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If your laptop's Wi-Fi is no longer working, then you might have to replace it. It is something you can totally do it yourself instead of taking it to a technician provided you get the right replacement part.  But before you jump on it make sure that it is really faulty. In this post, we shall see some basic checks to see if the Wi-Fi card is faulty. A short demo video is also included on how to replace the Wi-Fi card on laptop. 

Computer DIY : Replacing Faulty Wi Fi Card on Laptop


Most laptops comes with Mini-PCI Wi-Fi cards. It is about 2.5 inches by 1.8 inches in size. Before you buy replacement Wi-Fi card to replace, you should first confirm that the Wi-Fi card is actually faulty. Here are some checks to find out if the Wi-Fi card is actually faulty.

Some basic checks to find out if the Wi-Fi card is actually faulty.

• Wi-Fi card is not detected by the computer always even after restarts.
• No Wi-Fi icon in the Windows task bar area near the clock.
• Wi-Fi card is not visible in the Device Manager under Network Adapters. Since it is not detected and displayed in Device Manager, we cannot update drivers et al.
• On opening the laptop cover covering the Wi-Fi card area, and touching the Wi-Fi card, it is very hot and heated up.

If you find some of the above symptoms with your Wi-Fi card, it is likely that the Wi-Fi card is faulty. In that case, you may look for a replacement Wi-Fi card, and buy, ideally the same or those compatible with your laptop.

Watch this short demo video how to replace Wi-Fi card yourself on laptop:


Alternative to Wi-Fi Mini PCI cards: 

If you are not able to find the same or compatible Wi-Fi card for your laptop or if you find that it is expensive, you may also opt for Nano Wi-Fi adapters that works on USB.

They are much cheaper than Mini-PCI cards. And since it works on USB, it is easy to install and use. There is minimal installation and setup required. Usually USB Wi-Fi adapters comes with drivers embedded or with additional drivers CD. You need to install the drivers on your laptop before using it.

You can even buy these nano USB Wi-Fi adapters and convert your wired desktop computer to wireless desktop computer.