When comparing COMFAST CF-915AC vs EDIMAX EW-7811UAC, the Slant community recommends COMFAST CF-915AC for most people. In the question“What are the best Wi-Fi USB adapters?” COMFAST CF-915AC is ranked 1st while EDIMAX EW-7811UAC is ranked 3rd. The most important reason people chose COMFAST CF-915AC is:
This Comfast adapter only costs $10, making it one of the cheapest options on the market.
Specs
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Pros
Pro The price is very competitive
This Comfast adapter only costs $10, making it one of the cheapest options on the market.
Pro It's great for carrying around
This adapter is the size of a small USB stick, without any antennae sticking out. You can easily fit it in a bag or your pocket and take along to a coffee shop, for example.
Pro Internet connection speed is decent
This adapter supports the latest 802.11ac wireless protocol that is the fastest to date. As long as your computer is also compatible, you should get a decent connection. Another contributing factor is that it's a dual-band adapter, so you can connect your computer to a 5GHz network to alleviate some of the Wi-Fi congestion.
Pro The wireless signal reception is very reliable
This adapter has an antenna that helps it maintain a reliable connection to a Wi-Fi network even if your router is in another room or floor, or just pretty far away.
Pro The connection speed is decent
As long as your computer supports the latest wireless protocol, 802.11ac, you will get a pretty fast connection. The fact that this is a dual-band adapter also helps with alleviating some of the Wi-Fi congestion that arises when too many devices are connected to a network (but you have to make sure that your computer has 5 GHz network support).
Cons
Con You migh lose signal if you're far from router
Compared to adapters with external antennae, this little dongle is not as reliable when it comes to maintaining an internet connection between several walls or floors. It's best to make sure that you are close to the router,
Con There are much faster options for newer computers
If you own a newer computer that has a USB 3.0 port, you could get a much faster connection if you invest in an adapter that supports the same standard. In fact, USB 3.0-enabled adapters can transfer 640MBps, more than 10 times the top speed of USB 2.0.
Con There are faster adapters for newer computers
This adapter only supports the USB 2.0 standard, which is significantly (more than 10 times) slower than the USB 3.0 in data transfer. If you have a newer computer with a USB 3.0 port, you could get a much faster connection by getting a compatible adapter.
Con It's bulky
This adapter has a large antenna, which makes it less convenient to carry around and use outside of home or office.
Con Poor support of newer OS's
If you use Windows 10, there could be some driver issues you'll have to solve before using this adapter. You can contact Edimax Tech Support if you're having problems with installation.