Wireless: Mini-PCI vs. PC Card

[kazanjig]

I'm looking to purchase a laptop for law school probably in July. My school has a wireless network and I will be setting up a wireless network at my home.
Lately I've been looking at either a Dell or Toshiba, and now that the P4-m is out, I'm just waiting for the prices to come down.
So, should I go with the integrated wireless via mini-PCI, or should I go with a PC card.
I read somewhere that sometimes the antenna for the integrated is located around the screen. This way it is in a beneficial position and can be a bit larger. However, the PC card give more "flexibility".
Any thoughts?

Also, the wireless network at home will be for two PCs and this one laptop. One PC is with the cable modem, one is downstairs. I figure a wireless router (like the SMC) with wired ports would work well. The PC with the modem and router would be connected with RJ-45. I'd get a wireless card or USB adapter for the PC downstairs. Of course, the lappy would be 802.11b too. Anyone see any issues with this setup?

Dell Inspiron 8200

Toshiba Satellite Pro 6100 (damn session IDs)

 

[vi edit]

2 issues I have with an integrated wireless card:

1. Speed of driver release. It may take months for Dell or Toshiba to release a driver for their equipment. You may have to wait a while for a driver to come out for the latest OS.

2. Inability of upgrade. Basically you are stuck with whatever protocols/standards that the integrated card supports. When the new wirelss standard comes out and bandwith is significantly increased, you'll have to go out and buy a new nic and have a virtually useless integrated one.

The only real advantage I see is that it saves you a pc card slot. Personally that's a non-issue to me. I've got a Dell Inspiron 8000 and I've never even used my pc card slots so giving one up is a non issue to me.

Personally, if the money difference was neglible, I'd just go for the pc card.

 

[henderson2001mis]

Your network setup sound good. However, I would recommend that you do not get the integrated wireless card. I have read several tests and every one says go with the Lucent Gold Orinoco PC card. Different cards have different ranges and everyone agrees that the Orinoco has the best range. Unless strength of signal is not a factor, go with the Orinoco. I have one myself, and before I had a Linksys. With the same access point the Orinoco has double the range of the Linksys. I have not heard any great news about integrated wireless cards, other than--they are integrated--and out of the way.

Good luck!

 

[forcemac101]

Just bought a Gateway 5350, playing with it as we speak, trying to get the wireless to work.....but no go..........

anyways, to address your concerns, the gateway came with an ornico integrated wirless card, I don't think its a gold or silver, device manager says its a Orinoco Wireless Lan PC card (3.3 volt).......

 

[kazanjig]

Thanks for the reassurance guys! It was nice to hear that I'm not totally off base here. The only networking I've done is run cable all over my girlfriend's apartment so she and her roomies can share a cable modem.
Does anyone know if Toshiba allows customization of their laptops when ordering? I know I could just call a CSR, but they're not open yet for the day, and we all know how calling CSRs can be. The integrated wireless is an option on the Dell, but automatically included in the specs for the Toshiba (both listed above). I definitely think I'd be better off getting the card separate. That way there's more flexibility, even to change to a or g if I wanted (although I highly doubt it since it's mostly for internet sharing).
Any thoughts on which lappy would be better? Also, I read somewhere last night that the P4-m doesn't have much better performance that a P3-m. I realize that the P4-m has capabilities that aren't be used yet, but I'm just trying to get the best "bang for my buck", but still have a high-end laptop that will get me through three years of law school and heavy personal use.

AT rocks!

 

[luv2chill]

OK I have some experience here so I'll offer my input.

I just bought a Dell Inspiron 8100. Wanted to get the internal WiFi, but for some reason if you do that they MAKE you buy a PC Card Ethernet/Modem combo @ $150 which is pointless for me, because I already have a 3Com combo card I wanted to use.

So I went ahead and ordered it with the internal built-in modem/ethernet, and ordered the WiFi internal card separately from their software and accessories store.

