My HP Mini has an unsupported wireless chipset, so I was in need of a USB adapter. To match the host system, it too must be mini. I started with a Keebox W150NU I had sitting around. Works well with the run driver, but it sticks out a little, so I picked up the B-Link BL-LW05-5R and the Edimax EW-7811Un on the cheap. Both use the urtwn driver.

All of these operate solely in the 2.4GHz band. Local download speeds are generally 1.5-2 MB/s for the Keebox and 2-3 MB/s for the urtwn devices. ifconfig reports the signal strength in dB, but I’m not smart enough to know what that means. No issues with reception moving around between rooms. Occasionally, while using a urtwn device, I’ll see complaints from ehci about such and such not being just right, but it doesn’t appear to affect performance. The Edimax has a glowing blue LED in it, the B-Link has a rather obscured LED on the end. I don’t need another blinkenlight poking me in the eye, so the B-Link wins this round. Amazon tells me I paid $6.70, shipped.

From left to right: Keebox W150NU, B-Link BL-LW05-5R, Edimax EW-7811Un.