Windows 10: Do USB WiFi adapters supplement or replace existing WiFi antenna?

When using a laptop the internal antenna can only receive the WiFi signal that exists in that air space where it is located so it seems to me that plugging in a USB WiFi adapter into the laptop cannot increase the WiFi performance and yet that is the reason they are sold. Is it the case that the USB adapter adds another antenna and the two work together to increase the strength and quality of signal received? Is that how it works?

:)

 

Best homemade WiFi antenna ?

I have been researching homemade wifi antennas for use with my laptop. It has a built in card but I also have a USB wifi adapter I could use for the project.

What type of DIY antenna works best?

What antenna have you guys made that works best for you?

Of course I want to boost my reception to the max.

 

powerful wifi antenna

has anyone used a powerful wifi antenna to increase the signal strength of their wifi? i am not talkoing about using a WAP to bridge my wifi signal, but an actually high powered antenna to boost the signal in all directions. and i am not looking into flashing my router with firmware to increase the power of my existing router. i am specifically looking for high powered antennas. any experiences i should know about? any models i should look into?

 

wifi antennas?

Not being rude or anything by posting links; however, antennas are more than a wire in a piece of covering.
You got propagation, transmit/receive gain, standing waves, etc. to consider in the proper implementation. It is, actually, more important on low power output/receive circuits/chipsets.

Here are a few informative sites for info on antennas:

Understanding Antenna Specifications and Operation

Introduction to Wi-Fi Wireless Antennas

The Fundamentals of Wi-Fi Antennas

Understanding 802.11 Antennas

If you do a search for Understanding wifi antenna design you will see lots of info on the subject.