I want to replace my Intel/Pro Wireless 2200BG.

I know plenty of people have had problems (flucuating speeds and disconnects) with the Intel/Pro Wireless 2200BG I've also come across some posts where some have replaced them with a different model card and it works fine. I'm curious to know if anyone has replaced the card in the HP DV1000 series notebook. I called HP and they said that no other wireless card is compatible.

 

Im forgetting things, does the DV have a PC Card Slot on one of the sides of the computer.

 

And do you really have problems or just want to replace before (and if) they start?

 

Yes indeed I do have problems. The speed flucuation issue...No disconnects though. Starts at 54 mbps and drops down steadily from there. I've read so many different threads in several different forums on issues with these cards...It's truly crazy. I've updated drivers, router firmware and tweaked every setting on both and all make no difference.

I could use an external card but really didn't want to go that route unless I have no other choice. I prefer the clean look of no cards sticking out the side, but I may end up going that route if nothing else works.

 

I have seen the linksys G card and that only sticks out like 1 1/2 to 2 inches.

 

The card really doesn't stick out much, and you can leave it in all the time. Still, how severe is the problem with the card? Does the speed fluctuate a lot? Does it fall really low and doesn't rise? Mine is steady at 54Mbps when the signal is good plus and fluctuates between 24Mbps and 54Mbps when it's OK minus. It can fall downto 11Mbps if the signal is weak before it loses it completely.

 

You should just disable that card and get a PC Wireless Card. Also, what kind of router do you have? It can be the router someimes but since there is a well known fact the 2200BG does have problems, it shouldnt be the router. Also, have you tryed repairing the connection. If you dont know how then just right click on the wireless icon in the bottome right corner and click repair. I hope that helps.

 

You can buy an PCMCIA card but it will stick out.

Another option is to buy a mini PCI card and put it inside, but will probrably void your warranty..

 

Yeah, its better to have a little card stick out instead of voiding your warranty.

 

How about getting a router to see if it works first. My 2200bg works great. Sometimes the driver on Intel's website works better than the manufactiurer's driver.

 

I had a bad experience with Intel's driver. When I installed it, it installed in Russian from some reason, so I'm like OK... It worked fine, but it messed up with IBM's wireless manager on my Thinkpad. Fn+F5 didn't work for the wireless radio anymore. So I reinstalled the IBM driver.

 

Intel's program wasn't bad, it was quite user friendly. Compared to the Windows one, I woud rather use the PROSet.

After switching to Atheros, I'm using Gigabyte's wireless utility, its quite descriptive, alot of info is given to me..

 

I have a feeling that the model of the of the laptop also plays a part, as some with 2200 have problems and some don't. I have a 2200 and when i connect to my Linksys router at home and when i play games in LAN mode, it will lag and disconnect, when i ad-hoc serveral laptops together, (some with 2200, some with pc card) and play in LAN mode, there is severe lagging (not sure about disconnecting), but when i ad-hoc my 2200 and a linksys pc card laptop and play in LAN mode, there is no lagging and no disconnection. My question is then this, what exactly is the problem? The 2200, or the router? and what excatly is the cause? a thread said that by locking into a channel (B or G), it will not lag, but when i ad-hoc the 2 laptops together i did not lock any channel. hmm..... I think we should create a new thread to ask people on what wireless hardware they use and how is the performance (preferly in gaming(I used Warcraft III as a guide, other games do not have such big a problem), as for my web-surfing and downlaoding of files i do not have any problems).

 

An interesting theory... I have experienced something similar as well.
WHen I used to have my D-Link router all of my wireless connections would disconnect and lag ...(I was using Linksys wireless cards..USB). I dont' think it was the router's problem, because it now works flawlessy for my brother and his Intel 2200BG.
However, once I switched over to a Linksys router... behold: no problems whatsoever. Everything has been working fine with little to no lag. I guess Linksys just likes Linksys....

 

Yes, i very well agree with you AuroraS about linksys works with linksys. My 2100 card has been acting wierd lately, i have the linksys router also and i think you just need a linksys card and a linksys router in order to work properly. My card is constantly changing my internet speed. I am supposed to have 6mbps and it is always under 2 mbps when wireless and that is when im 10ft away from it, then an hour later it is 800kbps. No one can quite figure it out. Im going to try to get a linksys card this weekend and i will update you guys to see if its the problem.

 

I read an interesting article about WiFi today - here are some things I picked up:

-If there is a lot of walls/metal/furniture between you and the AP and/or router, then the signal can bounce off them, and sometimes, the signal can be duplicated and come to you several times - causes hiccups.

-If your microwave is on when you are wireless, the stray radio waves can interfere with your Wifi conn., so you may loose it.

-TV's and other devices containing vacums/electromagnetic devices sitting between you and the router/AP are some of the the main causes of losing your wireless signal.

 

Yep, all correct. Wireless still has a long way to go in order to figure out how it shouldnt do that.

 

Oh there's more on top of that. Cordless phones, cellphones, hairdryers, RF remotes...99% of home consumer items that operate over radio use the 2.4 GHz band. And most of their routers don't automatically change frequencies to the clearest one (D-Links do...one of the reasons I recommend them).

But with all this going on, when someone's having trouble with their wireless...oh, must be the NIC, right? I love it how these companies have people conned so well.

 

Chaz was just mentioning some basic things that can interfer with wireless, of course there are more, at least over 20 things that can interfere.

 

Yeah, but when you were saying it had a long way to go to solve this? No it doesn't. It's called 802.11a, and it has none of the interference problems, and 7 completely isolated channels. The bit that's hurting WiFi is this insane compulsion to remain backward-compatible with that mistake-of-an-overcrowded-3-channel-2.4GHz-idiot-band-802.11b.

Incidentally, most 2.4 GHz routers default to Ch6, which interferes with ALL the other channels, most people don't know to change it (some routers CAN'T), and no one thinks of turning down the transmit power or reception sensitivity on their access points (assuming they have THAT capability, also). I've got 7 neighbors with 2.4 GHz wifi, and I can pick them all up. 4 of their nets are unprotected. So I buy 802.11a

 

Correct there. If I had to name them all...wow. Basically almost anything that emits radio waves can interfere with wireless.

 

Here is what i can think of that can interfere with wireless:
Microwaves
T.V.'s
Cordless Phones
Refrigorator
Electromagnetics
Basically anything that is metal
Walls
Anything that basically gives off a signal
I was thinking, does a router interfere with the modem?