Alternative to Intel Wifi Link 5100 AGN wireless network card?

[gkline]

I'm finding that my Intel 5100 AGN wireless network card is not performing as well as it used to.  I've tried everything... even drivers are fully up to date.  But I keep losing connection to my wireless router, even though connection strength is between 3-4 bars.  I find that I rarely get dropped if I have 5 bars.  But if it weakens to 3, I get periodically dropped no matter what wireless network I am using.

I want to replace this card with something better, but of course compatible with the HP dv5 (my specific model is dv5t-1000).  Any recommendations?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

IMO, you already have the better of any of the wireless cards that you can install in your PC.

Here is a link to the service manual. The supported WLAN cards with corresponding part numbers can be found in Chapter 3 starting on page 24. You  MUST only get a wireless card with the HP part number on it or it will not work.

WLAN modules for use only with computer models equipped with Intel processors:

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01550108.pdf

You mentioned that your drivers are fully up to date. I don't know what operating system you are running but if you are using the latest drivers from your notebook's support page, they are woefully out of date.

If you are (or even if you aren't), I recommend you run this scanning tool from Intel which will find and report the latest drivers for any Intel component installed in your notebook and give you the link to the downloads.

http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/detect

Paul

[gkline]

Hello Paul,

Thanks very much for your response and the link to the dv5t service manual!  I had thought that the 5300 is a better wifi card, but if it's a nominal difference from the 5100, I guess I'll just continue with my current one.  Or, I'm thinking of trying out a USB network card (some come with an external antenna which might help with reception).  Have you heard of any notable improvements going that route?

I did use the Intel update, which gave peculiar results.  On the one hand, it would tell me that my driver is up to date, but then it would also tell me that the product isn't recognized.  Weird!  I went ahead and downloaded the full software package and installed it.  No real change in function as far as I can see.

~Gary

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi, Gary:

What I meant by my statement regarding you having the better of the available cards for your notebook is that, yes, I am sure the Intel 5300 is an improvement over the 5100, but the problem is you can't install the 5300 in your notebook.

The Intel 5300 is not supported (only the cards/part numbers listed in the service manual can be installed) and your notebook wouldn't boot until you removed the card.

You can try a different card listed in the manual if you want.

However, you are limited to the:

Broadcom 4322 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN module

Broadcom BCM4312 802.11b/g WLAN module (not a wireless N card)

I suppose you can use an external USB adapter but I would get one with an external antenna connected to it, because I would have to believe the 3 antenna wire setup in your notebook has to provide superior reception over a plain USB wireless adapter with an internal antenna as its only antenna.

The antennas go all the way up to the top of your screen.

Did you fiddle around with your network card's advanced settings?  They can be found by clicking on the card in the device manager, clicking on the advanced tab.  make a note of where the settings are now so if something goes buggy, you can change them back.

Here is a guide to the advanced settings you have and the recommended settings for them.

http://www.intel.com/support/wireless/wlan/sb/CS-025393.htm

Paul

[gkline]

Wow, my bad for abandoning this topic I started. Sorry, Paul.

To follow up, it appeared to be a combination of issues. I ended up completely removing all of the wireless software and drivers. I then installed the default OEM software that was provided with the laptop. The signal appeared to be more reliable. I then also adjusted my wireless router so that the antennas point to my usual location. Overall, this helped.

Meanwhile, I bought a used Intel Wifi Link 5300 card. And you know what? It works. No compatibility problems at all. 🙂 The only thing is that the card has 3 antenna sockets and the dv5 has only two antennas. I attached a 3rd antenna wire and ran it out of the laptop, so I could use it as a "user controlled" aerial antenna. Ultimately, I found the card performed slightly weaker than my 5100. So... seems that the 5100 is the better card for this laptop.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

I'm glad you got the card to work!

Paul

[chrisnj]

I have comments on this post even though it is old.
1. Th link makes an amplified wifi adapter for about $30 delivered. They work well.

2. I recently upgraded to the 5100 and I get better signal, BUT.... I recently gave an older laptop with a ag wireless card a new OEM metal cover "lid" that I bought on eBay. It was $20 delivered and it had a antenna in it already. When I hooked it up the old wireless card was picking up networks I never picked up before.
It was night and day.

So, bottom line. If Ur not afraid to open up your laptop try replacing the lid with a new oem replacement from eBay. It was pretty easy

[gkline]

^ The main consideration is compatibility.  Some motherboards are limited in what WiFi cards they can accept.

About the metal lid, that's a nice stroke of luck that the computer had such an aftermarket replacement part.

Anyway, the 5100 Intel WiFi card is a good one. The 5300 does not seem to be a step up at all, unless you need to have a laptop with 2 embedded antennas.  As I said earlier, I tried to use it with an extra wire hanging outside of the laptop that I figured would be terrific for moving around to get the best signal, and it didn't help.

Wireless boosters are a touch-and-go kind of thing.  What supposedly can do better is a repeater, which is a node you plug in about mid-way between where your router and your laptop are.  You do lose a little bit of through-put due to the relay, but that slightly diminished signal being boosted is better than the original weak signal.