AC 9260 Compatibility

[Stradivari]

Hello.

I want to know if Bluetooth 5.0 is fully compatible with my notebook  HP Omen 15-ce0xx. Actually i have a Realtek-rtl8822be and it would be cool if i can upgrade it. I were thinking that the Intel AC 9260 (apparently has the correct connector for my notebook model) may be a good candidate, but i don't know it could have some compabiliity issues or  if it could works with hardware limitations due to its recent release.

Greetings.

[efbasham]

Stradivari - Intel doesn't support the 9260 as an upgrade path - there's  an ongoing coversation there about how intel only specifies the 9260 as original equipment.  I read on the intel page that the 9260 series moved the wireless intelligence half of the wifi circuit  **inside**  the 8th generation processor, leaving only the RF parts on the M.2 module, which is no longer backwards compatible with prior (7th gen and back) systems.   This explains why intel doesn't support it as a user upgrade option.

FYI - I'm having problems with my 9260 right now (in a 2018 Spectre x360) - it doesn't support the UNII new frequencies, above ch 44, below ch 149.  My x360 will only see my 2 access points that are on ch 5180 MHz and 5745 MHz, which defeats the purpose of the 802.11ac!  We'll see how intel supports the 9260 when it IS original equipment!

Everett

[Stradivari]

Thank you for your reply!! How about AC 8265?

[efbasham]

My understanding is the 8xxx series was the last stand-alone complete card, meaning it had both the channel access logic as well as the RF components inside the m.2 part.  It was in the 8th generation that intel split the logic part into the system, leaving just the RF in the 9260, which is useless without the matching components from Intel.

BUT - having said that - I have no idea if you can put a 8265 into a system motherboard / chipset / processor originally designed for the 9xxx series.  I'm trying to get some clarification on how the 9xxx works, as mine doesn't work as it should.  I have an 8xxx card here left over from a prior system, so I may try it if my 9xxx won't work.  I do know the 9xxx won't work in anything prior to 8th gen 2018 hardware.

You might look at the intel forums - it's like the HP forums except specializing in intel parts.  Good luck!  

[Stradivari]

Thank you for your fast reply!

Speaking particularly about my case. I have a seventh generation processor, maybe buying the ac 8265 is not a bad idea.

I suspected that maybe the latest intel network adapters were not compatible with the notebook models of 2017 and earlier. There was no current model with the ac 9260. And the most improved versions of HP Omen do not have the ac 9260 if not, the ac 8265. On the other hand, I searched in Amazon and the only models with the ac 9260 are very few and, coincidentally, they have an eighth generation processor.

Greetings!

[efbasham]

I read your reply this AM and suddenly recalled my last attempt to upgrade wireless, and how it almost went horribly wrong.  Before you buy the 8xxx series and open things up to install it, I highly recommend you first check if the product you're considering is on the hardware list for your computer.  The reason is that HP has put "approved hardware" lists into SOME system firmware in the past - I don't know if its on every system, but here's my experience.  I have a Pavilion DV7 from 2012 (great machine - just heavy!) - it has no 5GHz 802.11ac, so I figured just buy a modern card and stick it in, right?  I researched on google "upgrade wireless pavilion dv7" (or something like that) - it turned out lots of people had the exact same idea, and when they bought the card, the system refused to recognize it, even though it should be compatible with that era machine if it was a normal system.  It was caused by the HP firmware on the 2012 DV7 which said, essentially, only these HP Part numbers can be recognized by the system.  The HP forums is where I read about that problem long ago (2015 if I recall) so asking around here is a great place to start.  The two options were A) buy only HP approved hardware with an HP model number or B) install a bootleg firmware in the DV7 which removes the limits, and possibly bricks the laptop.  There are sellers on ebay who have genuine HP cards for maybe $1 more than non-hp variants, but the DV7 has no 802.11ac cards at all on the list, so I ended up just running it from the built in ethernet jack.