HP 15-ef1041nr Laptop upgrade WiFi to WiFi6e

[Dudesplace]

Laptop has RTL8821CE

Would like to upgrade NIC to WiFi 6/6e

Not sure which if any newer PCIe adapters would work. Don’t know if it is keyed, half size etc.

haven’t opened it yet so not sure if it has two antennas or not, but probably does since it has Bluetooth as well.

Mod:HP 15-ef1041nr
Product ID:1Y8Z9UA#ABA

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Unfortunately, your notebook only comes with one Wi-Fi antenna wire connected to the RTL8821CE Wi-Fi adapter and any other dual band AC Wi-Fi adapter would need to have two antenna wires for the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to work.

The RTL8821CE is the only AC Wi-Fi adapter where the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with one wire, other than the Intel 9461 AC Wi-Fi adapter which only works in certain notebooks with specific Intel processors and chipsets.

Adding a second antenna wire would require the complete disassembly of the notebook including the display panel to properly run the second antenna wire, and you would have to order the dual antenna wire kit found in chapter 3 of your notebook's service manual.

Maintenance and Service Guide HP 15 Laptop PC

If you want to go through all of the work to add a second antenna wire, you should be able to install this model Wi-Fi adapter:

Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 ax 2×2 + Bluetooth 5.0 MU-MIMO M.2 2230 non-vPro   HP part # L35282-005

You should be able to find the card on eBay. 

Search by the HP part number, not the model of the Wi-Fi card.

The Wi-Fi will work with only one antenna wire connected to the card's 'Main' antenna terminal, but the Bluetooth will not have enough reception to work.

I don't know if the Wi-Fi signal quality will be less with one wire than with two.

[Dudesplace]

Great thanks for all the info.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.