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Plugable USB 2.0 Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Adapter
$29.95 USD
SKU: USB-WIFINTAmazon Rating : (1142 Reviews)
Features
- Plug-and-Play for Windows 10/11— Automatically installs in Windows 10 and 11 with another active network connection; an offline driver is also provided for managed PCs. Windows 7/8.x, macOS, Linux/ChromeOS, TVs/consoles, and Windows on ARM are not supported.
- Wi-Fi 6 Upgrade for Older PCs— Add fast, reliable Wi-Fi to a desktop or laptop with this USB Wi-Fi adapter, a simple way to replace a broken internal card or modernize an older system. Great as a Wi-Fi adapter for desktop PC. TAA compliant for government and enterprise deployments.
- Dual-Band 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz— Choose 2.4 GHz for range or 5 GHz for speed. Works with modern routers and helps reduce congestion versus single-band wifi adapters.
- Compact USB WiFi Dongle— Low-profile Wi-Fi adapter that can stay inserted without blocking adjacent ports, an easy solution for everyday browsing, meetings, and streaming.
- Real World Speeds on USB 2.0— Expect ~200-350 Mbps speeds USB 2.0 bus is 480 Mb/s theoretical). For best results use 5 GHz for speed (2.4 GHz for range).
Free 3-Day Continental U.S. Shipping on Orders Over $35!
Plugable USB WiFi Adapter for Desktop PC and Laptop
Perfect for upgrading old systems
Fix Broken or Missing Wi-Fi in Minutes
No Wi-Fi? No problem. This compact USB adapter restores or adds wireless connectivity in minutes. Great for work, school, browsing, and video calls.
The Simple Upgrade Path
Compact, Port-Friendly Design
Get Online in 3 Steps
A: Faster, more stable wireless performance and smoother multitasking even on crowded networks
A: Expect stability and latency improvements, with real-world throughput commonly ~280–350 Mbps due to the bandwidth limit of the USB 2.0 interface
A: This adapter supports 20 MHz, 40 MHz and 80 MHz channel widths and it will automatically adjust width based on signal quality and interference levels.
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Understanding and Troubleshooting Network Performance
Computer networking is a complex topic. In this article, we'll be taking a deep dive on the nuances of network performance for those who need some additional explanation while striving to be concise, and to educate users of various experience levels relating computer hardware and computer networking.
If you just need to know how to perform a network performance test/benchmark, jump down to configuring iPerf.
Core Network Concepts
LAN vs WAN
With regards to network performance, it is crucial to first separate whether an issue is with Wide Area Network (WAN) performance, or if the issue is with Local Area Network (LAN) performance.
Your LAN is essentially the network inside your home or business. Many homes use a combination modem/router device provided by their Internet Service Provider (ISP). In some cases, especially in businesses, you may have a separate modem and router, along with other equipment connecting to the router such as a network switch.
Your modem, and the connection it establishes to your ISP—whether through coaxial cable, fiber, phone lines, or long-range wireless—essentially marks the point between the WAN and the LAN. The connection your modem makes to your ISP is the WAN, and any devices you connect through your router behind that modem belong to the LAN.
Link Rate
Almost every type of connection your computer makes to any piece of hardware will have a link rate of some kind. The link rate establishes how fast data can possibly be transferred across any given connection, but it does not guarantee how fast the hardware on either end of the connection will actually transfer data.
The concept of link rates, and their related bottlenecks, is likely best conveyed by giving an example of what connections might be involved in transferring a file from one computer on your LAN to another.
- 800Mbps—The file source is a USB 3.0 thumb drive capable of 100MB/s (800Mbps) read/write.
- 480Mbps—The USB 3.0 thumb drive is plugged into a USB 2.0 port on the PC, which has a maximum throughput of 480Mbps
- 1000Mbps—PC1's Ethernet connection establishes 1Gbps (1000Mbps) link to the router via Ethernet
- 300Mbps—The router connects to a second PC (we'll refer to this as PC2) via Wi-Fi, and it has established a 300Mbps link to the Wi-Fi adapter on PC2
- 480Mbps—The Wi-Fi adapter on PC2 is connected via a USB 2.0 port. The link rate of the USB connection to PC2 is at 480Mbps
- 6000Mbps—PC2 is going to store the file on an internal hard drive with a link rate of 6Gbps
- 1600Mbps—File Destination: SATA hard drive capable of 200MB/s (1600Mbps) read/write.
