If you're struggling to get a Wi-Fi signal, and your standard Wi-Fi card isn't cutting it, getting yourself one of the best Wi-Fi dongles is a great way to cure those weak signal blues.
Easy to install and adept at boosting signal strength, the best Wi-Fi dongles of the year are perfect for enhancing your Wi-Fi connection on your excellent PC or laptop, especially if you're far away from your Wi-Fi router.
The best Wi-Fi dongles of 2024 at a glance:
• Best overall: TP-Link 1300 - View on Amazon
• Best high-performance: BrosTrend USB WiFi 6 Dongle - View on Amazon
• Best budget: TP-Link 150 - View on Amazon
• Best high gain: TP-Link AC1300 - View on Amazon
With a simple plug-in USB, you can dramatically improve the performance of your best laptop, giving you better performance while working, watching videos and even gaming. They can also be an easy fix to try before opting for a more expensive Wi-Fi extender or even mesh Wi-Fi installation.
Large, powerful and signal-boosting, or small and discreet, deciphering the best Wi-Fi dongle for you can be confusing and offputting, but we're here to help. From the most relied-upon brands with the most suitable technologies for you, here are the best Wi-Fi dongles of 2024.
The best Wi-Fi dongles of 2024
Please note: All prices are correct at the time of writing. Deals are subject to change at short notice.
Best overall Wi-Fi dongle
AmazonFor excellent Wi-Fi performance in a discrete and portable design, the TP-Link dual-band wireless USB adapter is perfect for boosting the performance of even your cheap laptop or PC, giving you access to upwards of 1,300 MBps to get the most out of your Wi-Fi.
If there's room for improvement, we'd like a little more signal range; 300 m signal coverage is great, but there are much stronger options on the market (albeit much bulkier and awkward-looking).
Pros
- Great compact size
- Light and portable
- Excellent for boosting speed
Cons
- Fairly average signal range
Best high-performance Wi-Fi dongle
AmazonIf you're looking for the best-performing Wi-Fi dongle on the market right now, the BrosTrend Wi-Fi dongle can reach upwards of 1,800 Mbps in data transfer speeds, giving you plenty of power to utilise your fibre optic.
Design-wise, the BrosTrend USB Wi-Fi dongle is larger than its competition, making it a little cumbersome to use with a laptop, but you won't do much better when it comes to performance.
We particularly like its 500m signal coverage, so you won't struggle to connect to your Wi-Fi for a moment.
Pros
- Incredible high-speeds
- Excellent signal range for wide connectivity options
- Easy to setup and install
Cons
- Particualrly large and obtrusive design
Best budget Wi-Fi dongle
AmazonThis ultra-cheap TP-Link Nano Wi-Fi dongle is perfect for laptops and those on the go who'd prefer not to have protruding antennae to lug around with you from place to place.
Simple to install and almost invisible when in use, the TP-Link 150 is solidly designed to be perfectly hidden on your device and is ideal if you're on a budget.
Unfortunately, when using the TP-Link 150, you're limited to a 2.4GHz band, which isn't quite as fast as 5GHz.
Pros
- Great ultra-compact size
- Unobtrusive design
- Ideal for laptops
Cons
- Lacking dual-band design
Best high-gain Wi-Fi dongle
AmazonTP-Link's AC1300 high-gain USB Wi-Fi dongle is perfect for high-speed, stable connections even when far from your router.
With speeds up to 1,300Mbps and dual-band connectivity, practically any device you decide to use the TP-Link AC1300 with will experience a much stronger connection than you're typically used to.
As for its design, however, the TP-Link AC1300 leaves something to be desired. Plugging directly into your laptop with no cable or stand is awkward and pretty dorky, especially with laptops. Yes, there's a 180-degree swivel, but it's far from discrete and is likely to be knocked and snagged throughout your day-to-day.
Pros
- Great high-gain Wi-Fi dongle
- Incredible signal range
- Fantastic speed
Cons
- Awkward design thanks to no cable USB design
Best Wi-Fi dongle for security
AmazonioGiant's AX1800 is an exceptional Wi-Fi dongle, offering great speeds without being too overly large. Perfect for boosting internet speed, thanks to its Wi-Fi 6 support and its massive 1800Mbps download speeds, you'll struggle to find a better, more discrete Wi-Fi dongle at its price.
That being said, if you're a Mac OS user, you're out of luck - the ioGiant AX1800 only supports Windows devices so it won't work with your Macbook. And its Windows support stops at Windows 10/11, so older devices can't benefit from these ultra-fast speeds.
