WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information
that shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information,
see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at
www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
CAUTION: Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer. Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell™ is not covered by your warranty.
CAUTION: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainted metal surface (such as a connector on your computer).
CAUTION: To help prevent damage to the system board, remove the main battery (see Removing the Battery) before working inside the computer.
CAUTION: When the Mini-Card is not in the computer, store it in protective antistatic packaging (see "Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge" in the safety instructions that shipped with your computer).
NOTE: Dell does not guarantee compatibility or provide support for Mini-Cards from sources other than Dell.
If you ordered a wireless Mini-Card with your computer, the card is already installed.
Your computer supports one full Mini-Card slot and two half Mini-Card slots:
One full Mini-Card slot — Mobile broadband or Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)
One half Mini-Card slot — Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax)
One half Mini-Card slot — TV tuner module
NOTE: Depending on the configuration of the computer when it was sold, the Mini-Card slots may or may not have Mini-Cards installed in them.
CAUTION: When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its pull-tab, not on the cable itself. Some cables have connectors with locking tabs; if you are disconnecting this type of cable, press in on the locking tabs before you disconnect the cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable, ensure that both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned.
Disconnect the antenna cables from the Mini-Card.
1
Mini-Card
2
securing screw
3
antenna cable connectors (2)
Remove the screw that secures the Mini-Card to the system board
connector.
Lift the Mini-Card out of the system board connector.
CAUTION: Use firm and even pressure to slide the card into place. If you use excessive force, you may damage the connector.
CAUTION: 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.
CAUTION: To avoid damage to the Mini-Card, never place cables under the card.
Insert the Mini-Card connector at a 45-degree angle into the appropriate
system board connector. For example, the WLAN card connector is labeled
WLAN and so on.
Press the other end of the Mini-Card down into the slot on the system
board and replace the screw that secures the Mini-Card to the system
board connector.
Connect the appropriate antenna cables to the Mini-Card you are
installing. The following table provides the antenna cable color scheme for
each Mini-Card supported by your computer.
Connectors on the Mini-Card
Antenna Cable Color Scheme
WWAN (2 antenna cables)
Main WWAN (white triangle)
Auxiliary WWAN (black triangle)
white with gray stripe
black with gray stripe
WLAN (2 antenna cables)
Main WLAN (white triangle)
Auxiliary WLAN (black triangle)
white
black
TV tuner (1 antenna cable)
black
Secure the unused antenna cables in the protective mylar sleeve.
Install the drivers and utilities for your computer, as required. For more
information, see the Dell Technology Guide.
NOTE: If you are installing a wireless Mini-Card from a source other than Dell, you must install the appropriate drivers and utilities. For more generic driver information, see the Dell Technology Guide.
