4 best network adapters

For the device to connect to the network - local or Internet - special devices are used - network adapters. On the market there are many of them and they differ in the same set of parameters. Expertexta.com decided to devote today's rating review to a narrow topic - adapters, which are in fact original adapters from conventional wired Ethernet to USB.

How to choose a network adapter

To begin with, let's briefly understand how to choose an Ethernet-USB network adapter, because there are still quite a lot of them, too.

Connector type

The most obvious parameter in which it is difficult to make a mistake, but still specify some details. At the entrance of this adapter will always be a standard network connector RJ-45, which is well recognizable, and there are no other options within our theme. On the other hand, the adapter will have options. The USB standard has several generations and form factors. And if USB 2.0 and 3.0 are compatible at least in form, then USB 2.0 or 3.0 in USB-C simply will not go in any way. At the same time, in your computer, most likely, there are several or even many USB interfaces of different standards. Therefore, determine in advance what is most convenient and expedient (port speed) to attach the adapter.

Speed

Already less obvious, but no less important parameter. Before you buy, you need to know the exact speed of the adapter and focus on it. The fact is that if you are a happy owner of the Gigabit Internet, then buying an adapter with support for a maximum of 100 Mbit, this is exactly the speed you get. And do not forget that the throughput of the USB 2.0 port is 480 Mbit / s, so if you even connect a gigabit adapter to such a port, you will again receive exactly this speed, and then at the maximum.

Form Factor and Physics

Here the main factors are: the shape of the “flash drive” or the presence of a cable, the length of the cable, the rigidity of the cable, its quality, the presence of light indicators and their brightness, design. All this may seem trifles, but the number of users who, because of such trifles, were forced to change the adapter, is very significant.

You probably will not find an adapter in the form of a “flash drive” (commonly called “whistle” in common). This does not apply to other types of adapters - 3G, Wi-Fi and others. There is just a form of flash drives - almost the rule, but we'll talk about them another time. So, just in case, an adapter of this form is acceptable for stationary computers, and even if it is plugged into a socket on the back wall. In laptops, this form is highly undesirable, since when carrying or any other interaction with the laptop, the “whistle” is easy to hook and trite to break, damaging the port itself.

Do not underestimate the role of cable and its quality. Hard cable is an amateur, since the adapter unit will not hang, sometimes it is convenient. On the other hand, it must be of high quality, otherwise the insulation will break down quite quickly and after some time the wires will break. It is impossible to determine all this at the point of sale, so be sure to look for reviews on the Internet before buying.

Finally, the lights. Here everything is an amateur. Someone they are needed to see the status and dynamics, and indeed "beautiful" (no joke). But sometimes the LEDs are too bright and when the user is working at night, they really prevent other family members from sleeping.It would seem that in this case it is possible to seal the diodes with tape, but this is already “not comme il faut” and the cases of replacement of the device for this reason are far from single.

Manufacturing company

Everything is pretty simple here. You shouldn’t buy “nouney” that have just appeared on the market, even if the Internet is overwhelmed by positive reviews - their authenticity is doubtful, if only because of too short a time to use. On the other hand, often even adapters of famous brands sometimes turn out to be useless. It is worth exploring reviews here, and this is not a contradiction, since well-known trademarks do not engage in such petty black marketing methods.

And now we go directly to the rating and describe four models that experts of expert.bigbadmole.com/en/en/ considered the best in basic parameters, including value for money.

Top Network Adapter Ratings

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
Top Network Adapter Ratings	1	DELL USB-C to Ethernet adapter (470-ABND)	2 490 ₽
	2	HP USB-C to RJ45 Adapter (V8Y76AA)	2 490 ₽
	3	Gembird A-CM-LAN-01	1 022 ₽
	4	TP-LINK UE300	1 090 ₽

DELL USB-C to Ethernet adapter (470-ABND)

Rating: 4.9

First of all, we consider the most expensive adapter from the American company DELL in our review. The price is largely due to the increased reliability of the device, as noted by the users themselves. The adapter serves for a long time, does not fail, does not freeze, gives out “fair” speeds in network connections.

The device is designed to create a new or additional Ethernet port with an RJ-45 connector in those devices that do not contain such a port (inappropriate, already busy), but have a free USB 3.1 Type-C interface. The adapter provides a reliable and stable connection at speeds of 10, 100 or 1000 Mbps.

The adapter does not need even minimal effort or a separate driver installation. The “native” driver is already contained in it. When you first connect, you only need to agree to install it when the service message appears.

A notable feature of the adapter is its support for PXE technology (special software for booting a computer over the network without using internal data storage).

PXE is an environment for booting a computer using a network card without using local storage media.

The network adapter is made in a miniature black case; a flat data transmission loop goes between the case of the function module and the USB 3.1 Type-C plug. The entire surface of all parts of the device has a soft-touch soft-touch surface.

HP USB-C to RJ45 Adapter (V8Y76AA)

Rating: 4.8

Now let's pay attention to the adapter used for a similar purpose, only already manufactured by Hewlett-Packard.

The mains adapter is supplied in a package with dimensions of 245x110x35 mm and a weight of 120 g. Full dimensions with a cord: width - 4.33 inches, height - 1.38 inches. The net mass of the device is 71.4 g. It is made in dark gray. The functional block is made in the form of a regular "square" shape and rounded edges.

It is exactly the same as the previous model equipped with the same RJ-45 connector and USB 3.1 Type-C plug and works at the same speed - up to 1 Gbit / s. On the side of the RJ-45 connector, there are two green and yellow LED indicators that indicate connection speed (green is maximum).

On this model, Hewlett-Packard extends its standard one-year limited warranty, so that in the event of a malfunction, the adapter can be replaced at any authorized service center.

Gembird A-CM-LAN-01

Rating: 4.7

The third number in the ranking is the adapter manufactured by the international company Gembird, which has Dutch roots, and the production of such adapters is carried out in China. Actually, in the Middle Kingdom produced and the two models described above.

The purpose of the device, incoming and outgoing interfaces and throughput are exactly the same as those of the first two models, so we will not repeat, we will describe only the features.

The network adapter runs on a high-performance RTL8153 chip. Supports IEEE 802.3x standards Flow Control, 802.1P, 802.1Q, 802.3az-2010. Provides a reliable and stable connection without crashes and freezes. The form factor is the same as the previous models, only the functional block has a small designer refinement. Cable length - 15 cm.

The adapter is supplied in an individual package with dimensions of 25x150x150 mm. Net weight - 22 g.

TP-LINK UE300

Rating: 4.6

The adapter of one of the most famous brands of network equipment TP-LINK completes our rating. This time the configuration will be slightly different than the previous models, but the tasks are the same.

In this case, the output is a plug to the usual USB 3.0 interface, rather than a miniature USB 3.1 Type-C, as in the previous three models. The capacity is the same - 10, 100 and 1000 GB. The network adapter works on the RTL8153 chip.

The device is installed when you first connect in Plug and Play mode to Windows, Linux and Mac OS X 10.9 / 10.10 operating systems. For Mac OS X (10.5-10.8) systems, manual driver installation is required.

This model is characterized by a pleasant appearance - white body, nice shape. Also here a successful design idea is implemented - the USB plug conveniently retracts into the case. Dimensions of the device - 71x26x16.2 mm.

On this model, TP-LINK provides a warranty of 24 months.

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Attention! This rating is subjective, is not advertising and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you should consult with a specialist.