Question good notebook for cable-based internet connection

[nbkin]

Hi,

I need a fast stable cable connection (not wifi) with the next notebook I buy. I consider Lenovo, Toshiba, Acer or HP. My budget is limited and even if I take a refurbished one, I won't make it to any top-class business / gaming notebook. /EDIT: I need the cable-based internet connection all the time, not just occasionally, ensure stable internet calls with a clear sound , I will want the new NB with Windows 11./

My previous notebooks all had the classic-sized LAN ports (for a standard CAT6 cable). Notebooks nowadays come with expandable ethernet ports or none at all and there are workarounds using various types of connectors. As far I noticed e.g. in HP forums, many users seem to have troubles with ethernet connection, especially after upgrading to Windows 11. I also noticed some hints that expandable ports may be fragile and break apart after longer use.

I would appreciate response from notebook owners who have made a real good experience with cable-based internet connection having an expandable ethernet port or using a connector. Which notebook brand / model do you have? What type of connector? /EDIT: What OS version?/
Also those of you who experienced trouble may please write what notebook / connector to avoid.

Many thanks!

 

[hotaru.hino]

Since my current laptops don't have an Ethernet port, I bought a USB 3.0 dongle so I could get gigabit Ethernet out of it. As long as the dongle is USB 3.0, then you'll get the full speed out of gigabit Ethernet (or even 2.5G Ethernet, if your network is capable of that)

 

[nbkin]

Since my current laptops don't have an Ethernet port, I bought a USB 3.0 dongle so I could get gigabit Ethernet out of it. As long as the dongle is USB 3.0, then you'll get the full speed out of gigabit Ethernet (or even 2.5G Ethernet, if your network is capable of that)

I can afford no more than just one new NB, so I guess, taking a model with both (expandable) ethernet port and USB 3.0 ports is the safer way to go, for the case something would go wrong with the one or the other.

If you may please give examples, what laptop and ethernet dongle brands / models do you have? Which OS versions?

Many thanks!

 

[CountMike]

Hi,

I need a fast stable cable connection (not wifi) with the next notebook I buy. I consider Lenovo, Toshiba, Acer or HP. My budget is limited and even if I take a refurbished one, I won't make it to any top-class business / gaming notebook. /EDIT: I need the cable-based internet connection all the time, not just occasionally, ensure stable internet calls with a clear sound , I will want the new NB with Windows 11./

My previous notebooks all had the classic-sized LAN ports (for a standard CAT6 cable). Notebooks nowadays come with expandable ethernet ports or none at all and there are workarounds using various types of connectors. As far I noticed e.g. in HP forums, many users seem to have troubles with ethernet connection, especially after upgrading to Windows 11. I also noticed some hints that expandable ports may be fragile and break apart after longer use.

I would appreciate response from notebook owners who have made a real good experience with cable-based internet connection having an expandable ethernet port or using a connector. Which notebook brand / model do you have? What type of connector? /EDIT: What OS version?/
Also those of you who experienced trouble may please write what notebook / connector to avoid.

Many thanks!

As long as you are using a USB3 network adapter and Laptop has at least USB3 ( or greater) it's good to up to 1Gbit internet. Adapters with Intel chip seem to be most compatible with new windows.

 

[hotaru.hino]

If you may please give examples, what laptop and ethernet dongle brands / models do you have? Which OS versions?

The laptop and OS shouldn't matter in this context. As long as it supports USB 3.0, which should be anything made in the past 10 years, it'll work.

For Ethernet dongles, if you just need which brands narrowed down:

• Amazon Basics
• Anker
• Cable Matters
• Startech
• TP-Link
• UGREEN

 

[Inthrutheoutdoor]

expandable ethernet ports

Sorry, maybe I'm missing something here, but what is this exactly ?

FYI, I am using one of the aforementioned USB3-to-cat 6 ethernet dongles right now , with both an HP Elitebook and a Dell Vostro, nottaproblemo

 

[nbkin]

Thanks for any and every concrete example all of you mention, I vote up (e.g. USB 3.0 rather than just USB, Intel chip with new windows, brands of your dongles and brands of your NBs).

I am in the process of diving in this, I am yet to decide definitely about the NB brand / model. Meanwhile I have noticed real many upset owners of NBs with expandable ethernet ports, while a part of USB users also run into problems under Windows 11 which I will be new to and cannot estimate if it is going to function just fine overall. The new NB should ideally last longer than just 2-3 y.

To answer your question, in this article both full sized and expandable ethernet ports (slimmer, with a door) can be seen;
USB, HDMI and more: the ultimate guide to computer ports - Which?

 

[CountMike]

Thanks for any and every concrete example all of you mention, I vote up (e.g. USB 3.0 rather than just USB, Intel chip with new windows, brands of your dongles and brands of your NBs).

I am in the process of diving in this, I am yet to decide definitely about the NB brand / model. Meanwhile I have noticed real many upset owners of NBs with expandable ethernet ports, while a part of USB users also run into problems under Windows 11 which I will be new to and cannot estimate if it is going to function just fine overall. The new NB should ideally last longer than just 2-3 y.

To answer your question, in this article both full sized and expandable ethernet ports (slimmer, with a door) can be seen;
USB, HDMI and more: the ultimate guide to computer ports - Which?

