Communication Cards

Dell™ Inspiron™ 1420/Dell Vostro™ 1400 Service Manual

Removing a Mobile Broadband or WWAN Card

If you ordered a wireless Mini-Card with your computer, the card is already installed.

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions located in the Product Information Guide.

NOTICE: To prevent damage to the system board, remove the main battery before you service the computer.

Your computer supports two types of wireless Mini-Cards:

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)
Mobile Broadband or Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)

Removing a WLAN Card

Follow the procedures in Before You Begin.
Remove the keyboard cover (see Removing the Keyboard Cover).
Remove the keyboard (see Removing the Keyboard).
Loosen the screw that secures the WLAN card to the system board.
Disconnect the antenna cables from the WLAN card.

1

antenna cable connectors

2

WLAN card

3

screw

Pull the WLAN card out of its system board connector.

Replacing a WLAN Card

NOTICE: The connectors are keyed to ensure correct insertion. If you feel resistance, check the connectors on the card and on the system board, and realign the card.

NOTICE: To avoid damage to the WLAN card, never place cables under the card.

Insert the WLAN card connector into the system board connector labeled "WLAN" at a 45-degree angle by aligning the notch on the WLAN card to the slot on the system board connector.
Press down the other end of the WLAN card and tighten the screw securing the card to the system board.
Connect the appropriate antenna cables to the WLAN card you are installing:

If the WLAN card has two triangles on the label (white and black), connect the white antenna cable to the connector labeled "main" (white triangle), and connect the black antenna cable to the connector labeled "aux" (black triangle).

If the WLAN card has three triangles on the label (white, black, and gray), connect the white antenna cable to the white triangle, connect the black antenna cable to the black triangle, and connect the gray antenna cable to the gray triangle.

Secure unused antenna cables in the protective mylar sleeve.
Replace the keyboard (see Replacing the Keyboard).
Replace the keyboard cover (see Replacing the Keyboard Cover).

Removing a Mobile Broadband or WWAN Card

NOTE: WWAN is also available on an ExpressCard.

NOTE: WWAN card and FCM share the same slot. You can install only one card at a time.

Follow the procedures in Before You Begin.
Remove the keyboard cover (see Removing the Keyboard Cover).
Remove the keyboard (see Removing the Keyboard).
Loosen the screw that secures the WWAN card to the system board.
Disconnect the antenna cables from the WWAN card.

1

WWAN card

2

antenna cables (2)

Pull the WWAN card out of its system board connector.

Replacing a WWAN Card

NOTICE: The connectors are keyed to ensure correct insertion. If you feel resistance, check the connectors on the card and on the system board, and realign the card.

NOTICE: To avoid damage to the WWAN card, never place cables under the card.

Insert the WWAN card connector into the system board connector labeled "WWAN" at a 45-degree angle by aligning the notch on the WWAN card to the slot on the system board connector.
Press down the other end of the WWAN card and tighten the screw securing the card to the system board.
Connect the appropriate antenna cables to the WWAN card you are installing.

Connect the white striped cable to the connector on the card marked with a white triangle. Connect the black striped cable to the connector on the card marked with a black triangle.

Secure unused antenna cables in the protective mylar sleeve.
Replace the keyboard (see Replacing the Keyboard).
Replace the keyboard cover (see Replacing the Keyboard Cover).

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