From owner-freebsd-mobile@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Jan 5 21:25:14 2005 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 25B7716A4CE for ; Wed, 5 Jan 2005 21:25:14 +0000 (GMT) Received: from spadger.best.vwh.net (spadger.best.vwh.net [192.220.100.249]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id DC5CB43D45 for ; Wed, 5 Jan 2005 21:25:13 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from spadger@spadger.best.vwh.net) Received: (qmail 53208 invoked by uid 25849); 5 Jan 2005 21:25:13 -0000 Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 13:25:13 -0800 From: Andrew Sparrow To: "julesg@newebmail.com" Message-ID: <20050105132513.C6460@spadger.best.vwh.net> References: <20050105112105.GS53273@wantadilla.lemis.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.2.5.1i In-Reply-To: ; from julesg@newebmail.com on Wed, Jan 05, 2005 at 01:24:10PM -0500 cc: Greg 'groggy' Lehey cc: freebsd-mobile@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: Fwd: Experience with Dell Inspiron 1150 laptop? X-BeenThere: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Mobile computing with FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 21:25:14 -0000 On Wed, Jan 05, 2005 at 01:24:10PM -0500, julesg@newebmail.com wrote: > A friendly FreeBSD'er in the Netherlands helped me get some perhiperals > running; and I did learn some things for my efforts; Conexnat(?), the > modem people, are beginning to be quite responsive to the Linux the > FreeBSD communities, and I expect they will begin to offer Linux drivers > for their modems -- but right now, the 1150 Winmodem (which I require) > only works with M$ OS's. I purchased this, believing that I could make > things work with FreeBSD -- but not so. I was replacing an old Tecra and > everything worked fine, with both Linux and BSD -- not so the 1150. All mini-PCI cards of the same type (form factor) are interchangable, TTBOMK. If they don't have the same connectors for the same function(s), they're not standards-compliant. HP, at least, defines this procedure as "user-servicable" (i.e. same as fitting extra memory) and it doesn't even invalidate warranty on a new laptop. Takes about 3 minutes the first time. I've swapped out multiple 3Com combo cards (with the non-functional Conextant winmodem) for the Intel/Lucent combo card where the Lucent winmodem works perfectly with ltmdm from ports. As a bonus, the Intel 8255x part of the card works better for me under heavy network load than the 3Com xl part/driver too. IBM, Compaq and HP have all shipped these Intel-based combo cards at one time or another, I've never paid more than $25 US on Ebay for one. Tricky part is often identifying what's on offer. Look for the Intel logo in the photo. Caveat: I've never seen an Intel combo card without a Lucent/Agrere(sp?) modem, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. The 3Com cards are far more common... Even laptop CPU's can be upgraded (assuming they're removable), and some Dell's even have the video cards on daughter-cards that are interchangeable, usually with nVidia and ATI variants. I upgraded my laptop from 14.1" XGA (1024x768) to 15" SXGA (1400x1050) display with spares from Ebay. Stuff that's truly integrated (i.e. surface-mounted on the mobo) is a lot harder to deal with if it doesn't work/isn't supported... Cheers, Andy.