How can we tell from a WiFi card spec whether the NIC is 2.4GHz or5GHz, or both?

How can we tell from an HP WiFi card spec whether the NIC is 2.4GHz or 5GHz,
or both?

I'm trying to help my sister buy an HP laptop on the web.

My problem is that I contacted HP Support (via their chat mechanism) because USA
phone support is not open now, and technical support isn't open tomorrow.

All I want to know is HOW to tell if a WiFi card has both 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

For $300 at Costco, plus $30 for shipping, this seems to be a decent 15.6-inch
display laptop:
http://www.costco.com/HP-15z-Laptop-|-AMD-E1-|-Windows-10.product.100222779.html

The main drawback from that Costco offering is that the WiFi isn't "ac", there's
no mention of bluetooth, and the laptop doesn't come with Office 2013.

But, we can fix that at the HP web site.

If we go to the HP site to buy it, we can customize it to add what Costco doesn't
have (and get free shipping).
http://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/Laptops/hp-pavilion-15z-laptop-m7d88av-1#!&TabName=specs

0. We start with the HP price of $350 which comes with twice as much memory as
Costco's (4GB -> 8GB) plus free shipping (worth $30), so it's only $20 more
than the Costco price.
1. We add the Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013 from HP for an extra $140 (either
boxed, or already installed - I suggest they get the box for easier re-use later).
https://store.hp.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CTOAddonsView?partNumber=QM4342
2. We add a WiFi "ac" card from HP for an extra $30 but is it dual band, 2.4GHz and
5GHz or not?
3. We add an extra wireless mouse and keyboard (no wires!) for $30 (because my sis
wants that).
https://store.hp.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CTOAddonsView?partNumber=LV290AA#ABA
The resulting price is $550 + tax (free shipping).

For that price, I see she gets a good laptop, but I chatted for half an hour with the HP
sales chat people and they couldn't confirm if this 802.11 n/ac laptop has both
2.4GHz and 5GHz or if it only has one of those two frequencies.

HP chat sent me this URL but it just confirms that both "ac" and "n" don't have to be dual
band; either one can be a single band. Also, it confirmed the 1x1 or 2x2 or 4x4 just means
the number of dedicated data transmit and data receive antennas, which says absolutely
nothing about the frequency.
http://www.intel.com/content/dam/ww...nts/pdf/next-gen-80211ac-wifi-for-dummies.pdf

My question is ...
How can we tell from the HP WiFi card spec whether the NIC is 2.4GHz or 5GHz, or both?

 

Looks at the specs. If it says 802.11 followed by:
b/g = 2.4 GHz only
b/g/n = 2.4 GHz only
a = 5 GHz only
a/b/g/n = 2.4 and 5 GHz
The key is the "a" as in 802.11a, which is 5 GHz only.

Broken link. Try:
<http://reviews.costco.com/2070/1000...ore-a10-backlit-keyboard-reviews/reviews.htm>
which says:
802.11b/g/n WLAN
which is 2.4 GHz only. You might want to read the reviews.

A BlueGoof dongle can be plugged into the a USB port.
<http://www.ebay.com/itm/321216764033>
<http://www.ebay.com/itm/171217973745>
Buy a few spares as I've been shipped defective receivers.

Office 2013 is usually extra. If you must have Microsoft Office, look
at Office 365 or the various Office Mutations available. Or, use free
open source software such as Libre Office or Open Office. There are
also Office alternatives:
<http://www.informationweek.com/soft...microsoft-office-alternatives/d/d-id/1320386>
<http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/best-microsoft-office-alternatives/>
<http://www.pcworld.com/article/2010005/5-free-open-source-alternatives-to-microsoft-office.html>

Still nym shifting?

 

I am lost on the questions and answers that you guys are posting.
I never hear of different WiFi to me all are universal speed depend
on your OS system, and the host and router if in use. as much I know all
laptops
have capability to hook to WiFi but you will need password unless system is
open.
no to many of those around but you can be lucky.

"EwaldBöhm" wrote in message
How can we tell from an HP WiFi card spec whether the NIC is 2.4GHz or 5GHz,
or both?

I'm trying to help my sister buy an HP laptop on the web.

My problem is that I contacted HP Support (via their chat mechanism) because
USA
phone support is not open now, and technical support isn't open tomorrow.

