Ill from LED on T430...Need a laptop that can handle Windows 10...

Caledon Ken · 09 Dec 2017

Can't comment on those specific devices. They seem a little too inexpensive. I would be looking in $20 dollar range.

Before spending anything let's talk routers. If your router doesn't have the right radios then there is no need to change wifi card / dongle. If you get from a supplier as part of your contract then they should be giving you a quality device. Please post make model.

Guarantee your Dell 1318 takes an SSD. Doc attached.

http://downloads.dell.com/manuals/al...nual_en-us.pdf

Click on hard drive. Picture is worth a thousand words.

Mine Dell D630 built for XP is way older than yours and takes one. You can see from pictures it is a SATA drive. Don't go over board on super fast as your SATA will be older (Sata 1 or Sata 2) but you will notice difference immediately.

If you could go into your device manager and tell us exactly what wifi card you have we can see if this is a g/n or g type card.

OrcaLady91 · 09 Dec 2017

Thanks for th info. Dell Wireless 1395 WLAN Mini-Card. I already know for a fact that the Dell wifi card is strictly 1x1, 2.4 GHz 802.11g protocol. T6500 Intel Core Duo processor (2.1 GHz). I had a 297 GB HDD put on a few years ago. The Dell laptop has Windows 7 Ultimate, 64 bit. -OL91

Caledon Ken · 09 Dec 2017

Okay, so card is G, capped at 54Mbps.

and router is ?

OrcaLady91 · 09 Dec 2017

Idk. I only connect at public & university libraries & 1 coffee shop. My major concern is W10 not creating drivers for 1x1 802.11g cards anymore.

Caledon Ken · 09 Dec 2017

That might be a good thing. It won't be updated to the point of not working. LOL

N class is a good choice.

OrcaLady91 · 09 Dec 2017

I can't really do n-class b/c they're usually dual-band, & mixed-mode. This fx my health very badly. I do well w/ the Dell b/c it's strictly 2.4 GHz, & it only goes up to 802.11g protocol.

Caledon Ken · 09 Dec 2017

Then stay with your card until it quits working.

I just bought a new router with many bands and speed coming out it ears. Still no way for me to shut off G. It will likely be several years before public spaces get rid of G.

What I would do is get a copy of your current driver and store it somewhere special that is backed up. Should Win10 fail because of a new driver we will force in your old driver.

This is what I do for my AC wireless card. In my device it only works with February 2014 driver. Every feature update it gets upgraded and then I force in the old one.

OrcaLady91 · 09 Dec 2017

Thanks. I have no idea if W10 has drivers for that card, is the problem.

Caledon Ken · 10 Dec 2017

Windows 10 has an amazing set of driver and it is very likely your 7 or 8.1 driver will work. I'm using a February 2014 driver and Windows 10 was not released.

So is your laptop running 7 or 8.1 today?

This maybe outside your range of comfort but if you Imaged your device, as is, so you can restore you could try 10.

Here is an idea, create Kyhi's recovery disk (DVD) and boot from it. It is windows 10. You can then see if the card is recognized in the device manager and you could even test the connectivity.

Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk

OrcaLady91 · 10 Dec 2017

Thanks. I'm noticing that my dell wireless 1395 WLAN Mini-Card doesn't have a "transmit power" option in device manager, & that it MAY be running on 802.11b, NOT 802.11g. It says "802.11b only" under "IBSS 54g (TM) Mode" under "Properties" of the WLAN Card. This is confusing, b/c Idk what protocol is actually running. Apparently, all Ik is that it's a strictly 2.3GHz card, which is exactly what I need. Trying to find another Dell Inspiron 1318 but Idk if Windows 10 will recognize the wifi card, since it seems to be something like a 2008 laptop. (I'm the 2nd owner).