This tutorial explains how you can install internal wireless card into an older laptop. I assume that your laptop is “wireless ready” which means it has a slot for the wireless card and equipped with wireless antennas, but missing the wireless card. Why did I make this tutorial for an older laptop? Because all new laptops are sold with the wireless card.
I’ll take as an example my Dell Latitude C840 laptop. As you see on the picture, it has a slot for the wireless card and one antenna cable. That’s strange, most laptops have two antenna cables, white and black. One cable goes to the main connector on the wireless card, another cable goes to the auxiliary connector. Probably you’ll ask me which antenna cable connects to which connector? I think it doesn’t really matter because both antenna cable are identical.
My main concern was finding the right device driver for the wireless card I plan to install into my laptop. As you know, without correct driver it will not be recognized by the operating system and will not work at all.
Likely, I have a spare wireless card from another not working Toshiba laptop and this card worked perfectly.
You can find this wireless card by the model number: WM3B2200BG. Just search by the model number here and you’ll find one for about $20. It’s a 802.11 b/g wireless card, so you’ll get a 54Mbp/s connection as I did.
In order to install the wireless card into the slot, just push it into the slot at a 30 degree angle (step 1) and then press on the card (step 2) until it’s locked.
After the card is locked in the slot you can connect the antenna cable. In my case, I snapped the antenna cable on the main connector. If you have two antenna cables, snap one of them on the main connector on the wireless card and another one on the auxiliary connector. As I mentioned before, I don’t think it matters with cable goes to which connector. Both antenna cables are identical.
Finally, you’ll have to download and install the wireless card driver. If you use the same card as I did (WM3B2200BG), you can download driver from the Intel website here.
Use this link: Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection. Select the operating system, download and install the driver.
You have a couple of different options:
1. Download and install the driver only. Use this option if you want to use Windows wireless connection utility. That’s what I did because I prefer using Windows tools.
2. Download and install both the wireless card drive and the connection software. Use this option if you want to use Intel’s software application. It’s totally up to you.
As you see on the picture above, the wireless card successfully connected to the wireless access point at 54Mbp/s.
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December 16th, 2011 at 7:18 pm
Re: Intel WM3B2200BG driver
Thank you very much for link to Intel page.
October 20th, 2011 at 7:59 am
@ Ailonas,
It’s hard to tell what’s going on without looking at the laptop.
In cases like that, I usually boot laptop from Ubuntu CD (live linux CD) and test wireless in there.
If wireless works in Ubuntu OS but not Windows, this is Windows OS related problem (corrupted software, wrong settings, etc…)
If wireless doesn’t with with bout Ubuntu OS and Windows, most likely this is hardware related issue.
It’s a good test when your wireless is supported by Ubuntu OS.
October 17th, 2011 at 10:48 am
I checked – there is no button to turn on the wireless. Only combination of keys FN+F8 wich doesn’t work.
October 16th, 2011 at 10:03 am
@ Ailonas,
Take a closer look at the sides and front of your laptop. There could be a physical Wi-Fi switch you have to turn on.
October 16th, 2011 at 9:01 am
Hello. I have problem with wireless connection of Toshiba Satellite L450D laptop. Everything is ok, all drivers installed, internet works perfectly on the cable but not when you are trying to connect by wireless. It just shows “wireless is off – turn on wireless” what you could do by keys FN+F8 but it is not working at all. Like I said I installed drivers, tried to update by Windows Update (Windows 7 x64), updated bios and everything what I found on toshiba website. Could You help me by any ideas about that? Thank You.
August 16th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
I was able to get an answer on upgrading the wifi chip in the Series 3. Samsung product support said that upgrading to Intel Centrino Ultra N 6300 would work. However if you need to send the laptop in for service, you would want to send it in with the original chip. You would probably want to call Samsung product support for other chips…but to give some insight (because I wasn’t sure)….the physical specs half-mini pci-e with bluetooth. the 2×2 and 3×3 specs do not affect the antenna installed. These specs are your communication band and speed (for instance 2×2 refers to 2.4g and 5g at 150m and 300m speeds. 3×3 would be 2.4, 5g (i don’t know what the other spec is) at 150m, 300m, 450m. Anyway that’s how it was explained to me.
August 14th, 2011 at 6:15 pm
I recently refurbished a Toshiba 1135-S155 and all is well BUT, the only way to connect is with the ethernet cable. I installed a Linksys Wireless G adapter, drivers and all through a USB port. It found my network, but could not obtain the IP address, no matter what I did. I uninstalled the USB and installed a Linksys Wireless B card in the slot, with drivers, and the same thing happened. It found the network, but would not get the IP address. I then installed an old Railink mini pci card, with driver and the same thing happened. That’s a total of 3 different paths, with the same results. Any help you can give me would be appreciated. Oh yea, I’m using Windows XP Pro and it’s got all the security updates. HELP!!!
August 14th, 2011 at 6:00 am
I recently opened my vaio netbook to upgrade my ram and in that heroic effort messed up a few wires then after fixing everything and getting everything in position my wi-fi stopped working thats where this link came in i had disconnected the antennas from the card and didnt realize it, thanks for the link and making us computer wiz wannabe’s look like idiots
Thanks again
July 13th, 2011 at 1:39 am
recently i found wi-fi card for my dell latitude c840, and this information was very very helpful for the instalation.
thank you so much !!!
grettings from serbia
November 21st, 2010 at 11:07 am
JUDICAEL,
Did you install the wireless card driver?