Free sampleMobile Devicesmedium
A technician needs to replace the internal wireless card in a current-generation ultrabook. Which interface and card form factor is the card most likely to use?
- AA full-size PCI expansion card seated in a slot on the laptop mainboard
- BA USB dongle permanently soldered to the palm-rest assembly of the laptop
- CAn M.2 card in the M keying, typically in the longer 2280 length
- DAn M.2 card in the A and E keying, typically in the compact 2230 length Correct
Identify that modern laptop wireless cards use the M.2 A/E key in a 2230 size, distinct from the M-key 2280 slot used for storage. M.2 keying prevents a card from seating in the wrong slot; Wi-Fi cards use the A/E key in the short 2230 length because that keying routes the PCIe and USB lanes a radio needs, whereas M-key 2280 routes the PCIe lanes storage needs.
Why A is wrong: Tempting because PCI carries add-in cards, but full-size PCI slots are desktop internals and do not fit inside a thin laptop chassis.
Why B is wrong: Tempting because many external adapters are USB, but an internal replaceable Wi-Fi card is not a soldered palm-rest dongle.
Why C is wrong: Tempting because M.2 is right, but M-key 2280 is the slot for NVMe storage, not for a wireless card, which uses A/E keying.
Why D is correct: Correct: modern laptop Wi-Fi cards use the M.2 A/E key in the small 2230 size, which carries the PCIe and USB signals wireless radios need.