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A WiFi nightmare

A WiFi nightmare

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FELIPE369
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234
06-13-2020, 08:14 AM
#1
I recently took advantage of Black Friday offers to upgrade my setup. The results exceeded my expectations, but working within a tight budget meant using an affordable motherboard without built-in WiFi or Bluetooth. Since it's a micro ATX model and I opted for a dual-slot GPU, I encountered a challenge fitting a PCI or PCI-E WiFi/BT card. I have an available M.2 slot, which would be ideal compared to relying on an external USB Wi-Fi adapter. The main problem is that my motherboard only supports slots from 2242 upwards, while most M.2 WiFi cards I've seen are 2230. My M.2 slots are M-keyed and every WiFi module I find requires either E or A keying. I'm considering two options: look for a M-keyed module and use an extender, or find an adapter that changes the keying to E. The issue is I can't locate anything that fits both requirements. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help.
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FELIPE369
06-13-2020, 08:14 AM #1

I recently took advantage of Black Friday offers to upgrade my setup. The results exceeded my expectations, but working within a tight budget meant using an affordable motherboard without built-in WiFi or Bluetooth. Since it's a micro ATX model and I opted for a dual-slot GPU, I encountered a challenge fitting a PCI or PCI-E WiFi/BT card. I have an available M.2 slot, which would be ideal compared to relying on an external USB Wi-Fi adapter. The main problem is that my motherboard only supports slots from 2242 upwards, while most M.2 WiFi cards I've seen are 2230. My M.2 slots are M-keyed and every WiFi module I find requires either E or A keying. I'm considering two options: look for a M-keyed module and use an extender, or find an adapter that changes the keying to E. The issue is I can't locate anything that fits both requirements. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help.

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daisy12
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06-15-2020, 08:43 AM
#2
If you choose this device, it should connect via a USB port since the M key slots lack USB ports. Bluetooth relies on that method. I’m not entirely confident about compatibility. Using a USB adapter or two might be more reliable.
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daisy12
06-15-2020, 08:43 AM #2

If you choose this device, it should connect via a USB port since the M key slots lack USB ports. Bluetooth relies on that method. I’m not entirely confident about compatibility. Using a USB adapter or two might be more reliable.

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TheWarlord23
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06-15-2020, 09:54 AM
#3
Shifted to Networking
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TheWarlord23
06-15-2020, 09:54 AM #3

Shifted to Networking

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zetoxe
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06-22-2020, 10:42 AM
#4
That's because the E or A key is meant for networking. The remaining items are mainly for storage. I'll check power line adapters or Moca adapters first. If those don't work, USB will be the fallback option.
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zetoxe
06-22-2020, 10:42 AM #4

That's because the E or A key is meant for networking. The remaining items are mainly for storage. I'll check power line adapters or Moca adapters first. If those don't work, USB will be the fallback option.

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sandco
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06-22-2020, 12:12 PM
#5
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sandco
06-22-2020, 12:12 PM #5

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jentzkii
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06-22-2020, 01:03 PM
#6
Checked the power line and MOCA choices. I already own a MOCA adapter, but my home lacks coax for it. The ISP’s line runs from their modem down to my basement, which is convenient. The power line idea seems interesting, though I have a WiFi extender that could work in this setup. My main goal is to keep things internal, so I usually bring the tower to friends’ places and don’t want extra hardware. I’m realizing USB might be the better path now. Anyone know recommendations for an internal USB solution?
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jentzkii
06-22-2020, 01:03 PM #6

Checked the power line and MOCA choices. I already own a MOCA adapter, but my home lacks coax for it. The ISP’s line runs from their modem down to my basement, which is convenient. The power line idea seems interesting, though I have a WiFi extender that could work in this setup. My main goal is to keep things internal, so I usually bring the tower to friends’ places and don’t want extra hardware. I’m realizing USB might be the better path now. Anyone know recommendations for an internal USB solution?

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