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Dell Mobile Broadband Card Utility hangs
Hi all. Have a XPS M1210 laptop with a Dell wireless EVDO 5700 minicard for Sprint. Several times a day my connection will go dead. The Dell Mobile Wireless Card Utility will still show me as connect, and clicking Disconnect does nothing (it says it's disconnecting for a minute or so and then goes back to saying Connected). I've tried shutting it down but that leaves a few processes running in the background that have to be killed through task manager before it will start up again. Once I get it to start up again it just hangs while trying to initialize the card. The only solution is to reboot the machine if I want to connect to the internet again. I have the latest drivers & utility. Laptop is only about 2 mos old and has been showing this problem all along. Chatted with Dell support and they want me to do a system restore (not sure what that would do since this has been happening all along) or call Sprint for help. I'm sure Sprint will tell me to call Dell since the problem I'm speaking of is with the Dell branded app/utility. Any ideas? Has anyone experienced anything similar? TIA
nosbigs
14 Posts
0
November 8th, 2008 16:00
Yes I have I am new to the XPS with a XPS 1530 with the mobile broadband utility. The dell tech rep in Manila is on the line now and acknowledges that there are known issues with the card. One is with the finger print usite. We uninstalled it no improvement. Whwen I autoconnect I can connect but no data or time is recorded. When I click the disconnect button there is a message disconnecting but neve confirmation of that disconnect. We have uninstalled the software and reinstalled now and remain stymied. At least we know there are issues that we haev not created. Dell tech support is usually great as it is this time. When we get a resolution I will post for you
Linksys wireless 3g is working and connecting properly
We have a workaround Autoconnect when using it and exit out. when not Certainly not elegant but it does seem to work
hotrent1
239 Posts
1
November 10th, 2008 17:00
I have had xps m1530 since february and have been using sprint pc internal card the whole time. The only issue i have ever had with this card it exiting the program and then trying to start program again. It hangs everytime. If instead of exiting, just click the icon for the broadband down in the lower right hand taskbar. this will minimize program to the taskbar icon. When you want to connect just click the icon and the connection manager appears again and you can disconnect. Just dont try to exit the program and then try to start it up again.
I would also recommend getting the latest drivers from intel for your chipset, dells are old, if you are using intel wireless card, get the driver from intel. My 1530 is 100% more stable since i went with 64 bit ultimate and updated every driver. Most from the manufacturer of the hardware. I run the fingerprint driver and software from upek, not dell and never had an issue. my sprint card is on for at least 8 hours per day while in my truck and disconnect when i get home, i have wireless n router and again not one issue.
I have disagreed with alot of members who tell you not to update drivers, (if it aint broke, dont fix it). On a car maybe, but drivers are usually not completely finished, thus newer versions are written. So if nothing else, go to driveragent.com and let it scan your computer and it will tell you what drivers on you machine are old. They want you to subscribe to their service which will link you to the latest driver, but you can use the tool to let you know which drivers are old and then go the the manufacturers website and download the driver yourself.
this has proven to be one of the biggest improvements on my computer.
I also checked all 8 of my other computers and updated all the drivers on them and problems seemed to almost disappear.
Also check for updates on a regular basis with your software and windows.
cjthelder
14 Posts
0
January 19th, 2010 11:00
I have had an XPS 1330 since February 2008, running Vista Ultimate. Before that I had the Inspiron 9300 with XP Pro, with which I used an air card (AT&T was my carrier). With the Inspiron 9300/air card combination, I never had any problems. But since I got the XPS I have had nothing but problems. As everyone else says, it will disconnect (although the open window says it is connected) after only a few minutes. If I click "disconnect" and wait a few seconds and then click "connect" again it will reconnect. It might or might not stay connected for more than a few minutes. Then there are the times when I can be connected for hours with no problems (such as watching Netflix movies or TV shows online), that is, after the first few minutes it disconnects again. I have spoken to Dell many times, and they can never solve the problem. They have taken control of my computer and had it happen right while they are on line with me; also, while I am online with them via phone. Dell has sent a technician to my home to replace the WWAN card twice, and the system board once; since then I have (with Dell on the phone) uninstalled the card and reinstalled it; uninstalled the drivers and reinstalled them. I have run CheckDisk twice (including night before last) but it never gets any better. So I finally started to believe Dell that it is an AT&T (still my carrier) problem. On the phone with AT&T last night for an hour; I installed Communications Manager (CM) from their site. Still no good. In fact, I could not connect at all, because of some unidentified conflict. Today, I uninstalled the Dell drivers and reinstalled CM. I thought that might have been a conflict. Apparently it was, but the same disconnect problem continues -- that is, it disconnects after only a couple of minutes.
After more than four years with AT&T, as I said, I am now convinced that it is a Dell problem, and I believe they are ignoring it, hoping we will just give up and buy a new computer. I have used Dell computers exclusively since 1991, and keep on buying them because until this one I never had any problems. But this one, with the internal utility card, was a Dell lemon.
There is no doubt in my mind that there is a flaw in this Dell computer somewhere, but they refuse to acknowledge it. Also, whenever I call them, they say they have never heard of this problem. I am wondering if Vista might be the problem and that perhaps I should upgrade to Windows 7? Has anyone else tried that? Results? However, I don't think I should have to pay the $219 upgrade price because Dell sold something faulty that they cannot or will not fix, as they should.
tester25
626 Posts
0
January 19th, 2010 13:00
I've never used an air card but one thing that you might try is to make sure that Windows is not set to power off the air card to save power. It's just a thought. I had a USB adapter that exhibited similar issues. I could definitely be wrong but it's worth a try.
Just open Device Manager, find your air card, open its properties, select the Power Management tab, and uncheck the box that says "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power".
cjthelder
14 Posts
0
February 3rd, 2010 20:00
Thanks for the tip, and I gave it a try. I left it that way for a week or so, but I am still having the same problem. It will cut out while watching something, such as a Netflix movie or show. I just have to disconnect (even though it says I am connected), wait a few seconds and then reconnect.