What Is A Wireless Adapter?

Date First Published: 16th June 2022

Topic: Computer Networking

Subtopic: Network Hardware

Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty Level: 4/10

Learn more about what a wireless adapter is in this article.

A wireless adapter, also known as a Wi-Fi dongle, Wi-Fi stick, Wi-Fi adapter, internet stick, or USB network adapter, is a piece of networking equipment that is attached to a computer to enable it to connect to a wireless network. They are usually plugged into a USB port of a computer rather than the Ethernet port. However, some older adapters connect by a PCI network card that plugs into a PCI slot on the motherboard of the computer.

Note:

Newer generations of portable computers with built-in wireless connectivity have made wireless adapters somewhat obsolete. Before the invention of devices with built-in wireless connectivity, devices required wireless adapters in order to connect to a network wirelessly.

Wireless adapters are not to be confused with network adapters, which are built into the hardware of the computer that allows the computer to communicate over a network.

How Do Wireless Adapter Work?

Wireless adapters have two functions, which include:

• Translating data from its binary form into radio frequency signals and transmitting them.
• Receiving radio-frequency signals and translating them into binary data and sending them to the computer.

Wireless adapters work in a similar way to a radio or television. These devices receive signals and translate them into an output, which could include sound, sight, or both. Wireless adapters translate signals into the electronic equivalent of data. Once a wireless adapter is plugged into a computer, users can then wirelessly connect to a nearby network by finding the network name (SSID) and entering the password. Afterwards, they will be successfully connected to the internet.

All wireless adapters contain an antenna within the casing at the opposite end of the USB connector. The antenna allows data to be sent and received to nearby Wi-Fi networks through radio waves.

Wireless adapters can only communicate with other wireless adapters that support the same standard. The most popular standard is 802.11g, which allows for both long-range and data transfer rates of up to 54 Mb/s in a wireless LAN environment. Some wireless adapters may support the 802.11b standard, which allows for long-range, but only supports slow data transfer rates of up to 11 Mb/s.

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Wireless Adapters

• They eliminate the need for the use of long Ethernet cables. With a wireless adapter, users can access the internet in any area within the range of a wireless network.
• It is unnecessary for users to install additional hardware. Wireless adapters usually plug into the USB port of a computer and do not require hardware to be manually installed inside the system.
• They can be used by multiple computers. A single wireless adapter can be shared across multiple computers that have USB ports to attach the adapter to it.

• They are quite small and can easily be lost. (e.g. they may be get lost down the sofa, when travelling)
• There is limited speed, based on the standards that the wireless adapters support.