How to wire a computer without an Ethernet port
Today, browsing from devices with Wi-Fi connectivity has become very common. In fact, it can be said that most of the connections are wireless. We use cell phones, tablets, televisions, electronic books… A large number of computers that allow us to surf the Internet and use network-connected services, without having to plug in anything extra. Now you also have to take into account the cable option, especially when you are using a computer and want the stability and speed to be the best possible. In this article we will explain how connect a computer to the Internet by cable if it does not have an Ethernet port .
How to connect a wired computer without an Ethernet port
We can say that it is normal for a computer to have a network card with an Ethernet port. It is something that, in general, is present in desktops and laptops. However, the latter and especially in recent years, do not always have this port in mind.
It occurs very frequently in small laptops , who seek to minimize weight and size as much as possible. Improved Wi-Fi connections also allow more freedom in this regard and some brands choose to launch their computers without a port to connect a LAN cable and have internet.
Whether this makes more or less sense today, the truth is that many users find that they cannot connect their laptop cable to router . This can be very negative if, for example, we have a wired installation in our house and from the room we are going to connect to, the wireless coverage is poor. It may also be that the wireless network card in this laptop is not strong and we cannot have good speed.
For all this, users are looking for a way to connect a Ethernet cable to this type of computer which does not have an RJ45 port. Fortunately, all is not lost and we will have the opportunity to do so. We have options that we can even carry in the laptop bag without taking up much space and thus be ready for any connection at all times.
USB Ethernet hub
A very interesting option that we have is to acquire a USB Ethernet hub. It consists of a small device which connects to the computer's USB port and offers several additional ports for connecting other equipment, in addition to an Ethernet port.
In this way, thanks to this device, we will not only be able to connect the computer to the Internet by cable, but we will not do without a USB port and we will even have several more available. This is very useful because in many cases small computers only have one or two USB ports.
These devices offer speeds of up to 1 Gbit / s , so that we can make the most of the speed available. They are generally Plug and Play, so they are compatible with different versions of major operating systems and do not require any further installation. You just need to connect it to the computer and start to have internet.
The price is cheap. It can be found from 13-16 € to something more, depending on the type of device. There are other more complete ones that also double as card readers and have more functionality. This is an alternative that we can take into account if we want to get the most out of this type of device once we have connected it to the computer. We can have a kind of all in one in the same device.
USB to Ethernet adapter
In this case, we are faced with a device similar to the previous one, but it only converts one USB port to Ethernet port . It will also allow us to achieve our goal of connecting the computer to the Internet by cable. We will have to do without a USB port, even if we will gain an Ethernet one.
This adapter is slightly cheaper than the previous one. It's simpler and therefore this is also reflected in the price. Here we must keep in mind the importance of opting for adapters that work on USB 3.0 and not only USB 2.0 . We will find these two options but we must be aware of the difference in terms of speed.
If we choose an adapter that is only compatible with USB 2.0, we will limit the speed to Fast Ethernet, i.e. 100 Mbit / s. On the other hand, if we connect via USB 3.0, we will be able to reach the maximum speed of 1 Gbit / s. In order to take advantage of high-speed optical fiber and avoid a bottleneck, our advice is to opt for an adapter that works with USB 3.0. It is a good investment to make our Internet work as well as possible.
In short, when you find a computer that does not have an Ethernet port natively, you can always look for alternatives to be able to connect by cable. These inexpensive devices will allow us to use a network cable and thus have more stability, as well as speed, compared to browsing from a Wi-Fi network. As we have indicated, many computers today lack this type of port to save space and also due to the rise of wireless networks and their better quality. However, many users prefer to use the cable or it is even the only option they have to be able to connect properly.
