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[serco]

I need a USB wireless adapter for my mini-laptop computer.  Which of the D-Link adapter is the best to connect to a DIR-655 router?

DWA-130  DWA-140 or DWA-160

The DIR-655 is compatible with USB wireless adapter from other manufacturers?

Serco

[lizzi555]

I have DWA-140 and DWA-160 (Rev. A with Atheros chipset) here and DWA-140 connects faster and without any problems.

Sure is the DIR-655 compatible with adapters from other manufacturers but no one can guarantee how good and fast the connections will be as most manufacturers are optimizing their drivers to match the own product line.
If your using original drivers from wireless chipset manufacturers, there is almost no problem.

Only limitation I still notice: Wireless cards with Broadcom Chipset will only connect very slow. sometimes only 54 Mbps connection. Maybe I tried the wrong drivers.

I would recommend the DWA-140.

[serco]

Thanks you lizzy555.  Your input is appreciated!

I ask for another company material, just in case D-Link manufactu some equipment for other brand name.


Serco

[lotacus]

I have the dlink dwa-160 dual band adapter, future proofed myself, at least until I can get my hands on a dual band xpress card.

I have not had any problems with it, but noticed that I get better signal with it attached to the usb dongle, probably because of the orientation.

[lizzi555]

I ask for another company material, just in case D-Link manufactu some equipment for other brand name.

I don't think D-Link is manufacturing for other brands.

Nowerdays it seems there are some manufacturers in Asia which will produce all the stuff for D-Link, Netgear and so on. Only with these large ammounts of the same device (only with a different cover and firmware (driver), they can achieve these inexpensive prices.

So in worst case I look at the other manufacturers or chipset manufacturers drivers to get a newer version. The hardware is almost the same then.

A lot of the inexpensive router/AP devices in Europe are from Alpha Networks.
Netgear has a similar adater to the DWA-160 Rev A (WNDA3100).

So if you want to look for other manufacturers products, look at the driverfiles the supply.

Best choice is to use adapters with the same chipset manufacturer as the router.
As DIR-655 has an Atheros chipset, this will work.
Also look at known chipsets, that work well with the router.
Here are in the moment: Ralink (DWA-140, DWA-160 Rev B), Marvell Topdog (DWA-142)

I can't recommend cards with Broadcom chipsets in the moment (i.e. Buffalo Infinity series). I have tried one PCI card and in most cases I can only achieve a stable 54 Mbps connection.

So a long comment with a short sense: Not the manufacturer is the question, but the driver for and chipset in the device.
Here is Google your best friend 

[EddieZ]

Good explaination, serco!

[wiak]

i use DWA-140 with Ralink drivers work fine i get upto 100mbps (10mb/s filecopy over gigabit>wlan network) in real transfer speeds and is stable with my DIR-655 A3 Router
http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=652
http://www.ralinktech.com/ralink/Home/Support/Windows.html (download USB (RT2870) driver

DWA-160 has dual band, DIR-655 only has a singel band
so basicly you are wasteing money if you get a DWA-160 if you have a DIR-655 router, so i recommend getting a DWA-140, unless you want a dual band usb adapter for later

[lotacus]

Actualy, it's quite the opposite. Your wasting money if you get a 2.5ghz band adapter, then later decide you want a dual band router, so now you gotta chuck out more money to get another adapter that supports the 5Ghz band and once that's done, you have a spare usb adapter.