UPDATE: We have a new card (here) that has the antenna connectors on the same (RIGHT) side of the card as the Dell TrueMobile cards. We recommend that you consider this card as an easy replacement over our other miniPCI cards.

So how do I install it?

The answer is "it depends."
Some of the Dell laptops are designed so it is easy to access the mini PCI slot. Others were not designed to allow easy access. In general if your laptop is less than a year old you probably have the pigtails and antennas already embedded in your system. All you need to do is install (or upgrade) a mini PCI card. If you have never installed a miniPCI card into a laptop before, check out this handy tutorial. Although it is not specifically about our card, they do show nice pictures which should help you get your card installed correctly the first time.

NOTE: The Dell Truemobile cards have the antenna leads on the right. The antenna leads on all of our cards are on the left (except for the new 5004 card here). This has presented many problems to those who do not wish to engage in laptop surgery. Please read and understand all of this information before you order a miniPCI card in order to save yourself some time, money and frustration.

\"If anyone asks, they need to download the system service manual from the Dell technical support site, and follow all the instructions for removing everything down to the system board (this involves removing absolutely everything covered by the manual). One antenna (the white lead) is just next to the power socket, and the other (the troublesome black aux lead) is on the left-hand front side of the computer next to one of the speakers. Unfortunately, the antenna leads are attached to the underside of the mount that holds the system board (i.e. between the mount and the board), so to get at them you really need to detach the actual system board from its mount (this is one step beyond what is covered in the manual). Then it's simply a matter of removing the tape and redirecting the black lead. (The lead is soldered to the antenna at one end, so you can't just unplug it and stick a replacement in \- but fortunately, it is possible just to reroute the existing lead.) The white lead can also be rerouted in this manner if you so desire.

Dell seem to be incapable of telling me which of the three types of u.fl cable it is - seems to be double-shielded, which would make it the 1.13mm or 1.32mm diameter. I fired off several messages to their support address, then fought my way through an inane artificial intelligence engine that convinced itself I was asking how to install RedHat Linux, then finally got a reply from a human clone in India who was doing his best to imitate an inane artificial intelligence engine. After several dialogues strangely reminiscent of ELIZA and SHRDLU from the 1970's, I gave up; a quick web-search reveals that this is not an isolated experience. (Jamie, tell your boss never to replace you with an Indian artificial intelligence clone).

Hope this helps someone somewhere sometime ...your card is way cool and I am most happy with it.\" (Thanks G! Double thanks for sharing your experience to help everyone else.)