WiFi upgrade - Intel 6230

Slightly disappointed with the included Atheros WiFi chipset in the EP121, I got an Intel 6230 to try.

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/wireless-products/centrino-advanced-n-6230.html

The Intel 6230 has 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz 802.11n and bluetooth built in. You can find it for as little as $20 + shipping.

Replacing it is relatively easy, just be careful with the antenna wires, they are tiny and fragile.

The windows driver is available on the Intel website, just download it ahead of time. It includes the Bluetooth driver, too.

Linux supports this chipset out of the box.

Before the upgrade I was getting about 50Mb/s [~6MB/s] up and down.

Now I'm getting about 90-180Mb/s [~10-20MB/s] up and down, on 5Ghz. On 2.4Ghz, the speeds are a bit slower, most likely due to other machines on the router, neighbors, etc.

Note that 5Ghz signal strength will be lower. This is likely because the EP121 antennas are designed for 2.4Ghz, not 5Ghz. I'll be looking into some dual band laptop antennas soon. There's plenty of room to mount them.

In short, the Intel 6230 is a steal at $20. You get 300Mb/s instead of 150Mb/s, 5Ghz and Bluetooth. (Provided you have a 802.11N router capable of these features.)

 

I did this upgrade too and am very impressed. The range is greater too on top of being faster. I sit in the garage and smoke cigarettes sometimes and use my slate while I'm out there. My wife will join me from time to time and bring her ipad. It's funny to listen to her complain how slow the ipad is while she is surfing in the garage sitting right next to me and my 121 is tops.

 

ipad wifi is very easy get interfered with other wifi device close by.. try turnoff wp121 wifi while in your garage and see. Just don't sit too close.

 

link the module you got so I can make sure I buy the right thing?

 

eCost | Intel, Centrino Advanced - N 6230 Wifi Half Mini, 62230AN.HMWWB

http://www.excaliberpc.com/602682/intel-wifi-link-6230-62230an.hmwwb.html

 

This module?

Amazon.com: 6230 IEEE 802.11n (draft) Bluetooth 3.0 - Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Combo Adapter: Electronics

 

I gathered information from this and other threads and made a step-by-step guide that you might find helpful. Its here: http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/ep1...-ep121-wireless-card-optionally-use-widi.html.