Best USB Network Cards of 2025
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USB network cards are an essential accessory for anyone who needs to connect their device to a network or the internet. These small, portable devices plug into the USB port of your computer or laptop and provide an ethernet port for a wired connection or a Wi-Fi antenna for wireless connectivity. They are ideal for those who have older devices that do not have built-in Wi-Fi or ethernet ports, or for those who need to add additional connectivity options to their device. USB network cards are easy to install and use, making them a convenient solution for anyone who needs to stay connected on the go.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
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Top 7 USB Network Cards
StarTech.com USB 3.0 Gigabit Network Adapter
The StarTech.com USB Network Adapter is an essential tool for those needing a reliable wired connection. It adds an Ethernet port to your device, supporting speeds up to Gigabit on 10/100/1000 Mbps networks, which is perfect for stable internet access. With its plug and play functionality, you can enjoy seamless connectivity without the hassle of installing drivers. The device features a Realtek RTL8153 chipset, ensuring compatibility with various laptops and desktops, while its USB bus-powered design makes it convenient to use anywhere.
StarTech.com 7 Port PCI USB Adapter Card
The StarTech.com PCI USB Card adds seven USB 2.0 ports to your PC through a PCI slot, allowing you to connect multiple devices simultaneously. This PCI USB controller effectively enhances your PC's connectivity options, making it easier to use printers, external drives, and other peripherals. With its full profile expansion capabilities, you can enjoy a neat and organised workspace without sacrificing performance. This USB 2.0 card is a valuable addition for anyone looking to upgrade their system's functionality and convenience.
StarTech.com PCI Express USB 3.0 and Gigabit Ethernet Card
The StarTech.com USB 3.0 & Ethernet card is an excellent solution for users needing additional expansion slots. It combines three USB 3.0 ports and a Gigabit Ethernet connection into one PCIe card, saving you valuable space in your PC. This card is designed to fit both standard and low-profile systems, ensuring versatility in installation. With UASP support, you can enjoy improved data transfer speeds, making it perfect for those who regularly transfer large files.
StarTech.com 4 Port USB 3.0 PCIe Expansion Card
The StarTech.com USB 3.0 PCIe Card significantly boosts the efficiency of your USB 3.0 devices with four dedicated channels, each offering up to 5 Gbps of bandwidth. This enables you to connect multiple high-powered devices, such as external hard drives and VR headsets, seamlessly to your computer. With UASP support, you can enjoy speeds that are up to 70% faster than traditional USB 3.0 connections, enhancing your data transfer experience. Additionally, the card allows for easy power management of your devices through optional LP4 or SATA power connectors.
Diyeeni USB 2.0 Mini Wireless Adapter
The Diyeeni Wireless Adapter offers impressive wireless data transmission rates of up to 600Mbps, making it ideal for seamless streaming and browsing. With MIMO technology, you can enjoy a stable connection, even in crowded networks. It also provides robust security features, including 64/128-bit WEP and WPA/WPA2-PSK encryption, ensuring your wireless activities remain safe. Additionally, the USB 2.0 high-speed interface allows for quick data transfers, enhancing your overall experience when using desktops or laptops.
StarTech.com 2-Port USB 3.2 PCIe Card
The StarTech.com USB 3.2 Card enhances your desktop PC by adding two USB-C SuperSpeed ports that operate at an impressive 10Gbps. This means you can quickly access high-performance devices like NVMe drives and SSDs, making data transfers faster and more efficient. The card also supports USB Attached SCSI Protocol (UASP), which optimises performance, ensuring you get the best speeds from your USB devices. It installs easily in various PCIe slots, providing flexibility whether you have a full or low-profile system.
SYONCON WiFi 6E AXE5400 PCIe Card with Bluetooth
The SYONCON AXE5400 WiFi Card brings the latest WiFi 6E technology to your desktop, enabling you to enjoy faster internet speeds and improved performance. With support for the 6GHz band, you can experience peak data rates of up to 2400Mbps, making it ideal for streaming and gaming. The card also features OFDMA and MU-MIMO, allowing for efficient data transmission to multiple devices simultaneously, which means less lag during busy network times. Additionally, Bluetooth 5.3 offers enhanced range and speed, providing a seamless connection for your wireless peripherals.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is network card better than USB?
Basically, as far as the performance goes, PCIe WiFi delivers better speeds. USB WiFi, on the other hand, is cheaper, portable and easier to install. Therefore, both options are great for the average user and each will come with its set of pros and cons which we will explore in the text below.
2. Do USB network adapters work?
A USB WiFi adapter overrides the computer's built-in wireless functionality, giving you a faster, more reliable connection to your available network signals through the USB port instead. Since most computers have at least one USB port, you'll typically be able to use it on both laptops and desktops.
3. What is USB network card?
These adapters generally have a USB plug on one end, and an Ethernet port on the other, so you regain the ability to connect your laptop to a wired network. Another type of USB network adapter is a WiFi antenna, which connects to your computer's USB port and allows it to connect to a wireless network.
4. Can you get Ethernet through USB?
USB Ethernet Adapters are easy to install; just make sure you have an Ethernet cable with you. Any Ethernet cable will do but for faster connection, Cat 6 or Cat6A is recommended. Just like any other USB device, just plug the USB connector of the adapter to the USB port of your computer.
During our usb network card research, we found 143 usb network card products and shortlisted 7 quality products. We collected and analyzed 21,225 customer reviews through our big data system to write the usb network cards list. We found that most customers choose usb network cards with an average price of £38.80.
The usb network cards are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of usb network cards, including StarTech.com, Diyeeni, SYONCON.
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