Accessing the WiFi Module in the OCZ Whitebook - "How-to"

Having problems? Frustrated? Well.. maybe someone can shed some light on this procedure. I was lucky enough to figure it out my first go 'round..but a nice how-to guide would make everyone's life easier and woulda saved me about 20 minutes. This should literally be a 15 minute process. Anyone's insight?

 

Thanks E-Wrecked.

Some of you may want to change the wireless card in your laptop. Since it comes pre-installed, there are no instructions included in the box, so I present....
How to do it !!

SPECIAL NOTE: On some units, you may notice that the FN + F2 key combination does not turn off the wireless card. The light goes out, but the card itself is still active. This is because the card is installed in the wrong slot on the board to "listen" to the key combination.
Use this guide to move your card to the other slot and things will work as they should.



1st, remove the battery from the laptop, always do this when taking it apart for any reason:



2nd, you will have to remove all these screws:




Now, take the cover off and you will see this, you need to remove this little silver screw also. Second pic just for clarity on location:




Once that is done, you will need to remove the top cover, where the power button is. Start at one end and just pop it up as you go across. Keep in mind this will not come all the way off, nor does it need to. It is attached to the system by a ribbon cable, but you will not have to detach it:
EDIT: You do not need to use a screwdriver, I merely put it there to show where the "split" was that comes apart to remove the panel. I recommend just using your fingers, a screwdriver may damage or break the plastic.



Once that is done, you can see the tabs for the keyboard, remove any screws you see there. There may be only 1 holding the keyboard down depending on what equipment is in your laptop.

Once the keyboard is up you will see a shiny aluminum plate on the right, remove the screw holding it in place.

Now you will see this:



Now, you are pretty much done, just remove the 2 screws and take the card out. As mentioned at the beginning of this, make sure to put it back into the right hand slot so the FN + F2 keys work.
Once finished, it should look something like this, depending on what you do with the tape:



Now just reverse your steps and reinstall all the screws and your done!!​

 

the 2 screws you show inside the rubber inserts along the very backside do not have to be removed. those are for the hinges. if you remove them be careful because the lid will be a bit loose.

 

Good info.. I had to install mine with no guide.. that one GPU screw took me about 10 minutes to figure out.. I was frustrated, like.. "Why won't this keyboard freaking break loose?!" Yea..cause I missed a screw Helpful info Ryder


I'd like to add something.. That is obviously the 5100 Card. But, if you get the WiFi 5300, then it uses 3 antennas. If you notice there is a black and gray antenna shown connected.. then to the left there is a black and white. When you open(if installing fresh) there will be a bundle of the 3 antenna, and a single black antenna. The single black antenna is for an internal TV Tuner. The bundle of 3 is meant for the 5300 to achieve max speeds.

This is important and took me a while to hunt down: There are 3 labels on the 5300 Card, tr2, tr3, and tr1 in that order across the edge where the antenna connect. It does matter which color is placed where. You should place the Black Antenna on TR2, the White Antenna on TR3, and the Gray Antenna on TR1. Then just tuck that single black TV Tuner antenna away, making sure it isn't going to touch the chassis, or any bare pins/metal.

Ok.. that's all I got. Good guide Ryder

 

Just to let you now, this is in the service manual as well.

However...Ryder's has much better pictures

 

It is in the manual, but I noticed they have you take out all sorts of extra random stuff. I think they even say to take out the HDDs, and DVD-rom if I remember correctly.

 

why are they in the wrong slot? seems a bit unprofessional to me

 

May have just been an oversight.. not a big deal really, and my original OCZ never had any issues with disabling WiFi. So, must have been in the right slot.

 

so they are not all in the wrong slots?
is it a major problem if its in the wrong slot?
will it stop me from using the WIFI?

 

No.. like he said in the OP - it's for disabling Wifi only. One of those slots can be used for Turbo Memory - which is the one with power all the time. Well..they're working on the BIOS fix to enable the turbo memory support. But, that's the other slots power is toggled by the Fn + F2. Just a matter of which slot the WiFi ends up in. I'm sure the builders have been informed by now that the slots do matter, because I wouldnt think otherwise if I didn't know any better.

 

Picture edited to reflect what Zfactor pointed out - I was doin' it wrong !!

Correct about the slots, the slots are the same type, so there is no difference in functionality of the Wifi (mine was working just fine). We have had customers tell us that their Wifi won't turn off, so this is the reason and the fix

Thanks again E-wrecked for the place to put the info.

 

No sweat..

 

oh so it uses tubro memory. cool.
i dont even think it is worth it now. unless windows 7 has improved performance with it with over 2gb of ram?

 

Thanx for that ryder. I was having the problem with the Fn+F2 and will check it out this weekend.

Also, the WiFi light that is next to the little power cord light is never on but I am able to connect just fine. It's always been that way and I just never thought much of it. Any ideas about why that might be?