Broadcom 4313 won't connect to Wireless N

[dlmoak]

I just got a dm4-1060us notebook with a Broadcom 4313 802.11 b/g/n wireless adaptor. I have a dual-band router, and the Broadcom canot connect to my Wireless N network. It doesn't even find the network. I can connect to the 802.11g band with no problems. Two other wireless computers in my house are able to connect to the N network.

I spent almost 2 hours on the phone with hp tech support to try to fix this issue. We reinstalled the wireless card driver, and they checked all the settings, al to no avail. They said the next step would be a system restore, but I spent hours installing software and configuring my laptop them way I want it, and I'd like to avoid that step.

Does anyone have any other ideas?

[Cyclops]

Just Double checking, are you trying to connect to N - 5 GHz Band...

The Reason I ask this is because, Broadcom 4313 802.11b/g/n wireless adaptor will connect to N - 2.4 GHz Band only... It is come with 1x1 Antanne config, which will give you max of 72 Mbps...

[dlmoak]

Yes, I was trying to connect to the 5 Ghz band. I didn't realize the 4313 was only 2.4 Ghz (and neither did the HP tech support guy I spent two hours on the phone with). Does this mean 72 mbps is the best I can do with this wireless card?

I see there are several other wireless cards that are compatible with my notebook. I wonder if any of them are 5 Ghz capable?

[Cyclops]

YA, that is a lot of confusion and wrong info out in the open...

So here are some basic facts around Wireless N...

• Wireless N Class operates in 2 frequency Band 2.4 & 5 GHz....
• 300 Mbps+ can be achieve only with 40 MHz Channel Width and if you have 2x2 Antenna Configuration (MIMO) both on transmission and receiving side.
• In 2.4 GHz Frequancy Band, You will need to set Router to Auto Mode (Channel Bonding) to Achieve 40 MHz.
• It will not support WPA and WEP wireless encryption.

On the Router side, they come is multiple types of  router sold as well, so you need to be careful in what you are buying into as well...

• Single N Band Wireless Router: Works in 2.4 GHz only. Ex. Cisco Valet Wireless HotSpot, Linksys E1000, Netgear WNR2000
• Selectable Dual Band Router: Works in either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz but not at the same time. Ex. Linksys 2000
• Hybrid Dual-Band Router: Operates in both 2.4 & 5 Ghz bands, but 2.4 Ghz only works in the older Wireless-G Std.
• Simultaneous Dual-N Band Wireless Router: Operates in both 2.4 & 5 Ghz bands Simultaneously by having independent Radios for 2.4 & 5 GHz. Due to independent Radios, these router have 2 SSID.

Coming to Broadcom 4314, yes, 73 Mbps is the best you can go...but there is a simple tweak in the driver that can push it to 150 Mbps but I have not been able to get that...

If the wireless card config is a/b/g/n, that it is most likely to connect to N - 5 GHz Frequancy band...Most Wireless card vendors to keep the cost low, have been putting out wireless card, that support only 2.4 MHz, as a single physical hardware will support b/g/n in one go... So the cards that are similar to Broadcom 4313, are Atheros AR9285, Atheros AR9002WB-1, Ralink RT3090... there can be more out there...

[dlmoak]

Thanks for the clarification. I have a Simultaneous Dual-N Band Wireless Router (Linksys E3000).

What I don't understand is why HP would build a high-end notebook and cripple it with a wireless adaptor that's only capable of 72mbps.

The mainetenance guide for this notebook lists several compatible wireless cards for this notebok. Two of them appear to be 5 ghz compatible:

• Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000 802.11b/g/n 1x2 (Part No. 593530-001)

• Broadcom 43224AGN 802.11a/b/g/draft-n WiFi Adapter (Part No. 582564-001)

I'm thinking that if I instaled one of those, I should be able to connect to my 5 ghz signal. Is that correct?

[Cyclops]

Again the Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000 802.11b/g/n 1x2 is operates in 2.4 GHz band only...

Broadcom 43224AGN 802.11a/b/g/draft-n WiFi Adapter, will connect and better alternative to 4313 which is a combo (wifi-bluetooth)... but I have not tested that setup with dm4....

[dlmoak]

I don't really use Bluetooth, so the Broadcom 43224AGN might be the best option for me.

[russt93]

I have a dm4 with a Broadcom 4313. I've downgraded to XP and can't get the wireless working properly. The drivers are installed but it won't connect for more than once and only for a few minutes. I want to swap the wireless card to a Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000 802.11b/g/n 1x2 (Part No. 593530-001).

A few questions: -

1 - This means I will loose bluetooth?

2 - Does it have to be a HP part number of can I get the same model from elsewhere?

[Cyclops]

Here is the thing, there are 2 version of broadcom 4313 out there, one with bluetooth and other without bluetooth...So if you have unit with bluetooth, than you will loss the functionality....

On your 2nd question, it should'nt, but i would be able to comment with confidence...

[russt93]

With the BIOS locking down which wireless cards how does the whitelist work? It doesn't look for HP Parts then, just the correct parts? So I could get one from Ebay?