Retrofitting Dell 5620 WWAN in M11X R3 with generic UMTS

[blingers]

Hi all,

I purchased the M11X R3 recently in Australia and unfortunately they don't have the WWAN option here so I decided to retrofit it. After numerous days of frustration, I managed to get it to work successfully!

I bought an unlocked Dell 5620 gobi2000 card on ebay ($30) and installed it in the WWAN slot and (temporary solution) used the AUX wifi antenna as the WWAN antenna. The card was detected with no problems (the“Mobile Broadband On” is checked in the Fn+F3 menu) and it uses the “Dell mobile broadband utility” software for GPS, SMS and internet.

The problem was the M11xR3-specific drivers for the Dell 5620 as discussed in several threads:

Generic UMTS not supported for Dell 5620 on Alienware M11xR3

Dell Alienware M11x R3 Mobile Broadband Issues - General-Mobile-Computing - Mobile-Computing

Generic UMTS not supported for Dell 5620 on Alienware M11xR3 - Alienware Forum - Alienware Club - Dell Community

The 5620 drivers for the M11X R3 seems to be locked to the Verizon CDMA network which is no good for users of other networks. This is driver dependent as I used this same card in my Dell XPS 15 (L502X) and the L502X-specific drivers allowed for “generic UMTS” network profile (which I need for WWAN 3G in Australia). So using the L502X drivers will solve my problem in the M11X R3. But installing the L502X-specific drivers in the AW M11X R3 won't work because you get the “Incompatible platform” or “Unable to validate model” error. To by-pass this system check, I monitored all the files extracted from the L502X driver installer in the L502X and found the driver in windows/installer folder (3068cc2.zip 31mb http://en.community.dell.com/cfs-fil...0.3068cc2.zip). This driver will install in the M11X successfully.

I now I can select the generic UMTS network profile to use 3G internet from my mobile SIM card! You have to create a new profile with the correct APN to use your mobile network. For my Optus mobile phone SIM card, the APN is “internet” and skip the username and password. See here for APNs for other Australian networks: http://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/mobiles_apn .

The SIM card slot is just above the card reader. If you get the SIM not found error, follow this: How to get your iPhone SIM Card working on the Gobi WWAN (plus how to fix those "No SIM Card" errors)

Interestingly, I can use the optus network with the AT&T UMTS profile too.

As for GPS, I haven't got the GPS to lock on but that could be because I'm indoors at the moment. Its a standalone GPS but it seems to need a SIM card to work.

So thats my solution to WWAN in the M11X R3 in Aus networks until Dell releases new drivers with the required network profiles which should be very possible because the M11X R1 and R2 5620 drivers do have the generic UMTS profile...

As mentioned earlier, I am using the AUX wifi antenna for WWAN so my wifi won't be performing at its best (no wireless-N??). If you can get the M11X lid for WWAN for real cheap then the retrofit would be complete

hopefully this helps the few users keen on this.

[blingers]

hmm i can't get a gps signal in clear sky. has anyone got gps working in the m11x?

[blingers]

I just installed some wwan antennas (main and aux) fitted just on top of the wwan card and get ok signal for 3G UMTS but still no GPS signal

[philby]

Hi - fellow Ausi, fitted the dell 5530 card in my alienware m11x - you won't get a working GPS have tried all the possible options I could think of and while I get the GPS to provide data I will not get a lock. Got my drivers from unpacking various install applications as you have said these cards are not supported via the normal method. I run a telstra sim mainly for better coverage.

The GPS will however work running XP - go figure but found no real use for it so have not bothered to continue to play with this.

If you do get it working and providing a GPS lock now that would be interesting.

[blingers]

Hi - fellow Ausi, fitted the dell 5530 card in my alienware m11x - you won't get a working GPS have tried all the possible options I could think of and while I get the GPS to provide data I will not get a lock. Got my drivers from unpacking various install applications as you have said these cards are not supported via the normal method. I run a telstra sim mainly for better coverage.

The GPS will however work running XP - go figure but found no real use for it so have not bothered to continue to play with this.

If you do get it working and providing a GPS lock now that would be interesting.

Thanks mate. I'll keep trying. interestingly when i install this card (5620) into a dell xps laptop (Win7) the GPS works so yeah its probably software related.

[garfkor]

Hi blingers,
I have the same problem that you wrote about a year ago. Unfortunatel the link to Dell 5620 driver, 3068cc2.zip is not working.
Could you be so kind to provide me link to this file or send me the file via e-mail: garfkor@o2.pl
Thank you in advance
Piotr

[blingers]

here you go if you get GPS working please let us know http://dl.dropbox.com/u/72473707/3068cc2.zip

[garfkor]

Thank you very much for help. I almost give up.