Upgrade Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection

[Jadziadax]

Could anyone advise me what is the correct network card to upgrade to N type to replace Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200BG please?

 

[hang-the-9]

That sounds like a built-in card. Get a USB one for N, and disable the onboard one.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100010074%20600014288&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&Order=RATING&PageSize=20

 

[Jadziadax]

Thanks. It is a way round it.
I have got a Linksys USB wifi on my PC, but it takes over the connection from Windows. But I prefer using Windows to perform the connection so I'd like to see if I can change my old wifi card on the laptop to N type.

 

[hang-the-9]

Thanks. It is a way round it.
I have got a Linksys USB wifi on my PC, but it takes over the connection from Windows. But I prefer using Windows to perform the connection so I'd like to see if I can change my old wifi card on the laptop to N type.

You can change the wireless options so Windoes does the connection managing. If you click on the configuration page for the connection, you can change it to Windows. It will tell you what you need to do (enable zero config service). If you want to get an internal card for the laptop, look for a Mini-PCI wireless card, but you'd need to be sure it will work with your system. A USB one will be safer to pick.

 

[mattwells]

I was running the same query, and ebay seems to be one of the best sources for the upgrade cards (I'm running a Gateway M460 laptop).

I did a search of "wireless n mini-pci" on e-bay and found new internal wireless N cards made by TP Link and Broadcom with the longer range, and higher speeds of the 'N' wireless protocol. I saw 150Mbps and 300Mbps available new, but these didn't have 5Ghz compatibility with the 2200bg form. I'd assume wireless transmissions are still much improved.

They have a 32-bit mini PCI interface, and a U.FL connector according to one sales page. They appear to have the same power connections, and the base looks the same as the intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG. Intel doesn't seem to have a product for wireless N compatible with the old card.

I don't know how the driver situation will work with my old computer, but might gamble the $30 and tinker to have a contained N card instead of a nub sitting in the USB or PCM slot.. I'd hope the card comes with XP and vista drivers!

 

[mattwells]

Microsoft Windows XP runs a proprietary 802.1x authenticator (so I read) that will not recognize wireless N when windows handles authentication (so I experienced). It scales it down to G. (a software retrodegradation/licensing dagger in my heart!)

When using the client software that came with the wireless adapter, windows recognizes the increased speed with the appropriate 300Mbps recognition (seemed to regularly be 33% to 50% faster than my wireless G signal on speedtest.net despite a 'max' rate on comcast's service). However, The increased signal strength and range were a total fail as my client software was roaming to other signals and screwing up my connection, sometimes requiring a manual switch back to the original connection.

I tried to address this by disabling the windows WZC (wireless zero configuration)(control panel, administative, services), and setting my client program to 'very low' roaming. This kept my computer from trying to connect to different networks now within range, but still there were some periodic complete drops of the wireless signal, which is a solid fail for wireless gaming, wireless netflix, and wireless downloads.

I also just updated my driver to the latest driver availble from the hardware manufacturer (which was actually a different company), and tried a third party wireless access program, which seemed to have the same 'G only' recognition offered in windows wireless management.

Upon checking the wireless N signal, it was completely disconnected despite working just a little bit ago and logging onto this page. I hope the new card doesn't drop out on G signals, too, because I likely will run that protocol for the stability of wireless handshaking running inside the microsoft windows framework. There is an outside chance it is a fault of the card, but wireless N isn't new, windows xp seems to have problems with it, and the card otherwise seems to work splendidly.

 

[mattwells]

I also set power management to as little or off for the client program and adapter (i read my upgrade card can reheat tho), tried to find out access points to enter for the client program, upgraded the wireless router firmware, set AP isolation to on for the router, and set authentication to 'shared' instead of 'open'.

Not sure if it will make a difference aside from my hair falling out. There are several non-N devices in play that can access the network, and the router may be having a hard time starting a G signal on top of the N transmission.

All the above may make it fine, but I'm not crossing my fingers. I may just buy a dedicated N router that can plug directly into the modem and won't be affected by roomie technology!

 

[mattwells]

Well, the thing still dropped out despite all the crap. The wireless profile scanner wasn't even showing that the router was broadcasting for 10-20 seconds, despite being very early in the morning and no other devices in use..

Caveat emptor on wireless card upgrades without a new computer to go with it.

 

[mattwells]

ok, i have also found 5Ghz adapters with the similar form factor. I read on PCMAG that mixed signals will drop the throughput of a wireless N transmission waaaay down, hence the signal dropping. 2.4Ghz is being sold as n-only now without backwards compatibility (cisco e1200), and probably is much more reliable, but dual bandwidth is still what most people are going to want for the future..

I did a search on google shopping for 'mini pci wireless n', which shows several different types down on the bottom.

For my computer,
Sparklan makes a wmir-200n that has dual band N capability and Ralink chipsets.
Broadcom makes some stuff I found on ebay.
Tp Link makes some stuff (Atheros chipset)
embeddedworks.net has a page with some different types of adapters viewable from the wlan selection from the products menu.
Microtik makes a R52nM card that runs on dual bandwidth.

Some new devices will hopefully have less signal drop, and faster communication. Pay more for dual bandwidth cards and routers if you want to avoid stuff like signal drops when paying bills in addition to gaming desires and so on.

Good luck -- I'm done here!

 

[mattwells]

w00t

Got the new Cisco Linksys E1200 to dedicate my N connection.. It's a step below the 5Ghz wireless stuff, but seems to rock on my computer with my upgrade card. The Cisco Connect makes starting and getting online done with virtually one mouse click. The tech savvy will appreciate links and a couple things in the software interface, too.. In a bench test run, the youtube full HD Endeavour interview video ran from spot to spot without download lag, the 300Mbps factor was recognized and displayed by windows XP, and download speeds seem to take full advantage at http://speedtest.comcast.net/ and http://reviews.cnet.com/internet-speed-test/

That's my wireless B/G to N card upgrade experience. Online gaming is improved from the odler cisco router, and so far no dropsies, but still there is some choppy interfacing without the recommended dual band and graphics card, etc.. Also, backwards compatibility seems fine with the old B/G wireless router, and I still might attempt switching out of the Cisco/Windows management software for the wireless card software...

mw