All I want to know is HOW to tell if a WiFi card has both 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

For $300 at Costco, plus $30 for shipping, this seems to be a decent
15.6-inch
display laptop:
http://www.costco.com/HP-15z-Laptop-|-AMD-E1-|-Windows-10.product.100222779.html

The main drawback from that Costco offering is that the WiFi isn't "ac",
there's
no mention of bluetooth, and the laptop doesn't come with Office 2013.

But, we can fix that at the HP web site.

If we go to the HP site to buy it, we can customize it to add what Costco
doesn't
have (and get free shipping).
http://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/Laptops/hp-pavilion-15z-laptop-m7d88av-1#!&TabName=specs

0. We start with the HP price of $350 which comes with twice as much memory
as
Costco's (4GB -> 8GB) plus free shipping (worth $30), so it's only $20
more
than the Costco price.
1. We add the Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013 from HP for an extra $140
(either
boxed, or already installed - I suggest they get the box for easier
re-use later).
https://store.hp.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CTOAddonsView?partNumber=QM4342
2. We add a WiFi "ac" card from HP for an extra $30 but is it dual band,
2.4GHz and
5GHz or not?
3. We add an extra wireless mouse and keyboard (no wires!) for $30 (because
my sis
wants that).
https://store.hp.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CTOAddonsView?partNumber=LV290AA#ABA
The resulting price is $550 + tax (free shipping).

For that price, I see she gets a good laptop, but I chatted for half an hour
with the HP
sales chat people and they couldn't confirm if this 802.11 n/ac laptop has
both
2.4GHz and 5GHz or if it only has one of those two frequencies.

HP chat sent me this URL but it just confirms that both "ac" and "n" don't
have to be dual
band; either one can be a single band. Also, it confirmed the 1x1 or 2x2 or
4x4 just means
the number of dedicated data transmit and data receive antennas, which says
absolutely
nothing about the frequency.
http://www.intel.com/content/dam/ww...nts/pdf/next-gen-80211ac-wifi-for-dummies.pdf

My question is ...
How can we tell from the HP WiFi card spec whether the NIC is 2.4GHz or
5GHz, or both?

 

Tony Hwang wrote:>>
http://www.intel.com/content/dam/ww...nts/pdf/next-gen-80211ac-wifi-for-dummies.pdf
Hi,
-AC mode runs on 5GHz band, -N can run on either.
So, it'll be dual band card, 2 stream one(2 antennas)
Full -AC needs 4 antennas and there are almost no such thing
yet for users. Of course it'll have Gbit Ethernet controller too.
Does it have Bluetooth? Bluetooth mouse and keyboard?
8 GB memory is good. You don't have to spend 140.00 on MS Office.
Freeware Openoffice is compatible with MS Office. Let her try it and
you can buy MS later on student discount. And what cpu, and Video
controller?(what is native resolution?) I am sure the laptop will have
HDMI port and sufficient no. of USB port. And my(very robust game
machine with enough cpu and video controller power) daily use laptop is
14", i7 quad cpu, 8GB memory Nvidia 740M video card and DVD r/w drive,
etc. gotten for ~500.00 on eBay. Built-like tank. Never let me down. I
never owned HP laptop. Personally I just don't like it. But I used many
different Enterprise grade HP work stations or server.
Most people use Intel 7260 dual band WiFi card. I have it in all our
laptop except my wife's Asus GX60 which has Bigfoot Killer N card.
I seldom use desktop any more. At home I use 17" Asus ROG with SSDs,
16GB memory, Nvidia 840m video card, i7 quad cpu, Blue ray R/W drive,
etc. I use this for my real work. triple boot, W7 x64, Ultimate, W10 Pro
and Ubuntu. (What real work? I am retired old fart, LOL!)

 

So, if it doesn't have "a" (all by itself and not with "ac"),
then it's not 5GHz? Is that correct?

This link worked for me just now:
http://www.costco.com/CTOConfigureC...eId=10301&refine=&categoryId=56001&prodtype=2

Sad story. Long story. Experience. Nothing else is Microsoft Office.
You and I can handle any office lookalike program, but teachers can't.
Office 365 is stupid, for anyone buying only 1 copy of Home & Student,
and who is still using Office 2007, which means they'd pay for Office
ten times over with the subscription than with the one price.

Back to the "a", which is 5GHz and "g" which is 2.4GHz.
What if it's 802.11 b/g/n/ac ?

 

Maybe. Maybe not.
Jeff just explained that only "a" has 5GHz.
The rest can be 2.4 GHz.

 

Basically, the WiFi cards for the Costco & HP web pages, do NOT list
the frequency. I won't recommend a laptop that does not have *both*
2.4GHz and 5GHz.

