Is it true that plugging a wireless network card into a centrino laptop will improve the Wi Fi signal strength to that machine?

[mkjuk]

I was told that it would but am sceptical myself

[aurora83]

It may do, but probably not in the way you are thinking.

Most centrino laptops have a built in wifi adapter. If you are getting poor signal strength due to the adapter, there is not much you can do to improve it (except maybe sitting closer to the router / access point) as it is tucked away inside the laptop.

Plugging in a wireless network card, or a wireless USB adapter may improve your signal as it is a little more exposed (or may be better than the one fitted inside your laptop).

This device will have no effect on the internal wifi adapter, it is a completely seperate network device, so you can disable the internal wifi adapter in network connections, and use the wireless network card or USB adapter instead.

[rojash]

The Centrino logo was a marketing ploy by Intel to push their older technology wireless components, so as aurora83 says, you may get better performance by disabling the onboard stuff, and using a plug-in card. I don't know for usre, but I imagine that trying to use both at once would only cause confusion on the network