Samsung series 3 1x1 (150 Mbps) upgrade to Intel Ultimate 6300

I'm planning to upgrade my Samsung series 3 notebook which has a run-of-the-mill embedded 1x1 b/g/n (up to 150 Mbps) wifi card with an Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 card (3x3) to get that 450 Mbps. I have an Intel HM65 chipset.

I'm wondering how to check the maximum number of Tx/Rx that can be supported by my laptop. Can I simply change the existing (1x1) card to 6300 card (assuming by doing so, I'll have 3 antennas) or should I need additional circuitry/soldering for 2 antennas? I haven't bought 6300 yet.

And, if I can't upgrade then should I start using a 300 Mbps USB (2.0) dongle that claim to have internal 2 antennas?

 

There's no such thing as max number of Tx/Rx supported by a laptop.
You simply replace one mini-PCI Express card with another and connect antennas.
You'll have to buy a third antenna as your notebook almost certainly doesn't have one but other than that there's nothing else to do.

BTW mind the card you're buying- avoid Lenovo ones or any other that are made for a specific brand- buy a retail one.

 

Avoid Fresh HP pull aswell, a easy way to distinct them is they have 2 extra "box" on the left .

 

Thanks Downloads and Baiii.

So I asked Samsung service center who told that upgrade cannot be done - impossible. Bummer. I've seen many doing so for all kinds of laptops after buying the wifi card/adapter from Amazon and Ebay. This laptop was launched in second quarter of last year so I'm assuming that it should have the prerequisite hardware to upgrade. Surprised to hear "can't upgrade" from authorized Samsung service center.

I guess I've to tinker this on my own, will loose warranty though.

Downloads, sorry but by third antenna do you mean an external anntena connected through USB? I thought that Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 card has the antennas and that the old (1x1) card will simply be replaced by 6300. Am I missing something here?

 

Intel 6300 has three antenna connectors. Antennas are router inside the notebook (usually around the LCD screen).
So once you'll buy an Intel 6300 you'll have to buy and install a third antenna (or buy Intel 6200 that uses 2 antennas but is limited to 300mbps).
I'm not talking about external antennas or USB card.

 

The antenna is something like this Amazon.com: Tyco Wifi & Bluetooth Antenna: Everything Else. The orange part is actually small around a inch by a inch and it is completely flat with a easy tape.

I dun want to link to a specific ebay buyer, but they cost 2 bucks for a pair on ebay .
You dun have to add 3rd antenna for the 6300 .it will just work like a 6200/6205 but cost 10-20 bucks more.
Upgrading to a 6200/6205 really shouldn't cause any major problem. pretty sure it can increase some range and let you use 5ghz.

edit: those antenna is murderously long and u need to find a place to struck them .