I just want to know how I can be sure of that, when they don't bother
to list the frequencies in the WiFi specs!

Here is the HP spec for that laptop:
http://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/Laptops/hp-pavilion-15z-laptop-m7d88av-1

I can't tell which WiFi card has *both* 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

 

Does this link work for you?
http://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/Laptops/hp-pavilion-15z-laptop-m7d88av-1

Look at this screenshot:
http://i.imgur.com/hBcFWkQ.jpg

If I press the customize button, I have three WiFi card choices.

1. 802.11b/g/n WLAN [1x1]
2. 802.11b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth(R) [1x1]
3. Intel 802.11ac WLAN and Bluetooth(R) [1x1]

Which of those is *both* 2.4GHz and 5GHz?
How do I know?

 

No. Both 802.11a and 802.11ac are 5 GHz only. Just look for the "a"
and it should be able to do 5 GHz in some manner.

The WLAN card is listed as "802.11b/g/n WLAN [1x1]" which will NOT do
5 GHz.

Are you sure? Office 365 can be installed on 5 machines. If the
skool has 5 machines of any type, which makes the price for each
machine about $20/year.
<http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/Office-365-Home/productID.286395000>
Meanwhile, Home and Student is $140 and should last about 5 to 7 years
before it become too old to use. At an optimistic 7 years, that's the
same $20/year per machine as Office 365.

No such thing. In order to do "ac", it will need to also do "a". So
the typical designation will be:
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

 

I know who Jeff is. -a is another mode consumers do not bother.
I can buy a legit key for MS Office 2015 for 30.00 or so.
Download it and use that key to activate. Always worked for me.
I even bought keys for my surveillance camera use on Synology NAS.
Real =AC mode, 80MHz wide is full -AC with 4 MIMO(4 antennas) and some
will work on MU-MIMO(yet to come by Qualcom, Quantenna, etc.)
You just specify dual band card as an option. Some HP laptops don't
like any card. HP has white list of WiFi card.

 

Yes, it works, after about 90 seconds of loading content from all over
the web.

I would guess the number 3 will certainly do 5 GHz. However, the web
designers truncated the letters that designate the all the protocols,
listing only the highest (fastest) 802.11ac. Presumably, that would
include all the lesser protocols, including 802.11 a/b/g/n. However,
I can't be certain without knowing the Intel model number of the
wireless card.

 

Who cares about -b ancient slowest mode. G, N, AC. If it is AC card or
router AC is downward compatible with slower modes.Student version lacks
some features and miscellaneous things. Why do you think it is cheaper?
WiFi is 2 way street one laptop has AC card does not mean it'll be
faster, corresponding device at the other end should be AC
capable too. If AC card talks to N card speed will be that of N.

 

The option Intel -AC card with Bluetooth is what you want then.
This one is dual band(2.4GHz, 5GHz) This is AMD cpu based laptop.
A10 is the top end one. Video card... Rxxxx. xxxx at higher number is
better one. Any more questions? Don't forget to read reviews on this
model to see whether buyers are happy or not.

 

Again No. 3 Looks like basic dual band being 1x1, not 2x2 or 3x3.

 

I'm still confused.

Number 3 is: "Intel 802.11ac WLAN and Bluetooth [1x1]".
So, what does that tell us?

Are we saying the "ac" is both 2.4GHz & 5GHz by virtue of the "a" in "ac"?

 

Unfortunately, the "typical" designation doesn't help us here.
The HP spec, as you have seen, just says "ac" for the high end card.
http://i.imgur.com/hBcFWkQ.jpg

 

I'm sure, but only because of arithmetic.

She's a teacher. Not a school.

She only has an ancient WinXP desktop that has Office 2007 on it.
When she gets a new laptop, she needs a new Office anyway.

1. Renting Office 365 for a laptop costs $100/year and can be put on 4
more non WinXP machines that don't actually exist. After 7 years, renting
cost her $700 for Office for that one laptop, which is more than the
laptop costs.

2. Buying Office 2013 costs her $140, and can be put on one desktop and
one laptop. Since the desktop is WinXP, the additional license is moot,
so, it costs her $140 for 7 years (or 10% less with the teacher discount).

It's a no brainer, to me; but this isn't the question in the OP, so it's
just an offshoot discussion which isn't at all confusing to me.

 

There is one advantage. The dog eating the homework it too old to be
believed these days. Now the excuse is, "My mother didn't pay this
month's Word rent so it won't let me print"