wireless card

_Pete_

Active Member
As long as the wireless card is not part of the motherboard then yes you can. Wireless cards, generally, are not part of the motherboard although I have come across a laptop that did have an intergrated wireless card a long time ago. You would need to find out what the model/type number of the wireless card is and you can, usually get one from Ebay or your local computer shop. Dell will supply one but they do tend to be expensive. Then you have to strip the computer down, not easy with a laptop, and replace the card. It might be easier, cheaper and much less hassle to buy a wireless dongle to use. If you do use a dongle then turn off the internal wireless card.
 

alex9467

New Member
Thanks Pete, as I have to open the laptop to disconnect the wireless card I may as well do a straight swop while I,m there. I think a dongle protruding from the side of the laptop would do the job ok, but might cause a little hassle moving the laptop about , lazy bones I think, but thanks very much, I didn't, know if it would have to be formatted or something, Alex
 

_Pete_

Active Member
No you wont have to format it but you will have to get the correct one because anything else may not be compatible with your computer or if it is then you will have install different drivers. You can buy low profile wirteless dongles these days and whilst they do take up a USB port they only stick out about a quarter of an inch.
 

alex9467

New Member
No you wont have to format it but you will have to get the correct one because anything else may not be compatible with your computer or if it is then you will have install different drivers. You can buy low profile wirteless dongles these days and whilst they do take up a USB port they only stick out about a quarter of an inch.
Hi Pete thats brilliant!, could you recommend one? Alex
 

_Pete_

Active Member
I don't know where you are. I am in UK but I have used these in the past with success.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MINI-USB-...471118?hash=item258c2bce8e:g:76AAAOSwA3dYQTWJ

I buy them by the dozen because they are so cheap. I repair computers and if I find that a wireless card has packed up I just bung one of these in and away it goes. As I said the down side is that it takes up a USB port. I think as well that your computer is quite old and may have Windows XP on it (I could be wrong). I did look on the Dell site to see what wireless card it was using and that's where I got that impression. Anyway if it is an old pc with XP you could well find that the installed wireless card would, possibly, not be available now and because it's on an XP system it might not be supported driver wise.
 

alex9467

New Member
Thanks Pete, I've ordered a couple, I'm running Windows 7 (upgraded from XP).As you say my laptop is old (like me-86) and I'm also in UK --N.Ireland. but I enjoy my computer Thanks again! Alex
 

_Pete_

Active Member
Okay your welcome. You may have to disable your internal wireless card. You can do that in device manager. If you don't know how to get to device manager come back and we can work it through. Just plug it in first though and see what happens. If it all works leave everything else alone.
 

alex9467

New Member
hi Pete, thanks a lot,mini adapter arrived this morning, followed your instructions and bingo! works a treat! alex
 

_Pete_

Active Member
Excellent news. Just be aware that those minis are not as powerful as the internal wireless card. So you cannot go quite as far away from the router as you could with the original card. To be fair though in the UK and Ireland we have abysmal wireless allowances LOL.
 
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