Upgrade for wireless link

Hi,

I just switched to a new ISP that gives me 50Mbps (down) and 3Mbps (up). I thought since I have a wireless G miniPCI card (Intel 3945) it wouldn't be a problem, but it's actually a huge bottleneck (I'm getting only about 13Mbps down...), so I need to upgrade my wireless card. I already have a wireless-N router ( D-Link DIR-615).

Anyway, I'm considering several Intel cards for upgrade: 4965, 5100 and 5300. I don't really care that much about the price since there's not a big difference, unless going 5100 or 5300 is pointless since my router wouldn't go faster than with 4965.

However, what really matters more is whether they'll work or not with my current laptop. I have a Dell Inspiron 9400 (same as Dell E1705). PC Wizard 2009 says my chipset is Intel i945PM and my processor is Core 2 Duo T7200.

My question is which one should I buy (if any of those, or from any other brand you'd recommend)?

Thanks a lot for your help.

 

What OS are you using? I think they would all work, just get latest drivers from Intel.com

 

I'm running Windows 7 RTM.

 

Get the intel 5300. No ifs and/or buts about it.

 

My 5300/4965 was automaticly detected and installed

 

You should still install the intel drivers.

 

OK, I'm going to get the 5300. The auction I wanted to buy it from says "Half Size Mini PCI-E Card", does it still fit my laptop? The "Half Size" makes me wonder... (As I said, the card that is currently installed is the 3945)

 

Check to see the size of your card and buy the appropriately sized one. They come either in regular or half height.

 

Where/How do I check? I mean, I can see the card inside but I don't know what size would the normal. Could a half size fit in a regular?

 

It will fit, but you can't screw it down. Here are the dimensions.

These look nothing like the Intel wireless cards, but compares the dimensions of the two:
http://www.embeddedstar.com/postimages/2009/ublox-pci5s-pcm5s.jpg

 

Old generation mini PCIe wireless card such as 3945 usually came in full size. And looking at to your laptop Service Manual, it confirms the full size.

 

Yes, I have actually opened to see and it is full sized. However, I see that the 5300 has 3 antenna connections, while my laptop only has 2. Will it still work (at full speed)?

 

It will be able to connect at 300Mb/s with two antennas instead of 450Mb/s it would be able to with three. Your actual speeds would be much lower than this. Wireless routers only reach up to the 300Mb/s speed these days anyway, so you will be ok.

 

Keep in mind that all mentioned wireless connection speed is just all theory. You will probably never ever be able to reach its advertised speed anyway. I would chose the 5300 nonetheless, just because it is the most advanced of them all. According to this thread it will work with 2 antennas but not at its full potential speed. Adding another antenna is of course an option.
Perhaps I am completely wrong, but while looking at the DIR-615 specifications I see it only has 10/100 ports (WAN and LAN) doesn't this also limit its maximum possible wireless to 100 also? (Not saying it is even possible to reach that speed in practice).
I myself have the Linksys WRT610N and Intel 5300 links with similar ISP speed (50/5), in the same room as the router speed reaches 47/4,7 without too much trouble. However in the next room its downlink speed is already cut in half

 

Yes, 100Mb/s would be the maximum amount of useful data that could be transferred, but a lot of the connection speed is lost overhead maintaining the network and it decreases readily with obstructions and distance so you want to max out the wireless speed regardless. I too have used my 5300 with only 2 antennas before I installed a third and it worked fine. I actually can't tell the difference between two and three.

 

I have tried a wired connection to my router and it did deliver full speed (~50Mbps down, up is no problem even over wireless G). I just saw the Atheros AR5008, would you recommend Intel's or Atheros'?

 

On a wired connection you can reach the theoretical bandwidth limit easily. On wireless it is much more difficult to reach those speeds. Go for the Intel.