Is it possible to upgrade my wireless card? Realtek RT8723BE, HP 15-P189NA, Windows 10

[spotify95]

Hello,

I have a HP Pavilion 15 laptop, model number 15-P189NA, it is running Windows 10.

The laptop is fine for my requirements, but I do have one slight issue in that the built in Wi-Fi is the Realtek RT8723BE. This wi-fi adapter only has 2.4GHz, so does not work with the newer 5GHz broadcasts. This means that, whilst signal strength is fine, speeds are greatly reduced especially in areas with congested 2.4GHz networks. If the signal strength drops below about 50%, the speed is unusable, as in less than 5Mbps, meaning I have to use either Ethernet or a USB adapter.

I will shortly be upgrading the RAM and replacing the 1.5TB hard drive with a 512GB SSD, so the laptop will be disassembled (apparently, the RAM is on the underside of the system board). This gives me a great opportunity to upgrade the Wi-Fi card to something that supports 5GHz, as well as 802.11ac (hopefully). Having said that, 802.11n on 5GHz should be an improvement over 802.11n at 2.4GHz.

I understand that some HP components are whitelisted, which does not help regarding the upgrading of components.

Can I upgrade my HP 15-P189NA laptop to a 5GHz capable Wi-Fi card with Bluetooth? I currently have 2.4GHz and Bluetooth, and don't want to lose the latter if I upgrade the WLAN module. I've seen that the service manual lists a "Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3160 802.11 ac 1x1 WiFi + BT 4.0 combo adapter, for use only on computer models equipped with Intel processors for HP Pavilion 17 and 15 Notebook PC computer models", can this replace the Realtek 802.11n 2.4GHz wi-fi adapter?

Or is this just a lost cause, and I will have to continue to stick with a 5GHz based USB adapter?

Hope you can help on this, it would be appreciated!

Regards

spotify95

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

There is only one wifi antenna connected to the Realtek wifi/bluetooth card your notebook has.

Here is what the Realtek wifi card looks like that HP installed in your notebook...

Notice that there is only one antenna terminal to connect to.  The rest of my reply continues below this photo...

All dual band HMC form factor wifi cards require two antenna wires be connected to them for both the wifi and bluetooth to work.

If you are willing to purchase the antenna kit listed in chapter 3 of the manual (assuming you can find it someplace), you should be able to upgrade to this model wifi adapter...

Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 802.11 ac 2x2 WiFi + BT 4.0    HP Part # 710661-001.

You should be able to find the card on eBay.  Search by the HP part number, not the model of the wifi card.

You would also have to completely disassemble the notebook including the display panel area to properly route the second antenna wire.

Below is the link to the service manual...

c04427554.pdf (hp.com)

[spotify95]

Hello,

Thank you for your detailed reply! Aah yes, the single antenna issue; I've seen this crop up before on the HP Community; I wonder why so many HP laptops only seem to have one wireless antenna? wouldn't using two antennas result in a stronger speed?

I believe that the 802.11n card only maxes out at theoretical 76Mbps on the 2.4GHz band, from what I have read on other posts - probably explaining why I have always had poor performance (normally 30-40Mbps, sometimes 45Mbps, once or twice 60Mbps - the latter being on a different access point).

I did take a look on the HP 15 service manual and it doesn't list the 7260, are you sure that this will work OK on my laptop? If so then I will definitely buy one, as well as an extra antennae. 

I'm currently looking at something like this (Im in the UK):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-HP-ProBook-640-G1-Wireless-WIFI-Card-710661-001/313460336536?hash...

It is the same model number but states Probook 640 G1 instead of Pavilion 15-p189na. Are you sure that the 7260 will work if I add another antenna wire? Having said that, it might be worth getting anywhere as I have a laptop from another manufacturer that could also do with a WI-FI upgrade (currently on an old wireless G card) and this card is also compatible with that laptop too!

Thank you once again for your help!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Yes, the Intel 7260 should work just fine.  It would have twice the throughput of the 3160 AC...867 MBPS vice 433 MBPS.

If that doesn't matter to you, then you can order the Intel card listed in the service manual.

Yes, two antenna wires probably provide for better reception...certainly on the cards that are designed to work with two antennas.

Since your notebook's wifi card was designed to work with just one antenna wire, the reception on the Realtek cardshould be fine.

72 MBPS is the max throughput for the RTL8723BE card.

Installing a second antenna in order to get the Bluetooth to work will be a daunting task.

Some notebooks have BIOS whitelists, so an old notebook with a wireless G card...the Intel card will probably not work, and most wifi G cards are a different form factor and the HMC form factor card may not fit.

The card on the 640 G1 eBay listing you posted should work just fine.

[spotify95]

Thanks once again for your help - if the 7260 has twice the throughput then it's definitely worth installing over the 3160, even if just to future proof the machine. So I'll probably just get a 7260, such as the one I linked you to.

I've heard that if I only use the single antenna, 5GHz won't work, and nor will Bluetooth. So if I'm going along that route, I really need both antennae. I'll have to check the feasibility of such a task though; I plan to upgrade the RAM in this laptop, which requires the motherboard to be removed - so if I can see where the wireless cables are routed, I might be able to do it. I'm not going to only use one antenna and lose Bluetooth, as the latter is used quite frequently and the whole point of upgrading the WLAN card is to avoid using USB peripherals all the time.

Wasn't aware that the max throughput of the Realtek card was so low. That would explain why I've only gotten 60Mbps maximum out of it, compared to 90Mbps+ out of the plug in 5GHz USB receiver I am currently using.

I was worried that the HP 15-p189na would have a whitelist, hence asking about the upgrade. 

And the other laptop was a Dell Studio 1745 which has an awful Dell Wireless 1397 card (802.11g). According to Dell's forums, this can also be replaced with the AC7260.

Thanks once again for your help, will probably order the AC7260 and go from there 🙂

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime.

Glad to have been of assistance.

If you are getting 50 - 60 MBPS out of the Realtek card, that would be above average.

This person had to install a second antenna wire for the dual band wifi and bluetooth to work on the Intel 7260, so it can be done...

Solved: Re: Replace Ralink RT3290 802.11bgn - HP Support Community - 7984065

Please post back and let us know how your wifi card upgrade project went.