Wireless card gone bad?

Having an issue where my Intel 5100 Wireless on my MSI GX640 laptop isn't picking up my network, or any network in range. I've checked and other wireless devices aren't having this issue.

After fooling with it (updating device drivers from intel, removing and reinstalling hardware under manager, ect) sometimes it's won't show up under device manager, and sometimes it's showing up as can not start (code 10). Otherwise it'll be back to working but say no signals.

Is it safe to say the card might be dying and need to be replaced? Anyone else have issues? Is this common?

Anything I need to be aware of or watch out for in buying a new?

A Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 should work, right?

 

I have heard of issues with the 5100's, maybe it is simpler to just get a new one - the 6300 would be the one I would be looking at too.

(Just keep in mind that you may not have all the antennae to hook up to the 3 antenna 6300N - but it'll still work - just not at 450MB/s).

Good luck.

 

The 6300 is essentially a 6200 when using two antennas which is still a very good NIC. You might want to check whether your card is half-height or full height. You will need an adapter if it is full height as the 6300 is half-height. Said bracket is dirt cheap on eBay.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. My MSI GX640 currently has the 5300 in it, so it's half sized form factor. Also have read that there is three antenna hookups inside the laptop, so the hookups should be in there good to go.

Weird that the card would go, do internal wireless cards tend to have issues or high failure rates?

My laptop is a borderline gaming rig, and it seems to be running a tad on the hot side lately (80-90C), so I think I'll get in there and give it a good cleaning and replace the thermal paste with AS5 while I'm at it. Wonder if that might have contributed to it.

While I got your attention, got a good recommendation for a good place to grab a 20mmX20mmX0.66mm copper shim for that project?

 

Just an update.

I replaced my Intel 5100 Wireless Card with a Intel 6300. There's an extra unattached antenna in the GX640, so all three are now hooked up. Seems to me the 5100 was dead, as I'm now having no issues finding signals. I almost wonder if very hot system temps caused the card to go bad?

I ran a FurMark before doing some laptop maintenance along with replacing the card and had to shut it down 5 min in due to the GPU getting to 110C. I've now got the system running FurMark 15min test at only 96C after about 12-15 min and holding steady.

You can read more about that mod here.

 

Glad your story ended so well.

Yeah; heat is the mortal enemy of computer systems - bad cooling = bad (low performance) computing and bad/no longevity in my experience.

(At least for those of us who push our systems daily - but I've seen even web surfing suffer with badly setup cooling designs - yeah: Apple is the worst imo for designing a (cooling) system that won't allow full use of the performance a platform offers, sustained or otherwise).

Thanks for the update and hope your temps get better with a little more 'curing' time on the TIM.

 

Yeah, you want to see inadequate cooling, take appart a phat 60gb PS3. For the temps theyre running, its sad where they cut corners.

I ran a 25min burn in later last night and this time peaked at a steady 86c. With any luck itll have cured some more and level 80-83.

These MSIs eun a bit hot anyways, but I did notice the plastic near the fan belt has gotten quite brittle.