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August 12th, 2025 23:04
Will a Dell Precision 3530 allow an upgrade to (and run) at an 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) transfer rate?
Will an 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) card fit in a Dell Precision 3530?
And if so, will the Precision 3530 get a Wi-Fi 6 (AX) transfer rate?
Or in the 3530, will it just downgrade to an AC transfer rate?
The current Wi-Fi card in the 3530 is an Intel 9560 160MHz.
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PembertonMike
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August 23rd, 2025 04:44
I tried both the Intel AX200NGW Wi-Fi 6 card as well as the Intel AX210NGW 6E Wi-Fi card in two identical Dell Precision 3530s (with i7-8850H processors).
Both of those Wi-Fi cards installed and worked just fine in those two laptops.
I do not yet have a 6E router to test the AX210 transfer rates on the 3530.
But with an Asus AX Wi-Fi 6 AiMesh router setup with one node and the most distant that I could get in my home from the node (maybe 40 feet), I got 150 Mbps to 285 Mbps transfer rates over about 20 Speedtest.net tests on each laptop.
No clue if the 3530 and the 6E AX210NGW card (and with a 6E router) would actually connect to the 6GHz band and achieve those higher transfer rates.
But both work nicely at 5GHz in the 3530.
ejn63
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August 13th, 2025 11:51
If you have a Wifi 6 router, the new card will give you that speed. If you have an older router that doesn't support Wifi 6, it won't.
PembertonMike
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August 13th, 2025 14:46
@ejn63
Much thanks.
I want to be sure that I understand your reply:
So you know for a fact that the Precision 3530 is compatible with an AX Wi-Fi card, and that it will run at AX speed, and not downgrade to AC?
I ask that because I'd rather not order an AX card and just have to return it.
ejn63
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August 13th, 2025 14:53
As long as you buy a card that is not CNVio (the less expensive modules that offload computations to the CPU) AND you connect the system to a Wifi 6 router, it will run at it full rated speed.
Intel has the AX200 (which will work) and the AX210, which will not (it requires CNVio support, which in turn needs a newer CPU than you have). Be sure you remove the existing network drivers before shutting down to replace the card. Then install the drivers for the replacement card.
PembertonMike
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August 13th, 2025 15:14
@ejn63
Excellent!
I have a number of 3530s left over from a now-sold software development business, am running an AX AIMesh network, and wanted to upgrade the cards on a few of them, if that was possible.
Couldn't find an exact answer anywhere re the 3530 and AX.
So, thanks very much for your expertise, and your prompt, precise answer!