X220 AC7260 Keeps Disconnecting

[JPOESQ]

It's time to ask the Oracle...

My prized X220 running Windows 10 with McDonnell bios and an AC7260 has decided to be sassy. Until just recently, I have had no problems with WiFi. I'm now experiencing the WiFi disconnecting after anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours. When it happens, I am not able to see a list of WiFi routers and I either have to reboot the computer or run the troubleshooter and reset the adapter. Again, and again, and again. I even replaced the AC7260 and that didn't solve the problem. Windows 10 is up-to-date, I can't find any WiFi driver issues, and BT runs just fine from the AC7260.

None of the other devices connected to this network are disconnecting so it's not the router.

I'm thinking that perhaps a recent Windows 10 update is the culprit but that's just a WAG.

Any ideas would be appreciated. I've spent hours trying to get to the bottom of this without success. TIA.

[RealBlackStuff]

Maybe the card is overheating?
An alternative might be the MPE-AXE3000H: https://www.ebay.ie/itm/224578166935
Which is a MiniPCIe version of the AX200.

[JPOESQ]

Overheating is a possibility but the palmrest is cool in that spot. I can experiment with some cooling.

The card that you suggested is inexpensive enough to try as well. I assume that the following pertains to whitelist issues?

“This Mini PCIE wifi 6E card doesn't support for IBM/Thinkpad/lenovo/HP laptop.“

[RealBlackStuff]

Your laptops (X220/X230/T530) have their whitelist already removed, so that card will work.

[JPOESQ]

Just ordered the card.

[JPOESQ]

I received an MPE-AXE3000H today. Do I need to tape over pin 51 to get BT to work? I would like to avoid unnecessary disassembly testing different configurations. TIA.

[RealBlackStuff]

For AC7260 on some Thinkpads you need to tape over pin 51, on others not.
For AX200(AXE-3000H) Intel Forum says: tape pins 51 and 20: https://community.intel.com/t5/Wireless ... -p/1277203

For pin-out see this: https://gsid.in/using-old-mini-pcie-wla ... n-laptops/

[JPOESQ]

Maybe the card is overheating?
An alternative might be the MPE-AXE3000H: https://www.ebay.ie/itm/224578166935
Which is a MiniPCIe version of the AX200.

You might be correct about the AC7260 overheating. As a test, I let the computer run without any WiFi traffic for several days and the adapter never failed. Then I let it run with high traffic and the adapter failed sometime overnight.

[JPOESQ]

The MPE-AXE3000H is installed and working... now to see if the disconnect issue has been resolved.

Yes, on an X220, you must tape pin 51 for BT to work (or, in my case, remove the pad with an X-acto knife. I didn't modify pin 20.

Then you have to install the Intel WiFi and BT drivers for Windows 10. I found them here: https://fenvi.com/drive.html.

So, now my X220, i7, 16GB RAM, 2TB SSD, 256GB MSATA, and hi-res display, is all happy again. At least for now...

[RealBlackStuff]

Good to hear.
Keep extremities crossed that it keeps a cool head!