ProTip: Get Wireless AC on your desktop for less than $30 AUD.

scrimshaw on 22/02/2015 - 22:35
Last edited 22/02/2015 - 22:55

Just figured a cheap way to get cheap wireless AC for desktop

Wireless AC cards for desktop is pretty expensive

Don't spend $50 bux on crappy USB networking dongles

Laptop parts are much cheaper as there's a bigger market for them.

the Intel 7260 Wireless AC/bluetooth combo adapter only costs $23 or so locally. Buy this and hook it up to your desktop using this riser/adapter.

Works out to be much cheaper than getting a desktop-type PCIE network adapter, whose only difference is that it's made to fit on a normal sized PCIE slot and charging a lot more for it.

I've been using a similar setup (with a Wireless N chip and on a similar type of adapter card) and there aren't any issues.

Computing

Comments

  • tebbybabes on 22/02/2015 - 23:26
    +1

    That's brilliant! Bloody good thinking, scrimshaw.

    Though I never realised that things are reversed now and that laptop parts are cheaper than desktop parts! What rock have I been living under all these years?

    On a slightly related note, I've been using this dongle for a while now because I got it on their last promotion. Logically, I would assume that it's performance would be subpar because of their antenna design, but so far it's been chugging along just fine.

    Anyway, ethernet in the walls is in the cards for me…. if and when the cablers I've asked for quotes from ever get back to me.

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 23/02/2015 - 01:11

      "… ethernet in the walls is in the cards for me"

      That's so last century, man… ;P

      • tebbybabes on 23/02/2015 - 01:48
        +2

        It might seem that way, Gnarly, especially in light of new tech where wireless just gets faster and faster but I've concluded that the last century tech is going to be the most futureproof and worry and headache free that I can get. :p

        I've used wireless for decades precisely because I couldn't/wouldn't run cables through walls. Now that I can, I'm going for that sweet reliability, speed and low latency.

        • scrimshaw on 23/02/2015 - 02:13
          +2

          Gaming right?

          Nothing beats cables if you're gaming. Even if it's old outdated 100mbps Cat5 cable.

          I never realized how lousy my Wifi was until I connected the LAN cable. All the intermittent rubber-banding in FPS games simply dissappeared.

        • GnarlyKnuckles on 23/02/2015 - 02:15

          No need to worry about anyone 'hacking in' to it either I guess, if your bandwidth cannae be accessed wirelessly.
          But how will your 'state-of-the-art' 'Smart-Fridge' order more milk over the net, when its weight sensors detect that you're almost out, unless it has wireless internet access?
          Seriously though, won't it be a bit crap not having (wireless) tablet/smart-phone access to your home-based internet plan? The net runs about five times faster on my wife's smart-phone (I don't have one; I'm not smart enough) when she accesses it via the modem, rather than via the 'plan' thingy she's on.

        • ESEMCE on 23/02/2015 - 09:25
          +1

          @GnarlyKnuckles:
          I'm pretty sure you're aware of this, but the above makes it sound like you're not.

          You can have BOTH Wired and Wireless networks running simultaneously in the same house.

          And fewer wireless devices means better speed for those devices over your wireless network!

        • hellbound on 23/02/2015 - 11:31

          edit:NM

        • tebbybabes on 23/02/2015 - 15:29

          @scrimshaw:

          Gaming, streaming, transferring files between computers.

          Glad your ethernet worked so well for you. I can't wait for the hardwired goodness.

          @GnarlyKnuckles - only the stationary items like TVs, consoles and desktops will be hardwired. The wireless bandwidth can then be exclusively for the portable devices. :)

  • ozhunter on 23/02/2015 - 01:28

    Do you need an antenna for this setup?

  • UncommonName on 23/02/2015 - 02:11

    Noob question, I'm using this on my desktop to connect to my home network, is that okay? - http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/261495370521

    • scrimshaw on 23/02/2015 - 02:11
      +1

      Well if your signal reception is fine, then that's OK.

      • UncommonName on 23/02/2015 - 02:13

        Its working fine for over a year, max DL I got was 1300KB/s. Reception is good I say, as I can see all of my neighbors AP's. :)

        • scrimshaw on 23/02/2015 - 02:16
          +1

          Well if you ever want to get off the over-crowded 2.4ghz network and upgrade your router to sweet, Wifi AC, you'll know the cheapest way to get it on your desktop.

  • Sage on 23/02/2015 - 04:20

    Less than $30 assuming your router already supports AC, which mine doesn't it turns out.
    None of the routers supplied by Optus have 802.11ac as of when I wrote this.
    I believe Telstra ones do FYI.

    • ESEMCE on 23/02/2015 - 09:27

      Can always buy an AC router and add it to your network as an AP.

  • ml17 on 02/05/2015 - 16:53

    Sorry, late to the party, but do you know if this will work for my Dell Optiplex 9020 Motherboard (which you recommended, actually) that has these expansion buses:

    • 1 x half height PCIe x16
    • 1 x half height PCIe x16 (wired x 4)
    • tonyjzx on 02/05/2015 - 21:02

      find a half height card

      these are full height

  • mrmarkau67 on 07/05/2015 - 15:44

    Hey Scrimshaw, great tip!

    My desktop is fresh out of PCI slots, but it does have a free mini-PCIe slot.

    Would this be a fair-to-reasonable alternative to the riser?

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-of-Universal-Internal-Antennas-…

    • scrimshaw on 09/05/2015 - 20:09

      your desktop has Mini PCIE? what's that using a Mini ITX motherboard?

      You need three antennas if you are using the Intel AC chip.

      And it looks to be cheaper from this seller
      http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Pair-of-PCI-E-Laptop-Mini-PCI-Wi…

      • ausmechkeyboards on 23/08/2015 - 12:16

        is the Bluetooth working when you do this? Or WiFi only?

        • scrimshaw on 23/08/2015 - 12:57

          I'm currently using an Intel Ultimate-N 6300 dual band adapter and it lacks BT, so I can't check for you.

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