USB NICs are way different in the way they interact with the networking programs on the computer. The issue is most likely a third party program or the routers firmware. It could be the type of security the router is using to connect. You need to try Ethernet,
clean boot, safe mode with networking to see which work and which don't. This will tell you where the issue lies.
What can happen is a new driver won't work because it does something new or different then the old driver. Then the router can't handle it or another driver from a third parry anti virus/firewall program messes up the new security and it blocks it.
Run through this and see if it helps. Using ipconfig /flushdns could help or some of the other things to clean out the setting to make sure there is a left over setting from something old that is breaking the connection.
It could also be the signal, 5ghz doesn't always work the best and it is actually recommended to use 2.4ghz.
http://www.vindamedia.com/windows/help/troubleshooting-your-network
Also look in event viewer to see if there is an error being logged