Wifi card from lenovo not working on my inspiron!

Hi,

I got a really weird problem!
I have replaced my broadcom wifi mini PCI-e card with an intel wifi link 5100...

But when installing it, it gives me a "code 10" error: the device can't start.

the lenovo laptop from where I got the intel card is Ideapad Y430.
My laptop is a dell inspiron 9400/E1705.

the broadcom wifi card work perfectly in the lenovo ideapad...

Any clue?
Thanks

 

You know, if you were doing this the other way around, I'd tell you that Lenovo sucks and blacklists wifi cards, but Dell generally doesn't do that. It's possible that the Lenovo card has some sort of lock that doesn't let it work outside of Lenovo machines, but I don't really know much about that.

Seems more like a software problem though... did you uninstall your old wifi card and drivers before installing the new ones? Where did you get your 5100 drivers?

 

i think it is possible that the wificard was software deactivated in the lenovo laptop before... maybe you should try to put it back to the lenovo, ensure it is activated (wifi light on?) shut down the lenovo and put it back into the dell machine... maybe it will work?

regards.

al

 

Many eBay sellers mention when they are selling WiFi cards as for HP/Lenovo only, so I wouldn't be surprised if yours doesn't work.

This one I'd like to know, did you pull this Broadcom card of your Dell? Cause usually Lenovo is the one which has restriction to accept WiFi cards.

 

Thank you all!

Yes I know that lenovo thing! but this does accure on dell!

I reinstalled wondows vista -formated ot- but same thing... card detected but can't start. (code 10)

Maybe this will correct the problem... but sadly, the lenovo laptop was sold and gone... ^^

yes but this is a PCI-e card... not a part of lenovo!

Yes, but I was a bit clever... I've put the broadcom wifi card in the other mini PCI-e slot (the WWAN)!

But my inspiron haven't this extra mini PCI-e port...

 

I was saying that those sellers give clear warning that if the WiFi mini PCIe card (which they are selling) is specifically designed for Leno/HP, then it will only work for Leno/HP. And since your WiFi card was pulled out of a Leno, then it's the same thing to what they've said, that WiFi mini PCIe is designed for Leno, it will not work on your Dell.

So, it's not your Dell which has restriction, the restriction is with in the WiFi card itself.

 

And is there anything to do? perhaps flashing the wifi card?