Following this chain, we see that 300Mbps is the slowest link rate established. This means that, regardless of the link rates established elsewhere, the absolute maximum the data can possibly be transferred is 300Mbps.
if we were to change the Wi-Fi connection to a wired Ethernet connection capable of 1Gbps, our performance bottleneck would then become the USB 2.0 connection to the USB drive where the file is stored.
Ports and Interfaces
Interfaces
A network interface represents connections, whether wired or wireless, that are made to form a network between devices.
Ports
Some may refer to physical hardware connections as "ports". For the purposes of networking, ports are logical constructs that can also be referred to as "network ports". Each network interface has 65,535 of these logical ports. Each port on a network interface is a separate data connection.
Benchmarking Network Adapter Performance
To properly benchmark network adapter performance, we need to:
- Use a simple LAN configuration
- Eliminate bottlenecks, especially link rate bottlenecks
Websites like speedtest.net, fast.com, and other performance tools in your web browser are going to use your WAN connection, and are not appropriate for determining if a network adapter is working well.
Transferring files from one computer to another on your LAN is typically not the best way to benchmark a network adapter. File transfers are bottlenecked by a number of things, including performance limitations of the disk the data is on, and often times a lack of establishing parallel network connections to perform the task.
One of the most accurate ways to benchmark network performance on a LAN is by using iPerf . To more effectively benchmark network adapter performance, it is best to establish a point-to-point connection between two PCs, rather than connecting through a router or switch.
Configuring iPerf
To test a connection using iPerf, you'll need at least two network interfaces, and preferably two computers. You'll also need to know the IP (Internet Protocol) address assigned to each network interface . One network interface will function as an iPerf server, and the other network interface will function as an iPerf client. Lastly, you'll need to download the version of iPerf 3.x that's appropriate for your computer's operating system and extract/install it .
Windows
- Make sure the drivers for both network interfaces involved in the test are using up-to-date drivers. Drivers for Plugable products can be found here.
- Download and extract iPerf for Windows
- Open Command Prompt
- Press Windows Key + R or + R, then enter
cmdin the window that appears - Search the Start Menu for
Command Prompt, and open it
- Press Windows Key + R or + R, then enter
- Navigate Command Prompt to the directory the directory where iPerf is located
- The
cdcommand is for 'change directory'- If you have a folder named 'iperf' on your Windows desktop, you can reach it in command prompt with the command
cd %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\iperf
- If you have a folder named 'iperf' on your Windows desktop, you can reach it in command prompt with the command
- The
- Run iperf in server mode via Command Prompt
iperf3.exe -s
macOS
- Usually it is best to install iperf on macOS using brew in Terminal
- Make sure the drivers for both network interfaces involved in the test are using up-to-date drivers
- Open Terminal
- Run iPerf in server mode
iperf3 -s
Linux
- Usually it is best to install iperf using the package manager in your Linux distro. For example, in Ubuntu, use
apt: sudo apt install iperf3
- Make sure the drivers for both network interfaces involved in the test are using up-to-date Drivers
- Open Terminal
- Run iPerf in server mode
iperf3 -s
Next, you'll need to run iPerf in client mode, targeting the IP address of the server/interface where iPerf is running in server mode. Additionally, we'll run the test for 30 seconds using -t 30 and with four parallel connections using -P 4. Running 4 parallel connections is optimal for saturating a network link.
Windows
- Open Command Prompt
- Press Windows Key + R or + R, then enter
cmdin the window that appears - Search the Start Menu for
Command Prompt, and open it
- Press Windows Key + R or + R, then enter
- Navigate Command Prompt to the directory the directory where iPerf is located
- The
cdcommand is for 'change directory'- If you have a folder named 'iperf' on your Windows desktop, you can reach it in command prompt with the command
cd %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\iperf
- If you have a folder named 'iperf' on your Windows desktop, you can reach it in command prompt with the command
- The
- Run iperf in client mode via Command Prompt (replace 192.168.0.200 with the IP address of the server/interface where iPerf is running in server mode)
iperf3.exe -c 192.168.0.200 -t 30 -P 4
macOS / Linux
- Open Terminal
- Run iPerf in client mode (replace 192.168.0.200 with the IP address of the server/interface where iPerf is running in server mode)
iperf3 -c 192.168.0.200 -t 30 -P 4
iPerf should start performing a network performance test. If the test fails to start, make sure that iPerf is not being blocked by your PC's/Mac's firewall.
Why iPerf is Ideal for Benchmarking
Unlike a file transfer, iPerf runs in memory on the PC and generates data to send using the CPU directly. This alleviates potential bottlenecks generated by storage devices, and allows you to explicitly control how many parallel connections are being used to transfer data rather than being unsure if parallel network connections are being used by other means.
