Laptop wifi card upgrade to AC?

[baltimoreguy]

I have the ASUS RT-AC56u router, and would like to take advantage of it's faster ac speed with my laptop. It's a Sony VAIO F12 that has an old single channel "n" card (Atheros AR5B97), and although I have found a writeup on another forum that shows how to replace it with a Intel 6200 card (actual dual channel n), I was wondering if I can instead upgrade to a faster "ac" card without any compatibility issues with the motherboard? From what I have read there are no whitepapers on my stock bios, so I'm not locked out of upgrading from Sony, but I don't want to spend the money on a faster ac card that is incompatible with my motherboard. Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks.

 

[RogerSC]

Do you know how many antennas your laptop has? In order to add streams, you have to add antennas as well. That often involves taking out the display screen, and doing some stuff. In addition to replacing the wireless network card itself.

You might want to consider an external USB wireless adapter. I have a couple of these, and they both work well for me. The Linksys AE3000 is a dual band, 3 stream wireless-n adapter, 450Mbps on 2.4 and 5.0GHz. bands, 900Mbps in total. You only get the 900Mbps, of course, if you use 40MHz. channel on both bands.

The Asus USB-AC56 is wireless-1200AC...300Mbps wireless-n on 2.4GHz. (2 streams), and 867Mbps wireless-ac(also 2 streams) on 5GHz. The Asus USB-AC56 is more of a match for your RT-AC56U router, but either would work well. The USB-AC56 has also just had a new driver posted for it that supports turboQAM on 2.4GHz., but you have to be using 40MHz. channel width on 2.4GHz. to really take advantage of it. Which I'm not doing.

Anyways, something to consider.

 

[azazel1024]

You'd probably be able to drop something like an Intel 7260ac card in. As for antennas, there are a bunch floating around. You don't have to place it in the display. You could place it in the keyboard area. Just ensure it is adaquetly tapped in so it can't come loose (like use packing tape, not scotch tape).

 

[remixedcat]

Intel cards are typically easier for compatibility and offer decent performance.

 

[connorm]

i personally just picked up an intel 7260 of ebay for $23.50 CAD shipped to canada from china

 

[azazel1024]

My only caveat on the Intel 7260ac is I've personally experience some driver issues when running TP-Link routers/access points (two different ones, both the same issue). I had to run with the default Windows 8.1 driver (16.x.x.x series. The latest are the 17.x.x.x series) as the newer driver all have issues running very, very slowly.

That might not be an issue with TP-Links very latest 11ac routers, but just a thought if you do run in to problems with the card. Beyond the driver issue which I have worked around/fixed, the card is SMOKING fast, even on 11n.

 

[TonyH]

Hi,
Not many 3 stream cards yet. Adding 3rd antenna is not a difficult task if needed.
I can't see any Unex 3 stream card any where. I want to try it if I can find one.

 

[baltimoreguy]

FWIW: I ended up buying an Intel 7260.HMWG AC card off Amazon, and it works great.

 

[theveterans]

FWIW: I ended up buying an Intel 7260.HMWG AC card off Amazon, and it works great.

Does it lose the 5 GHz band after a while (around once per week or once per 2 weeks)? I did experience those problems and as such I switched to ASUS PCE-AC56 802.11ac Network Adapter for my laptop. No more WiFi problems for me with the ASUS.

 

[azazel1024]

Mine has no issues. That said, it is not a 24x7 machine. I use it maybe 2-5hrs per week normally and I have no connectivity issues during that time on either band.