Belkin Wireless Card Doesnt Work

I have a Inspiron 2650 Notebook.

A friend of mine gave me a Belkin PCMCIA Wireless Notebook Network Card (802.11b) card and

it just locks up my computer.  I tried eveything.  I think it is these DELL computers.  Something wrong

with the PCMCIA ports on them.  And DELL isn't any help.  For six (6) days I worked on my problem

and DELL didn't help at all.

Nick,

Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.

Try the following:

• Update the drivers and firmware for the router and also for the wireless network card.
• Try changing the channel on the wireless adapter.
• Remove all sources of interference, like cordless telephones, microwaves, etc.
• Disable WEP on your router.

I've been searching all through this forum for a resolution to the same type of problem. Most wireless cards will not work in the I8000, and the ones that do, don't work reliably. Some lock up the laptop, some aren't even detected, and the one I can get to work has some sort of conflict with the audio and makes the sound skip like a broken record. I work in a small laptop store and I've tried 7 different brands of wireless adapters. Of course the only one the somewhat works is a Dell Truemobile, go figure. I've updated everything and even updated the updates, the problem is the laptop. But any thread the proposes this issue has the same Dell response as below:

Try the following:

• Update the drivers and firmware for the router and also for the wireless network card.
• Try changing the channel on the wireless adapter.
• Remove all sources of interference, like cordless telephones, microwaves, etc.
• Disable WEP on your router

I've been repairing computers for 13+ years, but common sense tells you the adapter has to be in the laptop and working before any of the above scenarios even come into the picture. Why can't Dell give us a real resolution or a least tell us there is a compatibility issue with the I8000 and wireless PC cards. To me, this is an insult. I'm here for a resolution and I don't need an answer from some non-technical person sitting there reading these forums, coming across a wireless related thread and thinking, "Oh, I need to push this button", which in turn gives us the scripted answer above.

THANKS!!!!   I couldn't have said it better.

Finally after six (6) days, I  got DELL to admit that it was a  computer problem instead of a wireless card problem.

Their replacing my MOTHERBOARD on my Inspiron 2650.

Whether this will fix my problem with the wirless card or not

will be known in a week or two when I receive my laptop back from DELL.

If I was a betting man, I would say it won't fix the problem.  But I'm

being hopefull!!!

 

As far as DELL!!!!   They don't want to help us.  If they admit it is a computer problem then they have to fix all the computers that are under warranty.  It is too bad companies like DELL  won't be honest with their customers.  They know they have a problem but won't admit it.  They just tell you it is not their problem and to get updates and etc.  Which most of us already have done.  Oh well!!1

Keep in mind also, however, that Belkin cards are the absolute bottom of the barrel. As a network engineer I'd rather see a piece of string used for networking than a Belkin card.

OK, so as a network engineer, what branddo you suggest?  (I'm looking for WAN G, mini PCI if I can).

Cisco if cost is no matter.

Linksys (now owned by Cisco) has never let me down. I use it, sell it, and support it every day.