Intel 7260 Intel 6300 in a CF 52 mk4

I just tested these two cards. Two stock antennas(for now) I will add the third later.

The 7260 was the stock card.
Win7, 32 bit
Using Windows connection manager.
Drivers version 15.17.01 dated 4/30/2015
15 feet from router through 1 wall.
Router is a Technicolor C2000T.
No changes other than the card itself.
The 6300 DOES NOT show up in the BIOS. Turn wifi on before the card swap.

7260 3 bars on the Windows thingy in the taskbar.
6300 5 bars on the Windows thingy in the taskbar.

I was transferring some stuff wirelessly to my NAS yesterday. I will need to do a couple transfers now and see if there is any improvement. NAS is in the same location as the router. It's plugged into the router.

 

@Shawn I'm slightly confused by 7260 driver version. Something from April 2015 should ave a driver version of 17.X or possibly first 18.x driver - not 15.x
Make sure you try the first driver from 18 series - early drivers for 7260 were terrible and more recent ones seem to have issues as well although only on Win 7. One of the issues -apart from falling throughput seems to be that the signal strength is reported as lower than it used to be even if you are very close to the router.
I did not test the most recent drivers v 19.x as everything released after first v18s was troublesome for me.

 

Here is a screen grab of Device Manager. I know the 6300 was designed for performance while the 7260 was designed more for power management.


The Intel 6205 was the stock card.

Intel driver utility.
Even if I install a newer package such as 18.12.1, The driver for an older card such as the 6300 only updates the the latest version for that card. In this case it is 15.17.01. I have seen this before with Intel WLAN drivers.
Since this model came with a 6205 and I installed the 7260, I have already updated the driver package. I needed to update from the recovery image version to get the 7260 to work. I am not sure which version it is. I will need to reinstall the 7260 to get that information.

 

Right, I didn't get it. I thought it was driver version for 7260.
Anyway - when testing 7260, make sure you use the first driver from 18 series - I think it was 18.0.0.1 tr something very similar.
Subsequent drivers were worse and early drivers were terrible.

 

version 18.11 is listed on the Intel webpage
Nothing earlier in the 18 series.

I am NOT running Win10, but I noticed this on the info page for version 19.0.1
So version 18.33.3.2 is the last (latest) driver for a 7260

Software and drivers versions:

(new) PROSet version = 19.0.1

Driver version = 19.0.1.1 for Windows® 10 for 3168, 17265,18260,3165 and 8260 adapters.

Driver version = 18.33.3.2 for Windows® 10 for 7265, 3160, and 7260 adapters.

 

This is the driver I use that I found to be the most reliable.
You need to click on Telecharger to download.

I've been using this website for drivers for a long time and I've never had a security issue with any of the content but it's your call if you want to use it or not.

 

I did an upgrade tonight.

My new to me modem arrived. A Technicolor C2100T. Dual band and 802.11ac.
My old C2000T is 2ghz only., I was getting a solid 144mbps connection with an Intel 6300 in my CF52 mk4.

Modem install went pretty smooth. I then had a 300mbps connection with the Intel 6300.

I figured it was time to dig out a 802.11ac card. I have a Intel 7260ac that I almost installed. I knew it would work as the original card in a CF52 mk4 is a Intel 7260n.
I then saw the Azurewave CE123H just begging me to try it. In the past my CF 52's have been extremely picky about WIFI cards. But I figured it would only take 5minutes of my time to find the Broadcom to fail to be recognized.
Ha..Booted it with the CE123H and it was not showing in BIOS. No big deal as I expected that..
On to Win7..Up pops the No Driver Found warning..This is positive news, but I have seen this before and even after the driver install, the cards refuse to start.
Loaded a driver I had on the hard drive. Who knows what version.....
All of a sudden there was a shaking and a clamoring...No not really, but it did ask for my WIFI password and it CONNECTED.

I then clicked on status and I was connected at 585mbps..ZOOM--ZOOM.

 

This card is a champion. Hope someone will find a way to switch bluetooth on (taping pins doesn't work). I have to use buggy stock 6235.

 

I don't use Bluetooth so I am leaving the CE123H in.

I think the Bluetooth problem maybe with the BIOS itself. Because they won't see the Bluetooth 4.0 on an Intel 7260 either.
I did read about someone who had the same Bluetooth issue on a Sony after swapping in a CE123H. I think drivers solved his problem.

 

I found a newer driver. WIFI_Win7-8-8-1_V6342235

http://www.asus.com/uk/Motherboards/RAMPAGE_V_EXTREMEU31/HelpDesk_Download/

direct link
http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/misc/wireless/WIFI_Win7-8-8-1_V6342235.zip

Now I am connected at 866mbps.