WLAN Module Recommendations

[PhysicistSarah]

I was reading the HP Dv7 service manual looking for a replacement wi-fi chip, and I think that my brother's chip finally kicked the bucket after around a decade of service.

I did all the usual monkeying around with drivers, and software but nothing works.

Anyway, I noticed that there were no recommendations for AC-compatible wi-fi chips in the manual.

I see that there are a lot of a/b/g/n entries, but nothing for the AC standard.

What should I look for in a wi-fi chip for a pavilion dv7 to optimize wi-fi performance? Is there an AC compliant chip that can be used with this computer without being rejected?

I'm looking only for chips that also support the bluetooth protocol.

Thanks!

Pic Here:

[Huffer]

We need the exact model number of the laptop because the DV7 spanned a long service life and 7 different series of computers. Only the last two, -6xxx and -7xxx, may be free of the HP wireless "whitelist" which prevents use of any card not listed in the Manual. Based on parts numbers I am seeing on the page fo the Manual you reproduced and the fact you are telling me it is 10 years old I think yours is from an earlier series and your upgrade plans are going to run smack into the whitelist issue. 

AC standard was not a "thing" when that laptop was new and essentially the Manual is a time capsule of hardware offered on that laptop from the factory. So if you give us the full model number we can verify your best option and make it one with bluetooth. 

[PhysicistSarah]

I wasn't able to find any information using the typical methods using command prompt or system information. They always just come back as "HP Pavilion Dv7".

The only identifying thing that I could find that might identify the system is the System SKU: WV705AV

That kind of sucks about the lack of forward compatibility, but hopefully it is on the whitelist.

If the System SKU is not useful in identification, can you provide a method for getting more information?

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

Its a DV7-3000 series and the list of wifi cards you posted part of is the list of the compatible cards. Nothing else will work. 

[PhysicistSarah]

Well, thanks for your help!

[PhysicistSarah]

Just a quick question if you don't mind.

I found a candidate replacement that was on the list, but it says that it is not for HP laptops. This seems mysterious to me as it appears on the list of acceptable parts. (https://www.amazon.com/Intel-Wifi-Link-5100-Hmc/dp/B001IB156I/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1540243890&sr=8...)

Is the seller mistaken? Other people reported successes installing it on HP laptops.

[Huffer]

That's the ahem...beauty of the whitelist. You can't use a wifi card with

the same chipset even. It must be the HP part number listed in the Manual. Do not search by the type of wireless card search by HP Part number only and get a picture of the device it should have a label with the HP Part number on it. 

[PhysicistSarah]

Wow, that's stunning.

Thank you so much. I believe that you just saved me a lot of time and frustration.

[Huffer]

We try...are you really a physicist like on Big Bang theory? This is one for the books; a lawyer giving tech advice to a scientist. 

My pleasure. 

[PhysicistSarah]

I don't have a Ph.D. yet, but I'm a second-year physics student at Stony Brook University.

I might be in your records book eventually though!