If you want to bring wireless networking to your desktop or have an older, 802.11n-equipped laptop that you want to update with 802.11ac capability, the $98.99 Trendnet AC1900 High Power Dual Band Wireless USB Adapter (TEW-809UB) can help. This 802.11ac USB adapter installs in minutes, and delivered speedy scores in our close-proximity throughput tests. Despite its four external high-gain antennas, however, it frequently dropped its Wi-Fi signal in our 30-foot range tests. It might still be a good fit for you if you plan to keep your PC in the same room as your router.

Design and Features

At first glance, the TEW-809UB ( at Amazon) looks like a four-legged spider on steroids. The black, rectangular base measures 1 by 3.4 by 2.5 inches (HWD), but the four removable and adjustable antennas measure 6.5 inches long, thereby increasing the overall depth to 5 inches and the overall height to just under 7 inches. There is a small blue LED network activity indicator on the top of the adapter, a Micro-B USB 3.0 power port around back, and a WPS button on the front.

The TEW-809UB is an AC1900 Wi-Fi adapter that can hit speeds of up to 600Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and up to 1,300Mbps on the 5GHz band. It supports beamforming technology, which directs wireless signals straight toward the router, rather than in a broad spectrum, and it supports WEP, WPA, and WPA2 encryption.

Trendnet AC1900

Bundled with the adapter are a resource CD containing drivers and a User Guide, as well as a printed Quick Start Guide. Also included is a 3-foot USB cable, which is a bit short, especially if your desktop is located under your desk. A 6-foot cable would be welcome here.

Installation and Performance

Installing the TEW-809UB is simple. To start, you install the drivers that are on the resource CD, or if your system lacks an optical drive, download the drivers from Trendnet's website. Once installed, you connect the adapter to your PC using the USB cable. When the blue LED lights up (around 5 seconds), you are good to go. I installed the adapter on my Dell XPS laptop and compared its performance with the laptop's internal Dell 1560 802.11ac Wi-Fi adapter, as well as the D-Link AC1900 Wi-Fi USB 3.0 Adapter (DWA-192) .

The TEW-809UB's performance in our tests was mixed. Its score of 178Mbps in our 2.4GHz close-proximity (same-room) throughput test was certainly faster than the internal Dell adapter's 103Mbps, but was more than 100Mbps slower than the D-Link DWA-192 (288Mbps). At 30 feet, however, the TEW-809UB repeatedly disconnected from our test router. My JPerf chart showed an average throughput of around 63Mbps during the first 30 seconds of each pass (I ran ten 60-second passes instead of the usual three) before the adapter lost its signal. The internal Dell adapter scored 85.5Mbps in this test, and the D-Link DWA-192 had a throughput of 108Mbps, with both of them holding their signal for each 60-second pass.

Trendnet AC1900

Results were similar in our 5GHz tests. The TEW-809UB scored an impressive 569Mbps in the close-proximity test, beating the D-Link DWA-192 (352Mbps) and coming in right behind the internal Dell adapter (572Mbps). Once again, however, the TEW-809UB could not maintain a signal in our 30-foot test for more than 30 seconds or so. In that time, I recorded an average speed of 250Mbps, while the internal Dell adapter scored 350Mbps, and the D-Link DWA-192 garnered 183Mbps.

Conclusion

With the Trendnet AC1900 High Power Dual Band Wireless USB Adapter (TEW-809UB), it's easy to add 802.11ac Wi-Fi to a desktop PC or an older, 802.11n-equipped laptop. It performed wonderfully in our 2.4GHz and 5GHz performance tests at close proximity, but its 30-foot range performance was inconsistent, as it frequently dropped its connection to the router. If your PC is going to be in the same room as your router, the TEW-809UB will certainly get the job done, but if you'll be connecting to a router from another room, this adapter is not for you. Instead, consider our Editors' Choice, the D-Link AC1900 Wi-Fi USB 3.0 Adapter (DWA-192). It'll cost you around $30 more than the TEW-809UB, but it offers more consistent throughput as you move further away from your router.

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