Pros
- Incredible WPA3 security encryption
- Terrific Wi-Fi speeds
- No drivers are required to use it, simply plug in and start
Cons
- Windows OS only
Best tri-band Wi-Fi dongle
AmazonNEWFAST's AX5400 tri-band Wi-Fi dongle gives your Wi-Fi heavy-throttle speeds and a stable connection to keep your work, films and games interrupted.
With peak speeds of 5,000 Mbps, you wouldn't believe how fast the NEWFAST AX5400 tri-band Wi-Fi dongle is. With a tri-band connection, you can connect your PC or laptop from afar without losing a top-tier connection.
Whilst its design is flashy, with an angular, robotic design, it's perhaps a little much for taking into work or public spaces, where its something of an inconvenience. For PCs and laptops that aren't leaving your home, however, the NEWFAST AX5400 is a great choice for you.
Pros
- Unbeatable Wi-Fi speed upwards of 5,000 Mbps
- Huge signal range that's perfect if you're far from a router
- WPA3 security encryption for that extra peace of mind
Cons
- Bulky and obtrusive
Best Wi-Fi dongle for flexibility
AmazonAn excellent Wi-Fi dongle for a stable connection, the NETGEAR A7000 is built to last, and offers incredible speeds for those too far from a router.
Design-wise, the NETGEAR A7000 is fairly chunky, and is potentially a little awkward to use if you need other USB ports, but that's where the magnetic cradle comes in. Simply connect the cable and give yourself a little extra freedom without an awkward Wi-Fi dongle connection.
With the magnetic cradle, the overall size of the NETGEAR A7000 is particularly large, so you might opt for something smaller if you're short on space.
Pros
- Excellent magnetic cradle design
- Fantastic speeds upwards of 1300Mbps
- Stable and secure connection
Cons
- Particularly bulky
Best Wi-Fi Six dongle
Amazonwww.currys.co.uk
Certainly on the pricier side of Wi-Fi dongles, but worth it if you're looking to get the best out of your internet, the ASUS AX6 wireless adapter breathes new life into low-range routers that struggle to reach your furthest rooms.
A simple design that looks solid, the ASUS USB-AX56 is designed to be used in both its standard plug-in dongle form and its desktop dock, which looks particularly good. Its folding design is ideal for commuters looking to lighten their luggage from work.
As for performance, the ASUS AX6 supports Wi-Fi Six, which is 40 per cent faster and considerably more stable than Wi-Fi Five, which most dongles support. With higher data transfer, better range, and even more stable connections for peace of mind, the ASUS USB-AX56 is perfect for a reliable browsing and working experience.
If you happen to be a Mac OS user, unfortunately, there's currently no support for the ASUS USB-AX56, so be aware before you buy.
Pros
- Ultra high-speed Wi-Fi 6 internet performance
- Great for desktop PCs
- Secure and reliable Wi-Fi encryption
Cons
- Limited operating system support
Best Wi-Fi dongle for Mac OS
Amazon
AmazonYet another nano Wi-Fi dongle, the NETGEAR AC1200, is perfectly ideal for laptops thanks to its unnoticeable design and offers a significant performance boost to your standard router performance. The NETGEAR is ideal for flexible setups and is perfectly compatible with Windows and Mac OS.
That being said, as with all nano Wi-Fi dongles, the lack of antennae and the smaller size means that the signal range is typically weak. You won't be able to connect to far-off routers as well as you might have with a full-size Wi-Fi dongle, but that's the trade-off for a much more portable design.
With great speed and a solid price, NETGEAR's AC1200 is a worthwhile investment in stable and speedy performance.
Pros
- Perfect portable Wi-Fi dongle
- Great speed and stable connection
- Uses MU-MIMO to reduce overcrowding problems
Cons
- Some users experiencing issues with drivers
Best low-latency Wi-Fi dongle
AmazonAn affordable, high-powered Wi-Fi dongle, the TP-Link AX1800 is ideal for boosting speeds and improving the stability of your connection. With MU-MIMO technology, the TP-Link AX1800 is strong, even when many devices are connected to a single router.
Though the design is large, it's designed well, with adjustable antennae and a slick, black aesthetic that blends well amongst a desk of peripherals. Moreover, the TP-Link AX1800 comes with a one-metre cable, so you've got a great deal of flexibility with your setup overall.
Pros
- Excellent Wi-Fi Six support
- Ultra-low latency
- Perfect one metre cable for flexibility
Cons
- Large design isn't for everyone
The best Wi-Fi dongles of 2024: buyer's guide
Key terms you should know:
Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi, or Wireless Fidelity, is a networking technology system that allows computers, smart devices and equipment to access the internet, all without the use of wires.
