 isn't a bottleneck unless you're getting more than about 50 gbs mbps on your internet down link connection, or so it seems to me from my experience.

 

[Theocnoob]

Even USB 2.0 isn't a bottleneck unless you're getting more than about 50 gbs on your internet down link connection, or so it seems to me from my experience.

USB 2.0 AFAIK is 480Mbps and USB3.0 is 5Gbps so there's no way you could get 50Gbps on any USB connection. Also, AFAIK, 50Gbps networking speeds have only been achieved in labs with experimental equipment.

 

[trents]

Sorry, I meant to type 50 mbps.

USB wifi dongles tend to be less expensive than their PCI-e equivalents as well. So unless you have a shortage of USB ports it would seem to be the smartest option.

 

[Theocnoob]

My mistake, Trents. Should have picked up on that.