Broadcom 4313GN Upgrade

[pcpunk]

I've wanted to upgrade a few of my laptop wifi cards to make them faster but don't really know what is acceptable?  I will ask about this one for now as it is my main work laptop.  And, can I get one that has bluetooth also?  Some of the better cards seem to come with bluetooth.

Current Card: Broadcom 4313GN 802.11b/g/n 1x1 Wi-Fi Adapter

HP Pavilion dv7-6c23cl

Forget it, just read another post saying this is one of the laptops HP neutered in the BIOS!!!

I wonder if the newer BIOS has taken care of this compliant by many???

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Unfortunately, there aren't any supported dual band internal wifi cards that will work in the dv6/7-6xxx model series.

No BIOS updates added support for dual band cards.

The service manual lists an Intel card (6230?), and not only is that incorrect, so is the part number they reference for it.

The only way to add dual band wifi capability to that model series would be to purchase an external USB dual band wifi adapter.

[pcpunk]

Thanks Paul, I'll just use my slow speeds for now and live with it, not that big a deal.  Don't want any extra components protruding from my laptop while working.  I need a new laptop anyhow but money is tight.  If I could sell all my current laptops to purchase a new one I would but the used market is flooded.

[pcpunk]

Paul, I just realized I had one of these, and forgot that there are some Low Profile adapters.  I could even get a faster AC Model, do you think one of these would work, or will it brick my poor old laptop? lol.   I guess I'll plug it in and let it get some drivers, then disable the OEM one?  I'll try to download the drivers also.

[pcpunk]

I'm on the download page for the adapter, but it don't really point out if the Windows 10 driver will work with 7 also?

https://www.netgear.com/support/product/A6100?_ga=2.53741096.1287255536.1572829731-80701525.15728297...

Also, does it matter if I'm in a 2.0 Port, or should it be in a SS Port?

Thanks Paul

[pcpunk]

I installed in wrong order but it still worked.  I tried 2.4Ghz and only got 50Mbps, up from 44Mbps.  I then tried the 5Ghz and it was slower.  I then Rebooted and it was faster!  Almost 95Gbps!  Not to bad but Worried about this thing sticking out of my laptop.  I will have to take it out for everyday use, this laptop is in my backpack and don't want it damaged...so sad? 

Can you get HP to fix that BIOS so that we can have faster Wifi? LOL.  Such a nice laptop to have the Wifi neutered like that!  I  was on an old as dirt Dell laptop recently and can only assume someone upgraded the Wifi Chip because it was getting something close to what my desktop was getting, in the triple digits.

Ahh, I could get this little gem, though a little expensive.  Mini, low profile.

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-AC600-Dual-Adapter-A6100/dp/B07P388DBG?th=1

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Glad the USB wifi adapter worked better for you.

I agree...I don't like the external adapters sticking out from the PC--especially if you have to move it around.

But they indeed do make the smaller nano type ones which hardly stick out of the USB port.

If the specs on the adapter state USB3, they will work better from the USB 3 port.

[pcpunk]

I was a noticeable difference Paul, it would be nice to get that Low Profile adapter at some point.  That one is even a little faster to boot, I hope it will actually be faster on my laptop.

Thanks as always, pcpunk

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime.

As far as the BIOS thing is concerned, HP will never release an update to remove the whitelist from those models.

Interestingly though, it appears they got rid of the whitelist on the dv6/7-7xxx Intel models because many forum members have installed the Intel 7260 AC dual band wifi card with no issues.

Then around 2013 or so, HP got rid of the BIOS whitelists on almost every model notebook with only a very few exceptions.

But then they threw in a new wrinkle...most of the newer notebooks with single band wifi adapters only come with one antenna cable, making it extremely difficult to upgrade to a dual band wifi card, since all but one require two antenna cables be connected to them.

There is no way I would want to completely disassemble the notebook including the display panel area, just to run a second antenna cable.

Better to make sure the model you get already comes with a decent quality dual band AC wifi adapter that already has two antenna cables connected to it.

[pcpunk]

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@Paul_Tikkanen wrote:

Anytime.

Interestingly though, it appears they got rid of the whitelist on the dv6/7-7xxx Intel models because many forum members have installed the Intel 7260 AC dual band wifi card with no issues.

Better to make sure the model you get already comes with a decent quality dual band AC wifi adapter that already has two antenna cables connected to it.

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Well, I did not see that Paul, I will just get one of those and will have my favorite Laptop up to speed!  7260 AC dual band wifi card.  I did see one with my same Laptop Model that was having trouble, will need to go back and take a look.

Thanks for all that information.  I did know there was a Blacklist for Wifi but wasn't really up on all the deets so thanks for that.  And I will look for one with a good Dual Band Card.  I think most of the laptops I'm looking at do have one like that.