[SOLVED] Wlan card swap

[ZuesAlmighty265]

Ive got a Dell 15 7000 gamimg laptop with an I5 7300hq processor. The Wlan card it came with is an Intel 3165. Is it possible/easy to swap over to either the 9260 or the AX200?

 

[kanewolf]

There are teardown videos --

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d45lZsgwvmY
only you can decide if that is "easy".

 

[ZuesAlmighty265]

Let me rephrase that. My question should have been more of, will either of those 2 cards even work on my system. I already was able to find that they would fit and even have the same key layout, but wasnt able to find out if they would run with my processor. For example, will they be just plug and play or do I have to do some setting chsnges? Or, Will I need to find drivers for them before I install? Things like that.

 

[BFG-9000]

Unlike other manufacturers, Dell do not use a whitelist that only allows their cards to work. So any card you can install in the slot and find drivers for should work.

As it is a networking device, it is advisable to download the drivers before installation, but if you can connect another way such as wired ethernet then you could just let WindowsUpdate install the drivers for you.

 

[ZuesAlmighty265]

Thanks. And since I'm in this forum anyway, any advice for choosing between the 2 I listed? Aside from the price diffetence.

 

[BFG-9000]

The AX200 is 2 years newer with a faster rated combined speed, and also draft-802.11ax. I would get the newer card simply because it will probably be supported longer with updated drivers. Dunno if pre-AX will ever pan out when the standard is finalized, but the 9260 can't do it for sure.

 

[ZuesAlmighty265]

Makes sense. I was leaning towards the AX200 anyway just from the speed stand point, but your point about driver updates is a very valid thung that I should have thought about. Thanks.

 

[kanewolf]

Ive got a Dell 15 7000 gamimg laptop with an I5 7300hq processor. The Wlan card it came with is an Intel 3165. Is it possible/easy to swap over to either the 9260 or the AX200?

Your 3165 is already a dual band AC WIFI device. It is a 1x1 which means that your laptop only has a single antenna. A 9260 is a 2x2 device, but since your laptop was designed for a 1x1 there is no antenna to connect the second channel. I don't believe changing your WIFI card will provide any benefit.

 

[BFG-9000]

Dell is pretty good about including two antenna wires, even if the laptop only shipped with a 1x1 card, and I suspect this is because they use the same screen assembly no matter what Wifi card it's configured with (the antennas wrap around the screen for best reception). I even had a Dell come with a Wireless-G card (obviously 1x1 only!) and it had three antenna wires.
Here is a picture of a Dell 15 7000 equipped with a 2x2 card and the white and black antenna wires:

It's little things like this and the no-whitelist that make me prefer Dell over other OEMs.