Integrated Network Connector Busted

My Dell XPS M1330 laptop could not connect to the Internet after I restarted it from sleep mode yesterday. Switching to another ADSL modem did not work either. The red light on the network slot is on all the time while the green light does not blink even when the cable is connected to the modem. Windows Device Manager showed that only the wifi adaptor is active. After trouble shooting for a while, it was apparent that the integrated network card is busted. I had to wipe the dust off the router that has been lying idle and connect to the Internet via wifi.

A phone call to Dell technical support this morning confirmed that the integrated network card is indeed not working. The motherboard has to be replaced as the network card is built-in. This is my second motherboard replacement. The first was four days after I took delivery of the laptop in 2008. The good thing about Dell is the very friendly technical support and warranty that provides next business day onsite repair. It sure beats having to leave the laptop in a service centre for a few days.

My Broken Dell XPS M1330 Repaired

The engineer came as arranged to replace the motherboard. I did not know disassembling a notebook can be so easy. And I also did not know that Dell replaces faulty parts under warranty with refurbished ones. I am not happy with this. I paid for a new laptop but barely four days later I get a refurbished replacement for a faulty part.

That aside, Dell’s service is excellent. They also have a Total Satisfaction Policy where purchasers may return the merchandise within 14 days from the date of invoice for replacement or a refund or credit of the product purchase price. I have not decided if I want to keep this notebook especially when a major hardware problem have cropped up so early after purchase. This episode has shaken my confidence in Dell’s products.