3250 wifi upgrade

I ordered a TP-link TL-WN861N mini-pci card to upgrade to draft-n. With the card installed my laptop will power on but won't boot. The fan and lights will come on but there is no video signal. I also don't hear the hard drive or dvd drive power on. Without a wifi card installed or the original one installed the laptop boots up fine. Has anyone upgraded the wifi successfully? I can't figure out if it is a defective card or a compatibility issue to exchange or return it.

 

kev12345:

I ran into a similar problem when I tried to install a PCMIA wifi card in my 3270 when the internal card went haywire. For some reason, an external card only causes these 3200 series laptops to crash. I wound up having to cannibalize an internal wifi card from another laptop to replace the one I had. You have to open the chassis through the palmrest (not the bottom) to access the wifi card; you may still be able to find web-sites with instructions on how to do this, but watch for the screw near the optical drive bay.

David Reed

 

The TP-link TL-WN861N is an internal card and I did install it under the palm rest. With it in the machine the computer won't post - there is no video signal. I've tried hitting the button to disable wifi but it is the same thing. Mini-PCI cards should be standard like PCI cards for desktop and I don't think Averatec disabled support for non-supported cards as some other laptop manufacturers have done. I found online someone who had success installing an internal TP-link b/g card but not this specific draft-N model. I think I may try exchanging it for another to try to see if it is defective.

 

RMA'd the card for another and it's still no post and black screen when installed. The card is definitely incompatible with the 3250. Anyone have success with any other internal draft-n cards? Ralink chipset maybe?

 

If the cards you're using go over the power draw limit for the rather sensitive VIA southbridge, it'll hold down the Mini-PCIE Bus and prevent the Southbridge from completing POST. Unless you find a very, very low-power Draft-N card, I don't think it's going to work out for you.

 

Good point. I never thought of a power draw issue. I assumed the mini-PCI spec would have a standard voltage limit but what you are saying makes sense. I'm still kinda looking for a card that will work though to try to squeeze a little more life out of this laptop that has served me very well. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks again