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

[Vulmaro]

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.

 

[USAFRet]

Just get a USB WiFi/BT device.
Easy, problem solved.

 

[Vulmaro]

Just get a USB WiFi/BT device.
Easy, problem solved.

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]

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.

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?

 

[dwd999]

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.

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.

 

[Vulmaro]

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?

Yes, I had already checked it and it's a mini PCIe card.

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.

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.

 

[dwd999]

Yes, I had already checked it and it's a mini PCIe card.



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.

What does the other side where the connectors are look like? I think that with most current cards the notch is on the other side and they are missing some contacts.

 

[Vulmaro]

What does the other side where the connectors are look like? I think that with most current cards the notch is on the other side and they are missing some contacts.

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

 

[johnbl]

chip came out in 2009 ( 12 Mb/s)
looks like the second option from this list:
Mini PCI, Mini PCI-E, Mini PCI-E Half Height - Guide to Laptop Wifi Cards | ThinkPenguin.com
pci/e full height mini wireless card

would something like this work?
Wi-Fi 6E Half Mini PCI-E WiFi Network Card 802.11AX AC MPE-AXE3000H 2.4GHz 5GHz 6GHz 5400Mbps Wireless Card BT5.2 MU-MIMO Mini PCIe Wi-Fi 6E Adapter OFDMA vPro for Windows 10/11 PC Laptops : Electronics (amazon.com)

 

[dwd999]

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

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