Does my bios has a whitelist?

[BPHvZ]

Hello,

I want to upgrade my network card, it's a U98H121 (NGFF, m.2). But I must know if my bios has a whitelist, otherwise my other network card won't work.

So does my bios had a whitelist or not?

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

It does not have a whitelist but there are additional considerations. 

1. How difficult to access the wi-fi card?

Service Manual   see p. 51 (in your case medium difficulty)

2. Does the laptop come with 2 wireless antennae? While a dual band card will "work" with only one antenna it will not work well without two. 

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

[BPHvZ]

Okay, Thank you!

But what would you advice me to do now?

[Huffer]

I added some material to my post. I advise you to open it and count the antennae and post back. 

[BPHvZ]

It has one antenna

[Huffer]

That is what I was afraid of. Taken a few of these apart and I know where the pitfalls are. Honestly you could install a "better" wireless card and it would "pick up" 5ghz and 2.4 ghz signal but the range and thruput would not be up to par. If you are a really good laptop mechanic it is inexpensive to buy a second antenna. You can find them on amazon.com for a few bucks. But it takes just about a total teardown to install it.

USB wi-fi dongles are not expensive and actually provide very good range and thruput. I would just get an 802.11ac usb dongle and use that. Windows will see two wireless cards in the network settings in the toolbar, just turn the internal wireless off and use the usb one. This seems kind of the chicken's way out but adding an antenna just may not end well for you.  

[BPHvZ]

Thank you for helping out!

I will first try it with one antenna and if that that doesn't work that well I'll use a second antenna from an old laptop and try to install it.

[Huffer]

Good luck. If you need help let me know. There is likely a youtube "teardown" video out there. The hard part is getting the second antenna set in the plastic channels provided. Otherwise the lid can pinch the wire.