Conclusion
There's a lot more to networking that isn't covered in this article, but we hope this helps explain enough to get an accurate measure of your network performance.
If you need assistance with your Plugable product that features network connectivity, please contact us for further assistance.
USB-WIFINT New vs Old version and their feature differences
Differences Between the Plugable USB Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi 6 Adapter
The Plugable USB-WIFINT adapter has been upgraded from a legacy Wi-Fi 4 standard to modern Wi-Fi 6. It offers improved connectivity and security while maintaining a compact USB design. The following table outlines the technical specifications and key differences between the original Wi-Fi 4 version and the updated Wi-Fi 6 model.
| Feature | Wi-Fi 4 Adapter (Legacy) | Wi-Fi 6 Adapter (Current) |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi Generation | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) |
| Wireless Frequencies | Single Band (2.4GHz only) | Dual Band (2.4GHz & 5GHz) |
| Security Standards | WPA / WPA2 | WPA2 / WPA3 |
| MIMO Technology | SU-MIMO (Internal PiFa Antenna 1x1) | MU-MIMO / OFDMA (Internal PiFa Antennas 2T2R) |
| Channel Bandwidth | 20MHz / 40MHz | 20MHz / 40MHz / 80MHz |
| Chipset | Realtek RTL8188EUS | Realtek RTL8832BU |
| OS Compatibility | Windows 11, 10, 8.x, 7, macOS 10.6 to 10.14 | Windows 10, and 11 |
| Interface | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
Why does my USB-WIFINT appear to be different than what is currently pictured?
The original USB-WIFINT Wi-Fi adapter was released in 2015 and was sold until 2025. The newer version of the USB-WIFINT is now available and is using a newer Realtek Wi-Fi 6 RTL8832BU chipset with an updated physical design.
Pictured is the previous version of the USB-WIFINT that is based on Wi-Fi 4.
Pictured is the new version of the USB-WIFINT that is based on Wi-Fi 6.
How to install drivers for the original USB-WIFINT
The original USB-WIFINT Wi-Fi 4 adapter was sold up until early 2026 and featured a Realtek RTL8188EUS chipset. On Windows 11 and 10 systems, drivers are fully built into the operating system—no installation is needed.
For Windows 8.x or 7, if you have an active network connection, the driver should install automatically via Windows Update once the adapter is plugged in.
If no internet connection is available, you can perform a manual installation. Follow the steps below for your specific version:
USB-WIFINT (RTL8188EUS) - Windows XP to Windows 10
- Download the drivers: USB-WIFINT (Wi-Fi 4) Windows Driver
- Connect the USB-WIFINT to your computer.
- Extract the downloaded ZIP folder (Right-click and select "Extract All...").
- Run setup.exe from the extracted files with administrator privileges.
- Follow the installation prompts and restart your computer once complete.
Legacy macOS (10.6 to 10.14)
- Download the drivers: USB-WIFINT macOS Driver (10.6-10.12)
- Double-click the downloaded file to extract it.
- Run the installer and follow the prompts.
- Restart your computer to complete the connection setup.
Legacy RTL8188CUS Revision (Sold before 2017)
- Download the drivers: Windows XP to Windows 10 Legacy Driver
- Run the downloaded executable file.
- Follow the installation process.
- Restart your computer to connect to a wireless network.
If you encounter errors or issues, please contact Plugable Support for further assistance.
How to install the drivers for USB-WIFINT Wi-Fi 6 adapter
The drivers for the USB-WIFINT Wi-Fi 6 adapter will install automatically through Windows Update as long as there is an existing internet connection such as ethernet.
Drivers are available for manual driver installation as well. Here is how to install the drivers for the USB-WIFINT:
- Download the following drivers: 5001.15.134.3_Plugable
- Connect the USB-WIFINT to your computer.
- Extract the compressed folder (you can Right Click then select the "Extract All..." option)
- Find the setup.exe in the files that were extracted, and run it with administrator privileges.
- Continue through the install process of setup.exe.
-
- Once driver installation is complete, you will need to restart your computer to connect to a wireless network.
If you get an error, please contact Plugable Support. If there are still issues, please contact us so we can help
If USB 3.x Is Newer and Faster, Why Does Plugable Recommend Using a USB 2.0 Port Instead of a USB 3.0 Port With USB 2.0 Wireless Adapters?
In part, because the higher speed of the USB 3.0 port (also known as USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.2 Gen 1) offers no advantage if the device itself is USB 2.0. For Plugable's USB 2.0 Bluetooth and Wi-Fi adapters, the performance is far below even the throughput of USB 2.0.
