No drivers are needed - just plug the adapter into your Air's USB port, and plug the available Ethernet cable in to the adapter. Monoprice, the Internet's best-kept secret of cheap cables and the like, sells a USB to Ethernet dongle for $6.64, nearly $22 cheaper than Apple's comparable product.

Thankfully, there are plenty of cheaper USB to Ethernet adapter solutions out there. However, each of them will set you back $29. Without an Ethernet port, the Air is a wireless-only machine, forcing users to find a Wi-Fi connection, even if there's a more stable wired network available.Īpple offers two workarounds: a USB Ethernet adapter and (new for 2012) a Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter.

Although the slim, ultralight profile of the MacBook Air is impressive, owners must sacrifice a few features PC owners take for granted, like an optical drive and an Ethernet port.