Upgrading Wireless Mini PCI Card

Question

I have an Inspiron 5100 that was configured with a internal wireless mini pci card -- I want to upgrade to Wireless-G but have not found a internal card on the Dell site. If I buy a card that I can put in the external slot, do I have to remove or "unmount" the internal card or will the new one just override it?

Thanks for any help

volcano11 · Answer

Which wireless network card do you currently have. I have a 5100 it came with a Dell TrueMobile 1300 MiniPCI card, which is Wireless G.

The Dell 1470 MiniPCI card will work in your system:

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productlisting.aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=19&category_id=5823&first=true

As for a PC card, it will not over-ride the MiniPCI card currently in your system, but you can turn off the MiniPCI card and use the PC card or use the MiniPCI card when the PC Card is not inserted in the slot.

Steve

D-Hog · Answer

Steve, thanks for the response.

The card in my Inspiron is a TrueMobil 1180 internal 802.11b mini-pci card. I recently had to replace my old router and upgraded to a linksys G and want to be able to take advantage of the speed.

iKlaatu · Answer

I replaced the 1180 in my Inspiron 8200 with the 1450 (not 1470) and it has been a lot of trouble. The DELL driver installation refuses to see it so I must point the New Hardware Wizard to the file location after the files are created.   Maybe you'll have much better luck.

volcano11 · Answer

Did you see the following thread posted over the last 2 days? http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=si_wireless&message.id=15669 Steve

iKlaatu · Answer

No, I didn't see that one. Perfect solution-- almost. Installed after removing the dellinst.exe line from setup.ini but now the new wireless utility errors each time the computer is restarted. Could be anything causing it, either some incompatibility or maybe my Windows XP system registry is fouled up from all the previous attempts at installing wireless card drivers.

At least it connects immediately now. Keeps getting a signal from outdoors, too, although a bit erratic. I think that's probably typical of this 802.11a band, just happens to be my first experience with it.

Many thanks for the help!

D-Hog · Answer

Well I tried a Linksys card in the eternal slot after disabling the internal one and the results were dismal -- down the hall from the wireless router I could barely do 11 and in the kitchen downstairs, less -- took it out and went back the internal and have the old much better reception

Thanks for the feedback

D-Hog

dallascowboyswo · Answer

I use the Dell 1350 with a Linksys router wireless G with speedbooster. I have no problems. I also have the pccard that is linksys that is of the same make. I bought the mini pci after. I like the mini pci because I do not have to put the pccard in and out. FN F2 disables the mini pci if needed. In the linksys router settings you can setup the signal to be wireless g only. See if that helps on the signal, but of course it will not work with you b network card anymore. I still use the default channel 6, but I have heard sometimes you have to try other channels if you are have trouble with interference.

Inspiron 5100
Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.66GHZ
512 MB RAM
32 MB MOBILITY RADEON 7500C
40 GB Fujitsu HD
QSI CDRW/DVD SBW-242
Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated NIC
Dell Wireless 1350 WLAN Mini-PCI card
BCM V.92 56k Modem
SigmaTel C-Major Audio
Bios ver. A29
Win XP Home SP2
pur. Jan 2004
ZoneAlarm Pro ver 5.1.011.000
Norton SystemWorks Premier ver 9

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Upgrading Wireless Mini PCI Card

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