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October 15th, 2018 05:00

M6800 - BT upgrade

Hello,

I hope I write in the correct section.

I have M6800 without bluetooth module, but I decide to upgrade it and install. There is a BT indicator on the main panel, so I thought, only BT module is missing. Ihave removed a battery cell and looked at the area, where it should be installed - green circle. But there is no socket.

 

IMG_20181014_110759.jpg

Does it means, this ntb cannot be equiped with a BT module?

Or, can I install the B

T module elsewere?

 

Thank you for advise

4 Operator

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14K Posts

October 15th, 2018 13:00

Looking at the Service Manual for the M6800 here, there's no mention of a dedicated Bluetooth module slot, and I don't see anywhere in the photo you posted where a Bluetooth card could be installed.  It's true that older systems had a separate dedicated Bluetooth card and a dedicated slot for it, but for quite a while now, Bluetooth has been included on WiFi cards.  It looks like your system uses a Mini-PCIe slot for its WiFi card, so one option for getting Bluetooth would be to upgrade that card to something like the Intel Wireless-AC 7260HMW, which includes Bluetooth.  In fact, depending on the WiFi card you have now, that might be a worthwhile performance upgrade just for the improved WiFi.  You can find that card from various online retailers for about $30.

The only possible issue I can see would be that on combo WiFi+BT cards, WiFi operates over the slot's PCIe pins and Bluetooth operates over the slot's USB pins, so if that system doesn't have a USB channel wired to its mPCIe slot, then the Bluetooth function integrated onto that card might not work (although WiFi still will).  But I personally would try it anyway.  You might consider the upgrade cost worth it for the WiFi benefit alone, even if Bluetooth doesn't work, and if Bluetooth DOES work, then you'll likely get much better Bluetooth performance with that card as well anyway, because dedicated Bluetooth cards are so old at this point that they would only support older revisions of the Bluetooth standard anyway.  The Intel Wireless-AC 7260HMW supports Bluetooth 4.0.

If you decide to upgrade your WiFi card, just make sure you get the Wireless-AC 7260 rather than the Wireless-N 7260 (no idea why Intel used the same model number for two very different cards) and also make sure to get the 7260HMW, not 7260NGW.  The NGW is a version that uses an M.2 slot, which your system doesn't have.

2 Posts

October 16th, 2018 01:00

Oh,I just realized now, I was looking on YT on M6600 BT installation and not a M6800 - my mistake. So you are right.

BT is for me a better way of connection with my cell phone, than a cabel (mobility, less cabels, etc.).

I will look for the card you describe and try it. Thank you also for more detail about specifications of the card. It is my 1st Dell station and so far have to say, its kind a different notebook, comparing to my previous ASUS, HP.

I will inform you, if the BT will work. Thanks for detailed advice

August 11th, 2020 01:00

Hello did you installed dual wifi+bt card? If yes please mention which model did you bought. I have the same problem M6800 with no Bluetooth.

thanks in advance

1 Message

October 24th, 2020 10:00

Hello.
I was struggling with same subject on my M6800.
I have connected 1-1 Intel 7260HMW instead 6300 and WiFi & BT works automatically.
Hope this can help other people with same issue.

1 Message

January 30th, 2022 11:00

Note that the original 633ANHMW has three connections, but the proposed 7260HMW only has two. However it works fine. Just leave off the centre connection, terminal 3, grey wire. The other connections are as before, i.e. terminal 1, white wire; terminal 2, black wire.

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