Which Raspberry Pi Wifi Dongle/Adapters match your need?
Wifi Dongles enable the interfacing of wifi with Raspberry Pi. A great option to have when you are building a project on Raspberry Pi.
Here are our top 10 picks for Best Raspberry Pi Wifi Dongle. Let us know what you think about them.
Official Raspberry Pi WiFi Dongle ($12.49)
This is the only module that supports windows 10 IoT version. 150 Mbps and built-in NOOBS and Raspbian
Raspberry Pi gave its own Wifi dongle and people are pretty happy with it. It has great connectivity and the product is pretty good when compared to the cheaper ones. No troubleshooting. Plug and PLAY! The cover sometimes keep falling apart. And it keeps connecting and disconnecting too.
Check in before purchasing.
You can find this product here.
CanaKit Raspberry Pi WiFi Wireless Dongle ($9.99)
Speed upto 150 Mbps. It has a quick secure setup and complies with WPS for wireless security. It also supports wireless roaming technology for wireless connections.
Works right out of box.
“If you are a linux user you probably know that WiFi issues can occasionally get frustrating and confusing, even for those of us with a background in computers. I’ve used a number of adapters that were supposed to work with linux right out of the box, but didn’t, in some cases never working at all. This is the one adapter that I can plug into ANY linux computer whether it’s running debain, fedora, ubuntu, or even whether it’s a desktop, laptop, microcontroller, etc, and it works every time.” – Amazon
Speed might be weaker than expected than that of a 802.11n dongle.
“Was trying to upgrade my 802.11b bridge but the bridge gets higher speeds and less ping so this is useless to me.” – Amazon
You can find this product here.
Raspberry Pi WiFi Dongle – The Pi Hut ($7.81)
This product needs a little configuration. Sometimes it might stop working or timeout during use or become slow. Although there are instructions by users for its setup.
You can find this product here.
Wireless Usb Adapter Nano Wifi Dongle for Raspberry Pi / Pi2 ($12.99)
Plug and Play 300Mbps WiFi Dongle. USB Interface and compatible with Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP, 2000 as well as Linux and Mac OS X. Adapts to WiFi frequencies for a better connection. Fits all USB ports without blocking adjacent ports without space dimensions.
Works pretty great overall. It has to be installed with little CD that comes with the box but alas – without instructions. Integrates easily with system tools.
Sometimes might drop internet access or can cause inconsistent detection by USB/computer. The dongle is very compact hence ideal for travel.
You can find this product here.
Wi-Pi Raspberry Pi 802.11n Wireless Adapter ($12.44)
It has a built-in smart antenna. It has a little blue LED light that lights up when it is connected. This Wifi does not support AP mode.
“Most WiFi dongles actually need to be plugged into a USB hub in order to word due to the Pi’s really low USB power output. The WiPi is actually designed, and does work very well directly connected. In my case, i run my Pi headless and access it over the WiFi network so this part was important to me. you should be able to get a USB Keyboard and the WiPi working together but it may be real tight on power.
If you want a WiFi dongle that you know will just work and not cause any power resource issues, this is the one to go with.” – Amazon
You can find this product here.
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ANEWISH Mini Wireless RT5370 USB Wifi Dongle Stick ($6.99)
150 Mbps speed. Plug and play. Wide range, that goes through walls.Wireless data transmission. Great speed.
This wifi dongle works for any laptop/PC that doesn’t have a working wifi. Must be bought by anyone who needs a simple windows or Linux wifi dongle with great reception. It does not drop connections either.
“Very easy to “get running”.” – Amazon
You can find this product here.
Kootek Raspberry Pi Wifi Dongle Adapter ($7.99)
USB wireless adapter.Compatible with Raspberry Pi wifi adapter. Though this item is not for average users but great hobbyists.
The setup process is not simple either (Do refer to user reviews for setting it up). Works great after installation. Works in almost every computer.
You can find this product here.
Cable Matters Gold Plated Wireless USB Adapter with Detachable Antenna ($9.99)
Supports up to 150 Mbps. Compatible with 802.11 b/g/ routers and hotspots and ideal for video streaming.The antenna is detachable for easy travelling and storage. Sturdy design for durability and signal transmission. Secure setup which helps protect data. Windows compatible with XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10 (32/64 bit).
No instructions.No plug and play.You need to do the setup (Manual – PDF – Customer Reviews – Customer Service). But after the setup – IT WORKS GREAT.
Performance as mentioned above is pretty great. Speed upto 150 Mbps can be availed.
You can find this product here.
TP-LINK Wireless Mini USB Adapter ($13.72)
Speed up to 300 Mbps. Compact design for easy carrying. SoftAP Mode turns adapter into virtual Wi-Fi hotspot. One-touch wireless security encryption with WPS button. Connects laptops and PCs to Wireless networks through USB.
“My laptop lost its ability to receive wireless signals. I plugged in the USB wireless adapter and ran their installation CD and now the computer picks up wireless signals like a champ. I also love this wireless adapter because it is small and does not stick out very far from my computer so it is not very vulnerable to damage.” – Amazon
“I bought this about a month ago. It has been working great. It is smaller than it looks on the photo. Great signal and fast internet. Computer is in a room that is about 50′ away from router and there are two walls in between router and the computer. I still get full signal.” – Amazon
The drivers can be found on RealTech. This product runs great after setup.
You can find this product here.
Edimax Wi-Fi USB Adapter ($8.50)
- Supports 150 Mbps 802.11n
- Wireless data rate
- Permits users to have the farthest range with the widest coverage. (Up to 6 times the speed and 3 times the coverage of 802.11b.).
- Power Saving designed to support smart transmit power control
- Auto-idle state adjustment
- Supports WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia)
- Includes multi-language EZmax setup wizard
- Backward compatible with 802.11b/g
- Security 64/128 bit WEP Encryption and WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK security
- Antenna internal chip antenna
- System XP/Vista/Win7, Mac, Linux
Good reception though not very good reception on Linux box. Great product for little price. A little blue flashing light indicates that there the system is working.
“If you will be using the unit in the same room as the router be it Linux or Windows, this will work for you but if the router and the unit are at a distance, particularly on different floors you will have issues.” – Amazon
You can find this product here.
Let us know what Raspberry Pi Wifi Adapters you purchased and why.