To replace the built-in Wi-Fi module in a laptop (in the event of a breakdown, for example), or get rid of the network cable that connects the desktop computer to the Internet, we may need an inexpensive, compact, but at the same time efficient and versatile Wi-Fi adapter. In this article, I will tell you about the Mercusys MW300UM - an adapter that is perfect for both laptops and PCs. This device will add Wi-Fi support to almost any computer.
Mercusys MW300UM is one of the most affordable USB Wi-Fi adapters that can be found in our stores now. The price is about $ 8. And probably the most affordable among devices with a connection speed of up to 300 Mbps. Since usually all budget adapters provide speeds only up to 150 Mbps.
USB 2.0 connection. The wireless network speed, as I wrote above, is up to 300 Mbps according to the 802.11n standard. Built-in antennas. There is a Soft AP function that allows you to turn this adapter into a router and distribute Wi-Fi from your computer.
Honestly, I don't even know what else to tell you. Let's see what the MW300UM looks like. I'll make a short overview and move on to connecting, installing drivers and configuring this Wi-Fi adapter.
Mercusys MW300UM Review
The adapter is supplied in a small box, which you can see in the photo at the beginning of the article.
Inside, the adapter itself, instructions and a driver disc for Windows 10, 8, 8.1, 7, XP are securely packed.
The adapter itself is made of black, slightly transparent, glossy plastic. Scratches heavily. But this is not a flash drive, you are unlikely to carry it with you. Plugged in and forgotten.
The adapter is small, but not a Nano. For example, TP-Link TL-WN725N. I think it will be convenient to use with a laptop.
And to a stationary computer, you can connect it directly to the USB port, or use a USB extension cable.
When the adapter is working, a green indicator flashes inside, which indicates the activity of data transmission over Wi-Fi.
Mercusys MW300UM: driver, connection and configuration
I connected the MW300UM to my computer with Windows 10. But for some reason it refused to work right away. Usually, Windows 10 will automatically install the driver on such devices, but not this time. In Device Manager, it appeared as "another device" - 802.11 NIC.
But it's okay, because the driver for the Mercusys MW300UM is on the included disk. If you cannot install from the disk (for example, the drive does not work, or does not work at all), then the driver can be downloaded from the Mercusys website. Follow the link: http://www.mercusys.ru/download/MW300UM.html. There is a separate utility and driver. You do not need to download the utility.
I installed from disk. Open the disk, go to the "MW300UM" folder. There will be two folders:. In one driver for "Win 10", and in the other for other versions of Windows. You can simply run the "Setup.exe" file and install the driver, or you can install it through the Device Manager.
Just click on our "802.11 NIC" and select "Update Driver".
Select the item "Search for drivers on this computer", specify the path to the folder with the drivers for our version of Windows and click "Next".
The system should report that the driver has been successfully updated.
After that the Mercusys MW300UM appeared in the device manager as "N300 Wireless Mini USB Adapter" and started working.
You can connect to Wi-Fi networks!
It happens that after installing the Wi-Fi adapter driver, the computer does not see available Wi-Fi networks. Typically, this is due to the disabled WLAN autoconfiguration service. I showed how to enable it here.
I recommend connecting via Windows settings (wireless network icon in the tray). But if you want, you can download from the manufacturer's website (the link was given above) and install the "MERCUSYS Wireless Configuration Utility" utility to manage the Mercusys MW300UM adapter.
There you can see the connection status, connect to Wi-Fi networks, use WPS to connect without a password, etc.
Or launch Soft AP (access point). To distribute the Internet via Wi-Fi through the Mercusys MW300UM adapter.
If you do not want to use the "MERCUSYS Wireless Configuration Utility" utility, but you need to distribute the Internet to other devices using this USB adapter, you can configure everything through the Mobile Hotspot (only in Windows 10), or using the command line. You can follow my instructions for setting up an access point in Windows 10. And if you have Windows 7, then this article will come in handy.
A few more words about the work of the MW300UM. On other sites, there were reviews that this adapter heats up during operation, starts to glitch and freezes. As a result, it needs to be reconnected. I cannot confirm this. I specifically included Full HD video playback. The video played in the browser for about an hour, but the adapter was just warm. As it should be. The connection is stable.
Don't forget that this is a budget adapter. If you, for example, watch 4k video, download several torrents and still somehow use the connection, or play serious online games, then problems with stability, speed and ping are not excluded. For such serious tasks, there are more expensive and productive Wi-Fi adapters.
