Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

Question about swapping Wifi card in laptop

#1
Hi! I just have a quick question regarding replacing a wifi card in a laptop (I was watching a video from 2 months ago on this topic):

Question: what would I do in terms of driver installation if the wifi card I’m replacing is the exact same model as the one I had?

I have an Acer Nitro 5 AN517-51 with an Intel Ax200 wifi 6 card in my system. Recently I was doing a fan replacement and repaste of the heat sink, and I accidentally pulled the aux cable (while reattaching the heat sink) and the little aux connector attached to my wifi card broke off while trying to reattach the wire.

I have no idea where the connector went to be honest, I don’t even know if it’s stuck to the wire connector (I’ve tried having a look and comparing online, I don’t think it is but I can’t be certain), but I digress

I wasn’t sure if I should upgrade to AX210 (cause I’m scared of it not working after replacing, then I have no working laptop at all), so I was wondering whether I could just do a straight swap of AX200 for AX200 and would that require any driver installation beforehand, if the card is the same model as the old…?

Or would upgrading to AX210 be better all round as a solution. I just want the least painful and quickest experience, which is why I thought AX200 for AX200 may be as I may not need to fiddle with driver updates

Any advice you have on this would be massively appreciated. Can’t find an answer to this exact question anywhere online. I watched your video regarding wifi card replacement (very helpful on showing the process btw, very appreciative of it) but it only mentioned upgrading a wifi card (which would of course need a new compatible driver installed), not replacing a wifi card with the same model

Thanks in advance

Patrick
Reply
#2
There is no big difference in what WiFi card you choose. Modern Windows will find those drivers automatically and update them. It might be more difficult if you run Win11. But still eventually it will have a driver. The worst-case scenario is a small mini USB dongle for WiFI6/5. https://amzn.to/3QCCwhZ
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 3 Guest(s)