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    I added Intel 5300 card to XPS M1530 but.....

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by pcumming, Aug 11, 2011.

  1. pcumming

    pcumming Notebook Enthusiast

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    Have new Netgear WNDR3700 and Dell dropping 5ghz connection-added Intel 5300 card to Dell XPS M1530

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Lets see if I understand this right.
    Facts:
    -I have a new WNDR3700 with latest firmware from Internet, it is on 2nd floor.
    -Have TW Internet. Hardwired I can get about 20+ Mbps download to homebuilt MSI - Core 2 DUO 2.4ghz desktop, 3 meg of memory, XP.
    -With Dell XPS 1530 Vista laptop (old Core 2 Duo, 3gb memory) with G card in it, I can receive about 19mbs down WIRELESSLY (using Speedtest.net from same starting locale)


    Bigger Issue
    1.
    Okay with the upstairs Netgear router set to transmit both 2.4 and 5 ghz signals I notice all is okay and signal strength is fine to my laptop with a G wireless card built into it.

    BUT
    after replacing old internal mini-card with an internal Intel 5300 card (g,n) in laptop (with updated drivers) the signal strength REALLY drops from both routers and I get disconnects whether I connect as G or N WHEN I AM DOWNSTAIRS in house.
    If I disconnect the "N" wire (gray) from the Intel mini card in the dell laptop, then signal strength improves and all is honky dory.
    Perhaps this is the Intel 5300 card and laptop combination, perhaps it is the distance (upstairs to downstairs) 5ghz has to travel (more than 30 feet horizontally but of course not vertically)..

    So I left the gray wire disconnected which is almost similar to me putting back the G PCI card back in the laptop-and signal strength is back to normal with no disconnects assuming I do not pick a 5ghz signal from my wireless list on laptop.

    IDEAS???

    ---
    A second issue for anyone to comment or agree with?
    Also have Netgear Powerline (8b Mbps-yea right) POE Ethernet adapters plugged into electrical outlets (one up and one downstairs) and notice at least in my house that whether wireless (have a Linksys wrt54g G router downstairs as AP) or wired to Ethernet via POE (downstairs) that throughput is SLOWER than wireless to my upstairs Netgear router.....
    I guess the home wiring slows things down.
    Comments?



    Thanks so much for your assistance.
    PC
     
    pcumming, Aug 11, 2011
    #1
  2. seeker_moc

    seeker_moc Notebook Virtuoso

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    The higher the frequency, the more trouble a signal has when passing through barriers. It's not so much the distance, as it is the drywall and wood between floors. It's very possible that your laptop can't put out a strong enough 5GHz signal to cleanly penetrate the ceiling/floor between stories in your house. Try running it with all 3 antennas, but switching it to 2.4GHz only wireless-n (Wireless-N and 5GHz are not synonymous). It is still faster than wireless-G, and shouldn't cause as many problems. It shouldn't really matter though speed-wise, as even wireless-G (~22Mbps) is as fast as your cable connection anyway.
     
    seeker_moc, Aug 12, 2011
    #2