Network adapters and cards

USB ethernet adapter for your laptop

Many laptops, including MacBooks and thin ultrabooks, have no LAN port. A USB-C ethernet adapter or a USB ethernet adapter for USB-A adds an RJ45 port and lets you connect your computer to the router with a cable — handy for video calls, uploading large files and wherever Wi-Fi is weak. Most adapters work as soon as you plug them in, and when the system needs a driver, the manufacturer provides one.

Which adapter speed to choose

• 10/100 Mbps — enough for internet up to 100 Mbps, terminals and network printers.
• 1 Gbps (Gigabit Ethernet) — the standard for fibre broadband and home networks. A USB-A version reaches full speed in a USB 3.0 port — in USB 2.0 it works, but more slowly.
• 2.5 Gbps — for fibre packages above 1 Gbps, NAS drives and multi-gigabit switches. Your router or switch also needs a 2.5 Gbps port.

Before you buy, check your internet speed and the ports on your laptop. A gigabit adapter plugged into a slow USB port will not use its full bandwidth.

PCIe network card, USB Wi-Fi adapter and TV stick adapter

A PCI Express network card fits into a slot on a desktop PC's motherboard and replaces a faulty LAN port or adds a second one. A USB Wi-Fi network card adds fast Wi-Fi to a computer without a wireless card or with an older standard, and dual-band models work on the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. Before you buy, check on the product page which operating systems it supports — some cards only have drivers for Windows. A micro USB to RJ45 adapter comes in handy for TV sticks and older Chromecasts with micro USB that get a weak Wi-Fi signal in the living room — a cable keeps the connection stable while streaming.

You will need a cable from the Cat5 and Cat6 ethernet cables category to go with your adapter — it is also enough for a 2.5 Gbps adapter. When the cable runs next to electrical wiring, shielded Cat7 ethernet cables are a better fit. If you need USB and HDMI ports as well as LAN, choose a USB-C hub with an RJ45 port. You will find other network accessories in the Ethernet category.

Frequently asked questions

What is a network card?

It is the part of a computer that connects it to a network — via an ethernet cable or via Wi-Fi. It can be built into the motherboard, installed in a PCI Express slot or connected over USB like an adapter.

Does a USB-C ethernet adapter work with phones and tablets?

With many of them, yes — iPads and iPhones with USB-C, as well as most Android tablets and phones, support wired internet through a USB-C to RJ45 adapter. If in doubt, check your device's settings to see whether an Ethernet option appears.