John Chad, Bachelor Degree in Computer Science & Computer Engineering.
Russel Collins
There’s a wide variety of motherboards with a number of different features, so it is important to figure out what you need in order to decide which one is best for your computer. One question that comes up often is whether they have wifi built-in. The answer depends on the motherboard manufacturer and the series/model of the motherboard itself, we will go more in-depth in this article and help you figure out the ones that do and the ones that don’t.
Do Motherboards Come With WiFi?
It depends on the motherboard model. Generally, more expensive motherboards do have WiFi and Bluetooth included in them, however, lower-end motherboards most likely do not have it included.
How do I know if my motherboard has WIFI?
If you’re wondering if your motherboard has a wifi card, there are a few ways to find out.
-First Method: Take a look at the back of your motherboard. If there is an antenna cable plugged into it, this means that you have WiFi integrated onto your Motherboard and no additional hardware will be needed to connect to your router/other networks(Some motherboards don’t need antennas although antennas generally improve the range).
-Second Method: Get the brand & model of your motherboard and write in Google: “Brand + Model WiFi”. First result will most likely be the products page in the official brand website, you can find the specifications & features there.
What if my motherboard does not have WIFI?
If your motherboard does not have it built-in, you can purchase a USB dongle to plug into the computer.
-The most popular brands for these are TP Link and Netgear.
-Both of these companies offer different levels of quality that can be purchased at different price ranges: they range from $30-$150 in value. You may also want to find out which one is compatible with your operating system before purchasing anything since some drivers aren’t available on all systems(Windows vs Mac).
You will need this if you don’t already have wireless internet built onto your motherboard.
Does WiFi also include Bluetooth?
When you purchase a motherboard with WiFi, it will most likely have Bluetooth as well. They are automatically installed together on the same chip and so they work in tandem to provide greater functionality for your computer. The average connection speed of WiFi is about 100mbs while Bluetooth can go up to 24mbps which makes them perfect for streamlining data transfer when streaming music or video from one device to another. You may also want to find out what type of antenna that router has before purchasing anything because some antennas are more powerful than others meaning better speeds and signal range.
If your motherboard doesn’t come with either feature then you’ll need an adapter that plugs into the USB port on your laptop and provides both capabilities separately. A quick internet search will show a number of different adapters available for purchase at prices ranging from $20 up to $150. They may not be as fast or have as long a range, but they should get the job done if WiFi isn’t built-in.
Are USB WiFi adapters any good?
There are plenty of USB adapters on the market, and they all have their pros and cons. The two biggest benefits of using one is that it’s very portable – you can easily take your adapter with you wherever there is a power outlet to plug into.
Another advantage is that most people don’t need more than 150mbps (megabits per second) connection speed for browsing the web or accessing email, or gaming, so if you’re not looking for amazing download speeds then this may be an excellent option for less money! It can still work just for fine for downloading but don’t expect it to be as fast as if you were directly connected by cable.
The downside to these devices is that they depend entirely on external power sources – meaning if the cord gets yanked out by accident, your device will quickly lose its wireless connectivity. Plus, some routers block connections from devices that don’t belong to them, so you may have trouble connecting to your home network if it’s not a dual-band router.
How to connect desktop to WiFi
You can connect a desktop device to the internet either with an ethernet cable or wirelessly. To do this, locate your modem and power it on. Connect one end of the ethernet cord to your computer’s “ethernet” port and then plug in the other end into any available Ethernet jack near where you are sitting (usually located next to the phone jacks).
If there is no Ethernet jack nearby you can use Wi-Fi by installing a wireless router; some routers also have USB ports that allow connection via wired connection as well.
For a wireless connection, turn on your Desktop and try to find the router. You should now see a list of Wi-Fi networks on your computer’s screen. If you are in range of the router, select it and enter its password (if applicable).
Your desktop may also have an integrated wireless card that will automatically connect to any available networks without needing a manual connection process.