Ethernet ports use Rj45 connectors, first picture is actually a drawing and somebody didn't draw it well. they are standard, no such thing as a "slim" Rj 45. Those laptops that have ethernet port already have controller built in. If you provide a link to your laptop, somebody can look at and find which type of USB port can be used but most have either USB2, USB3 or 3.1 which are type A (all compatible with each other) or type C connector which is usually USB3.1 gen 1 or gen 2.

 

[nbkin]

Ethernet ports use Rj45 connectors, first picture is actually a drawing and somebody didn't draw it well. they are standard, no such thing as a "slim" Rj 45. Those laptops that have ethernet port already have controller built in. If you provide a link to your laptop, somebody can look at and find which type of USB port can be used but most have either USB2, USB3 or 3.1 which are type A (all compatible with each other) or type C connector which is usually USB3.1 gen 1 or gen 2.

I am not sure what you mean, but I try to answer your question. Full-size versus expandable ethernet port is standard vocabulary I found out there, if the vocabulary is good or wrong I cannot assert:
Expandable ethernet port on Acer laptops - Acer Community
My Dell laptop has expandable Ethernet port to save on thickness of the enclosure : GoodDesign (reddit.com)

My NB(s) so far had full-size ethernet port as I explained in my question, I wished the next one I buy too comes with one rather than the expandable type of port, as I want to avoid this (and would prefer using ethernet port rather than a work around via USB):
New-Laptop-Ethernet-Cover-Broken - English Community - LENOVO COMMUNITY

 

[geofelt]

Many Lenovo thinkpad laptops include a mini lan port.
For them, you can buy a adapter dongle:
https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/p/accessories-and-software/cables-and-adapters/cables-&-adapters_adapters/4x90q84427?orgRef=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
I use one for my thinkpad and it works well.

 

[nbkin]

I use one for my thinkpad and it works well.

Do you get good quality audio calls/conf through the dongle, the same as through full-size LAN port?
I have noticed some mini-port-dongle-users report inferior connection even than through their wifi. For this I would be willing to give up purchasing a new NB and take some older even if refurbished model with a full-size LAN port. Unfortunately, I cannot try out any other NB for my purpose than the one I assign with at the company, for security restrictions I cannot set up and just test the connection elsewhere.

Thanks for the example so far, I vote up. The forum page did not load so I have not answered before.

 

[nbkin]

FYI, I am using one of the aforementioned USB3-to-cat 6 ethernet dongles right now , with both an HP Elitebook and a Dell Vostro, nottaproblemo

If I may ask you too, do you get good quality audio calls/conf through USB3toCAT, the same as through full-size LAN port? HP seem real good overall, but within my budget limit I have found only models with expandable (mini) LAN port. Thank you.

 

[nbkin]

The laptop and OS shouldn't matter in this context. As long as it supports USB 3.0, which should be anything made in the past 10 years, it'll work.

For Ethernet dongles, if you just need which brands narrowed down:

• Amazon Basics
• Anker
• Cable Matters
• Startech
• TP-Link
• UGREEN

I have had a look on the dongles, my respect to the number of brands you have come across. Unfortunately, the negative reviews scare me up just enough, even though they make up a real small share overall. I have never ever had any slightest driver / installation / recognition / OS compatibility / overheat / break-off / connection-drop / etc. issue with the old-style ethernet port.

 

[geofelt]

Do you get good quality audio calls/conf through the dongle, the same as through full-size LAN port?
I have noticed some mini-port-dongle-users report inferior connection even than through their wifi. For this I would be willing to give up purchasing a new NB and take some older even if refurbished model with a full-size LAN port. Unfortunately, I cannot try out any other NB for my purpose than the one I assign with at the company, for security restrictions I cannot set up and just test the connection elsewhere.

Thanks for the example so far, I vote up. The forum page did not load so I have not answered before.

I can't comment on audio quality or such.
I mainly use it instead of wifi when I will be heavily accessing the internet.

 

[hotaru.hino]

I have had a look on the dongles, my respect to the number of brands you have come across. Unfortunately, the negative reviews scare me up just enough, even though they make up a real small share overall. I have never ever had any slightest driver / installation / recognition / OS compatibility / overheat / break-off / connection-drop / etc. issue with the old-style ethernet port.

I'd argue most negative reviews can be taken with a grain of salt. For one, people are likely to post a negative review more so than a positive one. For another, people's complaints may be fixable, but they didn't bother trying to fix it.

People will complain about all sorts of problems. And short of the unit just being DOA, most of those problems are fixable. It's just people won't take the time to do the work.

 

[Inthrutheoutdoor]

If I may ask you too, do you get good quality audio calls/conf through USB3toCAT, the same as through full-size LAN port? HP seem real good overall, but within my budget limit I have found only models with expandable (mini) LAN port. Thank you.

Yes my call quality, as well as up/download speeds and also VPN work are the same with my dongles as it is with a direct CAT6 connection. 1 of them is an amazon brand, the other is an "HP" which is to say that it came with the lapper and has the HP brand stamped on it, but in reality is probably just some mass-produced thing they bought in bulk for a few pennies on the $$ from you know where.....