Best replacement MINI PCI EXPRESS WIFI

Getting a new DV600Z which has the Intel b/g card installed. First thing I would like to do is switch this card out with the most powerful (and somewhat cost effective) solution. Was interested in the ATHEROS AR5006EX, but apparently there can be compatibility issues (as mentioned in this listing: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200091209429 ). Is this true with all these cards or just some? What would be the next best card?

 

You'll need new drivers, but the switch should work. If you have MAC filters, make sure to remember to change the MAC address when you make the swap.

 

As it says in the ad, it may be that the BIOS will block it, because it's not on the laptops whitelist. Read through the threads, there is someone else who was talking about this sort of thing. If you want to risk it, you might be able to flip a bit in the BIOS and then flash that on to the laptop.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=115758

 

You might not also be able to turn it on or off using the wireless switch. I had that issue when I had a hp ze version laptop. I changed the original card to a dell card and was not able to use the aforementioned switch.

 

This looks like the solution I was looking for. I've flashed my GPU on my desktop with no problems, but a laptop BIOS flash seems a much bigger and scarier task. However, if there is a problem flashing, I can revert back to my saved original correct?

 

if the flash is unsuccessfull u might be looking at a wonderful dead laptop.
it shouldnt be the case if you follow the instructions well as the change is very very minor but you HAVE to compile the bios with no errors or else there is quite a good chance of killing your laptop.
i have done it and works likes a charm, but its for dv6000t and dv9000t laptops only and yours is a dv6000z so be careful of what you are planning to do. just my 2 cents

 

excellent catch there kewlguy...did a search on google for dv9000z whitelist and came up with zilch. and of course my BIOS is completely different...any1 find any posts for a dv9000z?

 

Hooray! I got it working with a BIOS hack!!! Now have F.28 BIOS and Atheros AR5005GS with drivers working on my DV9000Z w/ Vista! My BIOS is different than the DV9000t so I couldn't do the quick and easy F8 to F9, so I looked for the VEN/DEV and SUBSYS IDs in the F.28 BIOS (thanks to Richud for paving the way!) and changed them accordingly for the Atheros card and PRESTO! Here are the links for the sites I used:

For clearer instructions to opening the BIOS and writing using Hex Editor:
http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=31474&st=0&p=339537&#entry339537

Used these intructions to find my VEN/DEV and SUBSYS IDs:
http://www.richud.com/HP-Pavilion-104-Bios-Fix/

 

Those instuctions aren't so clear.

Got a copy of the hacked F.28 BIOS you'd like to share?

 

Just out of curiosity...if the laptop already has 802.11g...what are you gaining from replacing the card?

 

Draft N, or as some like to call it, which the reasoning behind it escapes me, "pre n".

It's obviously not pre n since it is already n!

 

I have an HP DV6338se... which is also listed on the case as a DV6000.... I just bought a Gigabyte Atheros card, the WI-01GT. Has anyone done the bios hack for this model of HP and/or NIC? I'd love to get this bios from you if you have... I haven't been succesful get NDISWrapper working in Ubuntu with the (crap) Broadcom (4311) card that comes stock in this laptop.

Help!

C (dot) McGarity (at) GMail (dot) Com

 

I have a Compaq Presario V5205NR. I’m trying use a ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini Express Adapter with Atheros AR5006EX (As printed on card AR5BXB6) I and get the 104 error. I have been all over the net and came across the bios fix to the white list. Although I did not find someone who has done this on my lappy. I downloaded all the software and the bios update I needed to take a look. After uncompressing the Bios ver F.23 A and using a hex editor this is what I found.
My current adapter is Broadcom the id is PCI\VEN_14E4&DEV_4311&SUBSYS_1363103C&REV_01\4&38B5BDF7&0&00E2
I found in bioscod1.rom .
00004550 00 F0 B8 01 58 9A 8B 75 00 F0 B0 AE 9A E2 87 00 .ð¸.Xš‹u.𰮚â‡.
00004560 F0 66 61 CB E4 14 12 43 3C 10 60 13 E4 14 12 43 ðfaËä..C<.`.ä..C
00004570 3C 10 62 13 E4 14 12 43 3C 10 61 13 E4 14 11 43 <.b.ä..C<.a.ä..C
00004580 3C 10 63 13 E4 14 11 43 3C 10 65 13 E4 14 11 43 <.c.ä..C<.e.ä..C
00004590 3C 10 64 13 86 80 22 42 3C 10 5B 13 86 80 22 42 <.d.†€"B<.[.†€"B
000045A0 3C 10 5C 13 86 80 22 42 3C 10 5D 13 86 80 22 42 <.\.†€"B<.].†€"B
000045B0 3C 10 5E 13 86 80 22 42 3C 10 5F 13 86 80 22 42 <.^.†€"B<._.†€"B
As you can see in offset 4580 the id for my Broadcom card reversed. Seems odd to me that the ven,dev,and subsys wound be altogether like that . I have not found that to be the case in other posts I read.
After more searching online I found this.
http://www.modem-help.co.uk/Atheros/Unknown-AR5006EX-11abg-PCI-Ex-MiniCard-Reference-Design.html
PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_001C&SUBSYS_3063168C <<<maybe the id for my new Atheros card.
It wound seem that all I have to do is change the 3C 10 63 13 E4 14 11 43 to 8C 16 63 30 8C 16 1C 00. Then my new card will be in the white list. I’m not sure about that id. I would have to slap it in another pc to be sure.
If anyone can give me more insight on this or let me know if I’m on the right track. Drop me a line .
Thanks OP