XPS 12 9250 Upgrade/Hack Success (LTE modem + 512GB SSD)

1st post and I would like o share my upgrade/hack stories. One thing I love about the new XPS is how easy to open it as a tablet compare to Surface Pro etc. Even Dell provides the service manual so you know how to crack it open.

Here's what you will need to read:
http://topics-cdn.dell.com/pdf/xps-12-9250_Service Manual_en-us.pdf

1. SSD upgrade
The original Dell ships with the PM871 SSD (B+M key) which operates in SATA 6G, I immediately swap it out with the Samsung 950 Pro since the m.2 connector in the motherboard can accept "M" key.


BIOS detected the SSD fine and I backed up the original factory Windows 10 + hidden partition etc using system restore image. I then restored everything into the new 950 Pro, use Acronis Director to move the hidden partitions around to get the system c: drive to 400GB of total storage. (One tip, make sure you disable Bitlocker so the HD is not encrypted, then you can move the partitions around; otherwise Acronis will choke....)

One thing I can confirm after performing the upgrade is that the SSD will only connect at PCIe 2x speed instead of 4x. Samsung Magician confirms it and AS SSD benchmark shows it's in the range of 2x performance.


2. LTE Modem
When I cracked open the Dell, I saw an empty slot on the upper left corner with couple antennas with covers. I knew the slot is for the mobile broadband modem. I saw in Dell's download site has a Dell Wireless 5811e LTE Mobile Broadband Driver available but searching around google yields not results. So I moved forward looking for other NGFF LTE modem solution, I came across Huawei Me936.

http://consumer.huawei.com/en/solutions/m2m-solutions/products/tech-specs/me936-en.htm

Huawei made few different models and this one fits the best in terms of LTE band for USA market (ATT, Verizon, T-mobile). (B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B13/B17/B20)



Bought one off of ebay and install it, download the drivers for Windows 10 and it WORKS!

Now it comes to the hard part.... As you can see in the above picture, the Dell motherboard does ship with a SIM slot right underneath the SD slot but you can't access it from outside. The slot is bloacked and there isn't a cutout! I wish the covering piece is plastic so you can use a X-acto knife to cut it out but in fact it's made out of metal.

Now service manual comes handy as I have to remove the main board so I can use my dremel tool to mill out the slot. I wish I did a better job holding the milling bit but a little scratch on the chassis. Luckily, the plastic cover will hide it or I can use a Sharpie to paint it. But at least now I have the SIM slot expose...



I tested the modem with a T-mobile SIM card and it connect to the LTE tower. Unfort, I need a tablet SIM account in order to connect to the internet to run a speed test (my iphone SIM card doesn't work in the XPS). Also I don't have another carrier's SIM to test out other LTE bands but I am sure it will work just fine.




Hope you enjoy my writeup, happy hacking!

Disclaimer: I am not responsible if you damage your machine while performing this hack/upgrade. I am fairly sure once your did this upgrade, Dell will find a way to void your warranty so think twice before you do this!

 

Hello,

Thanks for sharing your experience! I have this same model on order and I've been interested to hear others experiences with upgrades.

You said that the SSD only runs at PCIe 2X, do you think that's specific to the new Samsung drive you installed or just the m.2 connector on the tablet in general?

Great find on the modem also! I haven't seen any others pop up on Ebay yet, but I'll keep a look out. I hate the fact that now the cellular carriers know how your accessing the internet (per device), I was thinking I would be able to just throw my mobile SIM in there when needed as well. I think there might be a hack for that, but I'll wait until I have the XPS 12 and an LTE modem to worry about it.

 

The 950 Pro is capable of 4x and I believe the limitation is definitely on the XPS side. On the modem side, I did some digging in ebay and the seller for the modem didn't specifically mentioned the model # but here's the link for the auction:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/262241179589?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Pretty reasonable price and limited quantity.

Cheers!

 

Hi,
Opened account here just to thank you for the explain on using the LTE Modem,
I bought this machine because I knew it support Micro sim but didnt know how to add the Modem or which modem to buy as the DELL modem that you can see they are giving driver for it doesnt have any information on the internet,So just ordered using your the seller you posted ^
I have one question,
The machine is Siganture edition and the only Dell application is the supportassist,
Do you think I should clean install it or keep it like that as after all thats the siganture edition? What you would do?
And also you have any idea where to get the Dell active pen (But not from Dell site that not accepting international order..)
Thanks!

 

I think signature edition has the minimum malware etc so you should be good to go. I don't have the Dell active pen but I do see Dell carries it on their website. I suppose you are not in US so Dell is not shipping it to you?

 

So you say no need for clean install ah?
And yea I'm not in the US,I live in Israel so I cant pay on Dell site as they doesnt accept PayPal payments from non us accounts..
For example the XPS I had to use a reshipper from amazon to get it here ;<

 

The model number for the pen is 750-AALT (Europe) & 750-AAMI (USA). I do see some European site selling it. Hope that helps.

The US version can be found under Macmall (Not sure if they will ship overseas):
http://www.macmall.com/s?rch&q=750-...LicenseFilter=true&includeImage=true&ssrc=box

 

Hi Mate,
Hope you doing well.
Did you see the new confirguations for the Europe market?

