I just got a new laptop with an interanl Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 Interanl Wireless card. I was just checking my future school’s wireless website and it said to remove the wireless card when not in use because the antena could be broken. I am assuming that since my card is internal that there in no antena. Is that true? Do only the external cards have antenas? Is there any way a person can tell from looking at my laptop that I am connected to the network without looking at the screen?
An internal wireless card has an antenna, just not one that sticks out of the computer.
Yes, sort of. Network admins can tell that others are accessing the wireless “hotspots” from remote computers, but it would be impossible to distinguish you from the hundreds of others on campus doing the same thing. You’ll be fine with you snazy new notebook.
P.S. - I love my Centrino Gateway.
A lot of internal wireless network adapters run the antenna wire (internally) across the back or along the edge of the LCD bezel as (when open) this is normally the highest point on the notebook and provides the most efficient reception area to the RF signal.
Most PCMCIA wireless networking cards extend at least a few centimeters from the laptop’s card slot, so that the card’s antenna isn’t shielded by the laptop’s case. Since most of the card is still inside the computer, rough handling could potentially break off the stub that sticks out. I think this is probably what they’re warning about.
That’s my vote as well. I’ve seen a couple PC card antennas snapped off while the laptop was supposedly safe and snug in its travel case, (A backpack is not a travel case!) or from being the point making contact with the floor if a laptop is dropped. :eek:
Of course, it’s awfully magnaminous of the IT department to offer helpful hints to prevent needless damage to your computer. I suspect there is an ulterior motive in there - probably related to not running as P2P hotspot while using their network.
Could I take this card out if I wanted? Isn’t it inside the laptop? I don’t even know where it is located.
It depends on your laptop, but many components are integrated into the motherboard. Laptops aren’t designed to be modular like desktops are.
This is somewhat related. I work in out-side sales, so I’m on the road all day seeing customers. I have a new laptop with internal Wi-Fi, and it is great! I find hot-spots all over the place in shopping centers that I can log-on to the internet with at cable modem speeds.
Check the bottom of your laptop. Is there a removable panel called ‘m-PCI’? This is where my laptop’s internal wireless card is located.
I keep it in there all the time even though I hardly ever use it.
As Jake4 mentioned, this particular card is Mini PCI, rather than PCMCIA, so it actually is contained entirely within the laptop’s chassis. If there isn’t a cover on the bottom of the laptop, then accessing it may require disassembling the laptop to a degree, such as removing the keyboard.