Also, the adapter itself is a USB 2.0 device and there is a critical issue that was overlooked in the design of USB 3.0 specifications. Many USB 3.0 ports leak broad-spectrum radio interference in the 2.4GHz to 2.5GHz range, which is the same radio band used by Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
While this interference can be reduced through heavy shielding, it cannot be entirely avoided as it is inherent to the core design of USB 3.0. USB 2.0 ports do not have this issue. However, a USB 2.0 port that is in close proximity to an in-use USB 3.0 port may also be affected by radio noise leaked by it.
Why Shouldn’t I Plug Wireless Adapters In at the Back of My Computer? I Don’t Really Have Any Ports on the Front. Given That, What Am I Supposed to Do?
Components inside a tower-style computer case are largely exposed, and there is very little shielding to reduce the radio interference they produce. This is particularly true at the rear input/output panel of a PC. This is why cables that are designed to plug into the back of a computer often have a ferrite bead attached to them, to reduce radio interference. Also, the wireless signal weakens as it travels through the metal and plastic computer case and goes past the noise-producing components.
If you don’t have a port available on the front your PC, consider using a USB 2.0 hub to add ports located away from the back of your PC, or use a USB 2.0 extension cable to move the adapter to a location in line-of-sight with your receiving device.
The Documentation Says This Wi-Fi Adapter Should Get 150Mbps, but I’m Getting Way Less Than That
Without getting into too many details, the 150Mbps value represents the maximum “Link Rate” of the adapter, which essentially tells you what wireless specifications are being used for the adapter. Environmental factors such as surrounding radio interference, distance from your access point, and other issues will reduce the performance and possibly the link rate being achieved. 150Mbps (18.75MB/s) is the theoretical maximum transmission speed that can be achieved providing all conditions are ideal, such as in a radio testing facility. For home and office use, there will always be factors that reduce performance.
If you are consistently seeing a link rate of 72Mbps reported by your operating system, this is either due to a configuration error on the router you are connecting to, or because of limitations on the router. If the router’s 2.4GHz channels are set to use 20MHz widths, the link rate will never exceed 72Mbps. To get the 150Mbps link rate, the router must be using channels with 40MHz widths.
How To - Set a Network to Private or Public in Windows 10 & 11
The Windows Firewall may block some networking features when the local network is not set to Private. This article will describe the process for setting the local network, either wired Ethernet or Wi-Fi to be a Private network.
Windows 11
1 - Connect the computer to the network, either wired or wireless
2 - Open the Windows Settings - right-click on the Start Menu and select “Settings” from the pop-up menu
3 - On the left column select “Network & internet”
For Wired Networks
4 - Select the “Ethernet” option
5 - The connected network should be expanded, if not click on “Network Connected" to expand the section
6 - Select the “Network profile type” either “Public network” or “Private network” to suite your needs
For Wi-Fi Networks
4 - Select the “Wi-Fi” option
5 - Select your Wi-Fi network name “properties”
6 - Select the “Network profile type” either “Public network” or “Private network” to suite your needs
Windows 10
1 - Connect the computer to the network, either wired or wireless
2 - Open the Windows Settings - right-click on the Start Menu and select “Settings” from the pop-up menu
3 - Select “Network & Internet” fro the bottom section
4 - Select the “Ethernet” option from the left pane
5 - Select the “Connected” network from the right pane
6 - Select the “Network profile type” either “Public network” or “Private network” to suite your needs
Windows PowerShell
If the option does not show up in the Windows Settings GUI, or if you prefer to use the terminal.
1 - Open a new terminal: Right-click on the Start Menu and select “Terminal”
2 - Run the following command to list the available networks
Get-NetConnectionProfile
PS C:\Users\plugable> Get-NetConnectionProfile Name : Network InterfaceAlias : Ethernet Instance 0 InterfaceIndex : 7 NetworkCategory : Private DomainAuthenticationKind : None IPv4Connectivity : Internet IPv6Connectivity : NoTraffic
3 - Run the following command to set the network to Private
Set-NetConnectionProfile -Name Network -NetworkCategory Private
Where “Network” is the network name from step #2 and “Private” can be either “Public" or “Private”
Choosing the Best Network Adapter for Your Needs
If you're looking to upgrade your wired or wireless network speed and internet connection with a Plugable USB network adapter, you’ll want to make sure you pick the right one for your setup. The three key factors to consider are:
- The type of network you are connecting to: Wired or Wireless (Wi-Fi)
- The type of USB port on your computer (USB-A, USB-C, or Thunderbolt)
- The Ethernet speed you need (Gigabit, 2.5 Gigabit, 5Gbps, or Wi-Fi)
This guide will help you quickly determine which Plugable adapter best fits your needs.