• XPS 12-9250 FHD, Core m3 6Y30, 4 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD SATA3 a 1249 euro
• XPS 12-9250 4K, Core m5 6Y57, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD SATA3 a 1599 euro
• XPS 12-9250 4K, Core m7 6Y75, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD PCIE a 1799 euro

Look the M7 Model,The SSD is connected throught PCIE this is what you did with the Samsung Pro 950 right?

 

Is the slot for WWAN the same as the Venue 11 Pro? I just bought a XPS 12 and I'm wondering if I can move my Huawei ME906v from the Venue to the XPS. The Huawei ME906v is a NGFF M.2 form factor card.

 

Hi,
Got the modem today and tried to plug the white antenna (gps one) but I cant stick it inside the socket,Any ideas?
Also is there a way to cut off the block of the sim slot without taking everything out?

 

You might need some micro tools such as needle nose pliers (or long fingernails). I used my ifixit kit to do everything in my tablet. Also, you really don't have to remove the whole motherboard to put in the sim card, just the battery and the mounting screws on that side of the tablet in addition to the bracket that holds down the usb-c/thunderbolt ports. After you do that, gently lift the side of the motherboard up with a plastic tool or credit card and slide the sim card in. I'm not worried about the sim card access since I don't need to remove the sim card that often.

If you plan on cutting the case for sim card access you should definitely remove the motherboard, no sense in ruining your brand new tablet further than you need to.

 

Well still couldnt put it in the socket ;< What I did was taking the bracket from the Wifi card and using it on the modem so the 2 antennas will stay fixed on the connector,hope its really connected,Now just need to know how to put a sim in there/do what he did on making an hole inside which I have no idea how to ;<\

 

He used a dremel/rotary tool to cut through the case, probably with a circular/disc head on it.

 

Can any following this thread please post a valid URL for obtaining the Windows 10 driver for the Huawei ME936?

 

LTE Modem
Quote: "...I came across Huawei Me936.
Huawei made few different models and this one fits the best in terms of LTE band for USA market (ATT, Verizon, T-mobile). (B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B13/B17/B20)...
Bought one off of ebay and install it, download the drivers for Windows 10 and it WORKS!"

Can anyone direct me to these Windows 10 drivers? I've been all over the Huawei site and elsewhere and cannot find a download. Also Can anyone else who has tried this hack chime in on their success? Besides drivers, I'm interested in anyone's process they took to activate their SIM with their respective carrier.

 

Kwincy, you didn't share your success in transferring your 4G LTE card and sim from a Dell 7139 tablet, as you shared here. Please do so here with details and specifications. As you've asked from that post, yes I have sucessfully booted from a USB flash drive, booting into Macrium Reflect backup/restore environment.

 

namitutonka,

It's been so long, but I recently purchased a replacement back case for my XPS 12 with the intention of cutting a hole for the SIM card. I bought what I thought was a Latitude 12 (7275) back case fron pcpartspeople since the 7275 has an option for a user-replaceable SIM card. The casing I received did not have the slot open, so I cut the case with a dremel tool. I tried to move my ME906V card and I broke the LTE antenna connector and I'm waiting on a replacement card to arrive from China today. In Windows 8, I had to download the driver from the link posted in the other thread I mentioned, but in Windows 10 I didn't. The card is unlocked and I used it on T-Mobile USA and I got 4G LTE speeds. In regards to activation, I got a SIM card directly from T-Mobile, but I don't remember if I gave them the IMEI number or not, but I did take a picture of the card since it has the IMEI number printed on it. When the card arrives today, I plan on using it just as I did before, but I'll let you know if I have to re-activate it since the IMEI number is changing. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

 

I had to re-install the drivers after receiving the replacement modem using the drivers found in the other thread:

http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/thr...-gps-4g-working-with-dell-venue-11-pro.64759/

I did not have to reactivate the sim card, just had to wait for it to be recoginized by t-mobile after a 30 minute wait. I followed the same instructions in the above thread to install all the drivers with no issues on my xps 12 9250.

 

Your link references posts regarding the Huawei ME906V and the Dell Venue 11 Pro, while this thread references the Huawei ME936 and the XPS12 9250. What PC and what LTE modem are you using, and which drivers? Sorry for my misunderstanding.

 

I am using a Dell XPS 12 9250 with a Huawei ME906V. In one of my older posts in this thread, I mentioned that I used to own a Dell Venue 11 Pro and that I moved my ME906V LTE modem from it to the XPS 12 since I had it available. I used the drivers posted in the other thread I linked and they worked perfectly in the XPS 12 9250. That thread is here:

http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/thr...-gps-4g-working-with-dell-venue-11-pro.64759/

I hope that this clears things up a bit.

 

Thank you Kwincy, you have cleared the cobwebs of Q4 2016, from my brain. Best wishes as we all blaze into Q1 2017.....one...step...at...a...time.

 

Thanks for the excellent article. I did get a ME936 modem from ebay and installed it on the latest version of Windows 10. Windows recognized it automatically and installed stock drivers (Device manager says "hp 4lt110... modem"... ). I put in a Tmobile SIM card. I do see TMobile in the network connection list. It also shows with the correct APN etc. When I click on to connect, it connects for few seconds and then the connection disappears... i see the device in the device manager crash and then come back again... i have tried everything possible.. uninstall the device, reinstall etc. Any ideas to resolve this would be appreciated. Thanks