I needed a cheap laptop for work and I bought an Alienware M3200 from my brother (wasnt cheap but he needed the money). He bought this computer 5 months ago and it sat not used for 3 of those 5 months. I dont have a slot for an LAN adapter. It has slots for usb ports and express card and SD card but none for an adapter. I read the manuel and under it is a compartment for an LAN module. Anyone ever heard of this? What is a LAN module anyhow, and how does it differ from Cardbus adapter. I am new to the laptop world and have a Belkin USB deal to get a wireless signal but it is a little too obtrusive. Just trying to learn about it, I wont be on the internet often with it but it would be nice to be able to do it without having to have something sticking 3 inches out the side. Thanks.
LAN Adaptor?
- Thread starter 97f150
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I take it he ordered the laptop without a hard-wire LAN connection? That's unusual nowadays, but not unheard of.
Do you have a link to the online manual? Alienware is making me login to download anything from their site.
Do you have a link to the online manual? Alienware is making me login to download anything from their site.
I will try to find an online manual for you. What kind of computer do you have? I am now straight with the problem I went over to notebookforums.com and asked about it and the laptop was indeed ordered without the mini PCI card, my little brother thought it had one but turns out that was part of the reason it sat for 3 months. The card is only $40 and easy to install.
I have several hundred computers
I support many of them at my workplace. Dell, HP, Toshiba, IBM, etc...
I'm not sure i understand.
The laptop doesn't have a built-in ethernet card, so that you can directly plug in a cable?
Or are you looking to find out if you can get a built-in wireless adapter, so that you don't have to use a usb wireless adapter because it sticks out?
According to alienwares site, i think it should have a built in wireless card.
link
Unfortunatley, no one makes a wireless internet card for the expresscard slot yet.
http://www.expresscard.org/web/site/cons_wtb.jsp
The laptop doesn't have a built-in ethernet card, so that you can directly plug in a cable?
Or are you looking to find out if you can get a built-in wireless adapter, so that you don't have to use a usb wireless adapter because it sticks out?
According to alienwares site, i think it should have a built in wireless card.
link
Unfortunatley, no one makes a wireless internet card for the expresscard slot yet.
http://www.expresscard.org/web/site/cons_wtb.jsp
sx, I took the covor for the wireless card off the back of the unit and there was no card in it, my brother looked over his order paperwork and said "Oh chit, I forgot to add that" and apparently his friend did also. He was under the impression also that the mini PCI card came standard. I currently have a Belkin usb adaptor, it works for now but proves to be a pain in moving the unit from the living room to the kitchen for example and I would also like to leave that usb port open. I am still not sure I understand the purpose of that express card slot. I also have an Ethernet port on it but the wire I have is only 25' long and also causes some portability issues. I went to www.notebookforums.com and asked about it there and they put me on the right path as far as what part I needed. Heres what I am using now. Heres the bay where the PCI card goes underneath the unit, the black wire in the upper left corner is the antennae connection.
I just spoke with alienware and they told me that from them, its a $52 part. Its a mini-pci wireless adapter, i couldn't understand him well but the brand was something like western new web, nothing that sounded familiar to me.
Anyways, i think any mini-pci wireless card should work just fine in your notebook.
Link to more mini-pci wirless cards
Anyways, i think any mini-pci wireless card should work just fine in your notebook.
Link to more mini-pci wirless cards
Thanks for that link. I was wondering if I could just get any one, and possibly for cheaper. I will check into it for sure, and let you know. I really cant think of what the diffirence would be anyway.
I just ordered a mini PCI card from Newegg. It should be here by Friday.
which one did you purchase?
From my original post:
I am also going for the clean look. Dont like too many "extras" hanging off everywhere. This is the mini pci that I ordered, looks like it will do the job. I took the cover off of my buddys gateway last night and removed the PCI card from there and the space for it in my laptop is identical to his so I dont think I will have much of a problem. Newegg is showing that it was shipped out today so I should have it in the next day or so. I purchased a cardbus adapter and cost $45 and didnt work, this pci card only cost $29, funny I wasnt charged any tax either, oh well I am not by any means bit**ing. Many thanks to sx for the link and the idea.
I am so exicited I may bust my spleen. My MPCI card is supposed to be here today, a week and 3 days later. I am anxious to try it out, and if it works, I may stroke out from the sheer joy of not having a 3 inch hinderence sticking out of my laptop. I will post back a update and let yall know if it works with Alienware or not.
I just installed the MPCI card from Newegg. Works perfectly.
Congrats!
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