Dual Band network card for the Probook 450 G2

[stephen_ford]

Is there a dual band network card suitable for the Probook 450 G2?

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

Yes it is new enough not to have the whitelist so you can install any wireless card with the right form factor. 

Here is the Service Manual:

Manual

See p. 45. HP offered this one which is the top of the line:

Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 802.11 ac 2x2 WiFi + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 BT 4.0 combo adapter 756753-001

Available on Amazon.com:

https://www.amazon.com/710661-001-Intel-Wireless-ac-7260-Pci-express/dp/B00PDLCFL8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF...

This is a drop-in plug and play replacement. You would want to get the driver files on the hard drive (like maybe the desktop) and have them available before you make the swap to be sure the card will work once you reboot Windows. Pick your OS from the drop-down menu here:

http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/swd/public/readIndex?sp4ts.oid=6943827&swLangOid=8&swEnvOid=4059

You need the Intel wireless and Intel bluetooth drivers. 

If you need more help post back. 

If this is "the Answer" please click "Accept as Solution" to help others find it. 

[stephen_ford]

Thank you for those details. Very helpful. Much appreciated. I have ordered one.

Now to sort out the router... I will try to report back with details of network performance improvements - which I trust will occur...!

[stephen_ford]

After further reading and then removing the rear access panels I have discovered that my notebook only has one WLAN antenna cable.

How do I go about finding the parts to upgrade the notebook to two antennae?

[Huffer]

I did not think they did that on the Probooks. Wifi antenna cable is very easy to find but in order to install a second antenna you are looking at a complete disassembly of the laptop which is very hard to do. I hate to say it but your best option is a usb wireless dongle. 

[stephen_ford]

Thanks for the suggestion. I hadn't thought about a dongle.

What I meant was - I have noticed that the display back is readily available - but - there is nothing to say whether it comes from the one or two antennae displays. It appears that in the absense of any other recognised reference number I will have to ask each supplier if the back has one or two antennae.

I have read that the dual cable is not a spare - I wasn't asking if there is a dual cabel spare, although it may have appeared so.

I was hoping there was a kit or something with a recognised reference number which I could use as a search term.

I have looked at the maintenence manual and think I can handle the disassembly - and hopefully the reassembly LOL 🙂 !

But I will need an antenna. It's just dawned on me that if the antennae are the same for 2.4GHz and 5GHz (I think those are the correct figures...) then I could extract a single antenna cable from another display back and fit it to the existing display. The display backs seem to be readily available.

Do you know if the electrical characteristics of the two antennae cables are the same?

Just out of interest, what does one have to ask for to get a Probook with dual WiFi frequency capability? When I was looking at the HP offerings it wasn't a selling point that I remember seeing.

[Huffer]

Yes wi-fi cable is wifi cable. All you need is another one. See how the first one is in there and duplicate the path the original follows out of the display housing, down through the hinge, across the motherboard and down to the wireless card. There are usually little channels and hooks to route the cable. The hard thing is to keep everything neat and organized. You have to keep the wires from being pinched by hinges and getting in the way of other parts. 

This would work. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-Probook-455-G2-OEM-Wifi-Wireless-Antenna-DC33001K310-/111961409196?hash=i...

[stephen_ford]

OK, thanks again... I have ordered an antenna to go with my nice new ac1200 WiFi adapter.

All I need now is the ac1200 router...

[stephen_ford]

I found that the antennae issue is not that simple so I am asking for info and suggestions.

The antennae as delivered is not directly compatible. The PCB connector is OK but not the termination. See the snippet diagram from the service manual below (left). The circled item is a strip of sticky-backed copper foil with the antenna soldered to it. On the right is what I was sent.  It's not totally clear from the image but the fitting at the top is about 30mm x 6 x 10 made of tin plate about 0.5mm thick. It's far too big to fit in the display case without modification.

 

I have noticed that the antenna cable is a form of co-ax and that the shield and core are soldered to the same termination point (yellow circle - right hand image).  This is also the case with the fitting in my lap top. See below.

So I could provide a piece of copper foil and solder the cable as in the image but I am puzzled that the shield and core are soldered to the same place which links them. For lower frequencies the shield is usually earthed (or zero volts).

The final part of the puzzle is to understand the role of the aluminium (?) foil on the inside of the display case back - see image below (3).

Item (1) is the location of the existing antenna. Item (2) is identical and shown to be the location for antenna #2 (as per the service manual).  Is it correct for the 2nd antenna to just be stuck in place as per (1) or does (3) have to be cut in two (two antennae)?

[Huffer]

The termination on the HP wireless antennae has no real significance it is just a means of attaching it to the chassis. Any way you can get the antenna connected to the chassis will work just fine. You can safely cut the antenna where it connects to the big terminator and just wrap the end in electrician's tape.