The world of technology is one of constant change as obsolete parts and products make way for newer ones. Sometimes aesthetics and design cause a reduction of features, such as slim laptops dropping the optical drive and LAN ports. While most of us can live without a DVD drive, a LAN port can often be needed by those who work in offices or want to reduce the lag of WiFi when gaming, for instance. Here are some ethernet adapters that will bring the power of a wired connection back to your laptop, or help expand connectivity of your desktop as well.
TP-Link UE200 USB 2.0 to 100 Mbps Ethernet Network Adapter
If you have a USB 2.0 and above port to spare, you can hook this product up to it and immediately have 100 Mbps LAN available to your device. It has a compact and portable design, and supports Windows, MacOS, Linux and even Chrome OS devices. The cable clips into the back of the device so it’s protected while you travel, and because it weighs a mere 40 grams, you will not barely know it’s there!
QZ USB 3.1 to Ethernet LAN RJ45 Gigabit Converter Adapter
If you’re looking for Gigabit ethernet (1000 Mbps), then the QZ USB 3.1 adapter is something to consider. Of course you will need a USB 3.1 port to be able to avail of the gigabit speeds, but if all you have is a USB 2.0 or even a 1.1 port on your device, this adapter is backwards compatible. You will still be able to connect to just about any machine, albeit at 10 or 100 Mbps. The adapter is plug and play, so you don’t need drivers if you’re connecting it to a system with Windows XP and above, or MacOS 9 and above.
Ugreen 3 Ports USB 2.0 Hub
With most ethernet adapters you gain an ethernet port by losing access to a USB port. Ugreen solved that problem by not just adding on an ethernet port, but a 3-port USB hub as well, all in the same device. This will be a boon to those with newer laptop models that have very few USB ports to begin with. Not only can you connect to the LAN network at office or home, you can also add in a USB mouse, and two more devices! It is plug and play on Windows 10/8.1/8/7/XP/Vista, Mac OS X, and Linux.
Linksys USB 3.0 Ethernet Adapter
Linksys is also an efficient adapter that is available online. It connects to a USB 3 port and turns it into a gigabit capable Ethernet port. This is ideal for those of us with older laptops or desktops that have only 100 Mbps ethernet, but upgraded home networks capable of 1 Gbps speeds. It’s a plug-and-play device on Chrome OS, Windows and MacOS. It’s tiny, and weighs a mere 23 grams, and comes with a 3-year warranty from Linksys.
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