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View Full Version : Replacing dell truemobile 1150 card.

Velocity
09-29-07, 04:21 PM
I just got a dell inspiron 1100 and it came with this card. Thing is I can't connect to my network with it. I have a wrt54g v.4 with wpa2. I need a new card that can work with the notebook. Ant suggestions?
Old Thrashbarg
09-30-07, 12:59 PM
Luckily Dells are pretty forgiving as far as aftermarket wireless stuff. Maybe one of these (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833158015)? Pretty cheap, and there are a lot of reviews from people using 'em in Dell laptops without trouble...
Velocity
09-30-07, 09:16 PM
Can that fit in the notebook?
Old Thrashbarg
10-01-07, 01:57 PM
I assume your current Truemobile card is internal, and not a PCMCIA card, right? If so, that MSI card should be the exact same size and form factor. Look on the bottom of your laptop, there should be a removable panel (marked "C" on that series, IIRC) covering your current card.
Velocity
10-01-07, 10:25 PM
Thanks I found one that will work. Unless there is something better

http://www.buy.com/prod/linksys-wireless-g-notebook-adapter-network-adapter-linksys-wpc54g/q/loc/101/10336401.html
Old Thrashbarg
10-02-07, 12:33 PM
Well, that one will certainly work, although I'm not quite sure why you'd wanna get that particular one? That's quite expensive for a simple wireless G card, I'dn't pay more than half that anymore, and anyway, why are you looking at PCMCIA cards when an internal one will work seamlessly and can take advantage of the considerably better built-in antannae?

If you're scared of replacing it, it's really easy. No different really than replacing a stick of RAM or a normal PCI card...
funnyperson1
10-02-07, 01:36 PM
I with OT, replace the current mini PCI card with another one like this one (the MSI isn't in stock):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833345002

I wouldn't like to have that Linksys antenna sticking out of my laptop wherever I go, and the antenna in your laptop is probably much bigger.
Trap05
10-02-07, 01:45 PM
Is it mini PCI or mini PCI-E ?
Velocity
10-02-07, 02:59 PM
From what I can tell there is no place for a mini pci card. Just the modem is there.
Old Thrashbarg
10-02-07, 03:35 PM
Pull the modem out. (Two screws, pop it out with the pull-tab.) The miniPCI slot is underneath that, IIRC, and should be occupied by your current wireless card.

Edit: Here's (http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins5100/en/sm/upgrades.htm#1084976) the official manual showing what to do.
Velocity
10-02-07, 04:36 PM
Pull the modem out. (Two screws, pop it out with the pull-tab.) The miniPCI slot is underneath that, IIRC, and should be occupied by your current wireless card.

Edit: Here's (http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins5100/en/sm/upgrades.htm#1084976) the official manual showing what to do.

I didn't notice it at first but the 1100 doesn't have a mini pci port. So external it is.
Old Thrashbarg
10-02-07, 05:05 PM
the 1100 doesn't have a mini pci port

Really? Are you going by what it says at the top of the manual, or did you actually look for yourself? Some revisions of the 1100 series do lack the slot, but they also lack wireless entirely. You do have wireless, and the 1150 is MiniPCI, so something doesn't add up.

And in light of all this, it may indeed be less trouble to just get a PCMCIA card and be done with it, but I'm intrigued now to know what's going on here, because something doesn't make sense...
Velocity
10-02-07, 06:08 PM
Really? Are you going by what it says at the top of the manual, or did you actually look for yourself? Some revisions of the 1100 series do lack the slot, but they also lack wireless entirely. You do have wireless, and the 1150 is MiniPCI, so something doesn't add up.

And in light of all this, it may indeed be less trouble to just get a PCMCIA card and be done with it, but I'm intrigued now to know what's going on here, because something doesn't make sense...

I'll take a picture today or tomorrow and post it. I did open it and I see no place from what I can tell to put a mini pci card in. I might be wrong and I would love to leave the PCMCIA free for a add on card.
Old Thrashbarg
10-02-07, 07:44 PM
I'll take a picture today or tomorrow and post it.

Cool. That'll make things easier.

And yeah, it's entirely possible that your laptop has some weird onboard wireless chip that's being called a "Truemobile 1150," or maybe they hid the slot somewhere else. Wouldn't be the first time Dell's done an undocumented hardware revision. Still, this particular case seems rather odd, even for Dell.