inSSIDer and Chanalyzer's WiFi scanning functions are designed to work with any Windows-compatible adapter, but if you'd still like some guidance, we are more than happy to make some recommendations.
Dual-Band
802.11b/g are 2.4 GHz standards, while 802.11a/ac are 5 GHz standards. 802.11n works in one or the other, but the "N" designation does not mean that the adapter will work in both 2.4 and 5 GHz.
Look for a dual-band wireless adapter that supports both 2.4 and 5 GHz. The giveaway is the "A" designation, which only exists in 5 GHz.
| 802.11b/g/n | 2.4 GHz Only | Single-Band | |
| 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | 2.4 and 5 GHz | Dual-Band | Recommended |
At this point, we don't recommend buying a single-band adapter. Dual-band adapters are generally the same price, or only a few dollars more.
802.11ac Support
If you want to make sure that you can scan for 802.11ac networks, all you need is a 5 GHz a/n compatible adapter.
All 802.11ac management traffic is backwards compatible with 802.11a/n, so we can find out everything we need to know about an 802.11ac network with an 802.11a/n adapter.
Fine, whatever! Recommend a card already!
Oh, right! Sorry! We get really excited about things like this.
| Model | Approximate Price | Notes | |
| Edimax EW-7833UAC | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | $50 | 3x3 spatial streams (maximum for clients) |
| Linksys AC1200 (WUSB6300) | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | $10-40 | 2x2 spatial streams |