The Best USB Wi-Fi Adapters | Reviews By Wirecutter

Top pick

Solid performance, not too expensive

MSI AX1800 WiFi USB Adapter (GUAX18)

This USB adapter may look a little like a gaming accessory, but it provides a steady, no-nonsense Wi-Fi 6 connection to your network.

$38 from Amazon$30 from Walmart

The MSI AX1800 WiFi USB Adapter (GUAX18) is our pick for anyone who wants to swiftly add a Wi-Fi 6 connection to a laptop or desktop PC. It’s relatively inexpensive, and it provided excellent throughput performance all over our test home, including in a spot where other adapters lost the signal to the router. It’s sturdily built, it can connect in multiple configurations, and it’s fast enough for most internet connections in the US.

Budget pick

Great for basic connectivity

TP-Link Archer T2U Plus

In our tests, this slim adapter offered about half of our top pick’s performance at short and long range, but it still provided a rock-steady connection for the price. It’s the best model to get if you want to spend $25 or less.

$17 $14 from Amazon

You save $3 (18%)

The TP-Link Archer T2U Plus is a little bulkier than the MSI AX1800 due to its 6-inch external antenna, and it didn’t perform as well in our tests. But it’s still fast enough for streaming 4K videos and web surfing far from the router, and it was the only sub-$25 adapter to complete all of our tests. It has an excellent two-year warranty, though it lacks some of the features that more expensive adapters boast, such as Wi-Fi 6 support.

Upgrade pick

For frequent high-speed use

Netgear Nighthawk A8000 (AXE3000)

This Netgear adapter costs significantly more than our other picks, but it’s the best choice for speedy file transfers and large downloads. It’s also the only USB adapter we tested that can connect to Wi-Fi 6E routers’ exclusive channels.

$70 from Amazon$70 from Walmart$70 from Best Buy

The bulky Netgear Nighthawk A8000 (AXE3000) USB adapter is compatible with both Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E. Typically it costs almost twice as much as our top pick, but it’s worth that investment if you must connect to a Wi-Fi 6E network and if your broadband connection is faster than 500 Mbps. In our tests, it posted the top speed scores all over our test home, significantly outperforming other Wi-Fi adapters.