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Satellite L500 - Wi-Fi Light with another PCIe mini Combo card
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This question is not answered. Helpful answers available: 2. Correct answers available: 1.


Permlink Replies: 3 - Pages: 1 - Last Post: 09-Jul-2012 08:26 Last Post By: Tonny Threads: [ Previous | Next ]
jinxster

Posts: 2
Registered: 08/07/12
Satellite L500 - Wi-Fi Light with another PCIe mini Combo card
Posted: 08-Jul-2012 07:45
 
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Dear Toshiba

I have 2 of L500-1UG notebook, with the RTL8187B PCIe mini card. (one on 32bit and one on 64bit Win7 Home Premium)

This card has no BT and is only 54mbps and since the notebook is outside of warranty, I bought 2 of RALink Tech - RA3090BC4 Combo cards.

Only opened one notebook so far, but I tried both RA3090BC4 in it.

When I power up with the Realtek card, the orange wifi light comes on long beore Win 7 boots up

When I power up with the Ralink card, the orange wifi light does not come on at all.

Win7 32 bit Home Premium (downgraded for software development test reasons) detects and instals drivers successfully. I installed driver for Ralinktech.

Bluetooth installs fine and I transferred a 12mb file from a cellphone successfully.

I swapped black and white antenna wires (it is marked 1 and 2, not Main and Aux).

What else can I check?

Is there a compatibility issue?
Dr.Lamp

Posts: 1,760
Registered: 25/09/09
Re: Satellite L500 - Wi-Fi Light with another PCIe mini Combo card
Posted: 08-Jul-2012 09:48   in response to: jinxster in response to: jinxster
 
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Is there a compatibility issue?
Probably yes. I presume you know that notebooks have limited upgrade possibilities and such upgrades are not support at all. In case that you are not happy with built in WLAN card solution is usage of external devices like USB WLAN cards.

All preinstalled software is also designed to work with original hardware components. It is not easy to help in this case.
I’m also wondering how do you can just buy some WLAN card and exchange it. I mean before doing this, it is important to check if such upgrade can be done or not.

Let’s see if someone else has some good suggestion what you can do to make it work.
jinxster

Posts: 2
Registered: 08/07/12
Re: Satellite L500 - Wi-Fi Light with another PCIe mini Combo card
Posted: 08-Jul-2012 18:19   in response to: Dr.Lamp in response to: Dr.Lamp
 
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Actually on this L500 I am posting (the one in question) the motherboard packed up. Before it packed up blue screens and freezing happened. I sent it back under warranty. Toshiba sent it backwards and forwards twice. But said it was software problems. 3 months out of warranty the motheroard was officially dead

I bought 2 motherboard (from the USA and I live in SA.) Then I checked, PCIe Mini (full -> not half) did the preparation)

It doesn't seem like a compatibility issue apart from the way you must "switch it on", but since the L500-1UG doesn't have a wifi button I ama bit snookered and the Fn-F8 is not enabled. Meaning there is a check beforehand which is being overlooked, hopefully Toshiba can say what it is.

If it is not compatible does Toshiba have a PCIe Mini with bluetooth and and 802.11n WLAN? I want it built in. Not external USB.

Many thanks
Andrew
Tonny

Posts: 3,225
Registered: 21/09/09
Re: Satellite L500 - Wi-Fi Light with another PCIe mini Combo card
Posted: 09-Jul-2012 08:26   in response to: jinxster in response to: jinxster
 
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Hi

Maybe some of the pins of the new WLan card needs to be covered.
Found many different threads about Wlan card upgrade and the On/Off issue…
http://forums.computers.toshiba-europe.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=64568

It looks like different WLan card have different pin assignment

One user was able to enable the new Wlan card taping over the pin 20.
But it depends on the Wlan card which pin needs to be taped over… so you need to check which pin it is…
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