Wi-fi adapter Upgrade

[JohnnyJS]

I have a HP Notebook - 17-x115dx with an 802.11 bgn adapter but N does not seem enabled. How do I get N enabled, I know ther is only 1 antenna. (1x1), When enablked this should work to connect to 5GHz (n standard) when I upgrade my router?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

1 x 1 does not refer to the number of antennas connected to the wifi adapter.

1 x 1 refers to the number of data streams the wifi card can handle, which in the case of 1 x 1, it means it can handle one data stream down and one data stream up.

There are many 1 x 1 wifi adapters with two antennas attached to them.

However, you are right...yours is not one of them.

Wireless N does not refer to the 2.4 or 5.0 GHz band.

Wireless N can work on only a 2.4 GHz band, or both a 2.4 and 5.0 Ghz wifi band.

The model wifi card your notebook comes with can only transmit and receive on the 2.4 GHz wifi band.

The RTL8188EE wifi card has a maximum throughput of 72 MBPS, which is a wireless N speed.

Wireless G maxes out at 54 MBPS.

You would need to replace the wifi card with one that works on both bands, and since your notebook only has one antenna cable, there is only one dual band wifi card that I know of that works with only one antenna, and that is this one...

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

Since the above wifi card is not listed in your notebook's service manual, I cannot guarantee it will work but others have installed that model in other PC's where it was not listed in the service manual and it did work for them.

[JohnnyJS]

Thanks for the clarity on the standards and limitations of the current card. @ only 2.4GHz with a single anntenna.  I ordered the RTL8821CE.  I Will let you know how it works. I did see a few posts on driver issues on Win 10.   

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Here are the links to the latest wifi and bluetooth drivers HP has for that card, so you may as well reduce the problems with drivers by installing the newest ones available.

Wifi:

2024.0.5.101       Dec 9, 2018

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp93001-93500/sp93233.exe

Bluetooth:

1.6.1015.3         Dec 11, 2018

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp93001-93500/sp93262.exe