Mini PCI wireless NIC question

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

Pardon me for asking this one, as it probably has been asked before, but is
there a difference among the different wireless mini PCI cards? I have a
socket for one on my Inspiron 5100, but don't know if I have to get a
particular brand, one particular for the laptop, etc. I know I want
802.11g. With desktops it's easy, I just don't know for sure about laptops
as many components are proprietary, but all of the cards I've seen for
different laptops appear to have the same connector.

Thanks

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

> there a difference among the different wireless mini PCI cards? I have a
> socket for one on my Inspiron 5100, but don't know if I have to get a
> particular brand, one particular for the laptop, etc. I know I want
> 802.11g. With desktops it's easy, I just don't know for sure about laptops

I had a couple of Dlink DWL 650G(?) desktop PCI adaptors lying around
with the miniPCI card under the shielding plate. I popped them out,
reworked the flylead which was soldered on, into a dipole antenna and
then just used that in a couple of laptops.

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

GMach3 wrote:

>Pardon me for asking this one, as it probably has been asked before, but is
>there a difference among the different wireless mini PCI cards? I have a
>socket for one on my Inspiron 5100, but don't know if I have to get a
>particular brand, one particular for the laptop, etc. I know I want
>802.11g. With desktops it's easy, I just don't know for sure about laptops
>as many components are proprietary, but all of the cards I've seen for
>different laptops appear to have the same connector.
>
>Thanks
>
>
>
>
Any mini-pci wireless card should fit and work. You need a separate
antenna for 802.11a . If you only have one antenna, you should get a
mini-pci supporting only 802.11b and 802.11g, although you can get a
card with 802.11a and turn off the 802.11a portion.

The Intel 2200bg and Intel 2915abg (same drivers) have driver problems.
I'd avoid them.