Pavilion wireless card replace?

[dhelenberger]

My Pavilion desktop recently stopped recognizing the wireless card. As a result, I am told there are no wireless connections available when before my home Wi-Fi network and those of my neighbors were present. I cannot find the card on my system in any of the settings, so I assume the card has gone bad. I would like to replace the card but have not been able to find the specs so I can go out and get a replacement card. Thanks in advance for the specs.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Do you remember what model wifi card your PC has?

It is possible that it went bad on you, but certain model wifi cards such as the Ralink models don't work well with W10, and the latest W10 releases are causing them to 'disappear' from the device manager.

So either way, you should replace the card.

Here is the problem...You will first have to open up the PC and determine if there is one or two antennas connected to the present wifi card, so I can recommend a suitable replacement.

Because your model is a configured to order model, it could have come with a few different model wifi cards, as shown in the parts list below (under the PC Board (Interface) section.

http://partsurfer.hp.com/Search.aspx?searchText=QC455AV

The other thing you can do is to purchase an external usb wireless network adapter, and not be concerned with compatibility as long as you get one that has support for W10.

[dhelenberger]

I don't remember the model of the Wi-Fi card. I have the computer open but I can't tell where the Wi-Fi card is. There is a card with a small fan on it that I believe is the monitor/graphics card. There are four other long and narrow cards that I believe are memory cards. I'm sorry I'm not more help. It's been a few years since I've opened up a computer and I guess I was thinking it would be more obvious where the Wi-Fi card is. Any thoughts on how I can ID the Wi-Fi card?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

The wireless card can only be in one place, looking at the picture of the motherboard.

Here is a picture of the motherboard your PC has...

The wifi card should be plugged into an adapter that fits in one of those 3 small black PCIe x1 slots on the bottom left side of the picture.

There should be one or two very thin and delicate antenna wires going from the wifi card to somewhere inside the case, which is where the other side of the antennas fasten to.

I do not see anywhere else in the picture that it could have gone.

Some of the newer motherboards have a half mini card slot where the wifi card plugs into lying flat.

I don't see such a slot in the picture.

[dhelenberger]

Hi:

The Wi-Fi card isn't plugged into one of those 3 small black PCIe x1 slots on the bottom left side of the picture. There is nothing plugged into those slots.

However, based on matching part numbers from the link included in your initial reply, I believe I have located it. It is located in the long, off-white slot in the bottom right corner of the photo you sent, just above and to the left of the red connector on the right side. It has one fine black wire running to the frame of the desktop.

I matched the HP P/N: 638403-001 to the link which has Wireless LAN - Flamingo, Halfmini 802.11 bgn 1x1 in the description. The card also has the following printed on it:
MAC ID: 74DEZBD46399
CT: GBUCB01MM1NI1I
RT5390
WN6605RH-H8

Would you confirm that this is indeed the Wi-Fi card and what I should look for to replace it? Thank you.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

OK, so that is even an older setup than I thought--and that model wifi card has probably quit working because of W10, not because it died on you.

Personally, I would just get an external USB wifi adapter.

Otherwise if you prefer an internal card, get one that fits in one of those PCIe x 1 slots, and remove the current assembly you have in there now.

Most likely wifi cards that go in the PCI slot like the one you have now, will be old style cards with limited or no support for W10.

PCIe x1 cards like these...

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=pcie+x1+wifi&tag=mh0b-20&index=aps&hvadid=3525343771&hvqm...

[dhelenberger]

OK. The external adapter sounds like the winner. Should I remove the old card or would it be ok to just leave it in place since it is not getting recognized?

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can leave it in place, so that you don't have an open space in the back of the PC where the card mounted to.