When I built my pc, I went and got this motherboard and it didn’t have WiFi or Bluetooth.

(https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B450M-PRO-M2-V2/Specification)

Now I’m wondering if I will have enough space for my gpu fan (3070ti) if I go and install a WiFi card in the slot underneath it.

It looks like there won’t be much space between the gpu and card at all, but there is still space towards the bottom of the case for air to move around, so I’m unsure if this is a bad idea or not.

Would appreciate any advice. Thanks

25 Comments

  1. LSD_Ninja

    There might be just enough space and if you get a lower profile card you likely won’t interfere with airflow much either.

  2. Noch_ein_Kamel

    You may be better off geting a usb one.

  3. You could try a pcie riser cable and mount it loose in the cabinet somewhere. Its not a very clean solution though

  4. somabrosinc

    If you want to try a stable connection via USB.

    Look for High Gain USB Wifi 6/6E. I have been using one and they are pretty reliable. (I have the one with USB 3.0 wire)

    Look for TP LINK AX1800

    https://amzn.eu/d/izaIvO9

  5. just_JP101

    USB ones tend to be pretty good these days

  6. I think it will fit, but then your GPU will start overheating and that’ll render your computer unusable

  7. you could probably fit one, but it’s not woth choking your GPU. Go for a USB adapter.

  8. DetectiveVinc

    Get an external usb Wifi dongle. In my experience the back of the pc is a very bad spot for a wifi antenna anyways, too much interference

  9. boanerges57

    I’ve used a pice ribbon cable to get access to otherwise blocked pcie slots. It isn’t very expensive and it works. You have the otherwise unusable expansion slots sitting there in the case so nothing to lose.

  10. I would do usb or a riser cable for the pcie

  11. giantfood

    You can get a pciex1 riser cable. Move the card to the slot just below the motherboard.

  12. Will be fine. The wifi card will probably only overlap the fan 1/2 at most and with that fan as long as it isnt pressed flush against it it will still draw air fine.

  13. DarkLord76865

    They are usually small so it could be fine, that said when I had one it had packet loss and ping spikes probably because it was so close to many sources of EM signals. I recommend usb one, but I have bad experience with them either since they had problems with disconnecting. I can only recommend Asus one, it worked great, but you are far better with just ethernet if that is possible.

  14. ReaperOfGamess

    It should be fine as long as it’s not one that takes up a lot of space

  15. hauntedyew

    Ah I see, you purchased a budget microATX motherboard originally, when long term you may have benefited from a standard ATX motherboard with more slots for expansion cards.

    It looks like your case can fit a standard ATX motherboard, but it is unnecessary. I’d avoid using the PCIe cable harnesses like some others have recommended and would go with a USB WiFi stick. Cheap ones on Amazon have been great for me when I needed to add WiFi to a desktop without an internal WiFi NIC.

  16. No_Professional_9446

    Just plug IT to an Ethernet cable

  17. fluffy_bottoms

    So I got a mobo w/o wifi as my plan was to always be wired right into the modem, and did that for years until I moved. Apartment I’m in now only has one wire coming in to the living room and I didn’t want to clutter the central living space so my pc is in my bedroom with a usb wifi receiver. Never had an issue.

  18. -cant_find_a_name-

    u can get an extension for the pcie but Idk if its trist able

  19. Tallyoup

    A combination of things I would do,

    USB Bluetooth dongle,

    An external wifi router plugged into the ethernet port, using the router in bridge mode.
    You’d get better throughput with the external wifi option, and Incase there were other devices nearby, you could also hardwire them too.

    (Yes you’re still using WiFi, however the external router will receive stronger signal, better throughput and possibly re create the wifi where you are for some Devices too

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