Hi, I recently moved to the NYC area a few months ago and I just joined
this list.

Anyway, I am looking for any feedback from anyone who has had this
problem, and what they did to solve it.

Problem: I tried to install a Linksys WMP55AG dual-band into one of my
desktops and the machine won't even POST. It works fine on my newer
desktop, so I know its not the card.

I found out that most PCI based wireless cards are PCI 2.2 compliant,
which means that they won't work at all in older (including many Slot 1
pentium II/III boards) PCI 2.1 systems (motherboards now are both
2.1,2.2, and many are 2.3 compliant as well). Usual symptom is that the
desktop system will refuse to even post once you install the wireless
card, which is exactly what I was seeing. From what I could find, one
major difference between the two specs has to do with voltage (3.3v vs.
5v).

Most of the solutions that I've seen posted to various boards usually
involve either a) buying a USB wireless card (unacceptable, as I do not
see a fair priced a/b/g version....and the system has USB 1.1 so I'd
never see decent bandwidth..yes I could buy a USB 2.0 PCI card... but
cost is becoming prohibitive), or b) buying a new motherboard
(unacceptable, budget is too tight right now, and not unless I have to).

So, I dismantled the linksys card (just need to use a soldering iron),
and I found that it is a standard mini-pci (atheros ar5212a), with a
u.fl connector on it (and another blank for a second u.fl... diversity
option perhaps?)...hmmmm...

I found these guys and they have a PCI v 2.1 and 2.2 compliant mini-pci
to pci adapter card:
http://www.wisp-router.com/product_info.php?products_id=125&osCsid=df09910952038f894c2026a06852f18e

The tech on the phone also mentioned he may have other ideas about
moving a few resistors around if the machine still won't post with their
card.

So I've ordered one of those cards and we'll see what happens.

Comments?

-Justin 
--
NYCwireless - http://www.nycwireless.net/
Un/Subscribe: http://lists.nycwireless.net/mailman/listinfo/nycwireless/
Archives: http://lists.nycwireless.net/pipermail/nycwireless/

Reply via email to