How Does Temperature Affect a Laptop Wireless Card?

Temperature does not affect the strength of a wireless signal.

Wireless -- or Wi-Fi -- signals travel through the air. Temperature should not affect signal strength -- but extreme temperatures are not good for hardware, such as wireless cards. Consider the temperature of the system itself as well.

Air Temperature

The temperature in the air has a negligible affect on your wireless card connection compared to barriers such as metal and concrete, according to computer expert Chris Pirillo.

System Temperature

Extremely warm temperatures inside the computer could mean trouble for your wireless card. If the wireless card overheats, it may shut itself off and could eventually break, according to Dan Ellis of Columbia University.

Wireless Card Temperature

The safe operating temperature of a wireless card depends on the manufacturer's design. Typical normal ranges for temperature run from 0 to 80 degrees Celsius. Check your wireless card's manual or documentation for its normal range.

References

• TechTarget: WiFi
• Pirillo.com: Does Temperature Affect Wireless Connections?
• Columbia University: Using Non-Apple Wi-Fi Cards in Apple Powerbooks

Resources

• Intel: Intel® WiMAX/WiFi Link 5150