Step 1: Identify Your USB Port Type
Different Plugable adapters are designed for different USB connections. Here's how to find out what type of USB port your computer has:
- USB-A Port (Rectangular Shape) – Found on most older and some newer PCs and laptops. If your device has standard USB ports, you'll want an adapter with a USB-A connector.
- USB-C Port (Small, Oval Shape) – Found on modern laptops, tablets, and some desktops. If your computer has a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3/4 port, a USB-C adapter is a better choice.
- Thunderbolt 3 or 4 – Thunderbolt ports support USB-C accessories, so any Plugable USB-C Ethernet adapter will work.
💡 Not sure which ports your computer has? Check the manufacturer's website or look for an icon next to the port: a Lightning bolt indicates Thunderbolt ( or charging ) while a USB logo will indicate the USB version.
Step 2: Determine the Ethernet Speed You Need
Your network speed is influenced by both your internet plan and the devices on your network. Choose an adapter based on the speed you want to achieve:
| Network Speed | Best Use Cases | Recommended Plugable Adapter |
|---|---|---|
| 100Mbps (Fast Ethernet) | Basic browsing, emails, and light streaming | USB2-E (USB-A, 100Mbps) |
| 1Gbps (Gigabit Ethernet) | Streaming, gaming, and large file transfers |
USB3-E1000 (USB-A, 1Gbps) or USBC-E1000 (USB-C, 1Gbps) |
| 2.5Gbps and 5Gbps (Multi-Gig Ethernet) | High-speed networks, NAS, 4K+ streaming |
USBC-E2500 (USB-C, 2.5Gbps) or USBC-E5000 (USB-C, 5Gbps) |
| Wi-Fi (802.11N or Wi-Fi 4) | Adding Wi-Fi 4 to older notebook and desktop computers | USB-WIFINT (USB-A Wi-Fi 4 150Mbps) |
💡 Check your router’s specifications to see if it supports higher speeds like 2.5Gbps before choosing a multi-gig adapter.
Step 3: Choose the Right Adapter for Your System
Now that you know your USB port type and Ethernet speed requirements, here’s a quick guide to help you select the right Plugable adapter. The best bet is to meet or exceed the internet service provider’s rated speed, or for local file transfers the speed of the other systems on the network. For example, say your ISP provides a 2Gbps internet connection, then a 2.5Gbps or 5Gbps Ethernet adapter will be a good fit, while a 1Gbps adapter will still enable internet connectivity, the maximum data rate would be limited to 50% that of the rated internet speed.
For USB-A Computers
✅ Need basic 100Mbps Ethernet? → Choose the USB2-E100
✅ Need Gigabit speeds? → Choose the USB3-E1000
✅ Need Wireless Connectivity → Choose the USB-WIFINT
For USB-C or Thunderbolt 3/4 Computers
✅ Need Gigabit speeds? → Choose the USBC-E1000
✅ Need 2.5Gbps speeds? → Choose the USBC-E2500
✅ Need 5Gbps speeds? → Choose the USBC-E5000
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can I use a USB 3.0 Ethernet adapter in a USB 2.0 port?
A: Yes, but it will be limited to USB 2.0 speeds, which may affect performance.
Q: Will these adapters work with macOS, Windows, and Linux?
A: For the most part yes, except for our USB-WIFINT relies on proprietary drivers and is not recommended for macOS, Linux, or ChromeOS systems
Q: Does a faster Ethernet adapter make my internet speed faster?
A: Only if your internet service provider (ISP) plan supports higher speeds. A 2.5Gbps adapter won’t improve speeds on a 1Gbps internet connection.
Q: Can I use a USB-C adapter with a USB-A computer using an adapter?
A: It depends. Some USB-C to USB-A adapters may work, but some are limited to USB 2.0 data rates and can affect the network performance. When possible we recommend using a native USB-A Ethernet adapter for most reliable performance.
Conclusion
Picking the right Plugable USB to Ethernet adapter comes down to knowing your USB port type and the speed you need. Whether you’re looking for a basic 100Mbps connection or blazing-fast 5Gbps speeds, Plugable has an adapter to keep you connected.
Still have questions? Reach out to Plugable’s support team via email at support@plugable.com for help choosing the best adapter for your setup!
