Tenda releases AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 adapter with multi-OS support and hotspot mode

Tenda, the Chinese brand known for network equipment and devices, has released a Wi-Fi adapter. The super affordable adapter, which supports the faster AX1800 (Wi-Fi 6) network standard, not only adds Wi-Fi 6 connectivity to a computer, but can also turn a computer into a hotspot, so other devices can connect to its Wi-Fi network.

Known as the Tenda U18 v.3.0, it is an AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 dual-band USB wireless adapter that features dual 5GHz receiver modules for steadier and stronger signals. According to Tenda, the 5GHz band speed of its new AX1800 wireless adapter is 26% faster than AC1300 wireless adapters and 173% faster than AX900 wireless adapters. The product page also claims that it can reach speeds of up to 1021 Mbps on 5GHz and up to 574 Mbps on 2.4GHz.

It connects via USB 3.0 but is also backward compatible with computers with USB 2.0 ports. Tenda says it comes with a pre-installed Windows driver, so once you plug it in, you just have to follow the installation prompt and it is ready to use. It also has support for OFDMA and MU-MIMO technology and has WPA3 encryption. Alongside Windows (10 and 11) support, it is also compatible with Linux operating systems.

In addition to allowing computers connect to wireless networks, the Tenda U18 v3.0 wireless adapter has a hotspot sharing mode, which lets you turn a computer already connected to the internet into a hotspot that other devices can connect to.

The Tenda U18 v.30 AX1800 wireless adapter is available to buy in China for just CNY99 (~$15/€13). This is cheaper than rival Wi-Fi 6 adapters such as the TP-Link USB WiFi 6 Adapter (curr. available on Amazon for $25.16), although TP-Link's adapter has high-gain antennas.