Question on Wireless Networking Cards

Question

Hello. I am about to purchase a Dell notebook and I'm curious if this wireless card if built in,..ie, internal,....or if is it an external card that I would have to put in each time I want to use it?

Wireless Bundle: Intel PRO/Wireless 3945a/g and Bluetooth

Thanks for any info.

J

1d49f54a95134b2 · Answer

That is a internal wireless card. Dell dont ship notebooks with exeternal cards.

Plissken67 · Answer

Thanks for the reply.  I never thought that Dell would ship a notebook with an external card, but then this week, they changed from the internal TV Tuner Card they featured last week, to an external USB TV Tuner instead.  Given that, I figured I would double check on the Wireless card before I placed the order.   Thanks again.

gyzzmo · Answer

I thought I have an external wireless adaptor 1350 WLAN PC CARD.It plugs into the slot on the left side. Isn't this considered an external card?
I am having trouble with the wireless dropping every few minutes. It sometimes comes back on by itself or I have to right click the icon in the start tray and try for connection. I find out it is out of warranty by a week!!

Rollie_R · Answer

All,

Internal Card usually refers to a card that is entirely within the system, and is not removable (well, at least not easily). The cards available at time of purchase on an Inspiron system are internal.

You can use a PCMCIA or ExpressCard WiFi card with your Inspiron (depending on model). These cards plug into the slot on the side of your system, and generally extend beyond the edge of the system. I would consider this an external card.

There are also USB wireless cards that stick out from the system.

Dell has never offered an internal TV Tuner on a portable system, but has offered USB TV Tuners.

As a note, the internal WiFi cards can be removed, but you must remove a panel on the bottom of the system. This is not something that should be done often. Whereas the card cannot be removed when you do not want to use it, it can be disabled through keystrokes, or in some cases by a switch on the system.

I hope this clears up any confusion.

Plissken67 · Answer

Thanks for the reply.  Again, I assumed that the wirless card was internal, but since it wasn't stated, I was not sure at the time.   As far as the TV Tuner card, that is something else.  Two weeks ago, you offered a TV Tuner card for your notebooks, and it did NOT say it was external, at that time.  I just got off the phone with someone in your corporate sales office, and she confirmed that all TV Tuners card were external, but that there was an indeed an error when it was listed on the site weeks ago, making it seem that it was internal.  The past few days, you now have it stated clearly that it is an external USB TV Tuner, but you are still showing a picture of an interanl TV Tuner card.  Certainly, you can't blame someone for being confused when weeks ago you forgot to use the word 'external' and this week to show a picture of an internal card.   Whatever the case, everything is fine.  Just wanted to explain further.

iureport · Answer

I replaced my 600M with an E1405.

The new laptop does not have a PCMCIA slot, but has an Express Card slot. This was not on the order form. Now, my Sprint PCMCIA card does not work and I out $150 for it.

What can I do?

Sprint does not make or offer and Express Card, nor does anyone else that I can find.

Dell's CSR told me that is just the way it is. That does not seem right.

Thanks in advance.

gyzzmo · Answer

I also have a DELL Wireless 1350 WLAN PC card Model : WL-611GD. I thought I had ordered a Inspiron 1200 with internal WIFI and was surprised when I got it with an external card. I have had nothing but trouble with this card. It got so bad I finally wired my laptop into my network. It is kind of inconvenient to wire it from Evansville to Berlin!! How do you tell if the card is working? I have a WIFI detector and it shows my WIFI strong and open, but the card detects nothing. Can it be sent back to Taiwan to be tested?

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Question on Wireless Networking Cards

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