Interal Wireless Card for 2200??

Question

Hi, my girlfriend got a 2200 for Christmas from her brother (it says '2200' above the keyboard, but the invoice says '2400'....on the bottom of the notebook it says Model 'PP10S'). Can anyone tell me if this model has a built-in wireless antenna and an internal slot for a wireless card? So the PCMCIA slot does not have to be used for a wireless PC card? If so, what wireless cards fit this machine? The Dell 1370? Any others? I wish Dell made this information easier to find online....I wasted a lot of time searching... Thanks, Jeff

Pondhockey5 · Answer

Dell 1350 (802.11 B/G) or the Dell 1450 (802.11 A/B/G) were options on the Inspiron 2200. See <ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed / replaced from this post by Dell>

JeffNY · Answer

Thanks....but I still don't get this. The spec page says this:

Optional: Internal antenna supports Dell 1350 wireless solution (802.11b/g) or Dell 1450 dual band wireless solution (802.11a/b/g) via optional mini wireless card.

....it says it has an INTERNAL antenna (like my six year old Apple "Pismo" PowerBook....the 1st machine in the world to have integrated wireless support, and that I still use today.)

BUT if you look up the 1350 wireless card it appears to be a PCMCIA card that has the antenna EXTERNAL at the end of the card.

(I can't open the page on the 1450...all I get is an error saying "We're sorry that we could not find anything that matched your search."...but from the tiny image the 1450 appears to be a PCMCIA card too)

Does the 2200/2400 REALLY have an INTERNAL antenna or is Dell playing "word games" to make a sale?????

At this point in time why wouldn't EVERY Dell notebook (or desktop for that matter) include a built-in antenna?

Oh, and what's the difference between the 2200 and 2400?

Thanks,
Jeff

Message Edited by JeffNY on 01-13-2006 03:56 PM

Pondhockey5 · Answer

The PCMCIA version is one variation on the 1350.  There is also a mini-PCI version that plugs into the internal mini-PCI slot.  As to the specific question of whether there is an internal antenna, the answer is that your 2200 MIGHT have an internal antenna.  The following is an excerpt from the service manual for the 2200.   'NOTE: Depending on the options ordered, the computer may be configured with a single antenna located in the LCD to enhance wireless reception. . . . In some cases, if an internal wireless card was not ordered with the computer, it may not have an antenna in the LCD panel assembly and internal wireless functionality is not enabled.'   Wireless was not standard because of market segmentation (not everyone NEEDS internal wireless features) and because the 2200 is an older model.  The 2200 played the middle ground between the 1000 series and the 6000 (kind of the way the 600m sits between the basic notebooks and the 6000 now -- until the 6000 is retired in the coming weeks anyway).  The better question might be why someone would order a notebook without wireless capability when it is available in that model if they had any suspicion that the ultimate user would want or need it.    I know that the absence of wireless features is not your fault (you said it was a gift), but it's not really Dell's fault either.  The unfortunate bottom line is that unless you are highly motivated to tear down the machine enough to confirm the presence or absence of a wireless antenna and to install any necessary parts, you might be stuck with a PCMCIA or USB solution.  Sorry I don't have an easier answer for you.   About the 2200/2400 thing.  I suspect it might be a typo.  I believe there was a Dimension desktop badged 2400, but I don't know of any Inspiron by the same number.

JeffNY · Answer

Thanks for the info. My point about why NOT include it in all models was two fold...one, wireless is where we are going (especially for notebooks)...and second, sometimes it costs more to NOT include something (and then trying to manage more inventory, and production costs...the antenna can't cost more than a few cents at the production level).

Anyway, I was looking at some pictures online last night to see how to take my "Pismo" fully apart...interesting. But it gave me an idea...if this 2200 HAS an antenna, then the antenna wire/end connector may be visible if I pop off the keyboard??? I saw instructions online somewhere last week on how to open the 2200(?) to install the interal card...wonder if I can find it again?

Also, if we give Dell the serial number could they tell us if it has an internal antenna?

Thanks,
Jeff

volcano11 · Answer

You don't need to tear your computer apart to see the antenna.  Open the MiniPCI slot door on the bottom of the computer. Steve

Pondhockey5 · Answer

I hear what you're saying re: including wireless in every model. We are definitely moving that way, and I certainly couldn't imagine buying a notebook without integrated wireless these days.

Anyway, you might have been looking at this page of the service guide. It has info on Removing/Installing mini-PCI cards in the 2200.

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins2200/en/SM/upgrades.htm#1084976

JeffNY · Answer

Thanks guys. Steve, did you mis-speak? I'd rather open the door no the bottom than take the keyboard out, but that appears to be for memory upgrades.

PH, yes, that is the page I was looking at. Looks like I'll have to pop off the hinge cover, then take out the keyboard and take off the EMI cover to see if there is an antenna cable in there.

There is no Dell web page to goto and plug in the 2200's serial number and see what in (or not in) there?

Thanks,
Jeff

Pondhockey5 · Answer

http://support.dell.com/support/index.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs Might help if I pasted the link too, huh?

Pondhockey5 · Answer

If you enter the system's service tag at the following link and select 'Original System Configuration' from the drop-down under the 'Select a Tool' heading, it should identify the system's configuration. Unfortunately, it might not be detailed enough to provide all of the info you need, but I haven't gone looking through the results from my service tag in enough detail to say for sure.

volcano11 · Answer

JeffNY, Sorry, most Inspirons have a MiniPCI slot door on the bottom for easy access.  Checking the documentation for the 2200 shows that this is not the case for that model.  Steve

JeffNY · Answer

...looks like I disconnected before my last message I typed got posted (I'm on the 2200 now using the mdoem). Re-cap; thanks PH, the 'as built' page was helpful but didn't tell me if the antenna was or wasn't installed.

Last resort (I hesitate taking other peoples new computers apart unless I have too..), I took the machine apart and there is an antenna cable in this 2200! Yippee!

Now, does Dell still sell the 1350 and 1450 "mini" internal wireless cards? I didn't see them in the online store. Will have to look again...

Thanks,

Jeff

JeffNY · Answer

Do you guys know if this mini PC card works in the 2200??

"DELL PRO Wireless 2915 WLAN 802.11a/b/g Mini PCI Card for Select Dell Inspiron Notebooks"

(Manufacturer Part# Y9100, Dell Part #: 430-1396)

....It'd be nice if Dell said what models it works in!

Thanks,
Jeff

JeffNY · Answer

Unable to find any compatibility information on Dells web site (for their own products) I searched the net and found some "mini" wireless cards on ebay, amung them a tri-mode:

"Intel Wireless Pro 2915 802.11 A/b/g"

...says its compatible with the 2200. And is about $19 bucks. Anyone have any thoughts on using these in a 2200?

Thanks,
Jeff

volcano11 · Answer

DELL PRO Wireless 2915 WLAN 802.11a/b/g Mini PCI Card for Select Dell Inspiron Notebooks   Yes, this will work just fine.   Steve

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

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