And USB devices can be installed directly in the port on the laptop or attached
to a hub that connects by wire to the computer; adding a hub allows use of
multiple USB devices.
Already got the goods........................................................................
Upgrading to a better wireless transceiver or working around a broken WiFi
adapter is easily done.
Upgrading or replacing wireless facilities
Although it is possible to physically remove a wireless adapter that is
installed within a laptop case, I recommend against doing so. This is tight
work with delicate connectors, and may void your warranty. And as I’ve
already noted, you’ll have to buy the laptop maker’s own card, almost cer-
tainly a more expensive solution than using an external PC Card or USB
device. The only reason to remove a built-in card is if it is somehow causing
operational problems with your laptop or if you cannot switch it off with a
hardware slide switch or software command.
To disable the drivers associated with built-in hardware, follow these steps:
- Remove or disable the existing wireless circuitry.
If the card is installed in an internal slot, you may be able to switch it off
so the system does not seek to use it; you’ll probably also have to remove
or disable drivers for the cards that are installed within Windows.- Choose Start➪Control Panel➪System to display the System Properties
panel. - Choose the Hardware Device Manager.
- Look for the + mark next to Network adapters; click that symbol to
expand the list of hardware managed there.
Depending on the configuration of your machine, you may see several
devices here including a NIC used for a wired connection to an Ethernet,
a 1394 adapter (to support high-speed FireWire communication), a
Bluetooth adapter (for that particular type of radio frequency commu-
nication), and a Wireless Network Connection. It is that last piece of
hardware you need to disable.- Double-click the wireless component to display its properties.
At the bottom of the properties page is a section called Device Usage.- Click the Device Usage down arrow and select Do Not Use This Device
(Disable).
This instructs Windows not to use the drivers associated with it.Chapter 14: Feeling Up In the Air 215