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Can Dell E520 take a Wireless PCI Adapter?

I am hoping the assembled multitudes can help sort out conflicting information about how to best outfit a new Dell E520 desktop for wireless. This machine will be in my son's room, about 60 feet (direct line) from our Linksys WRT54G wireless router.

The Dell so-called-Help desk said that it is impossible to put a wireless PCI card into an E520. It kept suggesting a wireless USB adapter. The boys and girls at Best Buy Big Box said that if I had an available PCI slot, I could install a wireless PCI card. My impression is that both of these answers cannot be correct.

On some of my previous computers, I have never had an issue swapping in and out PCI cards with firewire, ethernet, usb, phone modem and other connections. That said, I realize technology rolls on. (I am still puzzling through PCIe, PCIe 1x and PCIe 16x. Every time some starts down that path, my eyes roll back in my head and I make a gurgling sound!)

Any discussion on what I should be looking for in deciding how to strap on a wireless link? Besides being less convenient, my impression is that USB adapters aren't as powerful as PCI adapters -- if only because the built-ins have an antenna.

All thoughts welcome. I apologize in advance if I have cross-posted too widely, or have touched a topic previously resolved by the group.

Regards, Brian beezer000atgmaildotcom

Reply to
beezer000
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snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com hath wroth:

Open the box and look inside. Is there a PCI slot? According to the online Dell docs (you did read the docs?),

there are two PCI connectors and one PCI Express connector. These may be populated with cards that came for your multimedia experience, so it's best to open the box and check.

Also, there are wireless products advertised for the E520. For example:

USB will also work.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

On 16 Jan 2007 11:45:18 -0800, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrotd:

I'm not sure why DELL says you can't... the E520 comes with two (2) standard PCI slots, one (1) PCI Express X1 and a PCI Express x16, and if the configuration you purchased isn't using both of the PCI slots, there's no reason I can see why you can't.

That said, it has been mentioned that a USB-based wireless interface may have a bit of an advantage. Sometimes those antennaes on the PCI cards get pretty blocked by cases, etc. and have very little flexibility in their positioning. A USB-based adapter can be placed at the end of any USB extension cable which pretty much allows it placement and direction to be almost anywhere, especially out from behind the machine.

Reply to
Froggie the Gremlin

Report back from beezer: Turns out to be no biggie. I got some Linksys WUSB54 adapters and everything seems to be working fine.

Reply to
beezer000

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