One thing that deserves pointing out. I think just about any "internal" modem/network card (wireless or wired) is not really built-in (as in soldered to the motherboard or anything). What it is is MiniPCI, which is a slot built into most newer laptops expressly for such a purpose. In the case of my Dell (the Inspiron 4000, 8000, and 8200 have it as well) it's easily accessible with one screw on the underside.

The WiFi MiniPCI card just came yesterday (cost about $80), and it came with everything I needed. The antenna is built into the screen of all the Inspiron models I just mentioned (whether it comes with the wireless card or not). So all I did was unscrew the panel, take out the 3Com combo modem/ethernet card already in there (it looks like a SODIMM, only a little wider), snap in the wireless card, and use the tiny little cable they included to attach the card to the notebook's internal antenna. Took about five minutes in total.

I expected to have to install drivers, but WinXP had them built in (God I love that). Plug and Play--boom... it was working like a champ.

Just for comparison's sake... I had an Orinoco Gold card previously, but personally I don't like how much it sticks out from the laptop. I have a port replicator/docking station for it, and the card makes it too wide to pass through the monitor stand, not to mention that I have to take the card out every time I put it in my laptop case.

I tried the 3Com XJack WiFi PC card, which is a great idea with it's retractible antenna. But of course there were no WinXP drivers for it for the longest time, and even after they released them I had tons of issues with it. Orinoco cards ARE the best (Well, the Cisco 350s are damn good too but expensive). They plug right in and work perfectly--no hassle.

What finally convinced me to go with the MiniPCI WiFi card from Dell is that I found out that it IS an Orinoco Gold. In fact, Agere is I think the only company that even makes WiFi cards in the MiniPCI form factor. That fact, plus the low price $80 for an Orinoco Gold is a steal won me over. Now I have my 3Com 56K modem/Ethernet PC card taking up a PC card slot (but its connector is XJack so no problems with anything sticking out). Plus I have one more PC card slot free for my GPS or a Compact Flash adapter (those are the only other PC cards I use).

I'm much better off having my wireless in the MiniPCI slot. I have a wireless network (Agere-based) both at work and at home, so I use it a lot. Plus, the port replicator for this is at work, so when I dock the notebook it uses the ethernet card built into the docking station. If I need to use an ethernet or modem connection when I'm away from home or the office I've got the PC card, which I can remove when not being used.

Not to mention that I've still got the 3Com MiniPCI modem/ethernet if I ever want to swap it back in.

And there are ways to flash the Dell MiniPCI with Orinoco firmware updates. I have downloaded the update but haven't installed it yet.

Also haven't tested range yet, but I will. So far the signal strength is reading as excellent, but admittedly that's only about 20 feet from the access point. I'll wander around the apartment and outside a bit later on and let you know how it goes.

If you end up getting a Dell, I say do what I did. It's only $80 extra, and then you have both options, and you can swap them in and out as you see fit. Or you could sell whichever one you don't use on fleabay and probably be out $0 when it's all said and done.

Whew! Hope that helps someone. I'm very pleased with the MiniPCI wireless... working great.

l2c

 

[Eug]

Some points. (Similar to luv2chill.)

1) The internal wireless card is not truly "integrated". It's just a Mini-PCI card which can always swapped out later (with some hassle).
2) Getting internal wireless means you can't get a functioning integrated RJ-45 on the 8200 (I think).
3) All PCMCIA cards which stick out the sides suck royally.

On my Dell Inspiron 5000e, I had both a PCMCIA Ethernet card and a PCMCIA wireless NIC. The dongle is now loose on the Ethernet card, and the wireless NIC had to be removed each time I put the laptop in my briefcase, since it stuck so far out the side.

So it depends where your priorities are. If you mainly need wireless, get the internal wireless. If you mainly need wired Ethernet, get the internal Ethernet card so that you can use the built-in RJ-45 jack.

Or get a different model and get both "integrated" (like with an iBook in my case).

Also, I'd check into that Firewire port if it's important to you. On the older Dells, the Firewire port is non-powered, which would make it useless for me. Dunno about the 8200.

Range? I dunno for sure, but the range on my iBook with built-in antenna is equal or slightly better than my Netgear PCMCIA card was with the Inspiron 5000e.