Looking to upgrade wifi card for 15-ba009dx (X7T78UA)

[nombre_pantalla]

I'm looking to upgrade the wifi card on my laptop, model: 15-ba009dx (X7T78UA). It currently has a Realtek RTL8188EENF wireless card install. The card is a mini PCI Express but unless I'm going blind, it appears that the connector is an M.2 with A & E keys. I can't find any information to confirm this though. Is this model be compatible with wireless cards that require a M.2 connect? And bonus question for specificity, if I can use a M.2 card, would the Intel WiFi 6 AX200NGW be compatible?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

The problem you have is that there is only one antenna cable connected to the RTL8188 wifi card your notebook has.

Below is a picture of the actual card your PC has...M.2 form factor.  Though the picture shows two terminals, only one (#1) has the antenna on it.

I do not believe any Intel wifi card will work other than the dual band AC (3165, 3168) listed in the service manual.

Those should work with one antenna, but you will not have Bluetooth since that would require the second antenna cable.

Here is the link to the service manual.  Check chapter 3 for the supported wifi card and their HP part numbers.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c05227786

Do your search by the HP part number, not the model of the wifi card, for best results.  You should be able to find either card on eBay.

[nombre_pantalla]

I appreciate the reply, but if I may ask one more dumb question. As it was my plan from the beginning, would it make any difference if I were to install a second antenna?

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome.

If you added a second antenna, the Bluetooth would work.

Adding a second antenna would require the complete disassembly including the display panel area to properly route the antenna.

You can find the antenna kit part number in chapter 3 of the service manual.

[nombre_pantalla]

That's what I was hoping to hear. I've taken enough things apart so I should be able to handle it (probably). Thank you again for your help.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime.

Glad to have been of assistance.

[nombre_pantalla]

For any future people searching for the answer to this. I installed an Intel AX200 to test for sure and it is working like a charm in this notebook so you can most definitely use cards that require M.2 A & E keys