Vostro 3500 and DW1501 wireless card problems

Question

I recently got a Vostro 3500 running windows 7 Home 32bit.

The laptop came with the DW1501 half wireless card (no option to select another).

I noticed that the laptop would not see any 5Ghz wireless channels

or get above 72-65mbs connection rate to a 2.4ghz wireless N WAP.

I have done everything possible to try fix this my self from updating the bios and drivers to changing channel on my WAP and even lowing the security but to no avail.

Also tried fixing both WAP and laptop to both 20 and 40MHZ but no luck

Spoke to dell today via that chat interface and got disconnected however, i have gotten an email to say that

the card is not 5ghz capable http://www.broadcom.com/products/Wireless-LAN/802.11-Wireless-LAN-Solutions/BCM4313

This is okay because i dont need to use this channel and am happy to use the 2.4ghz frequency however i was then told

that he had looked at other dell customers speed problems and the card is working perfectly fine!!!!

I have emailed back to say that 65Mbs on a N channel is not fine (this is connection speed and not bandwidth throughput)

I Quote " Also, with regard to the speed of the Wireless card connection. We have also found some postings with other Dell Customers and the same speed is being obtained by their DW 1501 Wireless Card and this is working as normal."

Does anyone have any comments on this or even better does anyone have a vostro 3500 with the DW1501 that can get 130mbs or even 270?

Will let you know what Dell have to say for them selves :(

meaga-byte · Accepted Answer

Well after many phone calls and emails with chat sessions Dell have sent out a intel 6200 wireless card.

Installed the new card and all the wireless problems were fixed. Can now connected to both 2.4 and 5gh channels at 300Mbs Full wireless N.

Fixed :D

meaga-byte · Answer

Well it seems that many people are having the same issue with me, albeit with different laptops.

Why is dell still selling this WLAN card if there seem to be known issues without a resolve?

Now i have to wait till monday to get any responce to my email since dell sent me a email at 5:30 yet the close up shop

at 5!!

mozartlv · Answer

same problem with mine. I'm using vostro 3400 with the same wireless card. I cannot even connect to a '802.11/n only' network.

meaga-byte · Answer

Well after many screenshots and chats to dell they are finaly sending a engineer out to replace the 1501 card with

another 1501 card. However, after reading so many peoples comments about this card not workingi dont have high hopes.

If / When the card does not work im going to request they replace it with the Intel 6200 mini card. this is a Wireless N 2.4 AND 5Ghz card

but they will probs charge me the £19 for it. but i think its the better option in the long run

The Dell guy is due in a few hours so will post an update once the card is replaced.

meaga-byte · Answer

Well the Dell engineer came out and replaced the WLAN card with another 1501 against my warning and i was not suprised to

see that this did not fix the problem. Dell have now updated the case ID and once again passed it up to their escelation department so

now i just need to wait and hear what else they want to try replace. Now im going to ask them to send out the Intel 6200 card

since its the right fit for the Vostro 3500 and see what they think...

bmh022 · Answer

Hi, I live in Israel and have the same problem with the WiFi card, I called the tech. support,  the shop and  Dell importer in Israel, unfortunatelly no one wants to replce my WiFi card. Any suggestions?

mozartlv · Answer

I have solved the problem by reinstalling my windows (neither the one they installed in the machine, nor the backup one in hard disk partition) and drivers. I doubt the windows they installed (with a lot of dell customized software) has some conflict with the wifi driver. Dell doesn't even notice that, when I first report the problem, a tech agent let me ordered a new laptop, but it didn't solve the real problem at all.

ibraha02 · Answer

same problem as above , i live in israel and didn't have any problems till recently after upgrading my internet speed , the new router broadcasts both 2.4 and 5 ghz wireless networks but so far i cab;t take advantage of the faster internet speed because it can't see it.

were you able to replace the card or just forgot about it ? i know it has been a very long time since this post started but i need to know before i contact support , if i can even fond their number

PudgyOne · Answer

ibraha02, The Dell Wireless 1501 Wireless-N WLAN Half-Mini Card will connect on 2.4GHz ONLY. This will NOT connect on 5.0GHz. Rick

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Vostro 3500 and DW1501 wireless card problems

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