Laptop won't show 5GHz Wifi connections.

[arham-a]

I Recently got a dual band wifi connection (2.4 and 5 Ghz). So my laptop will only show the 2.4Ghz wifi connections. I thought maybe my laptop does not support it so i went to "Run", entered "cmd", and then "netsh wlan show drivers". The results showed " Radio types supported     : 802.11b 802.11g 802.11n".

Then I went to Device Manager and checked the wifi device. It is Intel(R) Centrino(R) Wireless-N 1000.

Next I went online to check my laptop's specifications and under Wireless Connectivity it says: Intel 1x1 802.11ac WLAN

Shouldn't this mean that my laptop supports  the 5ghz band? So how should i make this work.

Thank you

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Did you buy that notebook new?

The specs show Intel 1x1 802.11ac WLAN as you posted, but the Intel Centrino 1000 wireless card is an old single band card, and was never used in your model.

The parts list for your notebook indicates that it came with a Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3160 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (1x1) WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 combination WLAN adapter.

So, either HP made a major error when putting your notebook together, or someone removed the nice AC card and put in a plain old wireless card just so the notebook had wireless.

Also, an AC card may not work on the 5.0 GHz wireless band unless you have a wireless AC router, not a dual band wireless N router.

Nothing you can do about it now other than to replace the wireless card with a better one.

I am going to suggest that you get an even better wireless card than the one that your notebook should have come with, and that is the Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 802.11 ac 2x2 WiFi + BT 4.0    HP Part #710661-001

That model should be easily available on Amazon or eBay.  Shouldn't cost more than $25 - $30.

Do your search by the HP part number, not the model of the wireless card.

Here is the service manual for your model.  It's pretty easy to remove and replace the wireless card in that model.

See chapter 5, starting on page 45.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c04091762

BTW, if you look in chapter 3, page 21, item 23, (or in chapter 5 on page 44), you will see the list of wireless cards that HP put in that model series.

The Centrino 1000 is nowhere to be found.

Now, if you don't have an AC router, then you may want to get this Intel dual band N card instead...

Intel Dual Band Wireless-N 7260AN 802.11 a/b/g/n 2x2 WiFi + BT4.0   HP Part # 717381-001

[arham-a]

So is it better that I replace the wireless card or should I just get a dual band wifi dongle which I can connect with a USB?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

That's entirely up to you.

If it were me, and knowing it will only take about 5-10 minutes to swap out the wireless card, I would replace the Centrino 1000.

The cost would be about the same.

[arham-a]

Yeah I mean to say will the internet work better with the card or dongle?

And the wifi cards you advised, are they both supported by my laptop?

And will this card Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 802.11 ac 2x2 WiFi + BT 4.0 HP Part #710661-001 support all wifi connections?


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

Or

Intel Dual Band Wireless-N 7260AN 802.11 a/b/g/n 2x2 WiFi + BT4.0 HP Part # 717381-001?


I'm sorry, I don't know much about this stuff

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

The usb or internal dual band cards would be about the same.

The advantage of the internal card is nothing sticking out of the side.

Yes, either card I posted will work, but if you don't have an AC router, and don't plan on getting an AC router, then I suggest you get this card...

Intel Dual Band Wireless-N 7260AN 802.11 a/b/g/n 2x2 WiFi + BT4.0     HP Part # 717381-001

I have a dual band wireless N router, and have the above 7260 N card in my HP notebook, and it works great on W10.

I don't plan on getting an AC router yet because all of my equipment is wireless N and the router I have works fine.

You have to read the service manual and see if you are comfortable with installing the card.

I have to tell you that it is pretty easy to do. 

I don't like working on notebook PC's, and this is one thing I am not afraid to do.

[arham-a]

What's the maximum speed that this will support

Intel Dual Band Wireless-N 7260AN 802.11 a/b/g/n 2x2 WiFi + BT4.0 HP Part # 717381-001?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

300 MBPS on the 5.0 GHz band.

Specs:

http://ark.intel.com/products/75440/Intel-Dual-Band-Wireless-N-7260

[arham-a]

It doesn't say that it supports windows 10, but my laptop initially came with a windows 8. So will it work?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Yes it will, and W10 will automatically install the drivers for it.

I have the 7260 in my HP 350 g1 notebook running W10.

There are even updated drivers for it on the Intel website, or you can use the W10 intel drivers from your notebook's support page if there are any.

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/75174/Intel-Wireless-N-7260