Low-Profile Wireless Cards

[jim]

Got a PC here that I need to upgrade to wireless-capable - it's one of those daft designs that's meant to sit flat on the desk, with the PC on top of it, and is a small form factor as well... I presume MicroATX although I haven't opened it up yet.

The PCI shields on the I/O plate are about 2.5-3" wide, so I'm presuming I need low profile cards? Will they fit?

[Funkstar]

Either a low profile card with a low profile bracket (they often don't come with an interchangable bracket) will fit.

Or just get a USB wireless dongle?

[Infinite]

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Abit-...-A-World-First

This comes with a low profile bracket.

[watforddude]

I've had good experience with all the dongles I've used so I would +1 with that as well

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-N-Wir.../dp/B000WKXK00

That's what I have and have no problems with it what so ever, easiest option really even though it's not what you are looking for.

[scaryjim]

A USB dongle would do the job nicely, or you can get a low profile card. As far as getting a low profile card goes, if you get a PCI one you don't need to worry about a bracket, it should be stable enough without one. Or stick up a wanted with a pic of the card you get? I've probably got one or two lying around that I don't use, but the antenae aren't always in the same place so the brackets aren't necessarily interchangable between different cards...

[scaryjim]

That's what I have and have no problems with it what so ever, easiest option really

I have a friend who bought a Belkin Wireless-n USB dongle for a PC I built them, and their computer refused to boot from a cold start with the dongle attached: during POST it used to enumerate USB devices and it just stopped when it met the belkin.

I'm sure it's not a common problem, but one to be aware of...

[jim]

People have a habit of knocking the dongles out fairly regularly, so I'll probably stick with PCI-E for the moment - pleased to discover that all of the machines I needed them for have PCI-E slots - even the old P4 I've got kicking around here has got one.

Assuming that Abit card comes with both brackets, I'll probably go with that - at least it's fairly cheap. Two of the machines are low profile, the other is standard so if it's got both that would be best.

[watforddude]

I have a friend who bought a Belkin Wireless-n USB dongle for a PC I built them, and their computer refused to boot from a cold start with the dongle attached: during POST it used to enumerate USB devices and it just stopped when it met the belkin.

I'm sure it's not a common problem, but one to be aware of...

Well it's never happened to me... Thank god

[Funkstar]

At that price I would do with the Abit card.

If the tethered antenna became an issue to some, then you could swap them for this: http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Newli...s-(NLWL-ANTSMA)

of just steel the antennas of old/broken wireless routers and APs

[jim]

Hmm, bought three of the abit cards, and fit them to three machines - two brand new HP machines and an old Dell P4, all with 7.

Suffering with bluescreens and freezing like crazy on all three... can't help feeling it's linked somehow.

[circuitmonkey]

I've used one in the past (not with Win7) found it could be a little temperamental in regards to link stability with the provided drivers (no blue screens though).
I believe I went for the option of finding the latest drivers from laptopvideo2go and now it works fine
Its was in my media centre pc, which got re-purposed as new pc for my girlfriend's mother and believe me... I'd know if it where still having problems, my life just wouldn't be worth living!

[jim]

Bought a couple of USB ones this time - I had absolutely no luck tracking down a PCI-E low profile wireless card, seems as though the abit is the only one widely available in that config at the moment.

We'll see what happens