Dell Latitude E4200 Info

hello,

Intel WLAN 5300 in E4200. I have no problems. Wlan connection is very fast and reliable.

Do You use max Energysaving for Wlan?

Otherwise contact Dell or/and reinstall all drivers. I've really no problems, at home, at university, at work ....

Sometimes I use wiredlan and wlan both together and have no problems.

For Wlan connections I use the Vista client. If you have questions about my configuration, please send it.

-> phil

 

Turns out, my E4200 seems to have a significant driver problem. There is an updated Wifi Link 5300 driver available from Dell (12/16/08, TIC153101, A02). Attempt to install this driver leads to the message "Another version of this product is already running. Installation of this version cannot continue. To configure or remove the existing version of this product, use Add/Remove Programs on the Control Panel". Sadly, the message is obeviously neither adapted to Vista, nor does it state what the program is at all. In 'Programs and Feature' Vista presents me with 'Intel PROSet/Wireless Wifi Software and Intel Network Connection 13.0.42.0. Neither of which can be uninstalled - it only open install windows and states these things don't run on this version of Windows... Stuck...

 

Update on Wireless issue: The connection issue with the 5300 could not be resolved by a Dell representation in an online session in which they can take full remote control over the computer. Consequently, an on-site service engineer was sent to replace the wireless card. The issue may be partially resolved - but it still looses randomly connection to the internet (but not the signal). Interestingly the service engineer told me he downgraded from Vista back to XP for precisely that reason. We will see.

While the machine was open I asked him to point out to me whether the laptop is or is not upgradeable with a backlit keyboard, as this was a much-debated issue in this forum. He was not 100% certain, but there indeed is a small 4-pin connector, directly adjacent to the main keyboard connector, that in my laptop with normal keyboard is not connected to anything. The service person said this must 99% it - there is nothing else he knows of that could go there. The 4-pin connector is labeled on board 'JCKBBKT'.

A note of caution - you can open the laptop, but I would not and should not have done it without seeing the engineer how it is done right. It takes actual force, carefully applied, to remove the plastic board above the keyboard. I can send pictures if somebody is interested to check this out themselves. I might also be great to get pictures from somebody who actually has the backlit keyboard and how it is connected.

 

Thats it. This is supposed to be translated as Joint Connection for KeyBoard BacKliT

 

Thanks, kitir. I will that I take a picture of the procedure to remove the keyboard and check for that connector - so those folk who want to upgrade the backlit keyboard can see whether their board allows to do so. I will also contact Dell to see whether they ship the backlit keyboard.

 

Quick question for those with the backlit keyboard...

I can't seem to get mine to stay "on". On is a choice when I hit Fn+Right Arrow, but I can't select it. My only options are auto and off.

I have XP, and it's plugged in (my initial thought was that on battery you can't enable it).

I spoke to Gold Tech Support for 2 hours last night. I have all the latest Drivers and Bios, but still no luck. Can anyone enable theirs to be always "on"?

Thanks,
Erik

 

Under Vista 64-bit I have:
ON/Off/Auto

On will use the Dell Control Point software to manage the back light (you have: "Always on, or turn off after xx seconds/minutes of idle" and "turn on when mouse has activity" (well something like that, not a word to word thing)). Auto, option uses the ambient light sensor to decide. Off, well it turns it off.

If you have a little square at the bottom of the screen that indicate the state of the backlit keyboard, they if you look closely you should 3 pictures... 2 of them look almost identical.

 

Thanks for your reply. For some reason we can't get On to be enabled. Maybe its an XP/Vista thing. Anyone with XP have theirs working?

 

From what I read all over the forum, it would seam that Dell software were originally designed for Vista rather than XP. My guess to this conclusion is that no one has strange thing as you are facing, and other problems.
Perhaps some registry hack... but then.. if it was possible (I don't know), then it might leave the keyboard always on... so drain battery life.

Huh you know what reminds me, my brother has the Dell XPS 1210M, At the front of the machine there are several large buttons with bright LED glowing. They always say on, no mater what, you can't turn it off. So why not remove them and put it under the keyboard... it's like "they are there!!"...
ok ok I know they are more LED's under the keyboard and you need one that is designed for that.. but it's just funny.

 

I upgraded mine to Backlit.

Part# to order is T989G or 93894.

Taking it apart

Difference between backlit and non-backlit keyboard. Notice secondary wire

Backlit keyboard!