SIM card slot in dell inspiron 1525

Thanks Aidil,

Is it possible to order the component separately and manually install it? I've been looking on Dell's site for it but have had no luck so far. I did see some documentation where it describes how to install it and the installation part looks pretty simple.

David K

 

David,

Yes, it's easy to install the WWAN/3G Mini PCI-E module by yourself.

I think many of us here got the module from sources other than Dell and it doesn't have to be Dell's WWAN module. I use Sierra Wireless MC8781 for my Studio 1735 which I bought from an online seller.

You could look for the same module (Sierra Wireless MC8781) on eBay or you could also search for Sierra Wireless AirCard 81U (the USB version) and dissect it (it's easy) to pull off the same MC8781 module inside it. Read another thread ( this link) where I put the picture of dissected AirCard 881U.

 

Thanks a lot Aidil, that was very helpful. One more small question if you don't mind... Would your Sierra module work with CDMA SIM cards worldwide?

Thank you very very much, I appreciate your help,
David K

 

Sorry Aidil, I see that your module is for GSM cards. Would one of the CDMA modules work worldwide or are they locked? We have both CDMA and GSM SIMs with internet access here so either one if unlocked would work.

 

Yes, mine is GSM/UMTS (WCDMA) and it's not SIM locked.

AFAIK, you can install either GSM/UMTS or CDMA1x/EVDO mini PCI-e WWAN module. But the hardest thing is to find an unlocked and non-hardware specific (locked only for HP/Lenovo) CDMA1x/EVDO module, since I've found that modules such as MC5725 sold on eBay are either locked for specific operator or locked for HP/Lenovo laptops.

 

Hello, i'm new here.
I'm trying to locate the 880/881 modules, unfortunately the USB version seems hard to find.
However i've seen lot of 881 on pcmcia form factor.
Do these have the same mini pci-e module inside?

 

I don't think Sierra Wireless AirCard 880/881 (PCMCIA version) also contains an MC8780/MC8781 mini PCI-e module inside.

I just did some searching on eBay, there are currently quite a lot of 881U and MC8781 on sale.

 

Sorry for reincarnation of this topic, but I have Dell 1520 Inspiron and I just bought Sierra MC8790v. My laptop refuses to start. When I press power button the padlock LED with "9" inside flashes and the other two padlock LEDs start blinking. If i remove the card, everything is just fine. It is a brand new mc8790v and following some other comments I downgraded my bios to A03 (it was A09- the latest) and then to A00 - nothing changed still the same issue. Any ideas?

 

Hello, I know this post is older but I'm hoping you still respond. I have a Dell Studio 1747, and am trying to get a Sierra Wireless AirCard MC8781 (have also tried an MC8790) recognized by the system. These are the things I've tried. Installed Watcher (build 1618 and went up to the current each time), verified the WWAN slot is enabled in the BIOS. Tried a Dell brand 5620 in the slot to verify the slot was good. finally, I have tried every software out there in the web to get my O\S (Win 7) to recognize this card. To NO avail .
I have heard great things about the Sierra Wireless cards. As a matter of fact, i'm using an external USB card now. But would prefer and internal WWAN card instead. You said in the post you were able to get yours working in your Studio, so what is the secret? There is no way to whitelist it in the BIOS, as there is no "whitelist" as I have also read about in the forums. I believe that to be an HP thing. Please help me to get this card recognized. Finally I have tried installing the software before AND after the card was physically installed, cause as I'm sure you know, with the Watcher software, it puts what I call ghost devices in the device manager, that physically are not installed, and really throws some people of to think it's working. Thanks

 

Don't know for sure about the BIOS revs...

It could be the MC8790v which refuses to start due to specifically designed for other brand of laptop (usually HP or Lenovo). Not to mention it could also be a defect product.

Same as above... Don't know for sure about the BIOS revisions, in this case for Studio 1747, or how the whitelist thing works. But for sure I've read many posts mentioning XPS M1330 can only be installed WWAN card from Sierra Wireless if a certain BIOS revision is used. So there will always be possibility that BIOS is used for blocking unauthorized mini PCI express cards.