My brother called me yesterday, asking a question about wireless cards for his daughter. She’s in college and needs something to get her laptop onto the Internet. I figured I’d answer him — and you, loyal readers — by providing an overview and a number of options.

I recommended to my bro that he get his daughter a wireless USB adapter. He could buy a card to plug into her laptop’s card slot, but the USB adapter can be used in the laptop, then plugged into a desktop at need. It’s also slimmer than a card, and laptops usually have more USB ports than card slots, freeing it up for more important uses.

Let’s start with a lower-priced adapter. The Netgear WG111 is, like all adapters in this mini-roundup, a USB 2.0 device. All that means is that it’s the latest generation of USB. It will also work with older USB connectors like those found in older computers. Netgear sells a lot of networking products, and has a strong reputation. It works with 802.11 b/g networks, and offers 54Mbps throughput.

The 802.11 b/g is an indication of what type of wireless networks it works with — in this case, both “b” and “g” networks. That means it will work with most current home-based wireless networks, and most networks in college as well.

Next up in the price range is the Linksys WUSB54GC. It offers the same “b/g” network compatibility and speed as the Netgear. One upgrade from the Netgear is that it comes with a USB extension cord. That means that you could plug the extension cord into your computer’s USB port, and set up the adapter anywhere up to five feet away from the computer.

That could be very handy in tight spaces. In fact, I use one on a computer in my house. I don’t have space in front or on the back of the computer for the USB stick. So I plugged a cord into the back and set up the adapter on top of the computer, where it has plenty of space.

At the top of the price range is a wireless “N” adapter (i.e. 802.11 N), like this one from D-Link. Wireless N is a newer generation than “b/g”, and has greater range than the older technologies.

I switched over to an “N” network a few months ago; my router is in my home office at the top corner of my home, and my kids’ computer, which is in the basement on the other side, had trouble connecting. The upgrade to “N” technology has made a big difference in the connectivity and speed of their computer.

Note that “N” adapters will work on “b/g” networks, but you won’t get the turbo speed boost you get in conjunction with an “N” router.

I’m confident that one of these adapters will work well for my brother, Brad. One will likely work well for you, too.