Data transfer speed: This is simply the measurement of how fast a device can send and receive data, the higher the data transfer speed, the better your internet connection will be.
Wi-Fi band: Wi-Fi bands refer to specific wireless broadcast frequencies that devices can use to send and receive data, there are typically two frequencies we use, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, but some devices can access 6GHz frequencies.
Dual-band: Dual-band Wi-Fi gives users access to both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, so you get the best of both worlds and a choice between the two.
Tri-band: Reserved for the priciest dongles, tri-band gives users access to 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz respectively.
2.4GHz: 2.4GHz frequency is a popular, but slightly slower Wi-Fi frequency. Using 2.4GHz gives you the best coverage, but slower speeds as a result.
5GHz: 5GHz frequency is a better option for those who'd like better speed but at the cost of coverage.
6GHz: 6GHz offers the very best speeds, but at a much smaller coverage compared to 2.4GHz, so if you're just looking to boost speed, and your device can support it - 6GHz is the way to go.
Signal coverage: Signal coverage refers to the total area that you can connect to your router.
Latency: Latency is a measurement of data transfer between the source and the destination. The lower the latency, the less delay there is with your Wi-Fi.
High gain: High gain is an antenna technology that amplifies the strength of your Wi-Fi signal. High-gain Wi-Fi dongles have faster and more stable connections as a result of their precision.
WPA: WPA, or Wi-Fi Protected Access, is a security standard that provides network encryption to keep your data safe. WPA3 is the latest generation of Wi-Fi security and offers great protection even for public networks.
MU-MIMO: Multi-user, Multiple Input, Multiple Output, or MU-MIMO is a more recent Wi-Fi technology which allows multiple devices to connect to the router at the same time, rather than one at a time, giving individual devices a much stronger connection overall.
How much should I spend on a Wi-Fi dongle?
If you're looking for a quick boost to your internet speed, a Wi-Fi dongle is a great choice for your home, but it can be tricky to decipher exactly how much you should spend.
For those looking for lightweight, but powerful, and no antennas, expect to spend around £10-£30 on a Wi-Fi dongle, there's some excellent cheap options on the market for instant performance boosting, but for signal coverage and security, be prepared to pay a little more.
Do I need access to 1800+ Mbps internet speed?
Many Wi-Fi dongles provide access to phenomenal Wi-Fi speed, much of which is almost impossible to achieve depending on where you live. Most broadband offers a maximum of 150-200Mbps, with the average internet speed on the go being around 20 Mbps, so don't spend an excessive amount of money if you're not going to need that extra speed.
FAQs: your questions answered
What does a Wi-Fi dongle do?
A Wi-Fi dongle is a device that connects to your PC or laptop via a USB, giving internet access to those without it, or strengthening your internet connection speed and stability.
What is the difference between a Wi-Fi adapter and a Wi-Fi dongle?
A Wi-Fi adapter and a Wi-Fi dongle are interchangeable terms, with many dongles being referred to as adapters and vice versa. The only difference is that some consider the term dongle to refer to pocket-sized devices, which isn't always the case.
What are the disadvantages of Wi-Fi dongles?
Wi-Fi dongles are excellent at improving speeds, stability and coverage, but they're not perfect. Many of them are awkwardly shaped and aren't portable or discrete, making them slightly ridiculous to use in public. What's more, they can be bulky when plugged directly into the laptop, and therefore block other USB ports in the process.
Some USB-sized dongles are nicely sized and small, but they can easily be lost or damaged if you're on the move.
Is ethernet better than a Wi-Fi dongle?
Generally speaking, yes. Ethernet is directly connected to the router and therefore gives you great speed, stability and less lag overall.
But for many, especially for those who aren't at home, using an ethernet cable is unfeasible. A long awkward cable that sits on the floor begging to be tripped over isn't ideal for most users, so a Wi-Fi dongle is a much more elegant solution.
Ryan Houghton is a commercial content writer for What’s The Best, known best for his expertise in gaming, with a particular soft spot for PC gaming, audio tech, televisions and smartphones.
Diligently writing for What’s The Best for almost two years, there are very few tech products Ryan hasn’t had his hands on to review; televisions, headphones, folding phones and even LEGO, if it’s nerdy, he’ll be there.
His well-versed history as one of the resident techies at What’s The Best has kept him keen to uncover the very best deals, savings and offers for those in need of a cracking deal to upgrade their setup.
In his downtime, Ryan most likely has his nose buried in a fantasy book, or his eyes glued to a screen whilst playing a tough-as-nails Soulslike or leisurely RPG, indulging in most forms of escapism where possible.
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