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Archived This topic has been archived. Information and links in this thread may no longer be available or relevant. If you have a question create a new topic by clicking here and select the appropriate board.
HP Recommended

Hi all,

 

I have bought the HP Elite 8300 Ultra-slim desktop, which does not have WiFi built in.

According to the tech spec for the 8300 ultra-slim, optionally you can purchase and install an Intel Centrino Advanced N6205 PCIe Mini Card Wireless network card. So I bought that, too.

 

The PCI-x card comes with a 'desktop adaptor' so you can mount the card at the rear in a PCI-xpress bay.

The below photo is of the chip attached to the 'desktop adapter':

 

IMG-20121030-00004.jpg

 

Since the 8300 ultra-slim does not have any available bays at the rear, I did some searching on the motherboard. Sure enough, there is a PCI-xpress port on the motherboard - see below image:

 

IMG-20121030-00005.jpg

 

You can remove the 6205 'chip' from the desktop 'adapter' and lot it directly on to the motherboard. So I removed the Centrino chip from the desktop adapter and plugged it straight into the PCI-xpress slot on the motherboard:

 

IMG-20121030-00006.jpg

 

Problem is - signal is 1/5 and will not connect to any access point, when the chip has been installed in the PCI-xpress slot on it's own.

 

I tried connecting the antenna to the card, and sure enough that gave me 5/5 signal strength. The problem is, there is nowhere to mount the antenna from the inside of the chassis. Here is what I mean, here is how I get 5/5 signal strength:

 

IMG-20121030-00007.jpg

 

I contacted HP, but they weren't very helpful. The tech rep wanted to get her 2nd line team to call me back, but it's outside of business hours.

 

Does anyone have any idea how I am meant to properly install this? By the way, the hard drive lays on top of the adaptor, it beds into the cage you can see.

 

I could technically lay the thin black cables under the bridge bar, but the gold connectors would be rattling around in the chassis and this does not look like a well thought-through design, so I must be missing something. I can't find any instructions for either the 8300 or the 6205.

 

I hope someone can point out the obvious for me.

 

Thanks in advance,

Christian

5 REPLIES 5
HP Recommended
Hello Christian

"I could technically lay the thin black cables under the bridge bar"

That may be the best choice for that particular wireless card and its location. You can also look into a USB wireless dongle which simply connects to the computer through USB.
Don't forgot to say thanks by giving "Kudos" to those that help solve your problems.

When a solution is found please mark the post that solves your issue.
HP Recommended

Hi Travis,


Thanks for your reply, however, i don't see this as being a solution, hence reaching out to tech support and these forums. I am pretty sure that having the antenna connector lay on the motherboard could short circit. Furthermore, the adapter is listed as an optional extra, so I am not quite sure why I have to use my D.I.Y skills to install this.

 

Do you have any documentation on the adapter, how it should in fact be installed/fitted?

 

Many thanks,

Christian

HP Recommended
Hello schristianeu

If you are worried about a possible shorting you can use non-conductive electrical tape. Could you attach a screenshot of the full antennae. It might be helpful to see the whole thing to suggest a better way to route them.
Don't forgot to say thanks by giving "Kudos" to those that help solve your problems.

When a solution is found please mark the post that solves your issue.
HP Recommended

Hi again,

 

The HP engineer suggested I purchase an 'After Market Option kit', which seems a little weird. I will be sending these back to the supplier as this is too much effort. See below comments from the engineer:

 

"After Market Option kit, so instead of just buying a part (in this case, just the wireless card) the AMO would contain the card, antenna, mounting screws, insructions etc it's correct supported option.

like if you buy a CPU as an AMO kit, you get a heatsink, if you by just the CPU part, you just get the CPU."

 

Thanks,

Christian

HP Recommended
You got the board but you don't have the correct antenna cables. Look on eBay to see what they look like.
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