Upgrading WiFi card of a laptop for 5Ghz and Bluetooth support ?

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Vulmaro

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May 12, 2014
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Hello,

I would like to upgrade my wifi card because the RF antenna socket on the card for the AUX got broken. The soldering for that fell off. My laptop has two antenna for Main and Aux connections. However, the laptop is quite old and it only supports 2.4 ghz with no 5Ghz and Bluetooth support. I intend to buy a second hand one that supports those functions. Since the tech is very old and Toshiba doesn't provide any support anymore, I would like to know if I can upgrate it, and what WiFi cards would be compatiable for my laptop.

I read somewhere that the upgrade would be possible if your laptop has two antennas.

Specs:
The broken WiFi card: Realtek RTL8187B (Card is Mini PCI, but it also says USB 2.0 for some reason)
Laptop: Toshiba Satellite L450-18P
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo T8300
OS: Windows 10 Pro
Motherboard: Toshiba NBWAA LA-5822P
BIOS Date 11/13/09 ( I don't know and can't check the version number)
Chipset
Northbridge Intel GL40 rev. 07
Southbridge Intel 82801IM (ICH9-M) rev. 03

Thank you.
 
V

Vulmaro

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May 12, 2014
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USAFRet said:
Just get a USB WiFi/BT device.
Easy, problem solved.
Click to expand...

That would've been the best solution if I didn't only have three USB slots. I forgot to mention that. I use one for powering VGA to HDMI adapter, other one for mouse and the last one for external storage. I don't like and trust USB hub switches, powered ones or not. That's why I wan to upgrade the card itself.
 
USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
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Vulmaro said:
That would've been the best solution if I didn't only have three USB slots. I forgot to mention that. I use one for powering VGA to HDMI adapter, other one for mouse and the last one for external storage. I don't like and trust USB hub switches, powered ones or not. That's why I wan to upgrade the card itself.
Click to expand...
Meanwhile, I use and trust USB hubs for my laptops with no problem.

For your particular WiFi thing....is that actually changeable, or is it built into the motherboard?
How have you verified this?
 
D

dwd999

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Feb 24, 2016
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Vulmaro said:
Hello,

I would like to upgrade my wifi card because the RF antenna socket on the card for the AUX got broken. The soldering for that fell off. My laptop has two antenna for Main and Aux connections. However, the laptop is quite old and it only supports 2.4 ghz with no 5Ghz and Bluetooth support. I intend to buy a second hand one that supports those functions. Since the tech is very old and Toshiba doesn't provide any support anymore, I would like to know if I can upgrate it, and what WiFi cards would be compatiable for my laptop.

I read somewhere that the upgrade would be possible if your laptop has two antennas.

Specs:
The broken WiFi card: Realtek RTL8187B (Card is Mini PCI, but it also says USB 2.0 for some reason)
Laptop: Toshiba Satellite L450-18P
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo T8300
OS: Windows 10 Pro
Motherboard: Toshiba NBWAA LA-5822P
BIOS Date 11/13/09 ( I don't know and can't check the version number)
Chipset
Northbridge Intel GL40 rev. 07
Southbridge Intel 82801IM (ICH9-M) rev. 03

Thank you.
Click to expand...
The challenge is that the socket for the card is keyed, so you would need to find another card with the same notch in it and the same set of contacts. It would also have to match the same dimensions where the screws mount it to the motherboard. Most current cards don't match that.
 
V

Vulmaro

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May 12, 2014
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USAFRet said:
Meanwhile, I use and trust USB hubs for my laptops with no problem.

For your particular WiFi thing....is that actually changeable, or is it built into the motherboard?
How have you verified this?
Click to expand...
Yes, I had already checked it and it's a mini PCIe card.

dwd999 said:
The challenge is that the socket for the card is keyed, so you would need to find another card with the same notch in it and the same set of contacts. It would also have to match the same dimensions where the screws mount it to the motherboard. Most current cards don't match that.
Click to expand...

The card looks like this:

https://imgur.com/a/1menLOQ
View: https://imgur.com/a/1menLOQ


Recent laptops have the half sized ones with the same connectors as far as I remember.
 
D

dwd999

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johnbl

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Last edited:
D

dwd999

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Feb 24, 2016
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Vulmaro said:
You are right, there's the missing notch on the other side of my card:

https://imgur.com/a/3Bnzp5F
View: https://imgur.com/a/3Bnzp5F
Click to expand...
So now the question would be is there enough room in your laptop to use an adapter for a new wifi card since there would be added thickness in the installation. The specs don't indicate how thick the adapter is at the point where the new card socket is:

https://www.newegg.com/fenvi-mini-p...ini_pcie wifi card-_-9SIADXZBPT7356-_-Product

https://www.amazon.com/M-2-PCIe-Con...=1655078746&sprefix=Mini+PCIe,aps,187&sr=8-20
 
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