Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3160 bluetooth issue

[cfc723]

I just upgraded my laptop wireless adapter from "Broadcom BCM43142" to "Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3160 802.11 ac" upon confirmed that the new card is supported from service manual.  Both latest Intel wireless and bluetooth drivers are installed (18.33.0.2 and 18.1.1611.3223 respectively).

AC connection works perfectly fine; however, the bluetooth seems to be having issue here.  For pairing and maintain active connection between bluetooth device and laptop, I have to put them right next to each other literally.  Any distance more than 10cm apart, the bluetooth device will be inactive and unusable. 

I don't have such problem with Broadcom which I can perform pairing and maintain active connection even a meter apart. 

Does anybody face the same issue before with Intel AC 3160 bluetooth?  Or is this a hardware issue with the card itself?

[Mrstenter]

Hi @cfc723,

Welcome to the HP Forums!

I understand from your posts that you are having an issue with your HP Pavilion 15-p041tx Notebook and the new Wireless card you installed. The only one that was compatible in the service manual for a Intel processor was the Realtek RTL8188EE 802.11 bgn 1x1 Wi-Fi adapter.  Here is a link to the service manual.

Thanks.

[cfc723]

Hi @Mrstenter

Thanks for the input. I came across a few service manuals including above mentioned.

Here is another copy that I am using http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c04511833 and helped me thru memory upgrade too. The ac card is listed as supported. The card is not bios whitelisted (not sure it's applicable to HP Pavilion), i can use it for n and ac network with any problem except Bluetooth.

I shared the issue in intel forum too. Though I don't find the cause but there is another thing that I need to eliminate first. The laptop stock with one antenna only as it came with bcm bgn card that use only one antenna. However, the intel ac card needs 2 antennas (1 for wifi; 1 for Bluetooth)

I gonna install second antenna and see how's it going.

[cfc723 · Accepted solution]

The Intel AC 3160 does need 2 antenna (1 for wifi and the other BT).  I managed to install the 2nd antenna and the BT issue resolved.