The TL-WN722N wireless adapter is a discrete card and is indispensable in cases where a computer or laptop must be connected to a Wi-Fi computer network, but the integrated transmitter does not work or is not able to receive an existing signal. Moreover, the presence of an external antenna in this device significantly improves the quality of reception. It is this affordable solution that will be discussed in the framework of this review.
Equipment. Possible use cases
The delivery list of TL-WN722N includes the following:
- Adapter with protective cap and antenna.
- A disk with an electronic version of its documentation and a set of drivers for various versions of operating systems. It also has diagnostic utilities that allow you to check the quality of network settings and, if necessary, reconfigure the connection settings to increase performance.
- User manual in paper format.
- Company card with warranty. Its validity period is 1 year from the date of purchase.
It is most optimal to use the TP Link TL-WN722N adapter considered within this material in cases where the PC either does not have such an integrated transmitter, or for some reason does not work. Also, the presence of an antenna in the external design allows the reception of even a very weak signal.
Options. Technical specifications
The main and only way to connect TP-Link TL-WN722N to a computer system is a universal USB port. Also at the software level requires the same name interface. The manufacturer recommends using this adapter with interface version 2.0. But it is also compatible with revisions of USB 1.X or 3.X. Only in the first case, the speed of the network connection will decrease, and in the second, the port capabilities will not be used to the maximum. The peak speed of this solution is 150 Mbps.
This solution supports almost all 802.11 wireless standards. There are no modifications of “a” and “ac” in this list. The first of them is currently outdated and is extremely rare in practice. And the second one was presented recently and has not yet received much distribution. In addition, it is compatible with the 802.11n modification, and this circumstance allows such an adapter to connect to such a wireless network.
The power level of the wireless transmitter is 20 dB. An ordinary network card of this kind can produce 5-7 dB at best. That is, the considered solution is capable of receiving a very weak signal.
Order of setting. Health Check
The TL-WN722N is configured as follows:
- Unpack the network adapter.
- We remove the protective cap from its connector and connect the device in question to the corresponding port of the PC.
- We put in the drive of the system unit and complete the software installation.
- We go into the network connection management system. Search for all Wi-Fi networks. Choose the one to which we can connect. If necessary, enter the password. Close all windows.
- By opening the browser and navigating to any available web page, we check the wireless connectivity.
Cost
Currently TP Link TL-WN722N can be purchased at a price of 600-900 rubles. If you choose an outlet on the Internet as the place of purchase, the cost of such an adapter will be about 600 rubles. But at the same time it will be necessary to wait 3-5 days until it is delivered. But in electronics supermarkets or specialized stores, the price will increase and will reach 900 rubles. But in this case, the device will be received by the user immediately after purchase.
Owner reviews
The advantages of TL-WN722N include:
- High speed transmission.
- A simple and clear tuning algorithm for most.
- Sufficient equipment, which allows you to start using a discrete network card immediately after purchase.
- The ability to receive even a very weak network signal.
- Low cost adapter.
- Universal interface to connect.
The minuses include only that periodically during the operation, a driver failure occurs. In this case, they must be reinstalled. To eliminate this drawback, it is recommended to download the latest version of control software from the manufacturer’s website and install it. These drivers lack this significant downside.
Another disadvantage of this device is its rather large dimensions. But it is impossible to get rid of this minus. The increased dimensions are due to an external antenna and an improved signal amplification system.
Conclusion
The network card of the TL-WN722N model considered in this review combines acceptable technical characteristics and affordable cost. It is a universal solution, it can be applied practically in any possible case. She also has a fairly high degree of reliability.