# How to use SIM card with laptop? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 28, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697 "2012-07-28T18:02:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/1 "2012-07-28T18:02:51Z")
I got a new lasptop and there is a SIM card slot. I have an extra card that came with my phone. I inserted the card but I dont see it in device manager. I guess it needs a driver or something. Is there some sort of software that will let me make and receive phonecalls and use data on my laptop? I dont want to purchase something from TMobile. I’m paying for unlimited data, up to 5gb. There must be something that will allow my laptop to work as essentially a big phone. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/2 "2012-07-28T18:27:30Z")
Are you sure the slot on your computer isn’t just an SD card slot (rather than a SIM card reader)? It’s not normal for a computer to have a SIM card reader. If you put a SIM card into an SD card slot it won’t be recognized by your OS. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/3 "2012-07-28T18:49:50Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Are you sure the slot on your computer isn’t just an SD card slot (rather than a SIM card reader)? It’s not normal for a computer to have a SIM card reader. If you put a SIM card into an SD card slot it won’t be recognized by your OS. Lots of laptops have cellular modems in them. It is a pretty common feature. However, the ones that I have seen have the sim card slot is under the battery. Unlike the SD slots which are easily accessible. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/4 "2012-07-28T18:58:48Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > Lots of laptops have cellular modems in them. It is a pretty common feature. However, the ones that I have seen have the sim card slot is under the battery. Unlike the SD slots which are easily accessible. It is? I see 50-60 laptops a month, there are a handful of units that have a wireless/cell card but it is by far the exception not the rule. Also in those units the sim card slot is actually on the modem card itself, not an externally accessible socket. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/5 "2012-07-28T19:29:35Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > It is? I see 50-60 laptops a month, there are a handful of units that have a wireless/cell card but it is by far the exception not the rule. Also in those units the sim card slot is actually on the modem card itself, not an externally accessible socket. It certainly is for business laptops. The vast majority of laptops where I work have cell modems in them. I will agree that there are more laptops without cell modems but it is not an uncommon feature. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/6 "2012-07-28T20:25:44Z")
> [@Quintas](#): > > I got a new lasptop and there is a SIM card slot. So what is the make and model? ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/7 "2012-07-28T20:29:23Z")
**Quintas** , can you provide the model number for your laptop? That will let us see the specs and verify if it really has a SIM slot. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/8 "2012-07-28T20:53:31Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Are you sure the slot on your computer isn’t just an SD card slot (rather than a SIM card reader)? It’s not normal for a computer to have a SIM card reader. If you put a SIM card into an SD card slot it won’t be recognized by your OS. Yep. Its a Dell XPS. Documentation says 'SIM card slot". Pull the battery out and the slot is behind the battery. The SD card slot is on the front edge, just below the touchpad. ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/9 "2012-07-28T20:58:58Z")
Dell System XPS L502X ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/10 "2012-07-28T21:04:08Z")
What was the intended use of the “extra” T-Mobile SIM card? I don’t think you need a driver or anything else. I think you have an unactivated T-Mobile SIM, and I don’t think that they intended for you to put it into any device you wanted for “unlimited data, up to 5GB.” WTF is that supposed to mean, anyway? Unlimited, except for the limit? ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/11 "2012-07-28T21:12:42Z")
> [@Jake\_Jones](#): > > What was the intended use of the “extra” T-Mobile SIM card? I don’t think you need a driver or anything else. I think you have an unactivated T-Mobile SIM, and I don’t think that they intended for you to put it into any device you wanted for “unlimited data, up to 5GB.” I dunno why. But i’ve tested both cards on my phone. Both work. > [@Jake\_Jones](#): > > WTF is that supposed to mean, anyway? Unlimited, except for the limit? Most carriers are doing that. I agree the wording is disingenuous. It’s unlimited data a 4G speeds up to 5 GB. After that its throttled back to EDGE speed until the end of billing cycle. I’ve never come close to using 5GB on my phone, but i guess some were tethering their phone to computer and using 4G as primary internet access. In that case you would exceed 5GB pretty quick. I have DSL at home, I just thought it would be nice to use my cellular data if im occasionally somewhere with my laptop and no other access. I can already do that by tethering the phone to my laptop, but since i’ve got a SIM slot, why not use it? ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/12 "2012-07-28T21:15:53Z")
illustration from manual: [http://i46.tinypic.com/1239vg2.jpg](http://i46.tinypic.com/1239vg2.jpg) Card pops right in, but I dont see it in device manager and I dont see any software on the computer or on the Dell disks or website to utilise it. ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/13 "2012-07-28T21:17:20Z")
> [@Quintas](#): > > I dunno why. But i’ve tested both cards on my phone. Both work. Fair enough. Could it be a two devices online at once thing, then? Have you tried your laptop with SIM while your phone is off? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/14 "2012-07-28T21:31:24Z")
Do you have to enable the SIM card slot or the WWAN card slot in the BIOS? Also, do you have either a 5540 HSPA or a 5620 EVDO-HSPA mobile broadband mini card? ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/15 "2012-07-28T21:31:30Z")
> [@Jake\_Jones](#): > > Fair enough. Could it be a two devices online at once thing, then? Have you tried your laptop with SIM while your phone is off? yeah. I cant find any software. And nothing pops up on the taskbar to even indicate its there. I thought I might see an icon with an X through it like when LAN or wireless is not connected. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/16 "2012-07-28T21:34:01Z")
A number of the Dell XPS and business laptops have SIM slots but no 3G/4G radios. You can go to the Dell support sitehttp://support.dell.com, enter your service tag and look at your configuration as shipped from Dell. If it shipped with a 3G radio, it should be in the part list. ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/17 "2012-07-28T21:34:48Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Do you have to enable the SIM card slot or the WWAN card slot in the BIOS? Also, do you have either a 5540 HSPA or a 5620 EVDO-HSPA mobile broadband mini card? I checked BIOS, nothing to activate. I can activate/deactivate ethernet and wireless, but didnt see anything for SIM. As to the mini-card. I’m not familiar with the devices you mentioned. SIM card is all I have. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/18 "2012-07-28T21:42:20Z")
The [tech specs for that model computer](http://www.dell.com/us/dfh/p/xps-l502x/pd) mention those two cards for mobile broadband options. Did you check the parts list that **FinsToTheLeft** mentioned? ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/19 "2012-07-28T21:42:28Z")
You see nothing in control panel under modems or network adaptors? For the taskbar, have you customized it to show icon and notifications for network? You’re probably reluctant to do this, but have you contacted T-Mobile to see if they approve of using your spare SIM in this way? If they don’t want you connecting via laptop for obvious potential bandwidth differences from your phone, it would be fairly trivial for them to prevent this use. ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697/20 "2012-07-28T21:44:30Z")
> [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > A number of the Dell XPS and business laptops have SIM slots but no 3G/4G radios. You can go to the Dell support sitehttp://support.dell.com, enter your service tag and look at your configuration as shipped from Dell. > > If it shipped with a 3G radio, it should be in the part list. I would have never thought of this, but it makes perfect sense on an economies of scale basis. SIM slot that interfaces to… absolutely nothing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-use-sim-card-with-laptop/629697.md?page=2)