If you want to use an ethernet cable to connect your computer to the Internet or a local area network (LAN) but don’t have Ethernet, this device promises to solve your issue. The TP-LINK UE300 USB 3.0 to RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet Network Adapter allows you to connect the Ethernet cable to it and then plug it into the USB 3.0 port on your device.
Since most computers only have 1 ethernet port or none at all, an adapter such as this one is a great solution. Using Ethernet to connect to the Internet will allow for much better stability and speed. Also, you may want to connect your computer to two different networks.
Another usage scenario is if you have a Ryzentosh or Hackintosh computer, but your Ethernet port does not work. Note that setting this device up with an unsupported Mac device will require some tinkering, but it is very likely your only option if you want to connect to the Internet with the device. So, let’s see what this device is all about.
TP-Link UE 300 USB 3.0 to RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet Network Adapter
Features
This device promises to deliver the fastest possible Gigabit solution, provided that you are limited to USB 3.0 bandwidth speeds. It also claims that it’s a plug; play device or, in other words, it will work out of the box as soon as you connect it to a supported device.
This USB to ethernet network adapter has support for all Windows systems from XP onwards, Linux OS, and newer versions of Mac OS X. As mentioned above, you can make it work with a Hackintosh, but it is not officially supported.
The USB 3.0 connector is very nice to see because it is backward-compatible with older standards, such as USB 2.0 and 1.1 as well. Note that even USB 3.0 is going to limit your bandwidth when you compare it to plugging in the Ethernet cable directly into an Ethernet port.
Speaking of bandwidth, the maximum that you can get is 1000 Megabits per second (Mbps), significantly more than what most people have at home anyway.
Design; Quality
The design of the TP-Link UE300 is very simple and functional. The USB 3.0 cable is very short and flat, which is a good thing as it allows you to fold it. This makes the adapter very portable.
The adapter is made of white glossy plastic that looks fine. Unless you are using a laptop, you will never see it anyway. It also has a nice white LED that lights up when you plug the cable in. The plastic shell does not have a cutout for the LED, which leaves the adapter looking sleek and minimalistic.
Performance
The USB 3.0 connector is 10 times faster than USB 2.0, so try to use a USB 3.0 port on your computer. If you don’t have one, it will work just fine, but the data speed will be limited.
The TP-LINK UE300 adapter supports speeds of up to one Gigabit per second (Gbps). This should be enough for the vast majority as most people have Internet speeds that don’t come even close to a Gigabit per second.
The claimed plug and play functionality works well with all supported devices, making the setup simple, easy, and fuss-free.
Pros; Cons
This adapter works just like you expect it to. The setup is simple and easy.
The advertised speed of 1 Gigabit per second holds true. Your ISP, not this adapter, will limit the Internet speed.
The simple design and foldable cable are great to see as it allows for easy use and portability.
TP-Link is a reputable brand, which means that everything works well and you will get good customer support if something goes wrong.
There are no cons. It works exactly as you expect it to.
Conclusion
The TP-Link UE300 USB to Ethernet Network Adapter works great. It is small, portable, and easy to use. You probably won’t have to do any kind of setup other than plugging the Ethernet cable into the adapter and the USB 3.0 connector into your device.
The LED that lights up will confirm that everything works fine. Try to connect the adapter to a USB 3.0 port because that’s the only way to get the advertised 1 Gigabit per second speed. While you probably won’t be able to hit the maximum, using a USB 2.0 port is 10 times slower.
