The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Poor wifi

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by paolo2, Dec 30, 2011.

  1. paolo2

    paolo2 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    91
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I have just bought my wife a M5030 for Christmas. However, I am extremely disappointed with the level of wifi performance that we are getting.
    One of the main reasons for buying it was so she could use it in bed, however we cannot get a signal at all. Every other wifi device in the house, (including 2 other Dell laptops has no problem). The router is only downstairs and one room along so distance is not an issue.
    The card in the laptop is an Atheros AR 8152, does anybody have any experience of this card? does it have any issues?
     
    paolo2, Dec 30, 2011
    #1
  2. Commander Wolf

    Commander Wolf can i haz broadwell?

    Reputations:
    2,962
    Messages:
    8,231
    Likes Received:
    63
    Trophy Points:
    216
    I'm just regurgitating what I've heard from Tsunade... it's a lousy card with just one antenna. He ended up modding two more antennas into his M5030 and replacing the card with an Intel 6300.
     
    Commander Wolf, Dec 30, 2011
    #2
  3. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

    Reputations:
    5,413
    Messages:
    10,711
    Likes Received:
    1,204
    Trophy Points:
    581
    Ya my brother's M5030 WIFI was so bad (being a crap Atheros card, 1x1 WLAN and antennae), I went on eBay and bought a 2x2 antennae set for 3 dollars, and a Dell Intel 6200 for 13. You have to remove the M5030 bezel and reroute the WLAN antennae. I zip-tied the extra antennae cable and tucked it away. Whole modification took about 30 minutes.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Dec 30, 2011
    #3
  4. paolo2

    paolo2 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    91
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Thanks guys, glad I'm not the only one with this lousy card.
    Any piccies of the mod?
    Can't find a 2x2 antenna set on ebay, do you have a more detailed description I could search for.
     
    paolo2, Jan 2, 2012
    #4
  5. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

    Reputations:
    5,413
    Messages:
    10,711
    Likes Received:
    1,204
    Trophy Points:
    581
    Tsunade_Hime, Jan 3, 2012
    #5
  6. paolo2

    paolo2 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    91
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Tried installing the 6200, but after installing the software, I'm getting a messsage "no wifi card installed"
    Also, any tips on the routing of the extra antenna?
    Also, stupid question, but I'm assuming that this being an intel card will work with an AMD processor?
     
    paolo2, Jan 21, 2012
    #6
  7. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

    Reputations:
    5,413
    Messages:
    10,711
    Likes Received:
    1,204
    Trophy Points:
    581
    Are you sure you installed the right Intel drivers? My brother's 6200 didn't even need drivers.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Jan 21, 2012
    #7
  8. paolo2

    paolo2 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    91
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    paolo2, Jan 22, 2012
    #8
  9. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

    Reputations:
    5,413
    Messages:
    10,711
    Likes Received:
    1,204
    Trophy Points:
    581
    Okay well those are the right one...perhaps you got a bum WLAN card? Did you screw it in properly?
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Jan 22, 2012
    #9
  10. paolo2

    paolo2 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    91
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Screwed in fine. The guy on Ebay is going to take it back.
     
    paolo2, Jan 22, 2012
    #10