WiFi issues?

Hey guys,
I could really use some help here.

So, I’ve got Wi-Fi in my apartment, but the signal is honestly pretty weak—I can only manage to get online every once in a while...

I'm jumping on this using my HP Pavilion 15—it's a pretty recent laptop. So, here's the deal: I tried plugging in this USB adapter that’s mostly meant for cellular data via a SIM card, though it actually has a built-in Wi-Fi antenna inside. A buddy of mine swears it fixed his signal strength, but honestly... it hasn't done much for me at all.

Next giveaway question:
Does it make sense to try something like this:

Found this little Mini-USB Wi-Fi adapter on eBay—looks like exactly what I need for my old HP Pavilion 15. Just a small thing, really, but hopefully it does the trick.

Is this just a shot in the dark? I'm curious to hear from anyone who's actually tried this—does this external antenna really do anything, or am I just wasting my time...

Thanks!

I’ve always found that an external antenna just consistently outperforms the little internal ones they cram inside a laptop.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S23 using Reddit

It’ll work, sure, but whether it actually fixes your specific problem depends on a lot of variables. If you're dealing with a dead zone or just a weak signal right now, a properly positioned antenna will almost certainly give you a boost. Beyond that, I wouldn't bet the house on it...

You’ve basically got two options here: either pick up a network card with a better antenna or just put a repeater between you and the access point.

There are all kinds of cards out there—I personally use this one and it’s been doing fine for me
Repeaters tend to be the more expensive route, I guess.

For sure. An external antenna is always going to give you a stronger signal.