I have this antenna as well as others and it performs as advertised. It is easy to use, just plug the usb connector into your computer, install the driver that comes with it and you are ready to go. It is small and works well with laptops, it is highly directional which lets you pin point a wifi signal to get the maximum signal strength. My laptop has a built in antenna and it works good, but there have been times where the Hawking antenna found signals that my built in antenna could not detect. This is not only a WiFi antenna, it also detects signals without having to connect it to a computer. After you have detected a signal then you connect it to a computer to use the antenna. It will even tell you if the detected signal is secured or unsecured.

Hawking Hi-Gain WiFi Locator Professional Edition - HWL2 The HWL2 Hi-Gain Wi-Fi Locator Professional Edition has the ability to differentiate wireless networks with security enabled. The addition of a Wi-Fi Adapter allows the user to detect an IEEE 802.11b or IEEE 802.11g wireless signal and effortlessly connect to that signal by attaching their laptop or desktop directly to the HWL2 Hi-Gain Wi-Fi Locator Professional Edition via USB 2.0. The hassle of powering up the laptop and connecting to wireless hot-spots is now significantly simplified by the HWL2 Hi-Gain Wi-Fi Locator Professional Edition.