Upgrade from RTL8723BE to 5GHz Wifi-AC card

[just_a_ghost]

Hello, I want to upgrade my wifi card to something that supports 5GHz, AC-band and has moderately good range. Is there any replacement card available for my laptop? I will be able to replace it myself, if I can buy the card online.

Location: India

Product: HP Pavilion 15-AB032TX (https://support.hp.com/in-en/product/hp-pavilion-15-ab000-notebook-pc-series/7771366/model/7919380/m...)

Thanks for helping.

[Huffer]

Here is the Service Manual:

Manual

The problem with your project is found on p. 4. Your existing Realtek card is only provided with a single antenna lead. This means it is not really possible to upgrade to a dual band, improved wireless card because any such card worth having needs two antenna leads. It is theoretically possible to string a second antenna lead inside the laptop although its a pretty big job. 

Much easier to just use an 802.11ac usb dongle although I know that is less elegant. I just did a single to dual antenna upgrade on a Lenovo laptop for a friend so have some experience with this and happy to help as much as you need. Just post back. 

If this is what you needed to know please accept as solution. 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, @just_a_ghost 

There is one internal wifi card that might work for your model, but I can't guarantee it.

That would be the Realtek 8821CE AC wifi adapter which was engineered to work with only one antenna cable.

Realtek RTL8821CE 802.11 ac 1x1 WiFi + Bluetooth 4.2 Combo Adapter (MU-MIMO supported)  HP Part # L17365-005.

The only place I have been able to find this model card is on eBay.  It is on back order at the HP parts store.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=L17365-005&_sacat=0&_sop=15

[just_a_ghost]

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@Huffer wrote:

Here is the Service Manual:

Manual

The problem with your project is found on p. 4. Your existing Realtek card is only provided with a single antenna lead. This means it is not really possible to upgrade to a dual band, improved wireless card because any such card worth having needs two antenna leads. It is theoretically possible to string a second antenna lead inside the laptop although its a pretty big job. 

Much easier to just use an 802.11ac usb dongle although I know that is less elegant. I just did a single to dual antenna upgrade on a Lenovo laptop for a friend so have some experience with this and happy to help as much as you need. Just post back. 

If this is what you needed to know please accept as solution. 

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Thanks for letting me know. I think I might be able to do that, can you point me further on how to add a second antenna?

[Huffer]

There is no instruction on it in the Manual. You have to find where the one antenna connects to the case, usually inside the display housing. You have to get a matched pair of wireless antennae the right length, and attach them inside the case and route the second antenna around the opposite side of the screen and then bring them together to go down through the hinge and into the lower chassis and to the wireless card. This video is not exactly on point but gives an idea what is involved. 

You have to make sure to get wifi antennae with the right brass connector for your wifi card. The connections on the newer M.2 wifi cards are tiny and it is very easy to break the connectors so be careful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlzrqebX-cg

[drsachin · Accepted solution]

Today I upgraded my HP ab029tx with latest WiFi 6, Intel ax200 chip , attached another antenna bought it behind the screen as shown in the youtube video . Both wifi and Bluetooth working well. Speed 100 Mbps on 5 GHz and 55 Mbps on 2.4 GHz (My connection max speed is 100 Mbps only). Attaching antenna is a 10 mins job only and I am not a professional engineer. I also upgraded my display from innolux my screen to BOE nv156fhm-n61 display which is a IPS display. Also upgraded RAM to 8gb +8gb. And upgraded hdd to ssd Samsung 860evo 512 gb

[Huffer]

Nice job. Thanks for letting us know. 

[just_a_ghost]

Thanks for letting me know! I'll order the same parts and upgrade my laptop.