TP-Link TL-WN781ND WLAN PCI-E Adapter (150Mbits/s, Windows 8.x / Vista / 7 / XP)

The TP-Link 300 Mbps Wireless N PCI Express Adapter (TL-WN881ND) is an excellent upgrade for desktop users seeking reliable wireless connectivity. Installation is straightforward, with the included low-profile bracket accommodating various cases. Performance-wise, it delivers consistent speeds up to 300 Mbps, making it suitable for streaming, gaming, and browsing. Compatibility with multiple Windows versions and Linux ensures versatility for different users. Overall, this adapter is an affordable choice for boosting your network experience, offering stability and ease of use. Highly recommended!

Pretty much just a plug and play piece of hardware. I installed in the PC, installed the driver on the accompanying disc and it connected to the wi-fi network straight away. Haven't had any issues iwth it so far.

Well,The box states the tp-link I bought is an "AX 1800" in great big bold letters, so that's the driver I used from their website.Using this driver it connected at 2.4GHz and the download speed was very, very, slow.Looking at the tiny label on the side it states TX20E(UN) V1.0 on the side along with it's S/N numberAnd now I've searched for the TX20E driver, it's different to the AX1800 driver, and this one connects at 5GHz and the download speed is now back up to what it was with the ethernet cable.So thanks tp-link for making it so obvious by having AX1800 in huge bold letters on the front of the box, when in fact it's a TX20E(UN) as shown in tiny writing on a label on the side of the box...So please make sure you use the drivers for TX20E(UN) V1.0 and not the one for the AX1800, quite why it states AX1800 on the box and not TX20E(UN) I do not know.

I am very pleased with the performance of this AC1300 (Archer T6E). It thrashed the speed of my previous wifi card.There are two vital points to bear in mind before you start:1. Go to TP-Link’s website and download the appropriate driver file. In my case for W10, the driver file was:Archer T6E_V2_200508_Win10.zip.You will need to download this file on another computer if the current one has no internet access. Then copy this file to a USB drive and copy it to the current computer. I recommend creating a folder called “TPL” on the Desktop and putting the file in there. Then right click on the file and click on “Extract All”.2. The second point to bear in mind is that BOTH your antivirus and firewall must be temporarily disconnected otherwise the driver installation will fail!If you use Kaspersky or similar, you need to disable it first and then go to Windows Defender and also disable that. This is because as soon as you disable Kasperky (or Norton or McAfee etc), Windows Defender will automatically replace the main security system.I recommend searching for “TP-Link How to Manually Install Adapters on Windows 10” and follow the instructions.Also search for “Turn off Defender antivirus protection in Windows Security”.I installed the AC1300 and screwed on the 2 antennae and switched on the PC.As per the above instructions, I browsed to:“Archer T6E(EU)_V1&V2_200508_Win10” and clicked on “Update driver software”.I rebooted the PC and then reactivated Kaspersky’s antivirus and firewall.Finally, I entered the wifi code for my network and my internet was restored.*****You may find that, contrary to the generally accepted wisdom of using the 2.4MHz frequency when you have thick walls and floors, that you actually achieve a higher speed using the 5MHz band.Accepted wisdom:“2.4 GHz networks cover a substantially larger range than 5 GHz wireless networks. 5 GHz networks do not penetrate solid objects such as walls and floors nearly as well as do 2.4 GHz signals”.I switched from 2.4MHz to 5MHz and my second (wifi) PC, which is 2 floors below, went from 11Mbps to 46 Mbps, matching the speed of my first PC which is connected via ethernet cable! It’s worth a try...................................................................................................................................................................................................EDITNo 5GHz signal on Linux? Then change a router setting.I recently bought this dual-channel TP-Link AC1300 Wireless Dual Band PCI Express Wi-Fi Adapter for a desktop PC that sits two floors below my router.The PC was originally using Windows 10 and the 5GHz signal was much stronger then the 2.4MHz one.I then decided to replace W10 with Linux Mint 21.1 MATE. The Broadcom BCM4360 was recognised by Mint and the appropriate driver installed.So far, so good.I then found that only the much weaker 2.4MHz signal was available.I used the excellent Wifi Analyzer (open-source) app on my mobile phone and this registered nothing for the 5GHz band. In contrast the 2.4GHz showed a strong signal.I tried connecting to a “Hidden network” and creating a new network, all to no avail.Finally after much research, I discovered that the Broadcom BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter [14e4:43a0] (rev 03) does not see 5GHz networks with a high channel number.See confirmed bug #1574196 at Launchpad.To rectify this, it is necessary to login to the router and change the channel for the 5GHz to a lower one.In my ASUS router I went to Advanced Settings > Wireless > Wireless General > select 5GHz band.Then clicked on Control Channel and reduced the figure from 140 maximum to say 36.Clicked on Apply and logged out.The Wifi Analyzer immediately picked up a very strong signal from the 5GHz.All is now well using Linux.

Worked for a while but my PC stopped recognising it.Also doesn't fit properly in my PC case somehow. It still works, just can't screw it down without it feeling wrong, like it's bending out of place.