Nighthawk A7000 software or standalone driver?

[AmberJay]

I'm installing the Nighthawk AC1900 Model No. A7000 for my laptop which is running windows OS 10.
I don't know the difference between choosing the Adapter Software or the Standalone Driver. Can someone explain how they differ and which one might be better to choose please?

Thanks!

[michaelkenward]

I'd try plugging the thing in and seeing of Windows installs its own drivers. That works for some people.

[mondenath]

Standalone works fine. Dont Install 15 latest unless 11 is having issues. I believe 15 have some issues.

If the drives are properly installed you will get good speed like this with top end ac router setup and no interfernace

[ThomTuckerCPG]

I have an AC 1900 Nighthawk that I bought in 2021 for a Windows machine. I just had to install it on a Laptop still running Win 10.
First installed the Standalone. BUT IT was taking up 25% of my RAM!
Reinstalled the “Windows Adapter Software “ and now it is in the background!

[michaelkenward]

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@ThomTuckerCPG wrote:
I First installed the Standalone. BUT IT was taking up 25% of my RAM!
Reinstalled the “Windows Adapter Software “ and now it is in the background!

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That's odd.

Most people reckon that the driver only (standalone) is less of a resource hog.

The reasoning goes that the "Windows" version also installs, and runs, the genie software that lets people manage the adapter. And that has been known to exhibit runaway resource hijacking.

I guess the answer is to try whichever works best for any particular machine.

Sometimes, depending in the version of Windows, no installation is needed. The adapter just uses the drivers that are now bundled in Windows. In the same way that Windows has steadily improved its management of network devices in ways that make Netgear's "help" software redundant.