Change your laptop's Wi-Fi from a standard model to a new version using a Mini PCI-E adapter.
Change your laptop's Wi-Fi from a standard model to a new version using a Mini PCI-E adapter.
My router supports Wi-Fi 6, which means it's like a high-speed option (Xfinity XB8). My laptop is an Asus Q550LF with a 4th generation Intel processor running Windows 10. I'm using a mini PCI-E card that uses 802.11ac technology from an Intel chip called the 7260HMW AN.
I found adapters that let me plug in a newer Wi-Fi card, either AX210 or another Intel option like MPE-AXE3000H, into my mini PCI-E slot. I also saw some native mini PCI-E cards that can do the same thing but don't use Intel drivers.
I need help picking between these two options to make sure everything uses Wi-Fi 6. Have others tried this before? My main goal is getting all my devices on Wi-Fi 6. EDIT: Oops, I should have looked in the Wireless Networking section first! That was a stupid mistake for someone new here.
m.2 cards are pretty long compared to mini pci-e. I don't think they fit in a laptop, especially if you add extra space for an adapter. Other vendors selling ax210 in mino pci-e format probably work fine. The wifi chip is actually an intel ax210; it's just the interface that's different. It works exactly like a full-size pcie card so I can't see why it wouldn't fit either. Intel decided to only sell m.2 under their own name. They've been around long enough, so who makes them doesn't really matter. All the software and drivers are intel owned.
I saw a while back a registry hack was needed. I hope current drivers 22.200.2 don't need that one. They say they support 64-bit Win 10. The WPA3 in 6E is why I'm upgrading. If bill001g's logic holds true, I'll take the chance and see what happens. That moment when something actually works exactly how we wanted or "oh sh!t how do I fix this?"
Okay if you manage to get this working please tell us! I have a different m.2 that boots up into Windows 10 with driver 22.200.2.1, but no 6E connection options show up.
One downside with this trick is that every time I get a new Windows 10 update, I have to go into Device Manager and roll back my AX210 network driver to version 22.45.1.1. It isn't super complicated, but it's annoying for me. Microsoft seems really trying to force everyone onto Windows 11. Edit: There is a way to stop Windows updates from changing your drivers by using the "group policy editor". That lets you update most things while keeping the Network adapter driver safe. https://www.makeuseof.com/windows-stop-a...r-updates/