Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I bought the Intel WiFi Link 5300 card to replace the stock card in my Dell Mini 9 netbook. The stock card is b/g only and gave me a lot of trouble associating with my home router. The Intel card arrived promptly and included the Intel ProSet 12 software on CD (though I had already downloaded an updated version from Intel's web site). The card and software installed easily.
The Mini 9 has only two antennas (I have a third on order) so I initially connected the two to the 1 and 2 terminals on the Intel card. It worked well and gave me a strong signal in my house, though sometimes the Wireless N connection was weak. I am sure the third antenna will help with that. No problem associating with my access point and the speed is great.
An easy upgrade if you are dissatisfied with the wireless solution in your netbook or notebook that uses a Mini-PCIe connector. Just make sure that the card size is correct - Intel makes one that's even smaller, but the Dell Mini 9 took this size.
Edit: As I predicted, adding the third antenna brought back the N performance. I'm now running Windows 7 on the Mini 9 and it recognized the Intel 5300 and operates it without the need for additional drivers or the Intel ProSet software, though the software does give you more information about how the card is performing. I'm very happy with the 5300.
Edit 9/30/09 - I've been getting lots of questions about where I obtained the third antenna and how it is installed. The antenna I used is made by Tyco and is typically sold in a pack of two. Amazon doesn't sell it, but if you search eBay for "tyco minipci" you will find many for sale. The pack is typically less than $10. Each antenna consists of a large square foil area, backed by adhesive, and a smaller section with an S-shaped foil trace, which is the actual, radiating part of the antenna. The only difference between the two antennae in the pack is the length of the lead, so pick the one that works best for you.
For best results, the antenna would be mounted inside the display lid of your notebook/netbook, positioned so that the S-shaped trace is not blocked by the LCD panel or metal shielding. It's ok for the adhesive-backed section to be blocked as this is just a "ground plane". The antenna should be as high up on the lid as you can manage, though I've heard from some who just let it lay flat inside the base of their PC and they say it "works fine".
The connectors used are standard but are somewhat fragile. Pull them straight up from the card and push straight down, taking care to align the plug correctly. You may find that long-nose pliers help (but don't squeeze too hard.)
Note that the Intel 5100 card is very similar to the 5300 except that it does not support the 3x3 mode with the very highest transfer rates (and uses only two antennae.) You may find that the 5100 is more than adequate for your needs, especially if your wireless router itself doesn't support the 3x3 mode (few do.)
One more point - both the 5100 and 5300 support Intel's "My WiFi" technology which lets you share Internet access with local WiFi devices. This requires the Intel ProSet driver and application which can be downloaded from Intel's web site - read more details on Intel's site.
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